FOT Forum

The Best Show on WFMU => Mike And His Ilk. => Topic started by: Paul DePhiladelphia on June 11, 2010, 12:34:40 PM

Title: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on June 11, 2010, 12:34:40 PM
I was curious which documentaries you guys hold dear.
I'll start by opening the discussion on a few of my favorite documentaries/documentarians. Have y'all seen the Paradise Lost films, Ross McElwee docus, Frederick Wiseman docus, or Streetwise?
Also what do you guys think of the HBO docus like Smalltown Ecstacy, Black Tar Heroin, Dope Sick Love?
There are really tons.
Hell House is frightening as well as Jesus Camp.
The list goes on, any recs? I'd really like to hear y'alls thoughts on the West Memphis 3.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: B_Buster on June 11, 2010, 12:58:48 PM
I really liked 51 Birch Street.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Hugman 3.0 on June 11, 2010, 01:21:27 PM
Warner Herzog's Encounters At The End of The World blew my mind.  Very beautiful.
There's one making the festival rounds right now called Marwencol which is AWESOME. Keep your eyes peeled for that.  Google it in the meantime and check out what it's about.
I discovered at this year's sxsw that documentary shorts rule. I'd definitely check out the wholphin dvd's if I were you.
Music docs I love: End Of The Century: The Story Of The Ramones, The Filth and The Fury, Be Here to Love Me (Townes Van Zandt), The Devil & Daniel Johnston, You're Gonna Miss Me (Roky Erickson).
And this looks awesome. I cannot wait to see it.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CZMLs8Ke40[/youtube]
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Sarah on June 11, 2010, 01:49:57 PM
I'm partial to Seven Up and its successors.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on June 11, 2010, 01:57:38 PM
Some Number of Short Films About Glenn Gould
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on June 11, 2010, 02:16:27 PM
I'm partial to Seven Up and its successors.

Yeah I get teary eyed everytime they end with the "Give me a boy of 7 and I will show you the man"(or something like that). They're all on Netflix Instant I need to rewatch.
Also most Ross McElwee is on Instant Watch. I'd love to hear what you guys think of him. I relate heavily to a lot of his work.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Regular Joe on June 11, 2010, 02:46:42 PM
The films which I so bravely suggest here aren't lighthearted fare for sheeple to numb their slave-minds with. Instead these stories offer tools for real posi-action, information that will empower the proletariat down in the gutter with the rats and the uneducated garbage, where they are stepped on day after day of their miserable lives by imperial overlords who feed them cheeseburgers made out of non-biodegradable plastic.

Note: While most of these aren't brand new they're still relevant, some even more so now.

First on the list, and at the top with a bullet, is The Corporation. Everyone should go download the free "Filmmakers Official Download Edition" located RIGHT HERE (http://"http://www.archive.org/details/The_Corporation_"). It's as clear a message about whats wrong with the world as I've seen to date.

What's more:

The Take - Inspirational story about workers in Argentina running their own abandoned factories. Blueprint for revolution.
The Cove - Exposé about the ongoing Japanese dolphin massacre. Won an Oscar, but won't stop a thing till enough people see it.
Food Inc. - The terrifying story of how our very nourishment is being warped for profit and power. If you eat, you have to watch this.
Capitalism: A Love Story - I'm sure you have your own opinions on this, but it's worth watching.
Endgame: Blueprint for Global Enslavement - I seriously hesitate to add this, Alex Jones is a despicable, often batshit insane man, but there are some points here underneath that worth hearing.

Then some fun:

Tyson - A long form analysis of the real person behind the monster that is Mike Tyson. Fascinating and well made.
The Kid Stays In The Picture - If Robert Evans isn't one of your heroes or villains already, he will be after this. Based on Bob Odenkirk's performance as God.
Heckler - Mentioned on the show, and featuring our own beloved Paul F. Tompkins.

I also second what Hugman said, Encounters At The End of The World creates the most perfect relaxing feeling every time I watch it. Better even than that movie about the bugs that they play on the wall at raves.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Sarah on June 11, 2010, 02:55:50 PM
32 Short Films About Glenn Gould

More of a docudrama, isn't it?  But great nonetheless.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on June 11, 2010, 02:56:22 PM
Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould

More of a docudrama, isn't it?  But great nonetheless.

Yah, you got me.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on June 11, 2010, 03:00:54 PM
The Herzog documentaries Fata Morgana, How much Wood would a Woodchuck chuck...(if you like the auction scene in Stroszek, see this one), The White Diamond, Wheel of Time, God's Angry Man(frightening) are all as good, if not better, than Encounters and have that same hypnotic value. Also Wild Blue Yonder is just amazing and feels like it's from another world.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Sarah on June 11, 2010, 03:03:50 PM
Yeah I get teary eyed everytime they end with the "Give me a boy of 7 and I will show you the man"(or something like that). They're all on Netflix Instant I need to rewatch.

Another reason for me to get Netflix.  I wonder what happened to the ongoing documentary about marriage in America that Apted started.  I saw the first installment what seems like a thousand years ago.  I think there was one more, and then the project fizzled.

Also, didn't intend to needle, Dave; just getting the facts straight.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on June 11, 2010, 03:13:58 PM
Yeah I get teary eyed everytime they end with the "Give me a boy of 7 and I will show you the man"(or something like that). They're all on Netflix Instant I need to rewatch.

Another reason for me to get Netflix.  I wonder what happened to the ongoing documentary about marriage in America that Apted started.  I saw the first installment what seems like a thousand years ago.  I think there was one more, and then the project fizzled.


Yeah I remember seeing this too but nothing stuck with me. I wish they would follow all the kids from Streetwise. Though they'd probably only live for a sequel.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on June 11, 2010, 03:21:12 PM
There's one making the festival rounds right now called Marwencol which is AWESOME. Keep your eyes peeled for that.  Google it in the meantime and check out what it's about.

Wasn't he featured in an episode of the TV This American Life? I know I've seen the documented somewhere. It looks like it'll have the interesting charm of In the Realms of the Unreal.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Barry Egan on June 11, 2010, 04:43:32 PM
-Crumb
-Red Without Blue
-Burden of Dreams
-The Fog of War
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Hugman 3.0 on June 11, 2010, 06:50:40 PM
There's one making the festival rounds right now called Marwencol which is AWESOME. Keep your eyes peeled for that.  Google it in the meantime and check out what it's about.

Wasn't he featured in an episode of the TV This American Life? I know I've seen the documented somewhere. It looks like it'll have the interesting charm of In the Realms of the Unreal.

Oh yes, that's right.

Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: masterofsparks on June 11, 2010, 09:03:15 PM
Nothing super-obscure here so you might've seen these already, but if not, I highly recommend:

Man on Wire
Tom Dowd and the Language of Music
Style Wars
Street Fight (extra highly recommended if you like The Wire)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: NJL on June 11, 2010, 09:38:48 PM
Adam Curtis!  You can find most of his documentaries here, http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=creator:%22Adam%20Curtis%22%20AND%20(adam%20curtis) (http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=creator:%22Adam%20Curtis%22%20AND%20(adam%20curtis))
Most of his docs seem to deal with ideas, narratives, or ideologies and how people use them to make sense of and shape the world followed by almost certain defeat.    His most famous is probably "The Power of Nightmares" which deals largely with  Neoconservatism.  "The Trap" is probably my favorite though, examining mostly neoliberal ideas of freedom.

Has anyone else seen "It Felt Like A Kiss"?  It deals with the US in the 50s and 60s and how "power really works in the world".  It was released last year as a kind of multi-media show in Manchester.  Its a departure from his typically stylized but narrated and relatively fact-dense docs, this one seemingly more interested in recreating a particular time and the emotions that went with it. There are a few scenes that seem a little obvious or cringe inducing but I'd say it is worth watching, although while it is all on YouTube the first half had its audio taken away for copyright reasons, you can only stream the video from the BBC if you are in UK, or you can download it from some torrent site.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Chris L on June 12, 2010, 01:24:54 AM
I haven't seen COLLAPSE or BURMA VJ yet but I've been anticipating them for a while and they're both released on dvd Tuesday.

You can't go wrong with Errol Morris, obviously, but don't skip the brief tv series he did, First Person, especially the last episode with the pilot who survived a plane crash. 
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Chris L on June 12, 2010, 01:52:02 AM
Also, I'll just go ahead and post part 1 of the very rare and bizarre EINSTEIN'S BRAIN (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relics:_Einstein%27s_Brain).  The brain was removed several hours after Einstein's death, and what happened to it after that gradually became something of a mystery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein%27s_brain).  The film follows an eccentric Japanese professor who reveres Einstein and embarks on a seeming wild goose chase looking for the brain; a quest which begins with him showing up at Princeton and asking random people to take him to "Einstein brain." If the ending is not a hoax, it's jaw-droppingly surreal. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XMKUEZn1Cs
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Martin on June 12, 2010, 03:49:30 AM
I haven't seen COLLAPSE or BURMA VJ yet but I've been anticipating them for a while and they're both released on dvd Tuesday.

I recommend both, highly. Collapse is very Morris-esque.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: DJ Clem on June 12, 2010, 11:54:25 AM
I'd consider Errol Morris's early films essential, 'specially Vernon, Florida and Gates Of Heaven.

Also, do yourself a favor and check out Off The Charts.
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/offthecharts/ (http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/offthecharts/)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: SJK on June 12, 2010, 06:46:13 PM
Also, I'll just go ahead and post part 1 of the very rare and bizarre EINSTEIN'S BRAIN (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relics:_Einstein%27s_Brain).  The brain was removed several hours after Einstein's death, and what happened to it after that gradually became something of a mystery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein%27s_brain).  The film follows an eccentric Japanese professor who reveres Einstein and embarks on a seeming wild goose chase looking for the brain; a quest which begins with him showing up at Princeton and asking random people to take him to "Einstein brain." If the ending is not a hoax, it's jaw-droppingly surreal. 



Chris L, that was unexpected and riveting. Truly bizarre. What a wonderful piece of work. Thanks for the heads up on this. The ending is just sad and sort of shocking in a very benign way. I'm curious to know more about what happened to Dr Harvey. How and why things turned out the way they did for him.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on June 13, 2010, 05:41:31 AM
I love the Louis Theroux documentaries, especially the new ones.
"Murder on a Sunday Morning" and "The Staircase" by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade are two of my favorites, because they are almost unbelievable stories.
Mr. Death by Errol Morris hasn't been named yet but is also a great documentary.
Lessons of Darkness by Herzog is frightening and has genius imagery.
All of my other favorites have already been listed.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on June 13, 2010, 08:11:41 PM
"The Holy Modal Rounders: Bound to Lose"

Originally supposed to be a movie about Robert Christgau, then tuned into a movie about his look alike: PETER STAMPFEL.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: MikeInManhattan on June 14, 2010, 11:12:24 AM
Some my favorites are -

For All Mankind (excellent)
Children Underground (excellent)
Surfwise
Danielson - A Family Movie
Youre gonna Miss Me - !!!
Devil and Daniel Johnston
General Idi Amin Dada - also excellent - also watch the commentary
If I should fall from grace with god - This is was great and and me want to see him again before he got much worse
Hands on a Hard Body - oldie but goodie
Salesman - anybody gainfully employed needs to see this movie
Jonestown
Zoo - sad but stays with you
Gimme Shelter (cant go wrong with any of the M. bros.)
Cocksucker blues - partly staged but still fun
UK/DK - good punk snapshot
Terror's Advocate
King of Kong
Up Series
Party Monster : The Shockumntary - It's worth it for some of that early 90s rave footage
New York Series - also who knew people could call themselves "urbanists"?
Maxed Out
The Agronomist
Hated - GG Allin - shocking but no surprise there
Affliction - really hard to watch and barely a documentary but old pal GG makes an appearance
X -The Unheard Music - really enjoyed this
TV Party
Downtown 81 - not really a doc but a lot of fun to watch
Waltz with Bashir
IOUSA
Bigger Stronger Faster
We Jam Econo - Minutemen
This is It
Six O Clock News
Hell House - my friends did a restaging of this live - AMAZING
Jesus Camp
Hospital - OOP Fred Wiseman - if you can find a copy PLEASE let me know
Times of Harvey Milk - also a great doc
Decline of Western Civilization 2 - The Metal Years !!!!!!!! (as good as it gets)
Decline of W. Civ. 1 - also good but nothing compares to 2.
Sick - Not the Moore one - the S&M one
Spellbound / Word Wars
Dark Days
A Lawyer Walks into a bar
Sherman's March

As the day goes on I might add to the list. Let me know if any of you disagree. Some of these are better than others naturally but still fun...
Best,
Mike in M.

EDIT - someone else suggested but I 100% agree - Street Fight & Style Wars are fantastic!
Also, Constantine's Sword! A must!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: DanFromBrooklyn on June 14, 2010, 11:18:24 AM
Blair Witch Project
Diary of the Dead
Cannibal Holocaust
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: gravy boat on June 14, 2010, 12:18:14 PM
Another thumbs up for "You're Going to Miss Me"  Thumbs down for the Townes Van Zandt for petty reasons. It was well-made but made me like him less.

Someone on this board (Martin maybe) previously recommended "Dear Zachary" -- that was great but it is really heartbreaking stuff that haunted me.  I don't cry much from movies but that one had me sobbing. 

I haven't seen "Dig!" mentioned. One of my favorite music docs. 
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: MikeInManhattan on June 14, 2010, 01:15:48 PM
Another thumbs up for "You're Going to Miss Me"  Thumbs down for the Townes Van Zandt for petty reasons. It was well-made but made me like him less.

Someone on this board (Martin maybe) previously recommended "Dear Zachary" -- that was great but it is really heartbreaking stuff that haunted me.  I don't cry much from movies but that one had me sobbing. 

I haven't seen "Dig!" mentioned. One of my favorite music docs. 

Dig! is great to watch with all 3 commentaries (one from the Dandies, one from BDM, and one from Ondi the filmmaker and co.). Really worth it!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Bryan on June 14, 2010, 01:22:44 PM
Someone on this board (Martin maybe) previously recommended "Dear Zachary" -- that was great but it is really heartbreaking stuff that haunted me.  I don't cry much from movies but that one had me sobbing. 

I saw that one too, on the basis of an FOT rec. I went in cold, knowing nothing about it, as the recommender had said I ought to, and holy shit, is it upsetting. A true feel-bad movie, but a pretty fascinating story.

I also like the Adam Curtis collection, mentioned above. I recently watched Jon Ronson's series "Crazy Rulers of the World" which was adapted into "The Men Who Stare at Goats." It seems totally nutty to have turned this into a fiction film, because the whole appeal of it is seeing real footage with real people demonstrating and explaining the crazy stuff that the U.S. military was/is doing. It's not totally convincing, but it's pretty interesting and funny. Also: worst title ever - what were they thinking?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbXKuwzwfxE[/youtube]
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on June 14, 2010, 03:02:45 PM
Someone on this board (Martin maybe) previously recommended "Dear Zachary" -- that was great but it is really heartbreaking stuff that haunted me.  I don't cry much from movies but that one had me sobbing. 

The tear factory opened up with this one. I cry a lot when death comes up. That mixed with happy images/old film of a happy version of the deceased. But there is one specific part of that movie that had me audibly bawling. It's movies like this that I find it so hard to find the right time to rewatch, always worried that I'm not in the right frame of mind.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on June 14, 2010, 03:07:55 PM
Hey Mike I'm hard-pressed to think of a scene I love more than Ross McElwee's father being serenaded with Christmas carols by his yardman and his wife.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: SJK on June 14, 2010, 04:07:09 PM
Hospital - OOP Fred Wiseman - if you can find a copy PLEASE let me know

Mike, if you look on his website you could order a DVD copy of Hospital for $30, see link below:
http://www.zipporah.com/films/23

Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Smelodies on June 14, 2010, 08:59:16 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WQ0i3nCx60
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on June 14, 2010, 09:43:39 PM
Hospital - OOP Fred Wiseman - if you can find a copy PLEASE let me know

Mike, if you look on his website you could order a DVD copy of Hospital for $30, see link below:
http://www.zipporah.com/films/23



I used to have Hospital but I'm not sure where it went. Wiseman is a master. I have about 20 of his films on dvd-r from back when I used to trade with people in the Harmony Korine forum years ago. I've only seen a handful but I really loved Blind, Centarl Park, Ballet and Belfast, Maine. Truly hypnotizing films.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: DJ Clem on June 15, 2010, 08:54:16 PM
I thought that Dear Zachary was well-intentioned but fell into a very sensationalistic, Court TV vibe, especially during "the big reveal." A heartbreaking but ham-fisted story.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Scofflaw on June 15, 2010, 08:58:29 PM
people may have mentioned these already, but Riding Giants and Dogtown and Z-Boys are two of the best documentaries around. Especially Riding Giants.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on June 15, 2010, 10:20:47 PM
Still no reply on Streetwise?

here it is in 10 parts (they all work, I checked):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h-scpQ_szM&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h-scpQ_szM&feature=related)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Bryan on June 16, 2010, 08:05:29 AM
I thought that Dear Zachary was well-intentioned but fell into a very sensationalistic, Court TV vibe, especially during "the big reveal." A heartbreaking but ham-fisted story.

Yup, that's true. I felt like it was a pretty amazing story, but not a great movie.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: MikeInManhattan on June 16, 2010, 10:07:22 AM
Hospital - OOP Fred Wiseman - if you can find a copy PLEASE let me know

Mike, if you look on his website you could order a DVD copy of Hospital for $30, see link below:
http://www.zipporah.com/films/23



Wow! Thanks for the lead! I think it is definitely worth the $30. I thought of this the other day because you can see it from the FDR.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JonFromMaplewood on June 17, 2010, 11:47:53 AM
Although one of Errol Morris' stranger documentaries, something about "Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control" really worked for me.  I usually list it as one of my favorite films of all time. 

Maybe I liked it so much because it is so hard to explain the subject.  If someone asks me what it is about, I either offer the mundane "It's about four guys and their respective vocations" or I give the over-broad, pompous-sounding "It poses the ultimate ontological question: What does it mean to be 'alive?'"

There is a shot in that movie taken in a circus, showing a woman's ankle and a horse's ankle as they both curtsy side by side. It may be the most beautiful shot I have ever seen.


(I also loved Hands On A Hard Body, Food Inc, American Movie, Dig!, and Manufacturing Consent)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: jbissell on June 17, 2010, 02:16:04 PM
I thought that Dear Zachary was well-intentioned but fell into a very sensationalistic, Court TV vibe, especially during "the big reveal." A heartbreaking but ham-fisted story.

Yup, that's true. I felt like it was a pretty amazing story, but not a great movie.

Exactly my feelings.

Wiseman's Titicut Follies is probably perfect Depravity's Rainbow material.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on June 17, 2010, 05:10:00 PM
Manufacturing Consent

Seconded, Jon. 

Music and fast-cut editing compensates for Noam's drone while not losing the message..
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: SJK on June 17, 2010, 05:40:10 PM
I could recommend, "Our Daily Bread".

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhLesXW8S_8[/youtube]

Write up as seen on youtube page:

"OUR DAILY BREAD reveals the little-known world of high-tech agriculture. In a series of visually stunning, continuously tracking, wide-screen images that seem right out of a science-fiction movie, we see the places where food is cultivated and processed: surreal landscapes optimized for agricultural machinery, clean rooms in cool industrial buildings designed for maximum efficiency, and elaborate machines that operate on a 'disassembly line' basis.

Dispensing entirely with explanatory commentary or 'talking-head' interviews, OUR DAILY BREAD unfolds on the screen like a disturbing dream: an endlessly fascinating flow of images, an insistent gaze, accompanied only by the persistent industrial soundtrack—whirring, clattering, booming, slurping—of the ingenious marvels of mechanization employed by agri-business.
"

Also, "Control Room".

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-C-pf6ZPmw[/youtube]
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on June 17, 2010, 08:12:41 PM
Hands On A Hard Body

I guess Mike has gotten to me.  I didn't think for a second the movie was about a truck.

I was seriously disappointed when it was.  Thanks, AP!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Bryan on June 17, 2010, 08:37:18 PM
I could recommend, "Our Daily Bread".

Ooh, this is right up my alley. Thanks for mentioning it. It's now on my list! It looks a bit like the Edward Burtynsky doc, Manufactured Landscapes.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie5SJ39LsDg[/youtube]
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: SJK on June 17, 2010, 09:04:54 PM
I could recommend, "Our Daily Bread".

Ooh, this is right up my alley. Thanks for mentioning it. It's now on my list! It looks a bit like the Edward Burtynsky doc, Manufactured Landscapes.

I travel and live abroad for work quite often. Sometimes I get to visit a city, not for the purpose of work. NYC is a city I have visited a few times. I often find myself wandering around aimlessly, as is my wont! This time I happened to stumble upon a small theater somewhere in lower Manhattan on an overcast afternoon, showing Manufactured Landscapes. Without any information about the film I decided to watch it. 90minutes later, my face had melted all over the theater floor. Wow.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JonFromMaplewood on June 18, 2010, 12:37:35 PM

It looks a bit like the Edward Burtynsky doc, Manufactured Landscapes.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie5SJ39LsDg[/youtube]


I will not be seeing this. Too scary, and I am sheeple.  Food Inc almost killed me.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: ChrisRawk on June 19, 2010, 12:25:45 PM
Any of you guys check out I AM COMIC yet?  They've been showing it on Showtime and it's pretty great.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Chris L on June 20, 2010, 12:02:13 AM
I haven't seen COLLAPSE or BURMA VJ yet but I've been anticipating them for a while and they're both released on dvd Tuesday.

I recommend both, highly. Collapse is very Morris-esque.

I watched Collapse.  I'd go a little further than Morris-esque and say that Chris Smith completely rips off Morris' current style.

Still, Ruppert is a riveting subject.  I certainly have misgivings about him (especially from what I know of his 9/11 theories) but for quite a while it's been hard for me to see how things won't work out more or less as tragically and traumatically as he describes them.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on June 20, 2010, 12:16:29 AM
I haven't seen COLLAPSE or BURMA VJ yet but I've been anticipating them for a while and they're both released on dvd Tuesday.

I recommend both, highly. Collapse is very Morris-esque.

I watched Collapse.  I'd go a little further than Morris-esque and say that Chris Smith completely rips off Morris' current style.

Still, Ruppert is a riveting subject.  I certainly have misgivings about him (especially from what I know of his 9/11 theories) but for quite a while it's been hard for me to see how things won't work out more or less as tragically and traumatically as he describes them.

From the Wilderness was a site I frequented quite often, several years ago.  
Michael Ruppert doesn't get everything right.  Who does?  But, when I was reading him, I was impressed that his predictions were a great deal more reliable than mainstream commentators.  He had/has some very serious inside connections.

He has a wild and scary back story as well as I recall.  
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Martin on June 20, 2010, 07:49:16 AM
But what is interesting to me is that (slight spoiler) the Collapse is both the one Ruppert describes, and his own. If it had just been one Don Quijote-like character sitting there with his theories ranging from sane-to-conspiratorial, I don't think I would've been as engrossed. But Ruppert's own narrative follows his own metaphor, and I think that gives the film its edge.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Bryan on June 20, 2010, 10:09:09 AM
I watched "The Real Dirt About Farmer John" last night - my food politics obsession continues. It's better than I thought it would be, mostly because there's a ton of lovely family footage dating back to the 50s. And the guy does have an interesting story:

In short, he was heir to a multi-generational family farm. He got his mind blown by the hippie movement at college, then his father died, so he inherited the farm in his early 20s. He turned it into an experimental commune for years, and wound up being an early victim of the farm crisis in North America. He went through a wilderness period, and over the years developed a new model for economically viable small-scale farming.

More fuel for my grudging belief that the hippies were right about a lot of the important stuff, and possibly a partial antidote to the more pessimistic docs like Food Inc., and Collapse.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Omar on June 20, 2010, 12:36:32 PM
"Murder on a Sunday Morning" and "The Staircase" by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade are two of my favorites, because they are almost unbelievable stories.

I've seen The Staircase three times.  Mesmerizing stuff.  Murder on a Sunday Morning is also the name of the hardcore group I was in circa 1990-1992.  MOASM 4 eva.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on June 20, 2010, 12:46:22 PM
I watched "The Real Dirt About Farmer John" last night
More fuel for my grudging belief that the hippies were right about a lot of the important stuff, and possibly a partial antidote to the more pessimistic docs like Food Inc., and Collapse.

More fuel for my grudging belief that the hippies were right about a lot of the important stuff

I hope Milton Buffcoat reads this perspicacious perception.

I assume you are up on Michael Pollan.  

I would like to also suggest you investigate Helen and Scott Nearing,  Wendell Berry and Frances Moore Lappé.

Also, Mad John from Ogden's Nut Gone Flake.

Media Squat!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Bryan on June 20, 2010, 03:16:36 PM
I assume your are up on Michael Pollan. 

I would like to also suggest you investigate Helen and Scott Nearing,  Wendell Berry and Frances Moore Lappé.

Also, Mad John from Ogden's Nut Gone Flake.

Media Squat!

Yep, of course I'm familiar with Pollan, and with Wendell Berry, too. I don't really know the others you mention, but I will definitely check them out.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Christina on June 20, 2010, 03:27:48 PM
I assume your are up on Michael Pollan. 

I would like to also suggest you investigate Helen and Scott Nearing,  Wendell Berry and Frances Moore Lappé.

Also, Mad John from Ogden's Nut Gone Flake.

Media Squat!

Yep, of course I'm familiar with Pollan, and with Wendell Berry, too. I don't really know the others you mention, but I will definitely check them out.

Have you read:

Stuffed & Starved - Raj Patel?

Animal Vegetable Miracle - Kingsolver?

What to Eat - Marion Nestle (or any others by her)?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Sarah on June 20, 2010, 05:22:13 PM
Of course the hippies were right about a lot of the important stuff.  Unfortunately it doesn't matter how right you are when the rightness is contingent on people behaving decently.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on June 20, 2010, 07:38:36 PM
Of course the hippies were right about a lot of the important stuff.  Unfortunately it doesn't matter how right you are when the rightness is contingent on people behaving decently.

Oh, Sarah.

You are so cynical and correct!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Ojingeo on June 21, 2010, 12:09:31 AM
All of Herzog's documentaries are amazing. I own the boxset that came out a few years ago and it was one of best purchases I've ever made. Land of Silence and Darkness is one of the best movies he ever made.

I second all the early Errol Morris recommendations, particularly Gates of Heaven and Vernon, Florida. His early movies are pitch perfect. The Thin Blue Line and Dr. Death also stellar.

Crumb is very good. As is Finding the Friedmans. I think the filmmakers treated the disturbing stuff pretty well.

I second or third Dig!. One of my most favorite music docs. I recently watched 30th Century Man, the doc on Scott Walker; it wasn't a brilliant doc, but it's about Scott Walker and so it's essential. It's great watching Brian Eno relent (with good humor) and admit that Roxy Music and Talking Heads never did anything better than the first half of Nite Flights.

Fearless Freaks is good too. I'm not a Flaming Lips fan, but it's a good music doc. (I suppose music docs could be a separate thread. But what the hell do I care.)

Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JonFromMaplewood on June 21, 2010, 12:32:03 AM
Documentary I do NOT recommend:

Kurt and Courtney
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on June 21, 2010, 07:39:04 AM
Fearless Freaks is good too. I'm not a Flaming Lips fan, but it's a good music doc. (I suppose music docs could be a separate thread. But what the hell do I care.)

Yeh movies like this and The Devil and Daniel Johnston make me realize how important it is that people keep logs of their lives. Unfortunately if I ever become infamous there won't be much of a paper trail a documentarian can follow.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on June 21, 2010, 11:24:01 PM
I never got around to watching it but i remember one from a 3 or 4 years ago called The Bridge that a lot of people were talking about.


[youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8muNsj1oUpY  [/youtube]




Didn't see Harlan County, USA mentioned but most people have probably already seen it.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: MikeInManhattan on June 24, 2010, 11:07:35 AM
I never got around to watching it but i remember one from a 3 or 4 years ago called The Bridge that a lot of people were talking about.


[youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8muNsj1oUpY  [/youtube]




Didn't see Harlan County, USA mentioned but most people have probably already seen it.

Great documentary. Awesome companion to the film Matewan (one of my faves).
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JonFromMaplewood on June 24, 2010, 12:23:43 PM
I never got around to watching it but i remember one from a 3 or 4 years ago called The Bridge that a lot of people were talking about.

[youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8muNsj1oUpY  [/youtube]

Didn't see Harlan County, USA mentioned but most people have probably already seen it.

Great documentary. Awesome companion to the film Matewan (one of my faves).

The preview alone put a pit in my stomach. This looks like it could be really good or a heavy-handed Faces of Death. Not sure whether I should see it.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: jbissell on July 03, 2010, 10:17:01 PM
Joan Rivers: A Piece Of Work is worth checking out.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: mostlymeat on July 06, 2010, 10:38:55 AM
Journey - Frontiers and Beyond '83 - NFL films produced this amazing document of Journey's last tour as the Journey we know and love. It's amazing, start to finish, out of print, but you can see it in 10 parts on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihAdAlSDLR8

-Ajax
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: erika on July 06, 2010, 04:32:32 PM
Pray the Devil Back to Hell was excellent...

http://www.praythedevilbacktohell.com/v3/
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: SJK on July 06, 2010, 05:32:26 PM
Pray the Devil Back to Hell was excellent...

http://www.praythedevilbacktohell.com/v3/
Looks amazing! I had a neighbor whose daughter was doing aid work in Liberia. You could see the fear flicker across his face just thinking about her being there. I would like to visit that part of Africa.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: badgrammer on July 07, 2010, 08:32:33 PM
Most of my suggestions have already been posted (The Devil & Daniel Johnston, Danielson, Spellbound...etc), but I did see Exit Through the Gift Shop recently and it's my favorite this year. The doc about the The Gits is pretty amazing and I've heard that HYPE! is streaming on Netflix now. Been wanting to see that one for like 10 years now...
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on July 07, 2010, 10:53:05 PM
Most of my suggestions have already been posted (The Devil & Daniel Johnston, Danielson, Spellbound...etc), but I did see Exit Through the Gift Shop recently and it's my favorite this year. The doc about the The Gits is pretty amazing and I've heard that HYPE! is streaming on Netflix now. Been wanting to see that one for like 10 years now...


Hype! isn't that the one about the whole "grunge" thing?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: yesno on July 07, 2010, 11:01:11 PM
Le Monde du silence
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: badgrammer on July 07, 2010, 11:56:43 PM
Most of my suggestions have already been posted (The Devil & Daniel Johnston, Danielson, Spellbound...etc), but I did see Exit Through the Gift Shop recently and it's my favorite this year. The doc about the The Gits is pretty amazing and I've heard that HYPE! is streaming on Netflix now. Been wanting to see that one for like 10 years now...


Hype! isn't that the one about the whole "grunge" thing?

It is! I've only seen bits and pieces of it on youtube and I heard it was out of print for awhile (I could be wrong on that though).
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Pidgeon on July 15, 2010, 03:30:46 PM
Small Town Gay Bar
The Endless Summer

Also, I watched In the Realms of the Unreal with my mom. I really wished the naked little girl drawings hadn't taken up thirty minutes worth, but I guess there was very little they had to work with.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Chris L on July 15, 2010, 04:04:57 PM
I don't think anyone mentioned The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On.  The guy in that is a real nutcase.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JonFromMaplewood on July 15, 2010, 04:32:31 PM
I don't think anyone mentioned The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On.  The guy in that is a real nutcase.

Speaking of nutcases, "I Like Killing Flies" is good. I'm not gonna say it's my all-time favorites, but I was entertained.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Martin on July 15, 2010, 04:55:16 PM
I don't think anyone mentioned The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On.  The guy in that is a real nutcase.

Good call. Excellent documentary. I know (think?) we've discussed it in the General Movie thread at some point.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on July 16, 2010, 07:33:14 AM
I don't think anyone mentioned The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On.  The guy in that is a real nutcase.

It should be noted that Herzog stated this is one of his favorite films. This and Cane Toads: An Unnatural History, which is great as well.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on July 16, 2010, 07:48:33 AM
Cane Toads: An Unnatural History, which is great as well.

I catch those toads and stick them in the freezer.

Is that activity covered in the movie?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Bryan on July 16, 2010, 08:00:18 AM
Cane Toads: An Unnatural History, which is great as well.

I catch those toads and stick them in the freezer.


Why?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DePhiladelphia on July 16, 2010, 08:24:38 AM
Cane Toads: An Unnatural History, which is great as well.

I catch those toads and stick them in the freezer.


Why?

That's just the way it's done down there.
Cane Toads doesn't cover that but it does cover the loud popping sounds that generates from cars driving over a road covered in toads.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on July 16, 2010, 10:42:53 AM
Cane Toads: An Unnatural History, which is great as well.

I catch those toads and stick them in the freezer.


Why?

If you hit them with a shovel they explode and spray a stinging fluid all over the place.

Now to answer your real question:  They are a poisonous and an invasive species that can disrupt/destroy entire eco-systems. 

I may be there only natural predator.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Bryan on July 27, 2010, 09:22:28 AM
I recently had the chance to see I Am Comic, a new documentary about stand-up comedy. I thought it was great - it examines the craft and technical side of stand-up, as well as the lifestyle of the road comic. TONS of people are in it: Sarah Silverman, Carlos Mencia, Tim Allen, Roseanne Barr, Scott Aukerman, Jeff Foxworthy, Todd Barry (a brief appearance only), Brett Weinbach, Todd Glass, the Sklar Brothers, Margaret Cho, and lots more.

It has a weird digression about halfway through, but even that digression manages to be pretty interesting. 
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: catass on July 27, 2010, 11:16:55 AM
Capturing the Friedmans is a pretty amazing documentary, and seems to reside squarely in the Mike crowd's wheelhouse.  What started out as a documentary about childrens' birthday party clowns ends up chronicling a family accused of hundreds of counts of child molestation.  The film takes so many odd bounces w/r/t who seems to be trustworthy, but the director doesn't really come across as overly manipulative - its just a really compelling, strange story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R10VjJgx1dU&feature=related
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Pidgeon on July 27, 2010, 12:13:25 PM
Capturing the Friedmans is a pretty amazing documentary, and seems to reside squarely in the Mike crowd's wheelhouse.  What started out as a documentary about childrens' birthday party clowns ends up chronicling a family accused of hundreds of counts of child molestation.  The film takes so many odd bounces w/r/t who seems to be trustworthy, but the director doesn't really come across as overly manipulative - its just a really compelling, strange story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R10VjJgx1dU&feature=related

Even if the oldest brother somehow was innocent, he's still one of the biggest mutants I've ever witnessed. The fact that he was so giddy before and after his trial was terrifying.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on December 07, 2010, 10:52:42 AM
Any thoughts on Catfish? It's the best movie I've seen all year. The brothers did a Q&A after and it is baffling that it is all genuine. I'd like to know what you guys think.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on December 07, 2010, 01:13:16 PM
Any thoughts on Catfish? It's the best movie I've seen all year. The brothers did a Q&A after and it is baffling that it is all genuine. I'd like to know what you guys think.

It's a big fake! The way these douchy brothers went there to half-gloat, half-pity this made up family is just sad. They have two constantly moaning disabled children? Really...
And the husband just told this story about the catfish on the spot? Really... And the woman has the time to make these gits believe there is an entire social network surrounding them by just spending a couple of hours in the evening on the phone and computer? Is she that good? Even if it is real, i don't give much of rip about this story.
Queue all the half truths and common knowledge about how the internet is changing out way of social interaction and you have the gist of this "doc".
But thaaats my life...
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on December 07, 2010, 01:50:49 PM
Any thoughts on Catfish? It's the best movie I've seen all year. The brothers did a Q&A after and it is baffling that it is all genuine. I'd like to know what you guys think.

It's a big fake! The way these douchy brothers went there to half-gloat, half-pity this made up family is just sad. They have two constantly moaning disabled children? Really...
And the husband just told this story about the catfish on the spot? Really... And the woman has the time to make these gits believe there is an entire social network surrounding them by just spending a couple of hours in the evening on the phone and computer? Is she that good? Even if it is real, i don't give much of rip about this story.
Queue all the half truths and common knowledge about how the internet is changing out way of social interaction and you have the gist of this "doc".
But thaaats my life...

Well it's all real, she did, he did and to call them 'constantly moaning disabled children' is pretty offensive.
It's no use trying to back these up to you because you obviously didn't care for the film. But I can say they addressed all of your points in the Q&A. They also told us that she had done this to other people too but it never went this far. They said that since the movie they have recieved endless emails from people claiming the same thing happened to them though more commonly they are from girls. It's not unbelievable at all really, just that they happened to film the whole thing.
It was originally going to end with the brothers suprising the girl at one of her art shows. Then the youtube song scene caused the film to go in another, more interesting direction.
They also pointed out how hard it is to get it taken seriously because of the terribly misleading trailer and the success of I'm Still Here.
The husband was a little slow as you could tell and they said he was full of stories and this story about the catfish came out and they decided it summarized the film well.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on December 07, 2010, 02:18:09 PM
Any thoughts on Catfish? It's the best movie I've seen all year. The brothers did a Q&A after and it is baffling that it is all genuine. I'd like to know what you guys think.

It's a big fake! The way these douchy brothers went there to half-gloat, half-pity this made up family is just sad. They have two constantly moaning disabled children? Really...
And the husband just told this story about the catfish on the spot? Really... And the woman has the time to make these gits believe there is an entire social network surrounding them by just spending a couple of hours in the evening on the phone and computer? Is she that good? Even if it is real, i don't give much of rip about this story.
Queue all the half truths and common knowledge about how the internet is changing out way of social interaction and you have the gist of this "doc".
But thaaats my life...

Well it's all real, she did, he did and to call them 'constantly moaning disabled children' is pretty offensive.
It's no use trying to back these up to you because you obviously didn't care for the film. But I can say they addressed all of your points in the Q&A. They also told us that she had done this to other people too but it never went this far. They said that since the movie they have recieved endless emails from people claiming the same thing happened to them though more commonly they are from girls. It's not unbelievable at all really, just that they happened to film the whole thing.
It was originally going to end with the brothers suprising the girl at one of her art shows. Then the youtube song scene caused the film to go in another, more interesting direction.
They also pointed out how hard it is to get it taken seriously because of the terribly misleading trailer and the success of I'm Still Here.
The husband was a little slow as you could tell and they said he was full of stories and this story about the catfish came out and they decided it summarized the film well.

To go point by point:
1. To call the children constantly moaning is offensive indeed. So is the footage they took to display them. Count how many times they are displayed unsettlingly.
2. Show the emails, link them to people who give testimony and show that there is no prior connection to the brothers.
3.My argument stems from a general principal: All of film is manufactured. An artistic product removed from reality, even if it is trying to display it. So skepticism is healthy when dealing with this kind presentation.
Therefore i ask myself what would be probable to coincide in this setting.
I do not think that a mother of several children would have the time nor, to be honest, the finesse to create this illusion. But if she did produce the documentation. Copy your facebook- and phone-data if you want to end the rumors.
I do not think that the catfish story just landed beneath their feet. It is too fitting and reeks of design instead of coincidence.
But if you can really put all my doubts to rest, then please do. I do believe in a lot of scientifically proven improbable things, but evidence has to be produced.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on December 07, 2010, 02:31:01 PM
Fair enough. You are apparently from Missouri(The Show It To Me State) on this one. I think it's fair how you think. I guess the Q&A proved to convince me a little more to it's authenticity. Don't get me wrong though, I still have my doubts and you bring up good points. But I really enjoyed it and honestly I don't think those guys are capable of fabricating this much. See I also like I'm Still Here and am a lover of intense documentaries in general. So like I'm Still Here I thought this is either a really great real documentary or and insane fictional film. Both I find worth watching.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on December 07, 2010, 04:40:07 PM
Fair enough. You are apparently from Missouri(The Show It To Me State) on this one. I think it's fair how you think. I guess the Q&A proved to convince me a little more to it's authenticity. Don't get me wrong though, I still have my doubts and you bring up good points. But I really enjoyed it and honestly I don't think those guys are capable of fabricating this much. See I also like I'm Still Here and am a lover of intense documentaries in general. So like I'm Still Here I thought this is either a really great real documentary or and insane fictional film. Both I find worth watching.

Ok well, i guess i have a different attitude toward the two possibilities: If it is real, it is truly an amazing story which i would love, much like the story of Frank Abagnale. I could overlook my disdain for the brothers and take it for what it is.
If on the other hand it is fraudulent and these characters have played a trick on me i would hate them for it. Their preachy message, their terrible fraud and the way they present themselves.

If you would give me only one point to make about this, i would make this one:
Consider the time you would have to spend to replicate, only replicate not invent, the amount of information a social network of 15 friends generates. Do you think you would be up to the task even if you had all day?
Could anyone generate a credible illusion of 15 distinct interacting people all with separate private information about one another and pictures to boot?
Thats a pretty long con, that has the potential for an enormous amount of errors.
Three people are observing this social network and are brought into it, without noticing anything. How is that possible?
And there was never a coincidence of 2 people of her catalogue having to interact at the same time with the guys?
I do not think that is credible or indeed these three guys are the most gullible people on the face of the earth...
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on January 19, 2011, 07:55:21 AM
Any recommendation's for good Netflix instant watch documentary's? Lately I am having the hardest time watching feature length films. I don't know what it is, I just can never devote the time. Oh I have the time though, believe me. Instead I just wade through episodes of Parks and Rec or recently, Dog Bites Man. Can I get any documentary rec's so I'll stop skimming the choices aimlessly, never being able to make a decision?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on January 19, 2011, 09:46:21 AM
It's probably a cliche by now, but I got a kick out Best Worst Movie.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Omar on January 19, 2011, 09:50:30 AM
It's probably a cliche by now, but I got a kick out Best Worst Movie.

Delightful film. 
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: wood and iron on January 19, 2011, 08:28:25 PM
Surfwise was pretty interesting.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on January 19, 2011, 09:29:37 PM
Surfwise was pretty interesting.

I was very moved by that film.

The dad was in great shape for an 80 year old.

And naked on an exercise bike.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: wood and iron on January 19, 2011, 11:38:26 PM
Surfwise was pretty interesting.

I was very moved by that film.

The dad was in great shape for an 80 year old.

And naked on an exercise bike.

I, too, was moved. Especially at seeing how utterly unable to cope with the real world those kids ended up being. I also thought it weird how they brushed over physical abuse a little too quickly.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Shaggy 2 Grote on January 20, 2011, 02:58:10 PM
Just watched Sick.  The Bob Flanagan story was pretty moving, though a lot of it seems *really* dated now.  The framing of sexuality with identity politics, the constant transgression, the relentlessly narcissistic first-person performance art, the piercings.  The 90s were not as cool as I thought they were at the time.

Also, in the unlikely event that anyone missed this when Hugman posted it, this garage rock doc is pretty fantastic: New Garage Explosion!!: In Love With These Times (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3Ahgj_XYC0&feature=related#ws)

I also just watched the BBC series Walking With Prehistoric Beasts.  Some of the CGI is a little creaky, and they do goofy things like cracking the lens of the "camera" that is somehow shooting nature footage 30 million years ago.  But I learned some stuff and my inner 6-year-old was ecstatic.

Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Pidgeon on January 20, 2011, 03:31:03 PM
I also just watched the BBC series Walking With Prehistoric Beasts.  Some of the CGI is a little creaky, and they do goofy things like cracking the lens of the "camera" that is somehow shooting nature footage 30 million years ago.  But I learned some stuff and my inner 6-year-old was ecstatic.

The close-ups of the animals looked really good and realistic in all of those docs, I thought.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Denim Gremlin on January 20, 2011, 05:09:05 PM
watch The Carter, the documentary about Lil Wayne. it's our generation's Don't Look Back.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on January 20, 2011, 08:44:38 PM
watch The Carter, the documentary about Lil Wayne. it's our generation's Don't Look Back.

I weep for your generation
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on January 20, 2011, 08:45:27 PM
Anybody seen Marwencol yet?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Denim Gremlin on January 21, 2011, 12:21:58 AM
watch The Carter, the documentary about Lil Wayne. it's our generation's Don't Look Back.

I weep for your generation

I weep for yours. you're going to die way before me.


Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Big Plastic Head on January 21, 2011, 11:44:03 AM
I watched RESTREPO last night. Very powerful. Right now I am just about finished reading WHERE MEN WIN GLORY which is the Krakauer book about Pat Tillman. I went to bed last night feeling like I had been beaten with a lead pipe.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Pidgeon on January 21, 2011, 12:58:42 PM
watch The Carter, the documentary about Lil Wayne. it's our generation's Don't Look Back.

I weep for your generation

I weep for yours. you're going to die way before me.

Congratulations; Your post is hilarious.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Martin on January 21, 2011, 01:07:36 PM
I liked Dave's post.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: masterofsparks on January 21, 2011, 01:09:12 PM
I've said it before, but it bears repeating: TOM DOWD AND THE LANGUAGE OF MUSIC is a treasure trove of amazing footage and great interviews with a really interesting guy. Some of the footage may not be so exciting for the younger folks here, but it's pretty awesome if you're old or into older music (meaning rock and soul music of the 1960s & 70s).
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on January 21, 2011, 01:11:08 PM
I watched RESTREPO last night. Very powerful. Right now I am just about finished reading WHERE MEN WIN GLORY which is the Krakauer book about Pat Tillman. I went to bed last night feeling like I had been beaten with a lead pipe.

Did you see The Tillman Story? Really crooked story. I haven't started the book.

All the reccomendations are well appreciated but I was kinda asking mainly about instant watch documentaries.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Big Plastic Head on January 21, 2011, 01:38:05 PM
I watched RESTREPO last night. Very powerful. Right now I am just about finished reading WHERE MEN WIN GLORY which is the Krakauer book about Pat Tillman. I went to bed last night feeling like I had been beaten with a lead pipe.

Did you see The Tillman Story? Really crooked story. I haven't started the book.

All the reccomendations are well appreciated but I was kinda asking mainly about instant watch documentaries.

I did not see that movie. Kind of avoided it because I heard it was a bit skewed. I really like the book as I do other Krakauer books.

(RESTREPO is on instant watch.)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on January 21, 2011, 05:13:12 PM
watch The Carter, the documentary about Lil Wayne. it's our generation's Don't Look Back.

I weep for your generation

I weep for yours. you're going to die way before me.

Wanna put money on it?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Denim Gremlin on January 21, 2011, 06:53:40 PM
watch The Carter, the documentary about Lil Wayne. it's our generation's Don't Look Back.

I weep for your generation

I weep for yours. you're going to die way before me.

Wanna put money on it?

not really. as soon as i posted that I was pretty sure I jinxed myself. I'm probably gonna die tomorrow
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Shaggy 2 Grote on January 22, 2011, 12:42:50 AM
Just checked out The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia.  It was entertaining and sad, more Jackass than Werner Herzog.  Which is neither good nor bad.  Also watched the first episode of the National Geographic Guns, Germs, and Steel, and it was OK.  Don't really feel compelled to watch the rest.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on January 22, 2011, 05:12:02 AM
Has anybody seen the Shut Up Little Man documentary?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: stephen on January 25, 2011, 01:20:32 AM
Has anyone seen any of the stuff from the Allan King Eclipse set?  I've watched Warrendale, A Married Couple, and Come on Children, but haven't been able to make myself watch the rest of them because they seem like they'd be too sad for me to take.  Come on Children is a bit more interesting if you know that the kid named Alex Zivojinovich later changed his last name to Lifeson.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on January 25, 2011, 07:30:44 AM
Has anyone seen any of the stuff from the Allan King Eclipse set?  I've watched Warrendale, A Married Couple, and Come on Children, but haven't been able to make myself watch the rest of them because they seem like they'd be too sad for me to take.  Come on Children is a bit more interesting if you know that the kid named Alex Zivojinovich later changed his last name to Lifeson.

I haven't but thanks for the heads up. I'm going to try to see them. Do you like Frederick Wiseman at all? I recently watched Ballet before I saw Black Swan, and want to see more but they are a bit lengthy. I remember Blind being astounding and Central Park being so soothing. Central Park really gave you the 'sitting on a park bench' feeling.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: stephen on January 25, 2011, 01:14:47 PM
Has anyone seen any of the stuff from the Allan King Eclipse set?  I've watched Warrendale, A Married Couple, and Come on Children, but haven't been able to make myself watch the rest of them because they seem like they'd be too sad for me to take.  Come on Children is a bit more interesting if you know that the kid named Alex Zivojinovich later changed his last name to Lifeson.

I haven't but thanks for the heads up. I'm going to try to see them. Do you like Frederick Wiseman at all? I recently watched Ballet before I saw Black Swan, and want to see more but they are a bit lengthy. I remember Blind being astounding and Central Park being so soothing. Central Park really gave you the 'sitting on a park bench' feeling.

For some reason, this is the first I've heard of Frederick Wiseman.  I feel like a dummy.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on January 25, 2011, 03:19:43 PM
Has anyone seen any of the stuff from the Allan King Eclipse set?  I've watched Warrendale, A Married Couple, and Come on Children, but haven't been able to make myself watch the rest of them because they seem like they'd be too sad for me to take.  Come on Children is a bit more interesting if you know that the kid named Alex Zivojinovich later changed his last name to Lifeson.

I haven't but thanks for the heads up. I'm going to try to see them. Do you like Frederick Wiseman at all? I recently watched Ballet before I saw Black Swan, and want to see more but they are a bit lengthy. I remember Blind being astounding and Central Park being so soothing. Central Park really gave you the 'sitting on a park bench' feeling.

For some reason, this is the first I've heard of Frederick Wiseman.  I feel like a dummy.

His films aren't readily available. Before torrents and the internet they could really only be found at school libraries and on PBS. If anyone deserves admiration for always sticking to his guns, it's Wiseman.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dudep on January 28, 2011, 04:21:26 PM
Just saw Life and Debt (on instant view, and streaming on livevideo.com).  I'd be interested to hear what others thought of it--the juxtaposition of tourists'/residents' experiences could have been (and sometimes was) illuminating, but it came across at times like shooting fat American slobs in a barrel.  Also found the sagely-men-around-a-campfire shots to be kind of problematic.  But mostly I liked it (really!).
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Lothar_Brightblade on January 31, 2011, 12:48:33 AM
Just saw Life and Debt (on instant view, and streaming on livevideo.com).  I'd be interested to hear what others thought of it--the juxtaposition of tourists'/residents' experiences could have been (and sometimes was) illuminating, but it came across at times like shooting fat American slobs in a barrel.  Also found the sagely-men-around-a-campfire shots to be kind of problematic.  But mostly I liked it (really!).

Somebody brought this up in a class I took a year or so ago. One of the people in the class had gotten back from a mission trip to Haiti and lauded the actions of the US Gov and the relief workers. The person got into an argument with the dude and the conversation turned into a discussion about the shock doctrine (in general, they didn't use those words).

If you liked this movie, I would suggest The Take as another example of WTO's influence and people fighting back, but in Argentina. There was is another called "The Fourth World War," which is an Indie doc about resistance to globalization in different parts of the world.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dudep on January 31, 2011, 05:32:52 PM
Saw The Take when it came out.  I remember feeling pretty pumped afterwards, but not a lot besides that.  Will check out 4WW.

Now, which one of your classmates smelled the most like vomit?

fanatic preacher vs. punks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySLRpa3JTuY#)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: B_Buster on February 04, 2011, 10:32:12 PM
Thanks for steering me toward Tom Dowd & The Language of Music, MoS. It's great. I recommend it to anyone who likes music. And if you hate music, you might have your mind changed by the end of it.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dovate on March 19, 2011, 08:51:00 AM
At risk of shameless self promotion, a documentary that I worked on will be screening at the IFC center on March 29th. The movie has a great backstory, and although biased, I think it's a great movie.

The director self financed it by cleaning houses in Philly. He had no connections, no money, nothing but will, talent and a refusal to quit. By some stroke of something, the movie was accepted to the Sundance Film Fest and won Best Director in its category. The doc itself is about cryptic street messages that have appeared in streets in Philadelphia, NY, Baltimore, DC, Kansas City, Buenos Aries, Rio and dozens of other places over the past 30 years. Mostly, it's a character driven mystery.

The director wrote, edited, produced, color/sound corrected and shot pretty much all of it himself. He taught himself how to write a score... because he couldn't afford to hire anyone. And its an amazing score. I don't see an embed option on the wysiwyg thing here. You can read more on the movie and watch a couple clips at imdb:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1787791/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1787791/)

If you're in the New York area and interested, you can get tickets here:

http://stfdocs.com/films/resurrect_dead_the_mystery_of_the_toynbee_tiles (http://stfdocs.com/films/resurrect_dead_the_mystery_of_the_toynbee_tiles)

Thanks all!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on March 19, 2011, 09:28:24 AM
I watched Best Worst Movie the other day.  Quite enjoyable.  Thanks Omar.

Next up Troll II.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Rasmussen on March 22, 2011, 08:59:02 PM
Next up Troll II.
You really don't have to do that, Fredericks.

After tonight's show, I plan on watching Chernobyl Heart, which I've been told is one of the most depressing things ever.  So that'll be fun.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fish on March 23, 2011, 12:21:34 AM
Next up Troll II.

I KNEW that was a documentary!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Hugman 3.0 on March 23, 2011, 12:23:48 AM
At risk of shameless self promotion, a documentary that I worked on will be screening at the IFC center on March 29th. The movie has a great backstory, and although biased, I think it's a great movie.

The director self financed it by cleaning houses in Philly. He had no connections, no money, nothing but will, talent and a refusal to quit. By some stroke of something, the movie was accepted to the Sundance Film Fest and won Best Director in its category. The doc itself is about cryptic street messages that have appeared in streets in Philadelphia, NY, Baltimore, DC, Kansas City, Buenos Aries, Rio and dozens of other places over the past 30 years. Mostly, it's a character driven mystery.

The director wrote, edited, produced, color/sound corrected and shot pretty much all of it himself. He taught himself how to write a score... because he couldn't afford to hire anyone. And its an amazing score. I don't see an embed option on the wysiwyg thing here. You can read more on the movie and watch a couple clips at imdb:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1787791/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1787791/)

If you're in the New York area and interested, you can get tickets here:

http://stfdocs.com/films/resurrect_dead_the_mystery_of_the_toynbee_tiles (http://stfdocs.com/films/resurrect_dead_the_mystery_of_the_toynbee_tiles)

Thanks all!

I'm in Columbia, MO where they just had the True/False doc. festival, and some guys I know were raving about this. Can't wait to see it.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dovate on March 23, 2011, 06:46:32 PM
Thanks! I couldn't go to True/False, but it did really well there.

Also, I actually watched Troll II for the first time at Sundance... on someone's laptop... at our rented apartment. Looking back, maybe we should have gone to more of the festival movies and events. Troll II was still good though.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Yinka D. on March 28, 2011, 10:25:30 PM
Billy the Kid
The Cruise
Salesman
A Film Unfinished
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Sploops on March 28, 2011, 10:41:22 PM
Billy the Kid
The Cruise
Salesman
A Film Unfinished

I second the first three, havent seen the fourth yet.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: David on March 28, 2011, 11:00:10 PM
Lake of Fire
Hoop Dreams
Project Grizzly/Grizzly Man for the "Too scared of nature/not scared enough of nature" double feature.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on March 28, 2011, 11:21:09 PM
Billy the Kid
The Cruise
Salesman
A Film Unfinished

I second the first three, havent seen the fourth yet.

I started it.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on March 29, 2011, 05:58:07 AM
Brother's Keeper. Sort of like what would happen if the Wonderful Whites lived to age 85.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on March 29, 2011, 07:50:46 AM
Brother's Keeper. Sort of like what would happen if the Wonderful Whites lived to age 85.

I remember very little of Brother's Keeper. Didn't Warren Ellis do the music? I remember it being awesome.

I love Billy the Kid. "To me, crime doesn't pay."
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike from Western Maine on April 04, 2011, 11:45:33 PM
Billy the Kid is amazing.

Speaking of Maine-based docs, I really recommend Knee Deep. (http://www.kneedeepthedoc.com/ (http://www.kneedeepthedoc.com/))

A "murder mystery" that's also a strange, sad and often very funny look at a hard (and fast-disappearing) rural way of life.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: boil on April 06, 2011, 02:19:05 PM
Lessons of Darkness of course!  I can't believe nobody's mentioned it.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dcgut on April 06, 2011, 04:30:05 PM
I watched Stevie last night. Good bit difficult to watch (due to the teeth).
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on April 06, 2011, 07:06:29 PM
Im looking forward to James Marsh's new doc called Project Nim, its about Nim Chimpsky of course. Im not sure when its supposed to be released.

Project Nim (http://www.traileraddict.com/emb/34661)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on April 07, 2011, 05:11:48 AM
Nim Chimpsky = Noam Chomsky ?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on April 07, 2011, 08:26:21 AM
Nim Chimpsky = Noam Chomsky ?

Yep. Linguistics.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JonFromMaplewood on April 07, 2011, 04:28:18 PM
I met the dude who raised Nim at a dinner party at NYU.  He was a jerk.



That is all.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: wood and iron on April 07, 2011, 10:40:44 PM
The trailer for Armadillo looked fantastic.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Smelodies on April 08, 2011, 09:48:23 PM
Chomsky thought the whole thing with Nim the chimp was a bunch of bullshit. (http://www.chomsky.info/interviews/2007----.htm)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: ~L on April 15, 2011, 09:48:06 AM
Does anyone know the name of the documentary about high school students lives of mayhem that has caused a sensation in communities?  I think it is fairly recent.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: buffcoat on April 15, 2011, 01:52:35 PM
Does anyone know the name of the documentary about high school students lives of mayhem that has caused a sensation in communities?  I think it is fairly recent.

I believe it was Kids, by noted documentarian Harmony Korine.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: amazingjourney on April 15, 2011, 04:44:10 PM
Does anyone know the name of the documentary about high school students lives of mayhem that has caused a sensation in communities?  I think it is fairly recent.

I believe it's called "Trash Humpers: The Early Years"
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: ~L on April 15, 2011, 11:51:50 PM
Thanks, I've ordered it on inter-library loan.  Sounds like a precursor to the British "Skins."
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike from Western Maine on May 06, 2011, 01:35:42 AM
Has anyone mentioned Strongman? Very moving and powerful look at a guy trying to do the best with what he's got.
Sad and inspirational too; squalid at times, but always beautifully done.

Strongman - Official Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGI91xkW3f8#ws)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Steeley Chris on May 08, 2011, 05:12:21 PM
I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on May 10, 2011, 07:06:14 PM
Anybody mentioned Until The Light Takes us? Its pretty much the Exorcist of documentaries, is there such a thing as a horror doc?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Denim Gremlin on May 10, 2011, 09:19:58 PM
Anybody mentioned Until The Light Takes us? Its pretty much the Exorcist of documentaries, is there such a thing as a horror doc?

I loved it. Varg is one charismatic motherfucker. Never thought I'd be so charmed by a neo nazi.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: wood and iron on May 11, 2011, 08:19:43 AM
Anybody mentioned Until The Light Takes us? Its pretty much the Exorcist of documentaries, is there such a thing as a horror doc?

I, too, thought it was pretty fantastic. Not being terribly familiar with black metal, I wish they would have included more of the actual music from that scene in the documentary. But that was my only complaint.

Oh and a warning that they were going to show a picture of the album cover showing the lead singer's head blown off by a shotgun.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Paul DeLouisiana on May 11, 2011, 10:29:09 AM
The Cruise was great. Sometimes I am baffled by things I never knew existed. I remember this dude in Waking Life and a Weezer live performance of The Sweater Song but I never knew his back story.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Omar on May 27, 2011, 08:11:44 PM
Who Took the Bomp? Le Tigre on Tour (out on DVD 6/7/11)

http://www.oscilloscope.net/films/film/46/Who-Took-the-Bompc-Le-Tigre-on-Tour (http://www.oscilloscope.net/films/film/46/Who-Took-the-Bompc-Le-Tigre-on-Tour)

A delightful, powerful, and often very funny 72 minutes.  In one classic scene, the band is hanging out in the dressing room with Hatebreed.  A guy who appears to be a roadie of some sort assures Hanna that staying in bed and reading home decorating magazines is in fact a perfectly legitimate form of "raging."

Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Smelodies on May 28, 2011, 09:05:44 PM
Hoop Dreams, was that mentioned?  It's on ESPN Classic now.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on May 29, 2011, 06:33:12 AM
Adam Curtis' new documentary "All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace" has started, meaning that the first part is out and the next one airs coming Monday. The first episode was about how Ayn Rand influenced Internet/Computer Entrepreneurs and Alan Greenspan. Greatly entertaining I have to say, like all of Curtis' stuff.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on May 31, 2011, 06:18:31 PM
Nice to find another "Curtinite". I'm going to listen to that interview.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on June 14, 2011, 08:32:23 PM
Anybody see the HBO doc Bobby Fischer Against the World? The scene where Dick Schaaps son and Bobby face off over comments his father made accusing him of not having a sane  bone in his body made me laugh out loud. The room just goes silent and you can see a camera man look around and quietly try to leave.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Omar on July 30, 2011, 12:26:36 PM
I was curious which documentaries you guys hold dear.
I'll start by opening the discussion on a few of my favorite documentaries/documentarians. Have y'all seen the Paradise Lost films, Ross McElwee docus, Frederick Wiseman docus, or Streetwise?

The list goes on, any recs? I'd really like to hear y'alls thoughts on the West Memphis 3.

WM3 Update:

Fresh DNA evidence boosts defense in 1993 Arkansas slayings

By Suzi Parker
LITTLE ROCK, Ark | Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:43pm EDT


Newly tested DNA evidence in the 1993 killings of three 8-year-old Cub Scouts in Arkansas has failed to link the crimes to the men convicted in the murders, including one on Death Row, advocates for the men said on Wednesday.

The DNA, including materials from the crime scene, instead matched three unidentified people, furthering supporters' claims that the so-called West Memphis Three are innocent, the advocates told Reuters.

There were no DNA matches for Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr, who were convicted of the crime, said Capi Peck, a co-founder of Arkansas Take Action, a civic group working to free the trio.

"This newly discovered DNA evidence that excludes Damien, Jason and Jessie, combined with all other evidence of their innocence, will hopefully lead to a new trial," she said.

A status report on the DNA was filed on Monday in Craighead County Circuit Court in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

The Arkansas Attorney General's office declined to comment, citing a gag order.

The murders of Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore rocked the community. At the time, police said the murders were Satanic in nature because the children's naked bodies had been bound and mutilated.

The West Memphis Three, who were teenagers at the time of the murders, have always maintained their innocence in the deaths of the boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, on the Arkansas-Tennessee border.

Echols was sentenced to death, while the other two men are serving life sentences. They have all now served close to 18 years in jail.

MATCHED TWO UNIDENTIFIED MALES

The new testing included materials from the crime scene and other evidence held by the Arkansas Crime Lab and police departments, said Lonnie Soury, adviser to Arkansas Take Action,

"It was tested and found DNA belonging to two unidentified males," Soury said, adding that a hair was also linked to a third unidentified person.

"That's further proof that they were not at the crime scene, nor were they involved in the murders," he said.

Soury said the defense team, which was also under a gag order, was also awaiting results from a fiber analysis on shoelaces used to bind the three boys.

The killings received international attention at the time. Two HBO documentaries have been produced about the murders, and a third is planned for later this year.

The case continues to generate celebrity activism. Last summer, punk legend Patti Smith, actor Johnny Depp and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder appeared at a benefit for the West Memphis Three in Little Rock.

The Arkansas Supreme Court, in what legal experts said was a rare move, unanimously ordered a new evidentiary hearing in the case last November. It is scheduled for December in Craighead County, the site of the original trials.

The December hearing will allow DNA and other evidence whether it was introduced at the original trials or not.

Craighead County Court Judge David N. Laser, who was not the original trial judge, has banned cameras in the courtroom. There is currently an online petition drive to allow cameras.

"We would certainly support any effort to have cameras in the courtroom and the hearing being available to the public," Soury said. "This trial needs to be as transparent as possible."
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: buffcoat on July 31, 2011, 06:59:54 PM
Not a good part of the country to be weird in, in any way.  Three states vote more for Kerry than for Obama: Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma.  Apologies to Dave in his liberalesque hamlet with the university, but that is not a good sign for the increasing tolerance of the inland South.

I'm not sure these kids are ever going to see the light of day. 18 years.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on July 31, 2011, 10:12:44 PM
Huh?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: placeholder on August 16, 2011, 03:58:22 PM
Saw Conan O'Brien Can't Stop a couple of weeks ago and thought it was great.  Was weird to see him letting the toilet language fly.

Am very, very excited about the impending release of Couldn't You Wait: The Story of Silkworm, about the incredible rock band Silkworm.

Not a good part of the country to be weird in, in any way.  Three states vote more for Kerry than for Obama: Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma.  Apologies to Dave in his liberalesque hamlet with the university, but that is not a good sign for the increasing tolerance of the inland South.

I'm not sure these kids are ever going to see the light of day. 18 years.

I hope they're finally released.  Everything about their original trial was an unbelievable sham, and I was floored that it was taking place right across the river from me.

For what it's worth, Memphis is a reasonable southern city.  Rural Tennessee tends to screw up state-level politics.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on August 16, 2011, 09:20:03 PM
Saw Conan O'Brien Can't Stop a couple of weeks ago and thought it was great.  Was weird to see him letting the toilet language fly.

Am very, very excited about the impending release of Couldn't You Wait: The Story of Silkworm, about the incredible rock band Silkworm.

Not a good part of the country to be weird in, in any way.  Three states vote more for Kerry than for Obama: Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma.  Apologies to Dave in his liberalesque hamlet with the university, but that is not a good sign for the increasing tolerance of the inland South.

I'm not sure these kids are ever going to see the light of day. 18 years.

I hope they're finally released.  Everything about their original trial was an unbelievable sham, and I was floored that it was taking place right across the river from me.

For what it's worth, Memphis is a reasonable southern city.  Rural Tennessee tends to screw up state-level politics.

Hmmm
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: placeholder on August 16, 2011, 09:53:57 PM
Saw Conan O'Brien Can't Stop a couple of weeks ago and thought it was great.  Was weird to see him letting the toilet language fly.

Am very, very excited about the impending release of Couldn't You Wait: The Story of Silkworm, about the incredible rock band Silkworm.

Not a good part of the country to be weird in, in any way.  Three states vote more for Kerry than for Obama: Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma.  Apologies to Dave in his liberalesque hamlet with the university, but that is not a good sign for the increasing tolerance of the inland South.

I'm not sure these kids are ever going to see the light of day. 18 years.

I hope they're finally released.  Everything about their original trial was an unbelievable sham, and I was floored that it was taking place right across the river from me.

For what it's worth, Memphis is a reasonable southern city.  Rural Tennessee tends to screw up state-level politics.

Hmmm

Maybe I should have said "another reasonable southern city" since there are a bunch--Knoxville among them!  I probably should have also prefaced my other comment by saying "in general" or something.  I don't want to step on any toes!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on August 17, 2011, 07:41:02 AM
Saw Conan O'Brien Can't Stop a couple of weeks ago and thought it was great.  Was weird to see him letting the toilet language fly.

Am very, very excited about the impending release of Couldn't You Wait: The Story of Silkworm, about the incredible rock band Silkworm.

Not a good part of the country to be weird in, in any way.  Three states vote more for Kerry than for Obama: Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma.  Apologies to Dave in his liberalesque hamlet with the university, but that is not a good sign for the increasing tolerance of the inland South.

I'm not sure these kids are ever going to see the light of day. 18 years.

I hope they're finally released.  Everything about their original trial was an unbelievable sham, and I was floored that it was taking place right across the river from me.

For what it's worth, Memphis is a reasonable southern city.  Rural Tennessee tends to screw up state-level politics.

Hmmm

Maybe I should have said "another reasonable southern city" since there are a bunch--Knoxville among them!  I probably should have also prefaced my other comment by saying "in general" or something.  I don't want to step on any toes!

Nah, it's OK, and probably truthful. I likely live at the epicenter of Michelle Bachmann fandom, and it sickens me.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: buffcoat on August 17, 2011, 03:29:43 PM
I like Memphis, think of Nashville as Dallas North and have only seen Knoxville out the window of a car. 

Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on August 17, 2011, 05:00:26 PM
I like Memphis, think of Nashville as Dallas North and have only seen Knoxville out the window of a car.

That's the best way to see Knoxville, unless you're in Market Square, where we took Julie.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: jbissell on August 24, 2011, 12:42:02 AM
Saw The Interrupters tonight and I really can't recommend it enough.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: andrew in philadelphia on September 05, 2011, 08:40:57 AM
Watched "Shut Up, Little Man!" last night and loved it. Well worth the $7 I paid to see it on Comast On-Demand.
Shut Up Little Man (2011) Official HD Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEDC8AluXVE#ws)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on September 05, 2011, 11:18:57 AM
Not sure what to think of this but did anybody see that there is documentary on Blowfly coming out?


(http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJqzI9SMBEnmQwVjQt8flDKHzS0DIkVKTmxsLJ49zL1vEwG8pF)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Omar on September 05, 2011, 01:20:09 PM
Watched "Shut Up, Little Man!" last night and loved it. Well worth the $7 I paid to see it on Comast On-Demand.
Shut Up Little Man (2011) Official HD Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEDC8AluXVE#ws)

Aside from Dan Clowes, it was pretty hard to locate a non-cretin in this film. A truly amazing collection of creeps populate the "Shut Up, Little Man!" saga.  Overall, this was a fairly interesting doc (I knew nothing about these tapes going in), but I don't really find any of the yelling particularly funny.  Some good quips, but the thought of listening to hours of this stuff is inconceivable.

The interview with Peter had some good moments. The scene near the end where "Mitchell D" (who looks a lot like the actor Billy Campbell) finally gains admittance into Tony's apartment was impressively disturbing.  Tony's matter-of-fact celebration of Peter's death was horrifying.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: andrew in philadelphia on September 05, 2011, 02:22:28 PM
Watched "Shut Up, Little Man!" last night and loved it. Well worth the $7 I paid to see it on Comast On-Demand.

Aside from Dan Clowes, it was pretty hard to locate a non-cretin in this film. A truly amazing collection of creeps populate the "Shut Up, Little Man!" saga.  Overall, this was a fairly interesting doc (I knew nothing about these tapes going in), but I don't really find any of the yelling particularly funny.  Some good quips, but the thought of listening to hours of this stuff is inconceivable.

The interview with Peter had some good moments. The scene near the end where "Mitchell D" (who looks a lot like the actor Billy Campbell) finally gains admittance into Tony's apartment was impressively disturbing.  Tony's matter-of-fact celebration of Peter's death was horrifying.

I was shocked that three different groups of people were stepping over one another in the hopes of making a (non-documentary) movie about these two insufferable monsters. Who in god's name would sit through a 90 minute fictionalized version of that? The yelling/cursing/ incessant threatening was very much on the repetitive side, although there were some nice human moments throughout the film. I thought Peter & Ray's sleeping arrangement was especially touching. Lotta creeps though. That playwright guy being at the top of the list.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dovate on September 06, 2011, 08:11:29 PM
I spammed the board a while back with a recommendation to see a project I worked on. The movie was made by a housecleaner from West Philadelphia and won best director at this year's Sundance Film Festival. It had virtually no support or budget. It's truly a good guys winning kind of story. It really does happen occasionally.

The movie itself is about the Toynbee Tiles... you can google that... It played with a lot of other films from the last few pages and is entirely within the spirit of this board/show/thread.

It finishes up its NY run in a couple days and starts in Philly and other cities starting Thursday:

New York City
September 2 -8
IFC Center
Ticket/venue info
Q&A with director Jon Foy, Justin Duerr, Colin Smith, Steve Weinik, and Doug Block on Fri. Sept. 2nd & Sat. Sept. 3rd. Details TBA.

Philadelphia
September 8, 10, 11,12
International House
Ticket/venue info
Q&A with director Jon Foy, Justin Duerr, Colin Smith, Steve Weinik, and Doug Block in person. Details TBA.

Chicago, IL
September 23-29, 2011
Facets Cinematheque
http://www.facets.org/ (http://www.facets.org/)

Chicago, IL
September 29, 2011
Block Cinema
Northwestern University
http://www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/block-cinema/index.html (http://www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/block-cinema/index.html)

Palo Alto, CA
September 29-October 2, 2011
Palo Alto International Film Festival
http://www.paiff.net/ (http://www.paiff.net/)

Los Angeles, CA
September 30-October 6, 2011
Downtown Independent
http://www.downtownindependent.com (http://www.downtownindependent.com)

Albuquerque, NM
October 3-6, 2011
Guild Cinema
http://guildcinema.com/ (http://guildcinema.com/)
La Grange, OR
October 20-22, 2011
East Oregon Film Festival

Provo, Utah
October 21, 2011
Brigham Young University
Documentary Film Series

Portland, OR

October 21-27, 2011
Clinton Street Theatre
http://www.clintonsttheater.com/ (http://www.clintonsttheater.com/)

Los Angeles, CA
November 16, 2011
University of Southern California
School of Cinematic Arts Film Series
http://cinema.usc.edu/events/ (http://cinema.usc.edu/events/)

Seattle, WA
December 16-22, 2011
NorthWest Film Forum
http://www.nwfilmforum.org (http://www.nwfilmforum.org)


Also, the NY Post hated it! (Times liked it) I can't post videos for some reason, but here's a link to the site where you can read and see more:

http://www.resurrectdead.com/ (http://www.resurrectdead.com/)



Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: B_Buster on September 07, 2011, 11:39:40 AM
Frankly, I don't find that mystery that mystifying to sit through a 90 minute film about it. A mentally disturbed person is on the loose: mystery solved!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Hatch on September 07, 2011, 02:36:52 PM
It's supposed to be a really interesting movie Mike! Just what I heard.

Everyone should watch this online while it's up:

http://www.pbs.org/pov/betterthisworld/full.php (http://www.pbs.org/pov/betterthisworld/full.php)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Kormod on September 07, 2011, 05:37:13 PM
It's supposed to be a really interesting movie Mike! Just what I heard.

Everyone should watch this online while it's up:

http://www.pbs.org/pov/betterthisworld/full.php (http://www.pbs.org/pov/betterthisworld/full.php)

I'm watching this right now. It's great so far. Thanks!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on September 08, 2011, 09:38:10 PM
Anybody seen this Kings Of Leon doc they've been showing on the Showtime channel? Its part Dig! part The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Epic Soundtracks on September 24, 2012, 08:43:32 PM
Jean Vigo, A Propos de Nice
Dziga Vertov, Man with a Movie Camera
Maysles Brothers, Salesman; Gimme Shelter
Adam Curtis, Century of the Self
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Epic Soundtracks on September 24, 2012, 08:46:07 PM
I forgot, I am super psyched about Room 237, the documentary about "The Shining" conspiracy theories (i.e., that it is a veiled confession by Kubrick that he staged the televised moon landing, etc)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Kormod on September 25, 2012, 07:54:34 AM
Last Days Here. Like Anvil, but more depressing (and better, in my humble opinion). Available on Netflix Instant.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Lawrence Orbach on September 30, 2012, 11:37:15 PM
Just watched 'The Horse Boy' and found it to be fascinating.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Steve of Bloomington on October 01, 2012, 03:53:56 PM
Not sure what to think of this but did anybody see that there is documentary on Blowfly coming out?


(http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJqzI9SMBEnmQwVjQt8flDKHzS0DIkVKTmxsLJ49zL1vEwG8pF)

Started to watch that but about 10 minutes in decided 'OK, I get it, he's a very old man rapping about how he went to Japan to f*** Godzilla' and bailed out.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: arthur on October 05, 2012, 10:45:59 PM
I'm hoping to get around to that new R. Stevie Moore doc this weekend. Anyone seen it?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JamesfromSouthEastPa on October 16, 2012, 03:57:22 PM
I don't know if anybodies recommended these yet, but "Earthlings" (a documentary about factory farming) and "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" ( a doc about how Americans are physically ill from our diets) are two of my favorites.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: ~L on November 19, 2012, 07:04:29 PM
On Netflix, "DMT: The Spirit Molecule."
This is the experience we are all missing.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Kormodd on December 28, 2012, 06:42:38 AM
Yeah I get teary eyed everytime they end with the "Give me a boy of 7 and I will show you the man"(or something like that). They're all on Netflix Instant I need to rewatch.

Another reason for me to get Netflix.

You should definitely get Netflix Instant.

I can't recommend this highly enough (and if you're a fan of Tarantino, you'll have fun picking up on some of the things he stole from it):

American Boy - Martin Scorsese 1/6 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxaNe2SY-AI#)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: rattkane on February 08, 2013, 04:20:03 PM
King Corn
The City Dark
Who is Bozo Texino?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: icepants on May 21, 2013, 11:13:00 PM
I was curious which documentaries you guys hold dear.
I'll start by opening the discussion on a few of my favorite documentaries/documentarians. Have y'all seen the Paradise Lost films, Ross McElwee docus, Frederick Wiseman docus, or Streetwise?
Also what do you guys think of the HBO docus like Smalltown Ecstacy, Black Tar Heroin, Dope Sick Love?
There are really tons.
Hell House is frightening as well as Jesus Camp.
The list goes on, any recs? I'd really like to hear y'alls thoughts on the West Memphis 3.

I had to chime and cause no one else commented on Small Town Ecstacy, that I saw.  What a great doc, very Mike and his ilk relevant.  Have you seen High on Crack street?  I think that was another of those HBO undercover stories. 

I've seen all the West Memphis Three movies, I just saw the newest one West of Memphis.  I highly recommend it.  Puts everything in context and makes the paradise lost series look all the more sensationalist.  Its easily my favorite of the movies on the WM3. 

I have to agree on all your other recommendations as well.  I'll have to finally finish streetwise when I get some time.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Omar on May 22, 2013, 08:47:51 AM


I've seen all the West Memphis Three movies, I just saw the newest one West of Memphis.  I highly recommend it.  Puts everything in context and makes the paradise lost series look all the more sensationalist.  Its easily my favorite of the movies on the WM3. 

PL1 is by far the best of the WM3 docs, although PL2 may be my favorite due to the mindboggling "performance" by John Mark Byers.  I'm not sure there has ever been anyone innocent of a crime who behaved -- at least for a time -- in such a suspciously bizarre manner.  The case involved bite mark evidence, and he had all of his teeth removed and replaced after the first trial!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: buffcoat on May 23, 2013, 10:38:07 AM
I saw Grizzly Man last night - what an amazing film!  Captivating from start to finish.

I didn't like Cave of Forgotten Dreams, but is it possible for Werner Herzog to just come and interview me for a day and inject his emotionless thoughts about how I should live my life? I'm being serious.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Steve of Bloomington on May 23, 2013, 10:24:20 PM
I saw Grizzly Man last night - what an amazing film!  Captivating from start to finish.

I didn't like Cave of Forgotten Dreams, but is it possible for Werner Herzog to just come and interview me for a day and inject his emotionless thoughts about how I should live my life? I'm being serious.

Now you've seen it, don't miss the Atari 2600 game version:

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_5NKJeRFJJU/UUfOvdX8uBI/AAAAAAAAAT4/ykxrEw9Sfxs/s320/2013-03-09+13.19.25.jpg)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: B_Buster on May 23, 2013, 11:04:40 PM
I enjoyed The People vs. George Lucas and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox. I guess you could say I like documentaries about nuts.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: buffcoat on May 24, 2013, 09:55:44 AM
Werner Herzog must have been giddy beyond belief when he met that coroner.  What a stroke of luck!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on May 28, 2013, 12:26:33 PM
I enjoyed "Kumare", a documentary essentially about how belief works, based on a strong Ebert review.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on May 30, 2013, 06:58:34 PM
I watched "There is something wrong about aunt Diane", which is a HBO-documentary.
It's well a well-made investigation into a truly shocking car accident, which on the face of it was caused by a female driver under influence, but the story truly does not add up.
Very mysterious!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Omar on May 31, 2013, 09:58:49 AM
I watched "There is something wrong about aunt Diane", which is a HBO-documentary.
It's well a well-made investigation into a truly shocking car accident, which on the face of it was caused by a female driver under influence, but the story truly does not add up.
Very mysterious!

Essential viewing.  An incredibly haunting film.  HBO has released several other very good docs in the past couple of years (Hot Coffee, Sex Crimes Unit, Stare At My Face and Cry*).

*May not be the exact title.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on May 31, 2013, 12:37:13 PM
I watched "There is something wrong about aunt Diane", which is a HBO-documentary.
It's well a well-made investigation into a truly shocking car accident, which on the face of it was caused by a female driver under influence, but the story truly does not add up.
Very mysterious!

Essential viewing.  An incredibly haunting film.  HBO has released several other very good docs in the past couple of years (Hot Coffee, Sex Crimes Unit, Stare At My Face and Cry*).

*May not be the exact title.

I saw all the documentaries in your list except for the last one, which I can't find unfortunately.
Could you investigate and give the full title?
I would be very inclined to search that one out.

Also another really haunting one about " folie a deux" is "Madness in the fast lane". It's a BBC-documentary.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Omar on May 31, 2013, 03:00:19 PM
My research has yielded the correct title for the HBO documentary film in question: Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on May 31, 2013, 03:03:54 PM
My research has yielded the correct title for the HBO documentary film in question: Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present.

Ahhh.
I saw that one too, although I could not stand it. Too intense.

(Your previously suggested title did encapsulate what happened to me during the viewing.)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Shaggy 2 Grote on June 25, 2013, 02:54:09 AM
This looks promising: http://abandcalleddeath.com/ (http://abandcalleddeath.com/)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Omar on June 25, 2013, 08:21:03 AM
This looks promising: http://abandcalleddeath.com/ (http://abandcalleddeath.com/)

It's good!   
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: B_Buster on June 25, 2013, 06:03:38 PM
Thin, the documentary about women in a rehab for eating disorders currently being shown on HBO, was great. Recommended.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on June 27, 2013, 03:03:04 PM
For those still interested in Room 237:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/31/movies/aide-to-kubrick-on-shining-scoffs-at-room-237-theories.html?pagewanted=all (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/31/movies/aide-to-kubrick-on-shining-scoffs-at-room-237-theories.html?pagewanted=all)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on June 27, 2013, 03:34:43 PM
This looks promising: http://abandcalleddeath.com/ (http://abandcalleddeath.com/)

It's good!
Does that mean I should see it?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Omar on June 28, 2013, 03:04:53 PM
This looks promising: http://abandcalleddeath.com/ (http://abandcalleddeath.com/)

It's good!
Does that mean I should see it?

Yes!  Elijah Wood is in it!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: B_Buster on July 02, 2013, 12:40:24 PM
An interesting doc about the death penalty in China, but also a strong indictment of a cruelly ambitious TV personality:

Death Row Interviews (BBC Documentary - 2013) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE5UCqpmZag#ws)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on July 03, 2013, 07:39:15 AM
Yeah I get teary eyed everytime they end with the "Give me a boy of 7 and I will show you the man"(or something like that). They're all on Netflix Instant I need to rewatch.

Another reason for me to get Netflix.

You should definitely get Netflix Instant.

I can't recommend this highly enough (and if you're a fan of Tarantino, you'll have fun picking up on some of the things he stole from it):

American Boy - Martin Scorsese 1/6 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxaNe2SY-AI#)

And this

http://youtu.be/DlUdIkfygUY (http://youtu.be/DlUdIkfygUY)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: masterofsparks on July 03, 2013, 08:56:25 PM
This looks promising: http://abandcalleddeath.com/ (http://abandcalleddeath.com/)

It's good!
Does that mean I should see it?

I definitely recommend A Band Called Death. It's pretty slow going for the first half hour or forty minutes but really comes to life after that.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on July 03, 2013, 09:29:45 PM
This looks promising: http://abandcalleddeath.com/ (http://abandcalleddeath.com/)

It's good!
Does that mean I should see it?

I definitely recommend A Band Called Death. It's pretty slow going for the first half hour or forty minutes but really comes to life after that.
Right ho!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on August 16, 2013, 01:28:18 AM
This looks promising: http://abandcalleddeath.com/ (http://abandcalleddeath.com/)

It's good!
Does that mean I should see it?

I definitely recommend A Band Called Death. It's pretty slow going for the first half hour or forty minutes but really comes to life after that.


Does it have them playing any new stuff in it? I really would feal bad for them if they get their hopes up by the end of the film.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on September 19, 2013, 11:55:27 AM
As an introductory device to a course on how to hate everybody I recommend this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_the_Steal_(2009_film) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_the_Steal_(2009_film))

See a bunch of super-sheltered, pretentious art-types writhe in pain as they lose control of a wonderful collection art to corrupt politicians, charity-types and socialites with the effect that the art can finally be seen by the public at large which the crabby collector did not intend because he wanted to stick it to the Philadelphia establishment.

Great documentary, although it has a clear bent, but the people in it are the worst.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on September 24, 2013, 02:47:48 PM
There is a new Panorama documentary on the Anni Dewani murder called "The Honeymoon Murder. Who Killed Anni?".
There already was a documentary on the case, I guess also by the BBC, but now the whole case file has been leaked and Panorama acquired it.
If you still recall the case, this might be very interesting for you.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on September 25, 2013, 04:25:09 AM
Source Family was pretty good.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: jhoffrey on October 29, 2013, 02:17:14 PM
...And This is Free

Not the greatest doc, but ahead of it's time and a great slice of life
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Dip Apesworth on October 16, 2014, 04:42:04 AM
The King of Kong: a fistful of quarters takes the cake for me.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Dip Apesworth on October 17, 2014, 03:52:47 AM
Also, I know That Voice!

http://www.iknowthatvoice.com/ (http://www.iknowthatvoice.com/)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: ShiftlessRastus on November 04, 2014, 11:35:11 PM
I just watched "Killer Legends"

http://www.hulu.com/watch/699891 (http://www.hulu.com/watch/699891)

It's more true crime/urban legend tidbits from the people who made Cropsey.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JesseG. on November 25, 2014, 03:16:36 PM
Recently finished the book so I checked out Jodorowsky's Dune documentary. I don't know how well it would work with his thick accent, but that guy definitely has some sound collage-worthy moments.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on November 25, 2014, 03:38:10 PM
I liked this one its short and funny.

https://vimeo.com/50493471
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JeffertonFromTX on February 19, 2015, 10:52:29 AM
Source Family was pretty good.

I've been wanting to see this one. It has been on my queue for ages. I'm sure its been mentioned before but The Act of Killing is incredible. I can't wait for the companion piece.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on February 19, 2015, 02:29:03 PM
I guess I lived next to them as a kid and my mom used to go to their heath food cafe.  totally missed the film when it played here but I bought the book.  Have a few Yod CDs...really wish I'd bought that big box set Sky Saxon helped put out, but it was $$$...
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on February 19, 2015, 07:35:52 PM
Source Family was pretty good.

I've been wanting to see this one. It has been on my queue for ages. I'm sure its been mentioned before but The Act of Killing is incredible. I can't wait for the companion piece.

I thought the Source Family doc was pretty good.

I think I might have mentioned it before in this thread, but The Institute doc was pretty good.

Trailer   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnJIA7oqqcM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnJIA7oqqcM)



Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on February 19, 2015, 07:39:13 PM
What was that old doc that somebody posted on here a long time ago about a traveling preacher who got outed as a fraud, I think it was from the 70's.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Ignore Function on February 20, 2015, 08:59:14 PM
What was that old doc that somebody posted on here a long time ago about a traveling preacher who got outed as a fraud, I think it was from the 70's.

Was it Marjoe?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on February 20, 2015, 09:33:47 PM
Speaking of traveling, I really liked Salesmen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salesman_%28film%29 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salesman_%28film%29)

Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on February 20, 2015, 09:47:25 PM
What was that old doc that somebody posted on here a long time ago about a traveling preacher who got outed as a fraud, I think it was from the 70's.

Was it Marjoe?

Yeah that was it Marjoe, thanks!
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: effecT on February 21, 2015, 01:38:28 PM
Bitter Lake has been out for a while now.
Pretty good! Check it out on iplayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p02gyz6b/adam-curtis-bitter-lake (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p02gyz6b/adam-curtis-bitter-lake)

Also watching Jinx by Andrew Jarecki (Capturing the Friedmans)  airing on HBO.
Certainly intriguing...
I will keep on watching.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on February 24, 2015, 01:40:18 AM
Citizenfour was on HBO tonight its pretty good.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on February 24, 2015, 11:50:33 AM
HANDS ON A HARD BODY trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzj-vb7Lj0A#)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on February 24, 2015, 11:53:57 AM
Brother's Keeper (1992) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shWoWvaaTm4#)


and you can watch Harlan County, USA for FREE here:

http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/harlan_county_usa (http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/harlan_county_usa)]http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/harlan_county_usa
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: josh c on March 28, 2015, 12:37:04 PM
Has anyone seen RADIO UNNAMEABLE?

http://www.radiounnameablemovie.com/ (http://www.radiounnameablemovie.com/)

Popped up on Netflix, thought it would be a wise choice b/c NYC freeform radio, all-night call-in show, 60s.

Almost turned it off as soon as the talking heads starting holding court on Abbie Hoffman and the power of the yippies. Made it ten more minutes in until someone said call-in radio was "The Twitter of our times" and then was done with it.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Carver on March 29, 2015, 10:27:38 PM
About to be go-time for this Scientology doc on HBO.   Interested to hear what folks think of it.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Denim Gremlin on March 31, 2015, 09:59:47 AM
About to be go-time for this Scientology doc on HBO.   Interested to hear what folks think of it.

I watched it last night, I had heard a lot of what they talked about over the years but damn, hearing it all laid out at once from the mouths of people where were high ranking members for years was frightening and fascinating. I loved it. also, David Miscavige looks so much like a super villain it almost seems like a joke.

as a side note, it's only touched on briefly in the doc but the Occult O Rama episode of The Dana Gould Hour podcast goes more into detail of Hubbard's association with Jack Parsons and the whole story of what went down between them is unbelievable. It's worth a listen.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on March 31, 2015, 12:35:32 PM
Watched it last night too.  Putting it on at 11:30 was a mistake. Kept me awake and interested for 2 hours.
Then I put on the Hobbit and fell right to sleep. During a dragon attack or somesuch.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: kouzie on March 31, 2015, 04:15:00 PM
I thought the Going Clear documentary was outstanding. The book is equally good, but different. The same primary ex-members are featured in both, but obviously there's a lot more detail in the book. But the film made everything more human. Cruise comes off terrible in the movie, but I was surprised how light Travolta got off (insert joke). Also surprised the Battlefield Earth wasn't mentioned at all. But the fact that Miscaviage's wife Shelley, who hasn't been seen in public in seven yeas, was also absent from the film.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on April 01, 2015, 02:34:09 PM
Tom's mention of the Daniel Johnston doc reminded me of a great documentary my friend/bandmate Henry also produced called Welcome to Nollywood about Nigerian film making.  Same director as their other movie Off the Charts (also great). see it if you can!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_Nollywood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_Nollywood)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: buffcoat on April 01, 2015, 02:36:17 PM
I will forever appreciate Jeff Feuerzig for his interaction with Zeph Marshack, Cher's uncle.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Carver on April 01, 2015, 02:40:38 PM
director as their other movie Off the Charts (also great). see it if you can!


I'm always walking around singing "Annie Oakley was a lady and a markswoman..."
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: B_Buster on April 01, 2015, 04:17:02 PM
The Newburgh Sting, currently being shown on HBO, is great.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on April 01, 2015, 09:06:11 PM
I always like the HBO doc about the woman who sued Mcdonalds because of her hot coffee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBKRjxeQnT4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBKRjxeQnT4)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JeffertonFromTX on April 06, 2015, 04:31:53 PM
I watched Going Clear and it really skeezed me out. Has anyone else seen the Showrunners documentary? I'm watching it now and I like most of it, but some of these talking heads come across as preening jerks, particularly Sutter, Ronald Moore, and Anthony LaPaglia.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: knifetrash on April 06, 2015, 06:16:50 PM
GLOW doc is amazing
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on April 06, 2015, 06:20:15 PM
I second the GLOW doc
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Krokodil_Gena on May 10, 2015, 06:22:20 PM
About to be go-time for this Scientology doc on HBO.   Interested to hear what folks think of it.

The mere existence of Going Clear means that Scientology can't scare the media anymore, and I think they've been cowed by cults since the `70s due to legal threats and violence, like the time that Synanon (a now-defunct 12-step-based cult) put a de-rattled rattlesnake in the mailbox of Paul Morantz, a lawyer running a suit against that group for kidnapping a woman. Morantz barely survived.....that was in October, 1978.  Within a month there was the Jonestown Massacre and it all stopped being funny to the general public.

Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: peter falk on June 30, 2015, 12:05:26 PM
Synanon actually still exists through its German branch.  When I lived in Berlin, I would regularly see Synanon drones moving boxes in and out of people's apartments.  I think the movement has monetized its adherents and put them into forced labor...much like Scientology.  I don't think they're putting snakes into mailboxes anymore, but they're still creepy.   One of the guys jumped out from a dark alley and yelled at me for buying beer one night on the way home from the grocery store.

I was a little underwhelmed by Going Clear as a documentary, but the book was superb.  I would like to see a documentary just on the life and psychoses of Miscavige.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on July 02, 2015, 05:06:14 PM
a few friends have been talking up that Nina Simone one on Netflix.  Looking forward to it...

not a doc, but go see Love and Mercy in theatre if you haven't, the surround sound audio is 100% worth it, even if it seems like "wait for DVD" kinda film

Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Carver on July 02, 2015, 07:01:56 PM
a few friends have been talking up that Nina Simone one on Netflix.  Looking forward to it...

not a doc, but go see Love and Mercy in theatre if you haven't, the surround sound audio is 100% worth it, even if it seems like "wait for DVD" kinda film

Yeah, the soundscape featuring "Surf's Up" era stuff was awesome.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: josh c on July 03, 2015, 12:43:32 PM
Nina Simone documentary is well-made and carries the power of her as a person/performer all the way through. Goddamn. Each performance was nuanced in its own way, each song she sung an entirely new thing.

Has anyone watched that Bob Weir doc?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on July 03, 2015, 11:41:35 PM
I did...SO dull. He's just not that interesting
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Krokodil_Gena on July 22, 2015, 05:43:34 PM
Swastika (Documentary) 1973 (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xh290a)

Swastika (1973), first film where we saw Eva Braun's color home movies of the Obersaltzberg mountain house parties.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on July 23, 2015, 12:21:07 AM
Just watched that ABA one on netflix about the st Louis spirits. Really enjoyed it. ...I played with an ABA basketball as a kid..


Also the island of Dr moreau doc was really great.  Also on netflix
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Krokodil_Gena on July 23, 2015, 04:37:43 AM
Synanon actually still exists through its German branch.  When I lived in Berlin, I would regularly see Synanon drones moving boxes in and out of people's apartments.  I think the movement has monetized its adherents and put them into forced labor...much like Scientology.  I don't think they're putting snakes into mailboxes anymore, but they're still creepy.   One of the guys jumped out from a dark alley and yelled at me for buying beer one night on the way home from the grocery store.

I was a little underwhelmed by Going Clear as a documentary, but the book was superb.  I would like to see a documentary just on the life and psychoses of Miscavige.

So did "Synanon Deutschland" still have members running around with shaved heads? Or did they all wear the same sort of clothes?
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: peter falk on July 23, 2015, 07:36:37 AM
Shaved heads and matching blue coveralls.  But their moving service (complete with the slogan, 'life without drugs') gets 5 stars on Yelp!

http://www.yelp.com/biz/synanon-berlin (http://www.yelp.com/biz/synanon-berlin)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JeffertonFromTX on July 29, 2015, 06:30:51 PM
I watched Lost Souls last night and I really liked it. Its a lot of talking heads but still pretty engaging throughout.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: peter falk on July 30, 2015, 09:41:41 AM
I caught that on Netflix over the weekend and really enjoyed it.  Nobody on that crew comes off particularly well except the Australians.  I would've loved to see a contemporary on-set documentary like Burden of Dreams to see firsthand what a cluster that production was, including examples of Val Kilmer's long-rumored petulance.

Richard Stanley is also a goofball, but his own documentary work from the late 80s is worth checking out.  He did one short film (or it may have been a small series) about the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan called Voices of the Moon that is incredibly haunting.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on July 30, 2015, 12:25:59 PM
Has anyone watched that Vampire mockumentary thing? It looks like it has gotten mostly good reviews, but I keep thinking that it can't really be good.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: mostlymeat on July 30, 2015, 01:25:05 PM
Has anyone watched that Vampire mockumentary thing? It looks like it has gotten mostly good reviews, but I keep thinking that it can't really be good.

If you are referring to "What We Do In The Shadows" starring Jemaine "Flight of the Concords" Clement and Taika "Boy" Waititi, I can confirm that it is nothing short of terrific and that all Best Show fans would enjoy this playful romp into the world of the New Zealand undead community.

My wife, who hates comedy, watched it twice.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Epic Soundtracks on July 30, 2015, 08:46:14 PM
Jon Ronson's doc "Stanley Kubrick's Boxes" is really good.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on July 30, 2015, 11:38:54 PM
Has anyone watched that Vampire mockumentary thing? It looks like it has gotten mostly good reviews, but I keep thinking that it can't really be good.

If you are referring to "What We Do In The Shadows" starring Jemaine "Flight of the Concords" Clement and Taika "Boy" Waititi, I can confirm that it is nothing short of terrific and that all Best Show fans would enjoy this playful romp into the world of the New Zealand undead community.

My wife, who hates comedy, watched it twice.

Yes, its probably the funniest movie I've seen so far this year.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JeffertonFromTX on July 31, 2015, 04:44:05 PM
Richard Stanley is also a goofball, but his own documentary work from the late 80s is worth checking out.  He did one short film (or it may have been a small series) about the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan called Voices of the Moon that is incredibly haunting.

I watched Hardware last night and it was pretty wild. He certainly has the eye for film-making, I just wish he would have taken another shot at something really strange. I also didn't know that he dresses like a weird mixture of Frank Miller and 90's Neil Gaiman and that makes me love him all the more.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: josh c on October 25, 2015, 04:35:47 PM
I started "Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's" last night and it was fine, albeit a little scattered in focus and style, which seems deeply ironic. It needed an editor. I might be the only FOT interested in this thing.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on October 26, 2015, 06:26:43 PM
This is on amazon instant now, so looking forward to finally watching

http://www.fallenangeldoc.com/ (http://www.fallenangeldoc.com/)

If you could combine the onstage magnetism of Mick Jagger, the lyrical brilliance of Bob Dylan and the personal fragility of Brian Wilson, you would only have begun to scratch of the surface of Larry Norman.

FALLEN ANGEL: The OUTLAW LARRY NORMAN recounts the rise of the father of Christian rock music as the rock 'n' roll Billy Graham' of the 1970s through to the height of success as the visionary behind Solid Rock Records before a personal meltdown and subsequent fall from grace exiled him to the margins of the Christian subculture he helped create.
A study in polar contrasts, Larry Norman's story presents the viewer with a complex character grappling with the price of genius, the struggle made all the more difficult because Norman chose to make his mark within a religious subculture struggling to define its place within the world. Too religious for the rock 'n' rollers but too rock 'n' roll for the religious crowd, Larry Norman is the perpetual outsider, ultimately imploding under the weight of trying to fuse his position as the musical voice of the Jesus movement with his desire for '70s rock superstar status. Is he the misunderstood musical prophet of the Christian world? Is he an outlaw conning the faithful? Larry Norman is a walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction.
Told mainly from the perspective of those who worked with him and loved him during the height of his success, feel the power of the music he created as refracted through the inconsistencies of the life he led. Experience the forgiveness offered by those most hurt and witness a glimmer of grace against the backdrop of moral failure. Fallen Angel is a rock n' roll epic of biblical proportions.
Fallen Angel is the second documentary by Canadian documentary filmmaker David Di Sabatino. His first release Frisbee: The Life and Death of a Hippie Preacher garnered an Emmy nomination and has been played on PBS-affiliate KQED in San Francisco since 2006.
Fallen Angel tells the story of Christian rock 'n' roll icon Larry Norman from his early days as the lead singer of a popular San Jose-based band named People through his emergence as a "Jesus Music" icon in the early 1970s. The movie centers on his establishment of Solid Rock Records in the mid-1970s and culminates with his death in early 2008.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on October 26, 2015, 10:11:42 PM
This is on amazon instant now, so looking forward to finally watching

http://www.fallenangeldoc.com/ (http://www.fallenangeldoc.com/)

If you could combine the onstage magnetism of Mick Jagger, the lyrical brilliance of Bob Dylan and the personal fragility of Brian Wilson, you would only have begun to scratch of the surface of Larry Norman.

FALLEN ANGEL: The OUTLAW LARRY NORMAN recounts the rise of the father of Christian rock music as the rock 'n' roll Billy Graham' of the 1970s through to the height of success as the visionary behind Solid Rock Records before a personal meltdown and subsequent fall from grace exiled him to the margins of the Christian subculture he helped create.
A study in polar contrasts, Larry Norman's story presents the viewer with a complex character grappling with the price of genius, the struggle made all the more difficult because Norman chose to make his mark within a religious subculture struggling to define its place within the world. Too religious for the rock 'n' rollers but too rock 'n' roll for the religious crowd, Larry Norman is the perpetual outsider, ultimately imploding under the weight of trying to fuse his position as the musical voice of the Jesus movement with his desire for '70s rock superstar status. Is he the misunderstood musical prophet of the Christian world? Is he an outlaw conning the faithful? Larry Norman is a walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction.
Told mainly from the perspective of those who worked with him and loved him during the height of his success, feel the power of the music he created as refracted through the inconsistencies of the life he led. Experience the forgiveness offered by those most hurt and witness a glimmer of grace against the backdrop of moral failure. Fallen Angel is a rock n' roll epic of biblical proportions.
Fallen Angel is the second documentary by Canadian documentary filmmaker David Di Sabatino. His first release Frisbee: The Life and Death of a Hippie Preacher garnered an Emmy nomination and has been played on PBS-affiliate KQED in San Francisco since 2006.
Fallen Angel tells the story of Christian rock 'n' roll icon Larry Norman from his early days as the lead singer of a popular San Jose-based band named People through his emergence as a "Jesus Music" icon in the early 1970s. The movie centers on his establishment of Solid Rock Records in the mid-1970s and culminates with his death in early 2008.

Sweet, just added it. Ive been on an Azitis kick lately.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Carver on October 27, 2015, 01:36:12 PM
Grew up in a Baptist-run small Southern town, so got a real aversion to anything that even skirts the line into Christian culture.  But just checked this out and the Brian Wilson comparison is no exaggeration.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: josh c on November 04, 2015, 06:03:53 PM
My dad would be so into that Larry Norman doc.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on November 15, 2015, 08:36:28 AM
I was so glad they mentioned The Nightmare on this week's show, its pretty good even though I liked Room 237 better.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on November 16, 2015, 01:35:33 PM
I recently enjoyed Blondie's New York and The Sunset Strip
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Carver on November 21, 2015, 11:55:13 AM
The new documentary "Baristas" is so ridiculous it could be sold as a Christopher Guest film and no one would question it. 
And I love hipster coffee and barista culture.  This is, well, it's just the absolute worst of that. 
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on November 21, 2015, 09:13:52 PM
Rubble Kings on Netflix is alright.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: JonFromMaplewood on December 01, 2015, 08:42:41 PM
Did anyone on here mention Finders/Keepers yet? It was hilarious, tragic, and beautiful. Never has a severed leg moved me so much.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: euphoriafish on December 01, 2015, 09:18:47 PM
Do American Splendour and Crumb count as documentaries?  Anyway, I'll be back when I remember what I watched on Netflix that isn't Exit Through the Gift Shop.  There was one about a dive restaurant owner in Brooklyn that was fun.  And for the future, I'm looking for This is a True Story, about the Japanese woman who died of cold exposure in Minnesota and used a hunt for the treasure from Fargo as a cover story before she became the inspiration for the film Kumiko the treasure hunter.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Krokodil_Gena on December 05, 2015, 03:27:59 PM
Do American Splendour and Crumb count as documentaries? 

Hell, YES. Just because American Splendor uses actors instead of "talking head" interviews or animation doesn't mean it isn't a documentary. Culloden (1964) by Peter Watkins has a film crew at the 1746 battle, so everybody's an actor, but it is more of a documentary reconstruction of a society (the Scottish Highlanders' feudal system vs. the rising English power) at a breaking point.

Watch it and you will see what I'm getting at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KaE2CAkk4Q (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KaE2CAkk4Q#)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on December 07, 2015, 03:47:02 PM
Really loved the Gore Vidal / William Buckley doc Best of Enemies on Netflix.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/best_of_enemies_2015/ (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/best_of_enemies_2015/)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: dave from knoxville on December 07, 2015, 06:54:40 PM
Bands I was a part of covered Norman songs occasionally, mostly "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" and "Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music."

Grew up in a Baptist-run small Southern town, so got a real aversion to anything that even skirts the line into Christian culture.  But just checked this out and the Brian Wilson comparison is no exaggeration.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on December 08, 2015, 01:14:24 PM
Just watched the Barry Crimmins doc "Call Me Lucky". It was great.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: fonpr on December 08, 2015, 03:01:46 PM
Really loved the Gore Vidal / William Buckley doc Best of Enemies on Netflix.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/best_of_enemies_2015/ (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/best_of_enemies_2015/)
This sounds intriguing.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Mike Desert on December 09, 2015, 02:35:00 PM
Really loved the Gore Vidal / William Buckley doc Best of Enemies on Netflix.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/best_of_enemies_2015/ (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/best_of_enemies_2015/)
This sounds intriguing.

Was great. My favorite political documentary is this though. Still have the VHS tape

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millhouse_(film) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millhouse_(film))
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Big Plastic Head on March 18, 2016, 11:48:47 AM
The Barkley Marathons. It's up on Netflix now and it was terrific.
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on October 22, 2016, 08:53:44 PM
Marty Feldman - Six Degrees of Separation (Documentary)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oChBT5B3Ulg&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oChBT5B3Ulg&feature=youtu.be)
Title: Re: Documentary recs
Post by: Joe Rogaine on December 27, 2016, 09:34:24 AM
The Stretch and Bobbito doc is now streaming on Netflix


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkxv3H_ebcY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkxv3H_ebcY)