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

[Kevin Matthews]

Fantastic news! Thank you for the heads up, I don't know why Amazon didn't send me an e-mail telling me this was being released, they have on everything else on my list.
I recomend it to everyone.

 

[Greg_Y]

I had high hopes for the documentary 'One Day in September', a documentary film concerning the terrorism that took place at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. I didn't think the film had the impact it could have. The film was too short and certain pieces of information were rushed over in lieu of others. Why were the events after the helicopter was blown up almost footnotes, while there was a long montage of Olympic footage accompanied by Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song? The documentary did have quite an impact, but then again, any film which presents those events would. I just felt the style was too much and the substance suffered because of it. I also thought the Michael Douglas narration was unnecessary and was only used when the filmmakers couldn't find any other way of moving the exposition along.

The book is a bit better.

 

[Pete B.]

HANDS ON A HARD BODY

Amazon Description: How far would you go for a brand-new, fully loaded pickup truck? Would you go as far as the 23 contestants in Hands on a Hard Body, who entered a contest in which the last one standing with his or her hand on the car drove off with it?

S.R. Bindler documents the contest that takes place each year at a Nissan dealership in Longview, Texas. And what a contest it is. Twenty-three names are drawn at random and these lucky folks get the opportunity to participate. The rules are simple: one hand must remain on the truck at all times; no leaning or squatting allowed; if the hand is raised even momentarily, the contestant is out. One 5-minute break is permitted every hour, and one 15-minute break every 6 hours. The last three survivors--excuse us, contestants--must be tested for drugs. The results are hilarious. The gloves irritate hands (sweat could ruin the truck's finish), legs go numb, people get on each other's nerves. Strategy is involved, cheaters are accused, competition is fierce. "It's a contest, they say, of stamina, but it's who can maintain their sanity the longest," we're told by 1992 winner Benny Perkins, who competes once again. This offbeat film shows the quirkier side of human nature while providing a thoroughly entertaining watch. Each contestant represents something, but which will win out: desperation (a woman tired of riding her bike everywhere but who can't afford car payments), determination (a toothless woman who "tr[ies] to finish everything I start"), God (a woman's church holds a prayer chain for her as she communes with Jesus by the truck), endurance (a former Marine who once stayed awake for five days), or experience (Perkins is sure he knows all the tricks)? Who finally makes it through the 78-hour ordeal? You'll have to watch this comical film to find out.

 

[Raul_H]

I'll second the recommendation for the movie 'Dark Days'

Very good film on the homeless people that live in the underground subway tunnels of New York.

Also includes an excellent soundtrack done by DJ SHADOW.

I'd also recommend 'Better Living Through Circuitry' a slightly dated look at the Rave culture. But still a decent documentary if you enjoy that type of music/lifestyle.

As well as 'FREE TIBET' a documentary of sorts on the Tibetan freedom concert put on by the Beastie Boys as well as the atrocities that are taking place in Tibet to this day. Also includes some great concert performances by some decent musicians.

Lastly I'll recommend 'Moving the Mountain' A documentary on what has come to be known as "The Tiananmen Square Uprising" that took place in Beijing, China May 1989. Very recommended.

 

[Brian_L_Kleis]

My two cents...

Adore all the Ken Burns work, and the Baseball set is one of the sets I'm absolutely proudest to own and watch regularly... He did another series of films called Ken Burn's America, which is only yet on VHS - Tackled the Brooklyn Bridge, Huey Long, early US radio, Statue of Liberty, etc... This America set and the Civil War set aren't on DVD yet, but are spectacular documentaries as well...

Own and love Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport, For All Mankind, Ken Burn's Frank Lloyd Wright is amazing, Salesman...

Also the not-yet-on-DVD Beatles Anthology would be really nice, and I did see the remastered The Last Waltz on the big screen, so I'm assuming the forthcoming DVD will be just as awe-inspiring...

 

[Bob_Mandel]

I love a good doc (and a good dOc!...)

Ken Burns' Jazz (

Ken Burns' The Civil War (None better)

Ken Burns' Mark Twain (The extra interviews are even excellent)

Maysles Brothers' Gimme Shelter (You don't have to be a Stones' fan... my fiancee wasn't)

Maysles Brothers' Grey Gardens

Maysles Brothers' Salesman

CTHE's One Day in September (Powerful)

Docurama's Sound and Fury is really thought provoking.

Image's A Talk with Hitchcock

Fox's Michael Jordan to the Max (IMAX)

Home Vision's Heritage: Civilization and the Jews (Remarkable!)

WGBH's The Battle Over Citizen Kane (Excellent... now on Warner Bros.' Kane disc)

MPI's The 20th Century

(Shackleton isn't a doc, but disc 3 has some good ones!)

Home Vision's Grass

Home Vision's The Confessions of Robert Crumb

Fox's The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg

Fox Lorber's On the Ropes

Image's The Sorrow and the Pity

Artisan's Startup.com (Give me $18 million, dammit!)

I'm watching A&E's Elizabeth right now, and although I am not enamored by some of the director's shot choices (there is only so much I can have a character sitting and staring at me, dammit!), the content is quite good.