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Kull the Conqueror
Apr 8, 2006

Take me to the green valley,
lay the sod o'er me,
I'm a young cowboy,
I know I've done wrong

Goobish posted:

This sounds terrible, but for some reason I like depressing as hell documentaries about homeless/orphan children. The best one I've seen in awhile is Children Underground. The synopsis is, "This documentary explores Romanian dictator Nicolei Ceaucescu's decision to outlaw contraceptives and encourage the populace to have more children." But it's way more than that. There's minimal narration but you come to know and care for the children it follows. And of course you get angry as hell at a broken system that you'll probably never do anything about.

Are there any other good documentaries about street kids? Roving bands of homeless kids is the loving craziest thing.

Well, I'm guessing if you're into the "genre", you've already seen Streetwise, but it's never really a bad time to repost Streetwise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lTQgfXb87k

You can also see Mary Ellen Mark's accompanying photo essay that appeared in LIFE here. Documentary film never finds itself too far from documentary photography.

Kull the Conqueror fucked around with this message at 14:50 on Oct 4, 2014

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HUNDU THE BEAST GOD
Sep 14, 2007

everything is yours
Hell yeah. Streetwise. Black Tar Heroin. Dark Days. There's that documentary that follows up on one of the kids from Streetwise too, but I forget the name.

nonathlon
Jul 9, 2004
And yet, somehow, now it's my fault ...
Just finished watching Cropsey, thanks to recommendations from this thread. Good, solid documentary. If I had to make a complaint - and it would be a minor one - it would be that doco is structured as the story of making the documentary, which feels like a slightly worn device.

Currently ploughing my way through The Great War, the 1960s BBC series on WW1. Obviously it's a little old-fashioned (black and white, cut glass accents, men in suits talking to the camera) but it's an incredible bit of history. They could get so many first-hand accounts and the footage they have is incredible.

Jehde
Apr 21, 2010

outlier posted:

Currently ploughing my way through The Great War, the 1960s BBC series on WW1.

I'm currently going through this series as well. I've been binging on WWI documentaries for obvious reasons. I recently finished World War I in Colour which had some fantastic footage. Although just out of its nature of being limited to 6 episodes, it didn't quite have the depth into the history that I would have liked. The Great War does a much better job in that regard.

KoRMaK
Jul 31, 2012



There was a documentary about skunkworks, where they explain the history of the name and the program inside Lockheed, but I can't remember the name. Does anyone know good skunkworks docus?

computer parts
Nov 18, 2010

PLEASE CLAP

KoRMaK posted:

There was a documentary about skunkworks, where they explain the history of the name and the program inside Lockheed, but I can't remember the name. Does anyone know good skunkworks docus?

Not a documentary but the book is pretty good:

http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/dp/0316743003

Asile
Jan 15, 2006

Makers is a 6 part documentary about women in different industries. They're currently airing on PBS on a weekly schedule, but you can watch two which have already aired.

Makers: Women in Comedy http://www.makers.com/documentary/womenincomedy
Makers: Women in Hollywood http://www.makers.com/documentary/womeninhollywood

The other 4 are Space, War, Politics and Business.

Kull the Conqueror
Apr 8, 2006

Take me to the green valley,
lay the sod o'er me,
I'm a young cowboy,
I know I've done wrong
Notes on Blindness is a short-doc that showed at Sundance this year, and it's in-loving-credible. John Hull is a writer/theologian who gradually went blind, and he recorded journal entries about the experience for years. The film attempts to realize his experience, which is sort of ironic, and yet perfectly fitting. Plans appear to be to make it feature-length, which I am all about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LoOWpWHMQw

Kull the Conqueror fucked around with this message at 15:44 on Oct 11, 2014

Peas and Rice
Jul 14, 2004

Honor and profit.
I think I remember reading in this thread about Lot Lizards, a documentary where the film crew followed sex workers in truck stops. I found a webpage for it and a trailer uploaded to Vimeo two years ago, but nothing else. Has the film ever been released?

ravenkult
Feb 3, 2011


achillesforever6 posted:

Watching Dreams With Sharp Teeth which is a 2008 doc about Harlan Ellison and while its basically a 90 minute fluff piece I did learn so things about Harlan and I think one of the things on my bucket list is to go into the "The Lost Aztec Temple of Mars".

Any other writerly docus?

tirion
Sep 25, 2004
All this talk of Kim Jung-Un's gout has got me interested in North Korea. I've seen the National Geographic Inside North Korea and the latest FRONTLINE documentary. Anyone have any good recommendations for other documentaries about the hermit kingdom and/or its leaders?

Stare-Out
Mar 11, 2010

There was some VICE doc about them going into North Korea and semi-secretly filming all kinds of stuff, but a lot of folks don't like VICE too much so your mileage may vary. Personally I thought that particular doc was a pretty fascinating/depressing look into what really goes on in that country. It should be on Youtube somewhere but I can't seem to find it for some reason.

Fayez Butts
Aug 24, 2006

It's on Netflix I believe. Either way it's called The Vice Guide To North Korea and they have a whole bunch of locations in that series. The Liberia one is particularly nuts.

Stick Figure Mafia
Dec 11, 2004

My favorite North Korean documentary is The Red Chapel. It's two korean/danish comedians who travel to North Korea under the pretext of doing some cultural exchange stuff. One of them is disabled and it really makes the North Koreans uncomfortable. You get a much more candid look at North Korea more along the lines of the Vice documentaries. There is also one batshit crazy scene where they try to get the kids to be part of a parade that I don't want to spoil.
It isn't on Netflix instant anymore but you can get the DVD still.

SeanBeansShako
Nov 20, 2009

Now the Drums beat up again,
For all true Soldier Gentlemen.
The alternate name for it is also King Jong Il's Comedy Club, as it was a feature on BBC Storyville!

BogDew
Jun 14, 2006

E:\FILES>quickfli clown.fli
There's "Aim High In Creation!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JxwJTAy-Jo

I met the director, and it's interesting how stuff like Red Chapel has really soured NK's willingness to invite filmmakers onboard. Also working within the NK film industry is pretty much one of the more elite lifestyles to end up in, she got on well with the people she worked with and were surprised how relaxed and amusing they were as people.

Edit: hit post too early.

The film's mostly interesting when it's looking through the NK film industry but this completely overshadows the film's actual premise, which was to raise awareness over fracking via making propaganda films in the style of NK.

Oh and there's an interactive film school.

BogDew fucked around with this message at 05:21 on Oct 17, 2014

Cancelbot
Nov 22, 2006

Canceling spam since 1928

Are there any good documentaries on quantum physics that aren't over speculative and good on details? Something that starts from atoms and goes from there.

I find the few I've seen are either too simplistic or "its magic" :v:

magnificent7
Sep 22, 2005

THUNDERDOME LOSER

ravenkult posted:

Any other writerly docus?
I'm checking out this one on Nabokov right now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnvvBL6set4

baquerd
Jul 2, 2007

by FactsAreUseless

Cancelbot posted:

Are there any good documentaries on quantum physics that aren't over speculative and good on details? Something that starts from atoms and goes from there.

I find the few I've seen are either too simplistic or "its magic" :v:

What's the reason you want to know about quantum physics? Real understanding requires advanced mathematics, everything outside of that is extremely hard to draw good conclusions from. If you want real understanding, you need to go to academia and take a half dozen advanced physics courses.

You can start here:
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-04-quantum-physics-i-spring-2013/

Cancelbot
Nov 22, 2006

Canceling spam since 1928

baquerd posted:

What's the reason you want to know about quantum physics? Real understanding requires advanced mathematics, everything outside of that is extremely hard to draw good conclusions from. If you want real understanding, you need to go to academia and take a half dozen advanced physics courses.

You can start here:
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-04-quantum-physics-i-spring-2013/

Thanks! I just have an interest in it starting from a Bill Bryson book, but the papers can be impenetrable and existing documentaries are too hand wavy. I was hoping that there'd be something to bridge the gap.

This lecture series looks great.

Pilli
Jul 3, 2011

Dogs have owners,
cats have staff

Cancelbot posted:

Thanks! I just have an interest in it starting from a Bill Bryson book, but the papers can be impenetrable and existing documentaries are too hand wavy. I was hoping that there'd be something to bridge the gap.

This lecture series looks great.

This reminds me of The Great Debate of 2013, The Storytelling of Science. At one point, Neil DeGrasse Tyson teases Brian Green, the quantum physics freak, about him still not being able to prove anything. Notwithstanding that, it's a pretty interesting piece to watch. Also Neil seemingly high as gently caress is worth the detour.

Part 1, the storytelling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J4QPz52Sfo

Part 2, question time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40YIIaF1qiw

Baron Bifford
May 24, 2006
Probation
Can't post for 3 years!

tirion posted:

All this talk of Kim Jung-Un's gout has got me interested in North Korea. I've seen the National Geographic Inside North Korea and the latest FRONTLINE documentary. Anyone have any good recommendations for other documentaries about the hermit kingdom and/or its leaders?

BBC Panorama sent a journalist on an official tour of North Korea. Even when they presented themselves at their best, it's clear their country is in a sorry state. Hospitals with no patients, streets devoid of cars, frequent power cuts, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB77N5mTpeY

Baron Bifford fucked around with this message at 21:24 on Oct 19, 2014

savinhill
Mar 28, 2010

Stick Figure Mafia posted:

My favorite North Korean documentary is The Red Chapel. It's two korean/danish comedians who travel to North Korea under the pretext of doing some cultural exchange stuff. One of them is disabled and it really makes the North Koreans uncomfortable. You get a much more candid look at North Korea more along the lines of the Vice documentaries. There is also one batshit crazy scene where they try to get the kids to be part of a parade that I don't want to spoil.
It isn't on Netflix instant anymore but you can get the DVD still.

Mads Brugger's great. I love The Ambassador too.

Mahoning
Feb 3, 2007
There's a complete history of The Eagles on Netflix that is 3 hours long and absolutely fascinating if you're into that kind of thing. Every member and former member of The Eagles is interviewed, as well as some pretty big names in the music industry like David Geffen and Jackson Browne. There's a poo poo ton of footage from the 70's. The documentary is 3+ hours and I loved every minute of it (I like The Eagles and I love music documentaries). Like 2 hours in (after The Eagles break up) the credits roll, you have to fast forward through them to get to the eventual reunion.

Schlinky
Mar 12, 2009

...Too much drink.
I might take a look into that Eagles doco, could be worth the look.

Would anyone else be able to recommend some interesting music documentaries? I'm interested less about the history of an era and more about the stories behind the people, but I'm totally up for anything if it's good.

Examples I've seen include (and also recommend):

Searching for Sugarman - Sixto Rodriguez and his fame in South Africa, definitely recommend it.
Beware of Mr Baker - The history of Cream's drummer Ginger Baker. Probably one of my favourite documentaries right now, seriously watch it.
A Band called Death - A 70's punk group called Death
20 Feet from Stardom - About the backup singers for famous musicians
Dig! - The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Beats, Rhymes and Life - A Tribe Called Quest

And I'm just about to start off watching the BBC Series The Seven Ages of Rock.


e: Oh, and if anyone knows any interesting/cool fitness documentaries beyond Pumping Iron, that would also be greatly appreciated :)

Schlinky fucked around with this message at 01:07 on Oct 24, 2014

Allyn
Sep 4, 2007

I love Charlie from Busted!
I didn't love the new Nas documentary Time Is Illmatic, but it was still perfectly enjoyable and does exactly what you asked for. Spends far longer on him than the album specifically.

e: Oh, there was also a great biog documentary on Quincy Jones on the BBC a couple years ago. Dunno how hard it is to find nowadays though, but I loved it when it was on. Possibly of interest. The Many Lives of Q. Despite that saying 58 minutes it was actually a two-parter, each an hour long.

Allyn fucked around with this message at 01:19 on Oct 24, 2014

savinhill
Mar 28, 2010

Schlinky posted:

I might take a look into that Eagles doco, could be worth the look.

Would anyone else be able to recommend some interesting music documentaries? I'm interested less about the history of an era and more about the stories behind the people, but I'm totally up for anything if it's good.



Have you ever watched any of the Sex Pistols docs? I think The Filth and the Fury is supposed to be the best one, but you'd probably enjoy any of them if the whole misanthropic, self-destructive personality element was one of the things you enjoyed most about the Ginger Baker one.

Schlinky
Mar 12, 2009

...Too much drink.
Awesome guys, I'll check out all three - thanks!

Popelmon
Jan 24, 2010

wow
so spin
I want to recommend Finding Vivian Maier. If you don't know her, she was a (street) photographer but she never published anything. Her negatives were discovered after her death and the maker of this docu tries to find out who she really was.

Maybe just type Vivia Maier into google images before you watch it. Her pictures are just SO loving good that you will want to find out more about the person who took them.

Uncle Boogeyman
Jul 22, 2007

Schlinky posted:

I might take a look into that Eagles doco, could be worth the look.

Would anyone else be able to recommend some interesting music documentaries? I'm interested less about the history of an era and more about the stories behind the people, but I'm totally up for anything if it's good.

Instrument: Ten Years With the Band Fugazi is my all time favorite

mod sassinator
Dec 13, 2006
I came here to Kick Ass and Chew Bubblegum,
and I'm All out of Ass

Popelmon posted:

I want to recommend Finding Vivian Maier. If you don't know her, she was a (street) photographer but she never published anything. Her negatives were discovered after her death and the maker of this docu tries to find out who she really was.

Maybe just type Vivia Maier into google images before you watch it. Her pictures are just SO loving good that you will want to find out more about the person who took them.

Will second that, it's a great documentary.

magnificent7
Sep 22, 2005

THUNDERDOME LOSER
Pearl Jam Twenty was awesome. I like PJ as much as any other classic rawk band at this point, but I love seeing how a classic band comes together.

That's right. I called them classic. Laugh all you want.

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart is good, (about Wilco). I have zero interest in Wilco's music, but the documentary was great.

I like music documentaries so much, I'll even watch the ones of embarrassing artists: Katy Perry's doc is fascinating. I'm not lying. It's better than Madonna's Truth Or Dare. Jesus if you ever wanted to watch an artist at the height of ego, watch Truth or Dare.

Another one I just saw: Artifact (about 30 Seconds To Mars). It was great, it presents the problem most major bands face now with major labels.

Which reminds me of Before The Music Dies. Maybe the greatest doc on the major-label's assrape of musicians I've ever seen.

DrVenkman
Dec 28, 2005

I think he can hear you, Ray.
Rattle and Hum is a great documentary for a group who are just on the edge of Spinal Tap territory. It would a few years until U2 became straight up insufferable, but this is where it really starts. I'm not sure what the intention behind the documentary was, except to show that the group had just learned about Americana, but they also seem to place themselves in this weird pantheon of The Rolling Stones AND blues guys like BB King. All while screaming about politics.

Pilli
Jul 3, 2011

Dogs have owners,
cats have staff

Schlinky posted:


Would anyone else be able to recommend some interesting music documentaries? I'm interested less about the history of an era and more about the stories behind the people, but I'm totally up for anything if it's good.


There's the Fleetwock Mac documentary. I was a bit on the sad side after watching it, though. It feels like the ABBA story, just with more drugs and alcohol. What it means is that it doesn't end well, and their beautiful songs had a meaning I was totally oblivious about in the days. :(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Tlrz-8yOA

BiggerBoat
Sep 26, 2007

Don't you tell me my business again.

Schlinky posted:

Would anyone else be able to recommend some interesting music documentaries?

Seconding The Filth and the Fury

I watched one recently about Fishbone called Everyday Sunshine that I really liked but I'm a big fan.

David Bowie: 5 Years is airing on Starz or Showtime right now and covers the years from Ziggy Stardust through Scary Monsters.

Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap was a good look at the history of hip hop.

Frank Zappa: Apostrophe was awesome because Zappa owns.

If you like Prince, there's The Prince of Paisley Park and Prince in the 80's, which I managed to find here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRNYiFxR2Ps

MrBling
Aug 21, 2003

Oozing machismo
Last Days Here is about Bobby Liebling and Pentagram, who could probably have been the american version of Black Sabbath if Bobby hadn't hosed up his life with drugs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwaYcp2uYLU


You're Gonna Miss Me is about Roky Erickson who I suppose is easiest to just describe as a weird outsider musician. In 1969 he plead insanity to get out of a marijuana possession charge and ended up being sent to a hospital for the criminally insane. In recent years he has sort of surfaced in more mainstream situations and have been touring with various bands though, which is nice to see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVFLqzJB6qw

Kull the Conqueror
Apr 8, 2006

Take me to the green valley,
lay the sod o'er me,
I'm a young cowboy,
I know I've done wrong

Schlinky posted:

Would anyone else be able to recommend some interesting music documentaries? I'm interested less about the history of an era and more about the stories behind the people, but I'm totally up for anything if it's good.

If you can find it, The Decline of Western Civilization is a classic.

e: Jesus, I had no idea it was so off the grid. That movie needs to get restored, but it's too expensive with all the song rights.

Kull the Conqueror fucked around with this message at 16:02 on Oct 25, 2014

BiggerBoat
Sep 26, 2007

Don't you tell me my business again.

Kull the Conqueror posted:

If you can find it, The Decline of Western Civilization is a classic.

e: Jesus, I had no idea it was so off the grid. That movie needs to get restored, but it's too expensive with all the song rights.

Agreed. Part 2 is good also. Check out Heavy Metal Parking Lot if you're into making fun of 80's metal and their fans. it's on YouTube.

Schlinky
Mar 12, 2009

...Too much drink.
:neckbeard:
Thanks for all of your music doco suggestions, I've got quite the watching list now!

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Senor Tron
May 26, 2006


Peas and Rice posted:

I think I remember reading in this thread about Lot Lizards, a documentary where the film crew followed sex workers in truck stops. I found a webpage for it and a trailer uploaded to Vimeo two years ago, but nothing else. Has the film ever been released?

According to their Facebook page it hasn't been released yet but should be soon.

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