Television Documentaries

[Girish II]

Post good ones that you've seen.


The Cell (BBC)

This is an excellent three-part documentary on the full history of the cell. From initial studies on what they referred to as "animalcules" in the 1700s to advanced cellular research and artificial engineering of life just last year.

Part 1 - The Hidden Kingdom

In a three-part series, Dr Adam Rutherford tells the extraordinary story of the scientific quest to discover the secrets of the cell and of life itself. Every living thing is made of cells, microscopic building blocks of almost unimaginable power and complexity.
The first part explores how centuries of scientific and religious dogma were overturned by the earliest discoveries of the existence of cells, and how scientists came to realise that there was, literally, more to life than meets the eye.

Part 2 - The Chemistry of Life

This episode explores how scientists delved ever deeper into the world of the cell, seeking to reveal the magic ingredient that can spark a bundle of chemicals into life. Their discoveries have brought us to the brink of being able to create life for ourselves.

Part 3 - The Spark of Life

The final part reveals how our knowledge of cells has brought us to the brink of one of the most important moments in history. Scientists are close to repeating what has happened only once in four billion years - the creation of a new life form.

A review of the show by The Telegraph

The Cell (BBC Four): TV review - Telegraph

All episodes in 6 parts available on YouTube.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Get Thrashed (2006)

 

[SecondFig]

Dark Days (2000)

Dark Days is a documentary made by Marc Singer, a British filmmaker. The film follows a group of people living in an abandoned section of the New York City underground railway system, more precisely the area of the so called Freedom Tunnel.

The film's crew consisted of the subjects themselves, who rigged up makeshift lighting and steadicam dollies, and learned to use a 16mm camera with black-and-white Kodak film. The post-production process took years, as financial difficulties created delays, as did Singer's insistence of creative control to protect the tunnel residents.

During filming, Amtrak announced they would be forcibly evicting the homeless living in the tunnels. This announcement, plus the police presence backing the decision, prompted Singer and photographer Margaret Morton to go to the Coalition for the Homeless for help. Eventually, Singer and Morton managed to secure housing vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the film's subjects, which enabled them to move out of the tunnels and into their own apartments.

The film features music by DJ Shadow, including excerpts from Endtroducing... as well as his album with U.N.K.L.E. Melissa Neidich was the editor of the film. Cinevision, a New York City camera shop, supplied Singer with cameras for the two-and-a-half years of filming. When Singer ran out of money for film, Kodak supplied free damaged film for the project.

 

[BAMSOLA]

Enron: The smartest guys in the room (2005).

 

[Ecstasio]

Post good ones that you've seen.


The Cell (BBC)

All episodes in 6 parts available on YouTube.

And here they are

 

[Girish II]

You have 6 segments but from separate parts. It's 6 per episode so 18 in total.

 

[SecondFig]

Two more very good doc's:

Man On Wire (2008)

Man on Wire is a 2008 documentary film directed by James Marsh. The film chronicles Philippe Petit's 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center. It is based on Philippe Petit's book, To Reach the Clouds, recently released in paperback with the new title Man on Wire. The title of the movie is taken from the police report that led to the arrest (and later release) of Petit, whose performance had lasted for almost one hour. The film is crafted like a heist film, presenting rare footage of the preparations for the event and still photographs of the walk, alongside reenactments (with Paul McGill as the young Petit) and present-day interviews with the participants.

It competed in the World Cinema Documentary Competition[1] at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize: World Cinema Documentary and the World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary.[2] In February 2009, the film won the BAFTA for Outstanding British Film, the Independent Spirit Awards and the Academy Award for Best Documentary.

Taxi To The Dark Side (2007)

Taxi to the Dark Side (2007) is a documentary film directed by American filmmaker Alex Gibney, and produced by Eva Orner and Susannah Shipman, which won the 2007 Academy Award for Documentary Feature.[1] It focuses on the murder of an Afghan taxi driver named Dilawar,[2] beaten to death by American soldiers while being held in extrajudicial detention at the Bagram Air Base.

Taxi to the Dark Side examines America's policy on torture and interrogation in general, specifically the CIA's use of torture and their research into sensory deprivation. There is description of the opposition to the use of torture from its political and military opponents, as well as the defense of such methods; the attempts by Congress to uphold the standards of the Geneva Convention forbidding torture; and the popularization of the use of torture techniques in shows such as 24.

It is part of the Why Democracy? series, which consists of ten documentary films from around the world questioning and examining contemporary democracy. As part of the series, Taxi to the Dark Side was broadcast in over 30 different countries around the world from October 8–18, 2007. The BBC cut the film to 79 minutes for broadcast.

The film is said to be the first film to contain images taken within Bagram Air Base.

 

[madhed]

End of Poverty.Incredibly moving story. Enlightening and saddening.

The End of Poverty? is a daring, thought-provoking and very timely documentary by award-winning filmmaker, Philippe Diaz, revealing that poverty is not an accident. It began with military conquest, slavery and colonization that resulted in the seizure of land, minerals and forced labor. Today, global poverty has reached new levels because of unfair debt, trade and tax policies -- in other words, wealthy countries exploiting the weaknesses of poor, developing countries.

The End of Poverty? asks why today 20% of the planet's population uses 80% of its resources and consumes 30% more than the planet can regenerate?

 

[Ecstasio]

End of Poverty.Incredibly moving story. Enlightening and saddening.

Not sure how I have not seen this before. Looks excellent. Thanks.

 

[Ecstasio]

I can't find it anywhere?? I mean not on sale or for download.

 

[datura]

'Bus 174 (Portuguese: Ônibus 174) is a Brazilian documentary film released on October 22, 2002. It is the debut film of director José Padilha and co-director Felipe Lacerda. Sandro do Nascimento, a young man from a poor background, bungled a robbery and ended up holding the passengers on a bus hostage for four hours. The event was caught live on television. The movie examines the incident and what life is like in the slums and favelas of Rio de Janeiro and how the criminal justice system in Brazil treats the lower classes. Within the film, Padilha interviews former and current street children, members of the Rio police force, the highly regarded Rio BOPE police team, family members, and sociologists in order to gain insight about what led Nascimento to carry out the hijacking.'

 

[decorativeed]

American Movie

American Movie is a 1999 documentary about the making of an independent film. Milwaukee filmmaker Mark Borchardt feverishly works to finish his independent horror film Coven, but with poor financing and lack of planning finds it nearly impossible to complete. The documentary follows Borchardt's filmmaking process from script to screen, and is interspersed with footage from his developing projects.



Taking Liberties:

Also known as Taking Liberties Since 1997: a documentary film about the erosion of civil liberties in the United Kingdom and increase of surveillance under the government of Tony Blair. It was released in the UK on 8th June 2007. The director, Chris Atkins, said on 1 May that he wanted to expose "the Orwellian state" that now threatened Britain as a result of Mr Blair's policies.

The whole film is here.


To Mars By A-Bomb:

The extraordinary yet true account of a secret US government-backed attempt to build a spaceship the size of an ocean liner and send it to Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, propelled by thousands of miniature nuclear bombs.

Beginning in 1958 Project Orion ran until 1965, employing some of the best scientists in the world, including the brilliant British mathematician and physicist Freeman Dyson. "Freeman Dyson is one of the few authentic geniuses I've ever met", says Arthur C. Clarke. "Orion isn't crazy. It would work. The question isn't whether we could do it, but whether we should do it".

The film uncovers a contemporary angle to Project Orion. Arthur C. Clarke states that today's generation are once again serious about going to Mars and that NASA has once more become interested in similar nuclear technology as used by Project Orion in the early 60s.

The film has exclusive interviews with Ted Taylor, who ran The Project Orion and who is also the most legendary nuclear weapon designer of all time; and Freeman Dyson who is one of the greatest theoretical physicists and mathematicians that has lived this century.

Clarke talks about how he originally wrote the screenplay for Space Odyssey 2001 and he describes how he referenced The Project Orion and its use of nuclear explosives within the plot of the screenplay. However by the time it came to filming, the nuclear references were dropped as Stanley Kubrick had become very anti-nuclear bombs and his special effects team were unable to come up with an idea as to how to visualise the actual impact of the technology.

The whole film is here

 

[sammymc]

"Busby, Shankly and Stein : The Football Men" hugh mcilvanney's superb doc about how three scottish managers became the biggest names in British Football.

"14 days in May" Documentary following Edward Earl Johnson in his last two weeks before being executed for a crime he says he was innocent of.

 

[De Selby]

For my money, Jonathan Meades is pretty much the finest documentary maker around...at least in terms of architecture and culture. If you're interested in Nazi-era Germany then this is essential viewing:


He also did another documentary about Stalin-era iconography and architecture called Joe Building which is probably even better than Jerry Building ,but it's in 8 parts and I really can't be arsed putting them all up. YouTube has all his stuff anyway.

 

[SirAF]

Some Documentaries that I like:

Wild China

"Journey across China from the glittering peaks of the Himalayas to the barren steppe, the sub-Arctic to the tropical islands, through deserts both searingly hot and mind-numbingly cold and see, in pioneering images, a dazzling array of mysterious, beautiful, wild and rare creatures."

One of the best nature documentaries that I've seen. Splendid!

Wright Across America

"Ian Wright hosts ITV Primetime TV series Wright Across America, where he fullfills a life long dream to travel coast to coast across America on a Harley-Davidson motorbike.
Joining him for the trip is custom bike builder Nicky Bootz, whose tumultuous rapport and rocky relationship with Wright makes for compulsive viewing. Together they take in the amazing sights and bizarre experiences the country has to offer and put on a show that you'll want to watch over and over again."

Now, this is better than what it might seem like Wright come across like a pretty likeable guy, even though he is a bit of a whinging pussy now and then on the trip. The other guy, Bootz, is plain crazy!

 

[Gambit]

On my favourite film ever. The story behind the making is now hollywood folklore. Remember the simpsons episode where they made radioactive man the movie and they were taxed for everything. Local shops where selling nails for a fiver etc, this is where it comes from. That plus the fact the shark never worked, the film went almost a year overschedule, budget etc and the story behind the film is just as fascinating as the movie itself.

 

[dmode]

I like Bowling for Columbine.

 

[Red_Jamie]

Dark Days (2000)

Watched this one last night. Fantastic documentary..

 

[Ecstasio]

End of Poverty.Incredibly moving story. Enlightening and saddening.

Where can I find a copy of this, anyone? I am really desperate to see it.

 

[Red_Jamie]

'This is an unedited, yet incredible, interesting documentary portraying Papua New Guinean tribes members meeting a white man for the first time in their life.'

This an an amazing piece of film.

Tribe Meets White Man | DocumentaryStorm - Stream Full Documentaries

 

[Saliph]

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations. Incredible and shocking docs.

 

[GDH]

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations. Incredible and shocking docs.

Watched these a few months ago, first one was very good, second one was worth a watch too.

Documentary I always recommend these days is Exit Through The Gift Shop, absolute class view of street art.

 

[Iron Stove]

I've recently watched three very interesting documentaries by Niall Ferguson called Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World, The Ascent of Money and the recent Civilization: Is the West History?

The Ascent of Money which is about the history of money, credit and banking was very educational and helpful for someone like me who isn't all that clued up when it comes to economic history. It might sound boring, but I found it really fascinating.


I think you can find all of them on youtube.

 

[mr.suave]

Documentary I always recommend these days is Exit Through The Gift Shop, absolute class view of street art.

Yeah I watched that last week, quality stuff.

Spoiler

Is it a pisstake or what though? The Mr Brainwash part at the end is both funny and bizarre, and I've since read a load of stuff online claiming that it's all a big Banksy hoax.

As for The Cell... can anyone explain who's seen it (and understands it) explain to me how, in the final episode, they manage to create an artificial ribosome simply by adding the section of synthetic DNA to the necessary combination of amino acids. Wouldn't they need an existing ribosome in order to synthesise proteins from the DNA code? In the video it sort of makes out that the artificial ribosome self-assembles when the appropriate DNA and 'ingredients' are combined, and that surely isn't right. It's doing my head in...


Couple of mins into that vid.

All 3 episodes are fecking amazing by the way, get on it.

 

[GDH]

Yeah I watched that last week, quality stuff.

Spoiler

Is it a pisstake or what though? The Mr Brainwash part at the end is both funny and bizarre, and I've since read a load of stuff online claiming that it's all a big Banksy hoax.

Spoiler

There seems to be a lot of people who think it is, personally I've not a clue, but wouldn't be surprised. It's very much a look at the ludicrous nature of the art community regardless, which really makes me want it to all be a hoax.

 

[Wittmann45]

'This is an unedited, yet incredible, interesting documentary portraying Papua New Guinean tribes members meeting a white man for the first time in their life.'

This an an amazing piece of film.

Tribe Meets White Man | DocumentaryStorm - Stream Full Documentaries

There is a fifteen minute video on YouTube with a mash-up between tribal and 80s movie music...its a pretty awesome video

 

[Burndogg]

Grizzly Man - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrepo_(film)

ABC DiG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia!

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Grinner]

Cropsey

 

[Mockney]

Most of Adam Curtis' stuff is great watching...Just make sure you take it with a pinch of salt and realise there's a narrative and it's not strictly impartial.

The archive footage he unearths is fantastic and if you watch them neutrally with an historical mind they're invaluable. His narrative and connection is often a bit askew though. Not all the time, but occasionally so.

I'd advise to start with The Century of Self and The Power Of Nightmares.

 

[I_live_cement]

Erasing David is a 2009 dramatized documentary (docufiction) film from the United Kingdom. Stating that as of today the UK is "one of the three most intrusive surveillance states in the world, after China and Russia", director and performer David Bond tries to put the system to the test. After anonymously setting up private investigators Cerberus Investigations Limited to trace him, he tries to disappear. He fails in the end, ultimately being tracked down after eighteen days on the run.

 

[R.N7]

I'm currently watching The Civil War by Ken Burns. Incredibly well made.

 

[letranger0]

The Bridge is a 2006 documentary film by Eric Steel that consists of the results of one year's filming of the Golden Gate Bridge in 2004, which captured a number of suicides, and additional filming of family and friends of some of the identified people who had jumped off the bridge.

Probably my favourite documentary of all time.

Jerry Seinfeld retires his whole stand up act and goes about building a new act from scratch. A very interesting, and funny obviously, behind the scenes look at how a stand up comedian writes his act.

Hoop Dreams is a 1994 documentary film directed by Steve James, with Kartemquin Films. It follows the story of two African-American high school students in Chicago and their dream of becoming professional basketball players.

Roger Ebert called it the best film of the 90s. One of the most famous documentaries of all time.

A documentary about a very special joke.

Cocaine Cowboys, King of Kong, Bigger, Stronger, Faster*, Game Over: Kasparov And The Machine, Murderball, Man On Wire and Spellbound are also very good.

 

[Iron Stove]

Most of Adam Curtis' stuff is great watching...Just make sure you take it with a pinch of salt and realise there's a narrative and it's not strictly impartial.

The archive footage he unearths is fantastic and if you watch them neutrally with an historical mind they're invaluable. His narrative and connection is often a bit askew though. Not all the time, but occasionally so.

I'd advise to start with The Century of Self and The Power Of Nightmares.

Those two are brilliant. Frightening stuff. I really like his films although the last one wasn't as good as the previous ones.

 

[CassiusClaymore]

I'm just over half way through the Ayrton Senna documentary and it's absolutely gripping.

I know that statement sounds contradictory but it's bloody long and I had to be up early for work this morning.

Will post a review when I've finished it tonight.

 

[duffer]

I very much enjoyed "Beyond the Mat" about pro-wrestlers.

 

[Maajid]

Zeitgeist: The Movie

Documentary about a) the origin of christian faith b) how american banks have seized worldpower at the beginning of the 20th century c) how these 2 items are related to the wars fought in the 20th and 21st century.

Zeitgeist Addendum

Zeitgeist Addendum, attempts to locate the root causes of this pervasive social corruption, while offering a solution. This solution is not based on politics, morality, laws, or any other "establishment" notions of human affairs, but rather on a modern, non-superstitious based understanding of what we are and how we align with nature, to which we are a part. The work advocates a new social system which is updated to present day knowledge, highly influenced by the life long work of Jacque Fresco and The Venus Project.

Zeitgeist Moving Forward

A feature length documentary work which presents a case for a needed transition out of the current socioeconomic monetary paradigm which governs the entire world society. This subject matter will transcend the issues of cultural relativism and traditional ideology and move to relate the core, empirical "life ground" attributes of human and social survival, extrapolating those immutable natural laws into a new sustainable social paradigm called a "Resource-Based Economy"

 

[CassiusClaymore]

'This is an unedited, yet incredible, interesting documentary portraying Papua New Guinean tribes members meeting a white man for the first time in their life.'

This an an amazing piece of film.

Tribe Meets White Man | DocumentaryStorm - Stream Full Documentaries

Thanks for that. It was genuinely fascinating.

 

[MUFCgal]

Desperate Days in Blue John Canyon - Aron Ralston.

Parts 1-6 are all on Youtube. I'm in work at the moment, so I can't link them cause Youtube is blocked here. The movie 127 Hours is great, but this documentary is so much better. It's 6 months after the accident first happened, and it shows him going back to the scene for the first time and re-living it all over again.

It's heartbreaking and incredibly inspiring. The man is a hero.

 

[Iron Stove]

Saw Senna recently and yes, it was amazing. Definitely among the best sports documentaries I've ever seen, up there with Magic & Bird and Broad Street Bullies if not even better.

Another interesting documentary I saw recently was Overnight (2003).
It's about Troy Brouwer (and his entourage) who worked in a bar and went on to write and direct The Boondock Saints. It's all very honest and fascinating, even if the guy is a bonefide cnut.

 

[Iron Stove]

If you want more of that kind of thing and like me you enjoy tragic anti-succes stories like Overnight, Startup.com is another brilliant documentary. It's about two young entrepreneurs who are starting up an internet business during the dot-com bubble. I really enjoyed it.