Can anyone recommend a good DOCUMENTARY DVD? (1 Viewer)

[Jason Whyte]

WOODSTOCK.
That is, if you want to call it a documentary or a music event, either way. But to see this film is to experience heaven for four hours.
Gimme Shelter and Startup.com are also strongly, strongly recommended. And where the heck is Hoop Dreams?
Jason

 

[Joel C]

Crumb (the life of the creator of Fritz the Cat) and One Day in September (1972 Olympics hostage situation) are both excellent.

 

[Ben Motley]

Yeah, Crumb rocks. Just wanted to once again stress Gimme Shelter. First time I watched it, I was gonna go to bed after, but thought I'd just check out some of the extras for a bit... about 5 hours later I finally hit the sack. Great disc. Kinda depressing, but still, Criterion nailed it with that one.

 

[Mike_Ped]

Wow, there are a lot more to pick from than I could have imagined. I'm gonna have to go shoppin around now! Thanx guys!!

One more thing...I keep seeing an ad for a DVD called "BARAKA" in Stereophile magazine

What is this? Any good?

Thanx,

Mike

 

[Mark_vdH]

Gimme Shelter is my favorite documentary on DVD. I also suggest Microcosmos, as this is fascinating too.
Koyaanisqatsi is also a great documentary, but unfortunately it hasn't been released on DVD yet (if you don't count the bare bones $180 edition).
BTW: Häxan is a great movie and a great DVD, but I don't think of it as a real documentary.

 

[Ike]

Gimme Shelter is a great film, but it may help to like The Stones...

American Movie's fantastic, but it doesn't have good A/V. Don't let that stop you though, it's hilarious.

Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures is certainly great, but since you have to pony up the $100+ for the whole set, so you'd better be a Kubrick fan.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

It's not on DVD yet, but last year's The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition had me absolutely hip-mo-tized for 100 minutes.
Keep an eye out for this one!
(I'd also like to echo the recommendations for Startup.com. Damn good flick.)

 

[Wade K]

I liked East Side Story . It's a history of musicals made behind the Iron Curtain.

 

[KC Alewine]

Trinity and Beyond; The Atomic Bomb Movie
Trinity and Beyond is one of my favorite DVDs and probably the one I use most often to demo my system.
Narrated by William Shatner (no, he doesn't sing) and original score by the Moscow Symphony. A very interesting documentary to begin with, plus audio that will give your sub a REAL workout. Highly recommended.
KC
Mits WS-55807
Sony STR-DA30ES
Paradigm All Around

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

My review of Baraka is here . A very memorable work by the photographer of Koyaanisqatsi, which does have great visuals and sound.
While not what I would call visually stunning, I'd also recommend Criterion's Grey Gardens or Docurama's Regret To Inform. Both are great documentaries that will make you think.

 

[Allen Hirsch]

I didn't see anyone recommend Super Speedway, which is also an IMAX film.

It has one of the finest demo scenes (in fact, the very one I saw in the store that "hooked" me on DVDs and HT) - Chapt. 13, IIRC - race car testing by one of the Andrettis to a killer soundtrack from Mark Knopfler. (The "whoosh" when the car passes under an overpass is absolutely exhilarating, even if you're not into racing.)

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Yes, I don't know why nobody mentioned it yet...
BARAKA is AWSOME.
It's a lot like (sp) Koyaanisquatsi. Great musical scores with narrative-free images from cultures and landmarks from around the world. I sat riveted for the whole presentation.
Picture and sound are absolutely reference. The new disc (this is its 2nd DVD incarnation) is 16x9 and 5.1. DO NOT get the previous DVD which was 4x3 lbxed.
GET BARAKA.
-dave
p.s. Just read Jeff's review on digitallyobsessed (crossed posts). I agree 100%. Great review. Now if we could just get Koyaanisquatsi on DVD!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dave Hensley]

Another Imax film (by the same director that did Super Speedway) is Beavers. Both of these have great movies, but also have a "making of" documentary. What they had to do to make these is amazing.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Thanks DaViD

Now if we could just get Koyaanisquatsi on DVD!

You can, but you need to donate to their "free Koyaaniqatsi" campaign (tax deductable in the US). No packaging, and I'm not sure if they are still available. I had a link in my old Baraka review (linked from the new one).

 

[Jon Robertson]

Criterion's Salesman is a terrific documentary on a group of Bible salesmen in the 1960s, and another classic from the Maysles Brothers (who made the already recommended Gimme Shelter and Grey Gardens), on a terrific special edition disc, with commentary, interviews and more.

 

[Tomoko Noguchi]

Sound and picture may not be all that good, but World at War is the best there is or was at documantaries about WW II.

 

[Ike]

Anybody know if the HBO series America: Undercover may ever see release on DVD? I thought A Question of Miracles and Soldiers In The Army of God are two great documentaries I'd own in a heartbeat.

 

[Steve-T]

I have to put in another vote for One Day in September, the documentary about the 1972 Olympics in which the hostages were taken, it is narrated by Micheal Douglas. I believe it won an Oscar as well, it was released in 1999.

 

[Jaime m]

I'm not sure that any of HBO's American undercover are available but they should be. There are so many facinating ones, such as Army of God and Life of crime 1-2.

I defintely recommend these titles:

Crumb(engrossing and entertaining)

Paradise lost 1 and 2( 2 is out on DVD, very intense subject matter.be warned)

One day in September

American movie

When we were kings

 

[GregoryP]

I saw Political Activist/Comedian Michael Moore's documentary Roger & Me posted up there, but unfortunately it's not out on DVD yet. I do highly recommend the two seasons of his TV show The Awful Truth! The second season just came out and has commentaries on 4 of the episodes where Michael Moore basically talks about how amazed he is that he is able to get away with all the stuff he gets away with! If you're into political/social satire, Michael Moore is a GOD.
Gregory