Documentaries thread (2 Viewers)

[Gambra]

Pretty great documentary. Maybe even better than the Soulwax one.

 

[La La]

This will be on tonight

http://style.sky.com/Sky_Real_Lives/This_Week_On_Real_Lives/Right_to_die?/1369/

I have no idea how the issue will be presented, but I have a feeling (despite it being a documentary) that it may sway opinion in favour of euthanasia. papers today were saying media watchdogs were blowing their brainzez out over this show - because it not only follows this man on his journey, but films him flipping the switch and dying.

It takes incredible courage to make that kind of decision, but to let cameras in on it all, even to witness the end result, I have to say I applaud this documentary's subject. And though I havent seen this film yet, I tip my hat to those folks at Dignitas for what they do too.

Our society is pretty fucked when you think of how it'll force someone to bear unimaginable pain and zero quality of life, yet prosecute their loved ones when they try and help them exit that pain with a little dignity.

This'll be an interesting one to watch, no matter how you feel about the issue.

 

[jane]

We got an awesome Tower voucher as a wedding present and we spent it all on documentaries.

I watched General Idi Amin Dada: autoportrait. It was bonkers, and really worth watching. Reminded me of some megalomaniacs I know.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071544/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idi_Amin_Dada_(1974_film)

Also, courtesy of magicbastarder, I watched In The Shadow of the Moon, which makes me want to go to the moon, or at least drive the damn moon buggy, which has six wheels and can go in all directions and there are people whose job it is to try to break it.

http://www.intheshadowofthemoon.com/


I just want a job with NASA now, breaking shit for the good of the space program. It might be foolproof, but I can double that and make all that shit Janeproof, which is another level entirely.

I also want to hang out with Alan Bean, who retired from the space program in the early 80s to paint pictures of the moon: http://www.alanbeangallery.com/

Another one I want to see -- speaking of Alans, is the one made about Alan Abel, possibly the best hoaxer ever. http://alanabel.com/

Apparently, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK was freaking out, and just outside, there was Alan and his wife and some fellow protesters (some of whom took it seriously) picketing against the nudity of animals. JFK saw them and laughed heartily and, for a brief moment, he was cheered up. I want to be a great hoaxer and I also want to walk on the moon, but I don't want to hoax a moonwalk, I want to do a real one and then retire from the space program to be a great hoaxer.

I need to get out more.

Oh, and I've been watching stuff from an Errol Morris collection. This is pretty good: http://www.errolmorris.com/content/review/vernon_maslin.html
I don't think he was making fun of his subjects at all. In fact, it's kind of a warm portrait of people in a small town with really distinct identities. The guy with the turtle rocks the universe.

Next up, more Errol Morris and another batch of John Pilgers.

 

[Gambra]

Anyone else seen this? Think it's staged? You get the feeling that some scenes are but I didn't care, still a great documentary.

 

[plug]

vernon florida. pretty deadly alright.. the turkey hunter was gas. didn't errol morris originally go down there to make a movie about people who hacked their own limbs off for insurance money but they threatened to kill him so he ended up making vernon florida instead.

 

[Ferox13]

Just watched:

It wasn't bad but much like reading LORDS OF CHAOS, its kinda infuriating listening to hearing about these idiots..

First Kill - Vietnam War Documentary. Interesting film about soldiers and their attitude to kiiling in war time. Pretty disturbing.

Amazing story about Amish tenagers:

 

[jane]

vernon florida. pretty deadly alright.. the turkey hunter was gas. didn't errol morris originally go down there to make a movie about people who hacked their own limbs off for insurance money but they threatened to kill him so he ended up making vernon florida instead.

I think so, yeah.

I watched most of Gates of Heaven this morning, which was his first and is pretty awesome. Beautifully shot, incredible stories and pretty fascinating people, with an interesting bit where one of the interview subjects explains how the birth control pill eventually led to a boom in pet ownership, which was just something that never would have crossed my mind.

Morris and Werner Herzog had a bet that Morris wouldn't finish it, and Herzog said that if he did finish, he would eat his own shoe.

This led to a doc called Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe, which I also wanna see. Madser.

Ferox13, where did you come across that one about the Amish? I'd like to see that.

 

[Ferox13]

Jane - I actually downloaded it.

Its really interesting - it basically about the time when they are allowed decide if they want to join the church forever. basically they given some time out to do what they want - which is basically drink, drive cars have sex and dress 'english'. 90% of them actually return to amish life after this..

 

[Milker]

Jane - I actually downloaded it.

Its really interesting - it basically about the time when they are allowed decide if they want to join the church forever. basically they given some time out to do what they want - which is basically drink, drive cars have sex and dress 'english'. 90% of them actually return to amish life after this..

what Jane testified..but the 90% factoid was the clincher...gonna watch this now..Devils Playground anyone?

 

[sweetoblivion]

Jane - I actually downloaded it.

Its really interesting - it basically about the time when they are allowed decide if they want to join the church forever. basically they given some time out to do what they want - which is basically drink, drive cars have sex and dress 'english'. 90% of them actually return to amish life after this..

it's all on youtube Jane!
watched half of it last night, really really interesting.
we have this idea that the Amish don't know anything about the 'outside world', but they do, and they chose to go back to Amish life, most of the time.

 

[coast to coast]

Anyone else seen this? Think it's staged? You get the feeling that some scenes are but I didn't care, still a great documentary.

Its like a fully fledged cross over between reality TV and the teen movie genre... I quite enjoyed it. I thought I wouldn't after about 15 minutes but it was quite interesting in parts.

Must be staged though... not that that really matters. I wouldn't really call it an out and out documentary, there needs to be some new word to describe it.

 

[Gambra]

Its like a fully fledged cross over between reality TV and the teen movie genre... I quite enjoyed it. I thought I wouldn't after about 15 minutes but it was quite interesting in parts.

Must be staged though... not that that really matters. I wouldn't really call it an out and out documentary, there needs to be some new word to describe it.

Yeah, it's the same kind of thing as all these MTV "reality" shows like The Hills or whatever. There's truth in there somewhere but it's hard to tell which is which.

 

[sweetoblivion]

I was so bored today I watched some of 'Living on the Edge' on MTV. Please say it's not like that....one of the girls was happy because she 'pulled' Calum Best.

 

[magicbastarder]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

doc about clive wearing, who has a profound case of korsakov's syndrome - not only has he no short term memory, but most of his long term memory is lost too. it's not prisoner of consciousness which seems to be the definitive documentary about him.

he can play music as well as he ever could, though - he was a musicologist.

 

[magicbastarder]

This'll be an interesting one to watch, no matter how you feel about the issue.

how was it?

 

[pissypants]

Anyone see "Solitary Endeavour on the Southern Ocean" last night on BBC? I just stumbled across it. Wow, that was pretty hardcore....

"Deep Water" was a better made film, but this was an amazing story too. The shots from his kayak-cam at the start of his first attempt bawling his eyes out....jesus....

 

[La La]

how was it?

never got to see the damn thing! was working when it was on and had no way of recording it. have since tried looking for it online but no luck.

 

[ratmonkey]

Yeah, it's the same kind of thing as all these MTV "reality" shows like The Hills or whatever. There's truth in there somewhere but it's hard to tell which is which.

That sounds like the work of Herzog. The ecstatic truth, as such.

 

[nlgbbbblth]

Jeff Keen - not docs. but cool
http://www.bfi.org.uk/keen.html?utm_source=keenurl&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=keen

 

[nlgbbbblth]

out now and worth a look

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001MGUAEW/?tag=thumpedcom04-21