Documentaries worth watching

I'm posting this purely for selfish reasons, I need pointers to good docus I've missed.

Here's some that I consider must sees or at least worth watching, in no particular order:

anything with David Attenborough

BBC The Jet Stream and Us
Documentary tracing how human understanding of the jet stream - a ribbon of fast moving air high in the atmosphere - has grown.

BBC The Power of Nightmares: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Nightmares

Capturing the Friedmans: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capturing_the_Friedmans

Children underground: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Underground

Grizzly Man: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grizzly_Man

Guns Germs and Steel: http://www.pbs.org/gunsgermssteel/

White Light/Black Rain: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0911010/

Home: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1014762/

Ilha das Flores: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097564/

Jesus camp: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486358/

Year Zero - The Silent Death of Cambodia: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275085/

Nazi Pop Twins: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1073131/

No End In Sight: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0912593/

Occupation 101: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0807956/

Outfoxed - Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418038/

The Human Behavior Experiments: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0822813/

PBS Frontline - Sick Around America: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...aroundamerica/

PBS Dispatches - Iraq's Missing Billions: http://www.journeyman.tv/?lid=56149

The Trials of Ted Haggard: http://www.hbo.com/events/trialsoftedhaggard/index.html

We Feed The World: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478324/

Devil's Playground: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293088/

It's about Amish kids during Rumspringa.

The King of Kong - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_kong

Louis Theroux is pretty good. The one about Vegas or where he tries to be an adult video star. I have all 3 seasons on my HD

king of kong was a lot of fun. we were cheering and clapping at the very end of it first time I watched it.

American Pimp

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BennyLaRue

Devil's Playground: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293088/

It's about Amish kids during Rumspringa.

---

Just finished watching this, very interesting.

King of kong is awesome and I've seen about a dozen Louis Theroux docus. Keep them suggestions coming.

I'm a doc fiend. However, I haven't watched any for quite some time so I don't remember nearly as many as I should

I recommend adding

Fog of War http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317910/ McNamara discusses his experience as Secretary of Defense under Kennedy and Johnson

Night and Fog http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048434/ French film. Very short, made in 50s. Probably the most raw documentary on Nazi concentration camps

The Times of Harvey Milk http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088275/


And a pseudo doc Generation Kill http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0995832/ HBO miniseries. This isn't a documentary, but it's just about as true a story as you're going to get in fiction. It's about a journalist's experience with a convoy during the invasion of Iraq, and according to the actual marines he wrote about, the story is so close to what actually happened that they had trouble telling who's version of the story was more accurate: theirs or the journalist's.

Also, one of the marines plays himself, and another marine plays somebody else. I love this miniseries. May even like it more than Band of Brothers, but that's probably blasphemy...

Also, I remember really liking Why We Fight http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436971/ but that was before I began researching political issues, and have since discovered that Robert Greenwald kinda likes to get some stuff wrong, and is 'sensational'. I'll say that the documentary is likely really good, but I'm not positive since I would have to watch it again. I just don't really remember anything other than it covering the military industrial complex, which is legit.

I wouldn't call Ken Burns' stuff terribly original but I could still watch it all day, Jazz and The War in particular. If you like history, his docs are well put together with interesting and very specific stories about individuals who played a part of the larger narrative.

Downloading fog of war now, looks good. Too bad I'm also a docuholic and seen all the other suggestions. Keep em coming!

I just watched the Louis Theroux Ice addicts documentary, you can d/l it from BBC I-player, that was pretty good.

Louis Theroux's extreme body builders and thai brides are epic.

You might like Control Room http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0391024/ It's about Al Jazeera.

Taxi to the Dark Side is probably really good http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0854678/ I didn't watch it even though I really wanted to

Several others I planned on watching, but didn't, and now I'm on hiatus from films. Most of them are in the IMDB top 50 http://www.imdb.com/chart/documentary

Oh now I just remembered a couple baller ones

From the Earth to the Moon http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120570/ HBO miniseries. Chronicles Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. I adore outer space stuff so I love this miniseries

In the Shadow of the Moon http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0925248/ Raw footage and raw interviews from Apollo missions and astronauts.

On the topic of space and inspired by the top gear thread, check out James May On The Moon: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lfdbv

Sweet. Found a youtube of it so I'll watch it

At least I think I'll watch it. I went through a phase where I watched nothing but documentaries and lectures, but now I'm doing virtually none of that. Only docs it seems I can watch now are ones where tigers, lions, or leopards kill shit

The place to be regarding documentaries

http://forums.mvgroup.org

Man on Wire
The Corporation

Anything by Michael Moore or Al Gore

Man on Wire pissed me the hell off. I had that shits on queue like a month before it even came to DVD, but since it had no closed captions I couldn't understand a single thing the French dude said

That's actually a very frustrating thing about documentaries for me. Since I'm retarded I have trouble hearing stuff, so I watch most everything with subtitles or closed captions, but only rarely do docs have them

And just remembered another awesome doc. Street Fight http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457496/ Inside look at Corey Booker's 2002 mayoral campaign in Newark, NJ. Extremely good

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BennyLaRue

Devil's Playground: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293088/

It's about Amish kids during Rumspringa.

---

tyvm
watching

spoons mention of american pimp got no love. This is a pretty awesome documentary. I first saw it when I was young and was just like "wow thats cool." Then I grew up a bit and watched it some more and was like "wow thats cool, but really really really fucked up."

Also children underground is a really moving piece of work. Id def reccomend anyone who hasnt seen it to check it out.

And lastly Im really glad that I havent seen any mention of michael moore in this thread. I have to be honest and say that his docs are pretty entertaining, however hes the biggest sensationalist egotistical doucheclown to ever make a documentary.

Quick Drew edit post so boostnfail doesn't see that you like Moore!

Personally, I have never seen a Moore film. I would like to, but due to his reputation as a sensationalist, I haven't ever really felt like it.

doh! Like I said, the films are quite entertaining. They make you laugh and the general gyst of them is good. We need better and universal health care, 9/11 has a ton of unanswered questions surrounding it and all that. However he dramatizes everything and fucks with peoples lives who he probably doesnt give a shit about once filming has wrapped, and he seems to be too much of a believer in the phrase "the ends justify the means." Or maybe he doesnt even care about the cause but just likes the spotlight... idk..

i was jk about moore and al gore

yeah moore's stuff is very entertaining but it's true that it's too one sided of information to be called a true documentary.

as far as al gore goes... MANBEARPIG !!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BankItDrew

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BennyLaRue

Devil's Playground: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293088/

It's about Amish kids during Rumspringa.

---

tyvm
watching

---

LMAO
If you're a fan of the show 'Intervention,' you'll love watching these 16 year old Amish kids in Devils Playground.

btw, Food Inc. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1286537/

Manufacturing Consent, Noam Chomsky http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...82395226827730

started watching "the four horsemen" on youtube last night. Its 4 atheist philosophers sitting down having a sort of round table discussion. Pretty cool stuff imo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuyUz2XLp1E&NR=1

yah that video turned me on to a lot of richard dawkins stuff.

Thank you a lot Cocco.

Even though you say it is for selfish reasons, this thread surely make me happy.

Look forward to watching the documentaries.

guns germs and steal was good, def worth watching.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CoccoBill

The Trials of Ted Haggard: http://www.hbo.com/events/trialsoftedhaggard/index.html

---

Finally found it online here:
http://www.documentary-log.com/d239-...f-ted-haggard/

How could I have forgotten about Touching the Void http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379557/ Probably because after watching it I retired it from my ranking system. It's just that good. Not only is Touching the Void the most insane story anybody has ever heard, but it's non-fiction

Seriously, my skin shivers and crawls whenever I think of this film. Words cannot describe how amazing the story is.

And Murderball http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436613/ Gotta love the title l.do

The 20 Most Dangerous Drugs
http://www.documentary-log.com/d97-t...ngerous-drugs/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BankItDrew

The 20 Most Dangerous Drugs
http://www.documentary-log.com/d97-t...ngerous-drugs/

---

Ok if you wanna go there:

BBC Horizon - Is alcohol worse than ecstasy? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/prog...band/tx/drugs/
Ecstacy Rising http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecstasy_Rising
Hooked: Illegal Drugs and How They Got That Way http://blogcritics.org/video/article...annels-hooked/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BankItDrew

Anything by Michael Moore or Al Gore

---

Were you being serious?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Monty3038

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BankItDrew

Anything by Michael Moore or Al Gore

---

Were you being serious?

---

lol no...

PBS Frontline - Hot Politics
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/hotpolitics/

Hot Politics goes behind the scenes to examine the forces behind the inaction, including a well-financed energy industry campaign that challenged the broad scientific consensus on the human causes of climate change in an effort to stall federal regulation. Fossil fuel companies funneled millions of dollars to the institutes of global warming skeptics, including former President of the National Academy of Sciences Frederick Seitz, who cast doubt about the science in media reports on climate change.

My favourite documentaries are:

Darwin's Nightmare
Stevie
Hoop Dreams
Grey Gardens

Sure I lost a few hundy on bad beats today, but things can always get worse...

Black tar Heroin: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4s...t-14_lifestyle

After watching James May on the moon I stumbled across James May´s Big Ideas and I liked it

http://www.open2.net/jamesmay/index.html

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

Just watched "Home" by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and it´s amazing. Even if you don´t agree with the Al Gore-ish environmental stuff, camera and shots are beatiful.

A couple recent ones I've enjoyed:

How Earth Made Us: BBC - BBC Two Programmes - How Earth Made Us
The Cove: The Cove (2009)
BBC Horizon has also had some very nice stuff lately: BBC iPlayer - Horizon: 2009-2010: To Infinity and Beyond
And obviously BBC Life, David ftw: BBC - BBC One Programmes - Life

I generally like nature documentaries best and I'm surprised its not mentioned yet, but the Planet Earth series from BBC is great. I just bought this on Bluray (had only seen it in standard def before) and I'm just blown away by the view almost every scene. I just wish it was narrated by Sigourney Weaver on the disk like it is in the US broadcasts.

I'm looking forward to watching the Life series from them as well. It stars airing here in March. This one is narrated by Oprah for us Americans (oooh lucky us!!!)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hawkfan79

I just wish it was narrated by Sigourney Weaver on the disk like it is in the US broadcasts.

---

Dude, seriously. You have no idea how blasphemous that is, David is the only one allowed to narrate nature docus.

Beer Wars

BBC Dangerous Knowledge

The Century of The Self is by far the best documentary i have ever seen. For all those who are interested in how society has been developed its a must see.

informationliberation - The Century of the Self

Its a bit of beast, and comes in 4 one hour long parts. Heres the descriptoin of first and last parts

1) The story of the relationship between Sigmund Freud and his American nephew, Edward Bernays. Bernays invented the public relations profession in the 1920s and was the first person to take Freud's ideas to manipulate the masses. He showed American corporations how they could make people want things they didn't need by systematically linking mass-produced goods to their unconscious desires.

Bernays was one of the main architects of the modern techniques of mass-consumer persuasion, using every trick in the book, from celebrity endorsement and outrageous PR stunts, to eroticising the motorcar.

His most notorious coup was breaking the taboo on women smoking by persuading them that cigarettes were a symbol of independence and freedom. But Bernays was convinced that this was more than just a way of selling consumer goods. It was a new political idea of how to control the masses. By satisfying the inner irrational desires that his uncle had identified, people could be made happy and thus docile.

It was the start of the all-consuming self which has come to dominate today's world.

4) This episode explains how politicians on the left, in both Britain and America, turned to the techniques developed by business to read and fulfil the inner desires of the self.

Both New Labour, under Tony Blair, and the Democrats, led by Bill Clinton, used the focus group, which had been invented by psychoanalysts, in order to regain power. They set out to mould their policies to people's inner desires and feelings, just as capitalism had learnt to do with products.

Out of this grew a new culture of public relations and marketing in politics, business and journalism. One of its stars in Britain was Matthew Freud who followed in the footsteps of his relation, Edward Bernays, the inventor of public relations in the 1920s.

The politicians believed they were creating a new and better form of democracy, one that truly responded to the inner feelings of individual. But what they didn't realise was that the aim of those who had originally created these techniques had not been to liberate the people but to develop a new way of controlling them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CoccoBill

Dude, seriously. You have no idea how blasphemous that is, David is the only one allowed to narrate nature docus.

---

I know he's good and "the man" in nature docs and all, but I preferred her narration. It probably has to do with being american and his accent standing out a bit for me and her voice sounding more natural.

It's an excellent series with either narrator.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SaulPaul

The Century of The Self is by far the best documentary i have ever seen. For all those who are interested in how society has been developed its a must see.

---

Watching this now, very nice call.

Looks like it's made by Adam Curtis who also made The Power of Nightmares and The Trap: What Happened to Our Dream of Freedom. Absolute must sees all of them.

If any of you are boxing fans, last year's "Tyson" by James Toback is pretty great. He's a fascinating guy.

My favorite documentaries @ the moment are:

American Movie
King of Kong
Super Size Me
Sicko
Comedian

Werner Herzog: Lessons of Darkness Lessons of Darkness, 1992, by Werner Herzog | Free Sexy Videos - Watch Sexy Videos Online | Veoh
Les Blank: Burden of Dreams YouTube - Overwhelming and Collective Murder

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jason

My favorite documentaries @ the moment are:

American Movie
King of Kong

---

I 2nd this

Hearts of Darkness - about the making of Apocalypse Now - actually much better than that sounds.
Not to be confused with Heart (singular) of Darkness which is a porno. A rather good one. I shall remember it for when we start the porno recommendations thread!

What I tend to do when looking for a good movie to download, is check out rottentomatoes.com. One of their current top dvd rentals is 'Good Hair.' Chris Rock is in the entire film and RT.com rated it very high. So, I downloaded it.

Turns out to be a documentary about black people hair. NEXT!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CoccoBill

Watching this now, very nice call.

---

Anyone that knows me well is aware of my poor sleeping habits. I strongly recommend The Century of The Self, if you have the same problems. It's 3 hours of black and white, early 20th century footage, talking about mass mind control.

I made it through the first hour, enjoyed it quite a bit, and had a sexy dream. :)

9/10

I've watched King Of Kong. - Best Documentary I've seen in a long time.
20 Most Dangerous Drugs was interesting.
And the James May - Big Ideas series is awesome.

I've already recommended two with and about Werner Herzog - but his were simply the most memorable I've seen.
Land of Silence and Darkness - following a deaf and blind woman.
Gods Angry Man - about a televangelist. As impartial as it could possibly be.
My Best Fiend - about his relation with Klaus Kinski
Little Dieter Needs to Fly - The story of a Vietnam Veteran who was shot down, taken prisoner by the Viet Cong and managed to escape. - One of the best final shots in cinema history.

Confederate States of America:

YouTube - The Confederate States of America (1 of 9)

RIP - A Remix Manifesto

trailer @ YouTube - RiP: A Remix Manifesto - Official Trailer
full film @ YouTube - RIP: A Remix Manifesto (part 1)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BankItDrew

RIP - A Remix Manifesto

trailer @ YouTube - RiP: A Remix Manifesto - Official Trailer
full film @ YouTube - RIP: A Remix Manifesto (part 1)

---

zomg william burroughs in the opening sequence!

*watching*

BBC The Pirates Of Somalia

Hulu - On Any Sunday - Watch the full feature film now.

even if youre not into motorcycles, this is a really cool documentary.

I just discovered this site. I rate it awesome!

This documentary is about the awesomeness of the human brain and body - enjoy and may it help you all to excell to superhuman capabilities!

:)

Tropic of Capricorn is good

I just watched SonicsGate, about how Seattle lost the Sonics.

It always seemed that the whole situation didn't really get talked about much in the national media, so if you are a sports fan and didn't watch this unfold you need to watch this.

It's 2 hours long, it briefly covers the teams history, goes into detail about how the whole thing happened, and who was responsible (just about everyone).

Watch in HD :
Sonicsgate HD Part 1 of 2 on Vimeo
Sonicsgate HD Part 2 of 2 on Vimeo

or SD:
Sonicsgate SD Full Version on Vimeo

Dont have a link to the video itself, but Cocaine Cowboys was one of the most interesting docs I've ever watched. It's about the drug at it's peak during the 70s/80s in Miami, FL.

Cocaine Cowboys - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

BBC - BBC Two Programmes - Horizon, 2010-2011, The Death of the Oceans?

I just watched "Cocaine Cowboys" on YouTube, and holy shit it was good.

There is a good one on the Baja race in Mexico each year, I believe it was on HBO or Showtime... pretty awesome what these guys go through for this race...

Going to give Kong of Kong a go tonight. Great thread.

edit: watched it and enjoyed it very much. Thanks guys!

edit2: so I searched a little more about the documentary and saw that there are a few updates in the past few weeks if anyone's interested

New York Doll - I give it 5 stars (about the 70s glam/punk group's bassist)
Tom Petty - Running Down the Dream
American Blackout- Story of a brave black woman and our corrupt political system
Why We Fight- Ike warned us and we didn't listen
Crumb- a classic
Jim Jones Tragedy- not the made for TV version, this came out about 5 yrs ago?
Commune- California hippie experience , great original videos

A new Louis Theroux documentary airs tomorrow in the UK. Still part of the Law & Disorder set, this time in Lagos. Looks like the usual thing you'd expect from Louis.

The Union: The Business Behind Getting High (2007) - IMDb