Favorite Documentaries?

[CT]

So folks, what are your favorite docos?

I need to give this some more thought, but for now I'll say:

Bowling For Columbine and
Tupac Resurrection

[Razor!]

Anything about either my favourite musicians or Richard Dawkins.

[HNT]

I don't know if it is my favorite anything, but I just saw what might be the most powerfully disturbing film I've ever seen in my life. It was easily one of the most intensely emotionally unpleasant viewing experiences of my life.

The Bridge. Apparently, the Golden Gate Bridge is the most popular suicide destination in the United States. The filmmakers filmed the bridge during daylight hours from two angles for one year and captured images of 23 of the 26 peole who committed wsuicide by jumping off the bridge that year (as well as several scenes of people who were stopped by police, and one scene of a bystander reaching over and grabbing a woman).

This footage is intercut with beautiful photographic landscape images of the bridge and the surrounding water that looks like spectacular Ansel Adams type footage, as well as with interviews with the family and friends of the jumpers, pedestrians who witnesses people jump, and one guy who survived his jump off the bridge (only 16 have survived the jump and if I remember right thousands have committed suicide that way since the bridge was built).

The interviews are very powerful becasue they begin to illustrate some common themes running through the lives of the people who killed themselves. All of the survivors seem sad, but perhaps the most interesting aspect of it all is that none of them seemed surprised that their loved one was suicidal. There was a recurring theme that all of these people were severely mentally ill, and had been for some time. It was almost universally acknowledged that if the person didn't kill themselves that way it would innevitably have happened elsewhere and was only a matter of time. THankfully, the film completely abandons any attempt at new age mumbo jumbo or even clinical analysis. It is just an unflinching look at what it is like for a family when someone commits suicide, and a recording of the last terrible moments of some lives.

The images of the jumpers are etched in my mind permanently. I don't think I will ever watch this film again, nor will I ever forget it. It is a uniquely authentic and unfiltered look at real human suffering and sorrow. Not easy viewing, but it is an absolutely magnificent film

[CT]

I knew lots of people have jumped off it, sounds interesting. I'll keep an eye out for it.

[HNT]

Its amazing. Just be prepared when you get into it. It is one that will stick with you for a while.

[GL]

Probably because it's the only one I've ever seen: Metal: A Headbanger's Journey. Yeah, they give Black Sabbath a lot of love and skip over the stuff that's actually good, but when it's on, it's pretty good. The new one, Global Metal, looks pretty good as well, though I haven't gotten to it yet.

[CT]

That's the only documentary you've ever seen?

[HNT]

Yeah, man. It is a little surprising that is the only doc that you've seen (although it is a reasonably entertaining, if somewhat average one). Even if you don't watch them on your own, didn't you ever have to watch one in school or anything? Even as a kid?

[GL]

Well, I should clarify that when I say documentary, I mean a feature of traditional movie length documenting a specific topic, idea or subject. I've probably seen a lot of such films you guys would call documentaries, but I don't really call them documentaries, so the object behind it being the only one I've seen would be stretched a little when compared to your idea of one.

And I never really had much interest in them when I was younger. There was never anything I saw other than movies which appealed to me, and once I got into movies, I learned of behind-the-scenes featurettes though those are a lot different. In school, the only thing I remember watching was normal movies whenever the teacher didn't feel like offering a lesson on a shortened day, it was a party day (Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Friday before Christmas break or Spring Break or the last day of school for the year) so there never was an opportunity to watch them. And combined with there not really being any I found with topics that interested me, I have a low total.

[CT]

Yeah, for somebody who isn't into social commentary, the pickings are probably slim documentarywise.

[GL]

Right, exactly.

[abraxas]

I love documentaries, seen dozens, have maybe 10. For anyone interested in documentaries Id recommend anything by Richard Stanley, director of Dust Devil, Hardware and the original director of the Island of Dr. Moruge (before he was replaced).

In fact I'm watching one of his documentaries now, called Voices of the Moon, concerning the Afghanistan/Russian war in the late 80's, a war in which Richard Stanley actually fought in. Stanley is kind of a real life adventurer, who has had an amazing and highly interesting life.

Secret Glory, another of his, is about the Nazi's and their search for the Holy Grail.

White Darkness, which is about Haitian Voodoo, filmed at a major festival which has taken place fro more then 4 decades, and lasts 6 weeks.

HNT, that sounds like a very interesting doc, where did you see it? If that disturbed you then watch
www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/entertainment/watch/v150743042ZkNpky6

Here is the first part of Secret Glory


Love documentaries on Heavy Metal also, I have/had 4 of them so far:

1. A Head Banger's Journey
2. Heavy Metal: Louder then life
3. Death Metal a documentary (broken)
4. Black Metal a documentary

[HNT]

I actually own it on DVD. My girlfriend is getting her masters in adolescent psych, and this film came up in a discussion that she was having about suicide. She mentioned that she wanted to see it, and it sounded interesting to me too, so we ordered it. I don't regret buying it, but like I said, it is not one that I'm gonna watch again any time soon. I have seen more than my share of nonsense mondo films and whatnot and those things never bothered me. The power of this film is that interspersed with the death shots are heartfelt and real interviews with family members that develop your appreciation of an actual person rather than just a random act of violence that you are watching on television. It is really fascinating.

[FireStar]

I really love documentaries in general. I'm not too sure if I have a favorite, the ones by Richard Stanely are great. But I tend to love any ones that are more historical, dealing wiht like the ancient world and stuff like that.

[stinger]

I watched a documentary on Amelia Earhart a long while back. I find her story really interesting. Anything having to do with Elvis I enjoy watching. I think I have a documentary on Marilyn Monroe. I really took a liking to her when I saw Some Like It Hot. She was adorable in it.