Documentary recommendations

[citychik]

A good example of skillful storytelling and structure in a documentary is Marshall Curry's film, Street Fight, which was nominated for an Academy Award (unfortunately, that year it was up against March of the Penguins - and who would vote for politics over cute penguins?). It doesn't play online anywhere, but you can buy the DVD. I've watched it a few times, and it always impresses me. The website of the film is here: http://www.marshallcurry.com .

A nicely done short doc that I like, which is viewable online at PBS, is Ars Magna by Corey Kelly. It was made in five days for an online film competition, the Int'l Doc Challenge (a sister competition to the 48 Hour Film Project), and received an Emmy nom.

 

[spinner]

I never thought of Michael Moore as nothing more than Hollywood.

Well, Michael Moore isn't really "Hollywood". Actually, if you look at the docs that get alot of attention in Hollywood, Moore is pretty un-Hollywood. (I don't mean against Hollywood, I mean he's not what Hollywood usually puts out if they even do a documentary.) I think maybe he was embraced partially because of his liberal standing and in part by his opinions of the Bush administration. (shrug)


I just saw Barbara Kopple's "Harlan County, U.S.A." a couple of days ago. Excellent documentary about a coal miners strike in the 70's. I studied this doc in college and it still stands up. I give her alot of credit for pulling off this doc considering the fact that the corporate side of the strike killed a man, his wife and daughter. The anti-strike people regularly had guns and even shot at her once. Its all in the doc.

If you want to see something recent by her, she did the doc "Shut Up and Sing" about the Dixie Chicks and the trouble they got into when they made comments about Iraq and George Bush during their shows.

-- spinner

 

[Productiontrax]

My favorite documentary was "The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara", it was directed by Errol Morris. It was a great way to tell the story of a very fascinating person.

Other ones I've liked are:
Baseball, Ken Burns
Roger and Me, Michael Moore (By far his best work I think)
Dog Town and Z-Boys - Already mentioned, but a great doc.

 

[dangerous mermaid]

i'm not really into michael moore's stuff, but i saw "roger and me" in an econ class and thought it was interesting commentary on the economics of the 80's.