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BonoMan
Feb 20, 2002

Jade Ear Joe

ruddiger posted:

There’s a really great little doc with William Friedkin reflecting on making the Exorcist called Leap of Faith that’s on Shudder right now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiWIuXh3m74

Interesting. That trailer just makes it look like a Friedkin circle jerk though... does it go into how much of an rear end in a top hat he was?

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magiccarpet
Jan 3, 2005




I watched the HBO Documentary Film '537 Votes' last night. It was intercut with full screen memes. Do not watch the HBO Documentary Film '537 Votes.'

ruddiger
Jun 3, 2004

BonoMan posted:

Interesting. That trailer just makes it look like a Friedkin circle jerk though... does it go into how much of an rear end in a top hat he was?

He doesn’t shy away from it and addresses the things he’s done. I won’t deny that Friedkin’s an egotistical rear end in a top hat, but hearing his process on the making of that movie (and a soft self-reflection of his work as a whole) will always be interesting to me.

Do you call all bio docs with the subject themselves being interviewed as circle jerks? It’s a really weird way to approach documentaries.

BonoMan
Feb 20, 2002

Jade Ear Joe

ruddiger posted:

He doesn’t shy away from it and addresses the things he’s done. I won’t deny that Friedkin’s an egotistical rear end in a top hat, but hearing his process on the making of that movie (and a soft self-reflection of his work as a whole) will always be interesting to me.

Do you call all bio docs with the subject themselves being interviewed as circle jerks? It’s a really weird way to approach documentaries.


Yes that's exactly how I approach literally every single documentary that interviews the subject. Yessireee ya got me.

No "roll eyes" big enough for that dumb reductionist poo poo. Come on man.

I *do* however call these reflective pieces circle jerks. But "masturbatory" is probably a better word. (and to be honest I thought this was an actual documentary about the making of the movie - with other points of view - not just literally him reflecting on it until I saw the title)

The movie had a notoriously rough production. He had lovely hack tactics. Was an rear end in a top hat and mistreated his star that was a minor (among other people). He's an rear end in a top hat. But he's also a wealthy old white male so I guess his shittiness gets to get memory holed and his career looked at fondly.

Sorry I have no love for Friedkin.

Now excuse me while I go watch that on Shudder.

BonoMan fucked around with this message at 06:26 on Dec 4, 2020

KoRMaK
Jul 31, 2012



Stare-Out posted:

Anyone catch "The Mole: Infiltrating North Korea" on BBC? I thought it was excellent and tense as hell. If you get a chance to see it, go in knowing as little about it as possible.
Sounds good, wish I could get it here in the states

ruddiger
Jun 3, 2004

BonoMan posted:

Yes that's exactly how I approach literally every single documentary that interviews the subject. Yessireee ya got me.

No "roll eyes" big enough for that dumb reductionist poo poo. Come on man.

I *do* however call these reflective pieces circle jerks. But "masturbatory" is probably a better word. (and to be honest I thought this was an actual documentary about the making of the movie - with other points of view - not just literally him reflecting on it until I saw the title)

The movie had a notoriously rough production. He had lovely hack tactics. Was an rear end in a top hat and mistreated his star that was a minor (among other people). He's an rear end in a top hat. But he's also a wealthy old white male so I guess his shittiness gets to get memory holed and his career looked at fondly.

Sorry I have no love for Friedkin.

Now excuse me while I go watch that on Shudder.

What does having love for someone have anything to do with watching a documentary about them?

I’ve watched documentaries about James Cameron and Stanley Kubrick and those guys are abusive pieces of poo poo too, if your point is that white people and white culture are assholes and assholish in general I’m not going to disagree with you.

It’s just that I like watching them talk about making movies (or watch people talk about them making movies). But I like a lot of problematic art in general and I’ll be the first to admit that.

E: Larry Cohen was a lovely man (with terrible safety standards) and King Cohen is another great director bio doc I’d like to recommend (this one is more of a full doc with interviews, clips, and Larry himself reflecting on his entire career). He’s easily one of my favorite directors and the doc highlights what I love about his movies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPblr7nKaYw

And it’s also on Shudder!

ruddiger fucked around with this message at 06:58 on Dec 4, 2020

BonoMan
Feb 20, 2002

Jade Ear Joe

ruddiger posted:

What does having love for someone have anything to do with watching a documentary about them?

I’ve watched documentaries about James Cameron and Stanley Kubrick and those guys are abusive pieces of poo poo too, if your point is that white people and white culture are assholes and assholish in general I’m not going to disagree with you.

It’s just that I like watching them talk about making movies (or watch people talk about them making movies).

I do too (hence my last line).

But I wasn't criticizing you for watching it. Or saying that you, particularly, are a Friedkin apologist or anything.

And I'm totally down for docs on problematic subjects. Just that these self-centered kinds of pieces rub me the wrong way. Especially in regards to:

quote:

if your point is that white people and white culture are assholes and assholish in general

This. ^


Like, I'm interested in seeing the Shudder doc. But at the same time I feel like I should indulge a fluff piece about him (maybe fluff piece is the wrong term, but I'm sure a self reflective piece on his own work is... selective). That it somehow just helps that machine keep rolling.


Anyway I'll end it with some just amazing levels of "What the gently caress Friedkin?"

Have his thoughts on diversity in Hollywood from 2015: https://www.indiewire.com/2015/12/w...forward-100021/

quote:

“I’ve been in Hollywood for fifty years and I have never met an executive of a television or movie company, or a talent agency, that was prejudiced against people of different colors or against women. I’ve never met anyone,” he said. “Now, why there are more men directing films than women, I can’t answer that. But it’s not because of prejudice.

“I have never heard of a man running a studio, talent agency or a network saying, ‘Oh, I don’t want to hire a woman for that job.’ But women have to put themselves forward.

ruddiger
Jun 3, 2004

I hear ya. I work in this industry and I see the hypocrisy every day, and ask myself as a minority why I put up with it (the answer is money and capitalism has tainted my soul).

Harminoff
Oct 24, 2005

👽
Tom Green (yes, that Tom Green from MTV) has decided he has had enough of Corona and being stuck inside his house, so he bought a decked out van to live in and travel the us and create videos of his travels.

He's dropped the whacky act and the videos are pretty zen. It's pretty amazing the quality of the videos considering he is doing all the filming/editing/music by himself. He even has some pretty amazing drone footage.

Here he is visiting an off the path ancient city (Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADVj8Gqn3aI

MonsieurChoc
Oct 12, 2013

Every species can smell its own extinction.

ruddiger posted:

What does having love for someone have anything to do with watching a documentary about them?

I’ve watched documentaries about James Cameron and Stanley Kubrick and those guys are abusive pieces of poo poo too, if your point is that white people and white culture are assholes and assholish in general I’m not going to disagree with you.

It’s just that I like watching them talk about making movies (or watch people talk about them making movies). But I like a lot of problematic art in general and I’ll be the first to admit that.

E: Larry Cohen was a lovely man (with terrible safety standards) and King Cohen is another great director bio doc I’d like to recommend (this one is more of a full doc with interviews, clips, and Larry himself reflecting on his entire career). He’s easily one of my favorite directors and the doc highlights what I love about his movies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPblr7nKaYw

And it’s also on Shudder!

Aww man there's John Landis in it, that murderous gently caress.

ruddiger
Jun 3, 2004

As much as I go to bat for dickheads like Friedkin and Kubrick, John Landis can go gently caress himself.

He shows up in a lot of docs that I like and it annoys me when he pops up and acts like he didn’t kill three people due to his coked out ego and negligence.

KoRMaK
Jul 31, 2012



Stare-Out posted:

Anyone catch "The Mole: Infiltrating North Korea" on BBC? I thought it was excellent and tense as hell. If you get a chance to see it, go in knowing as little about it as possible.
i love the knockoff herzog narrator

KoRMaK
Jul 31, 2012



oh holy poo poo, no wonder he sounds familiar. i loved red chappel! it made me want to throw up lmao it was so intense

BiggerBoat
Sep 26, 2007

Don't you tell me my business again.
There's a doc I want to see on Phantom if the Paradise called "The Phantom of Winnipeg" but I'm unable to find it on DVD, streaming, y/t, etc.

Anyone know where I can watch it?

magiccarpet
Jan 3, 2005




Baby Gods on HBO has some great cinematography coupled with a minimalistic score. Also just a little over an hour.

Waltzing Along
Jun 14, 2008

There's only one
Human race
Many faces
Everybody belongs here
Can someone recommend a documentary on christianity and the bible? I don't mean BS that actually believes all that poo poo. I mean something that deep dives into how the Romans compiled a ton of stories and myths and made the new testament and the actual truth of it's genesis (no pun intended) and all that. I remember something I saw about how the catholic church is just the continuation of the roman empire and I'm curious about how that goes.

BiggerBoat
Sep 26, 2007

Don't you tell me my business again.

Waltzing Along posted:

Can someone recommend a documentary on christianity and the bible? I don't mean BS that actually believes all that poo poo. I mean something that deep dives into how the Romans compiled a ton of stories and myths and made the new testament and the actual truth of it's genesis (no pun intended) and all that. I remember something I saw about how the catholic church is just the continuation of the roman empire and I'm curious about how that goes.

The Life of Brian

MeinPanzer
Dec 20, 2004
anyone who reads Cinema Discusso for anything more than slackjawed trolling will see the shittiness in my posts
This is the best out there:

https://www.pbs.org/video/jesus-christ-first-christians-part-one-uosmze/

It's over twenty years old by now, but it's still excellent. It basically explores the history of Christianity from a non-religious perspective, beginning with the movement Jesus started and covering up until the time when it became the official religion of the Roman empire. As an ancient historian, I can attest that it's very even-handed in its discussion of the evidence.

Waltzing Along
Jun 14, 2008

There's only one
Human race
Many faces
Everybody belongs here

MeinPanzer posted:

This is the best out there:

https://www.pbs.org/video/jesus-christ-first-christians-part-one-uosmze/

It's over twenty years old by now, but it's still excellent. It basically explores the history of Christianity from a non-religious perspective, beginning with the movement Jesus started and covering up until the time when it became the official religion of the Roman empire. As an ancient historian, I can attest that it's very even-handed in its discussion of the evidence.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

magiccarpet
Jan 3, 2005




Zappa doc by Bill Preston Esq is really well put together and is on Amazon for like 7 bucks.

Stare-Out
Mar 11, 2010

Welcome to Chechnya was recommended to me with the warning that it's a hard watch, and they weren't kidding. I was aware of how LGBTQ people are persecuted in Russia and particularly in Chechnya but even still I had to take a few breaks while going through it. It's not all doom and gloom but it's clear that none of the horror stories are exaggerated. I'd recommend it but there are some violent scenes in it.

On another note, I found it interesting that instead of blurring peoples' faces or filming them in shadow, they basically deepfaked the subjects to protect their identities. It's a bit weird and offputting at first but I think it's preferable to see emotions on their faces even if it's not on their actual faces, to blurring them because that would dehumanize them to a degree, and this doc was very much about connecting with these people.

TL,DR: It's a tough watch, but an important one.

ICHIBAHN
Feb 21, 2007

by Cyrano4747
how do you mean deep faked, in this context? doc sounds interesting, thanks

Stare-Out
Mar 11, 2010

Sorry, yeah I was wondering how to put it. It's deepfaked in the way that you still see their expressions, they just look like different people. I don't know if the faces are based on real people or not though. So basically each person the doc focuses on has the same fake face throughout.

KoRMaK
Jul 31, 2012



Stare-Out posted:

Sorry, yeah I was wondering how to put it. It's deepfaked in the way that you still see their expressions, they just look like different people. I don't know if the faces are based on real people or not though. So basically each person the doc focuses on has the same fake face throughout.
that rocks and is disturbing because I'll probably remember that face but may forget it wasn't a real one.

Actually, that probably makes it safer for the person it's there to protect.

Stare-Out
Mar 11, 2010

Yeah, you get used to it being their "real" face pretty quickly, though the deepfaking itself varies pretty wildly between realistic and odd looking.

whos that broooown
Dec 10, 2009

2024 Comeback Poster of the Year

Stare-Out posted:

Welcome to Chechnya was recommended to me with the warning that it's a hard watch, and they weren't kidding. I was aware of how LGBTQ people are persecuted in Russia and particularly in Chechnya but even still I had to take a few breaks while going through it. It's not all doom and gloom but it's clear that none of the horror stories are exaggerated. I'd recommend it but there are some violent scenes in it.

On another note, I found it interesting that instead of blurring peoples' faces or filming them in shadow, they basically deepfaked the subjects to protect their identities. It's a bit weird and offputting at first but I think it's preferable to see emotions on their faces even if it's not on their actual faces, to blurring them because that would dehumanize them to a degree, and this doc was very much about connecting with these people.

TL,DR: It's a tough watch, but an important one.


Everyone should watch this.

Fruit Smoothies
Mar 28, 2004

The bat with a ZING
I only have a surface level understanding of Israel and Palestine and the issues surrounding their history. Any documentaries / articles or whatever to educate my dumb rear end would be grately appreciated.

Waltzing Along
Jun 14, 2008

There's only one
Human race
Many faces
Everybody belongs here
Just watched The Ghost of Peter Sellers. Pretty fascinating story of the disaster that was the film Ghost in the Noonday Sun.

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
Finally got around to watching Time last night. I'm comfortable calling it an essential doc viewing. It's got incredible archival material, atypical cinematography, and some killer emotional moments. It's exactly what social documentaries should aspire to: don't give me statistics and policy explanations, show me how the problem affects peoples' spirits.

jisforjosh
Jun 6, 2006

"It's J is for...you know what? Fuck it, jizz it is"
Adam Curtis's new documentary, Can't Get You Out of My Head: An Emotional History of the Modern World is now out and part one just started premiering on Youtube a bit ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHFrhIAj0ME

quote:

We are living through strange days. Across Britain, Europe and America societies have become split and polarised. There is anger at the inequality and the ever growing corruption - and a widespread distrust of the elites. Into this has come the pandemic that has brutally dramatised those divisions. But despite the chaos, there is a paralysis - a sense that no one knows how to escape from this.

Can’t Get You Out of My Head tells how we got to this place. And why both those in power - and we - find it so difficult to move on. At its heart is the strange story of what happened when people’s inner feelings got mixed up with power in the age of individualism. How the hopes and dreams and uncertainties inside people's minds met the decaying forces of old power in Britain, America, Russia and China. What resulted was a block not just in the society - but also inside our own heads - that stops us imagining anything else than this.

Danger
Jan 4, 2004

all desire - the thirst for oil, war, religious salvation - needs to be understood according to what he calls 'the demonogrammatical decoding of the Earth's body'

jisforjosh posted:

Adam Curtis's new documentary, Can't Get You Out of My Head: An Emotional History of the Modern World is now out and part one just started premiering on Youtube a bit ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHFrhIAj0ME

I rewatched hypernormalisation in prep for his new one a few weeks ago and it’s a big ol crack ping on how prescient it was. It came out prior to the 2016 election.

jisforjosh
Jun 6, 2006

"It's J is for...you know what? Fuck it, jizz it is"

Danger posted:

I rewatched hypernormalisation in prep for his new one a few weeks ago and it’s a big ol crack ping on how prescient it was. It came out prior to the 2016 election.

All 6 parts are now posted. Part 4 and 5 got removed by Youtube for copyrighted music. Edited versions posted below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHFrhIAj0ME

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I9nquHUE0Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdnfOVT8DwY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdKpy6Agcog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t5R_TBDctk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q1hZmAcE08



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv7NFn95R0s

Alan_Shore
Dec 2, 2004

One more episode to go on the Elisa Lam/Cecil Hotel documentary and it's dogshit. Nearly 4 hours for something that should have been an hour. They just spent 5 minutes talking about a death metal musician! loving embarrassing

JaneError
Feb 4, 2016

how would i even breathe on the moon?

Alan_Shore posted:

One more episode to go on the Elisa Lam/Cecil Hotel documentary and it's dogshit. Nearly 4 hours for something that should have been an hour. They just spent 5 minutes talking about a death metal musician! loving embarrassing

lol it’s more than 5 minutes before it’s all said and done

Waltzing Along
Jun 14, 2008

There's only one
Human race
Many faces
Everybody belongs here

Alan_Shore posted:

One more episode to go on the Elisa Lam/Cecil Hotel documentary and it's dogshit. Nearly 4 hours for something that should have been an hour. They just spent 5 minutes talking about a death metal musician! loving embarrassing

We watched the first episode and never went back. So much filler. It looks like it could be interesting if it was edited better.

Groovelord Neato
Dec 6, 2014


Kinda wonder if they want to draw people in with the length because if you're aware of the case your first thought is going to be "how the gently caress did they drag this over four episodes?"

Segue
May 23, 2007

I just watched a really good experimental doc from 2010 called The Arbor which has actors lip-syncing to interviews with the family of Andrea Dunbar, who wrote autobiographical plays about growing up in Council Housing and died of an embolism at 29.

It mostly focuses on her daughter's struggles, but is a really great meta-narrative on Dunbar's own autobiographical writings, and plays with structure by splicing in excerpts of the plays performed in The Arbor neighbourhood and archival footage while having the actors distance it from poverty-porn exploitation.

If you're looking for a really good doc that is not just a standard format I highly recommend.

nonathlon
Jul 9, 2004
And yet, somehow, now it's my fault ...

Groovelord Neato posted:

Kinda wonder if they want to draw people in with the length because if you're aware of the case your first thought is going to be "how the gently caress did they drag this over four episodes?"

That was my first thought: it's a case that's pretty much as resolved as it could be. You try get a series out of it, that's thin gruel

Alan_Shore
Dec 2, 2004

Last episode, and man these web sleuths are dumb and annoying as poo poo lol

Also in a decent documentary you'd be drip fed information to slowly form a story. Here in the last episode they just blast you with stuff they withheld to create a mystery. Terrible directing

Alan_Shore fucked around with this message at 02:13 on Feb 15, 2021

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Mahoning
Feb 3, 2007
The only mildly interesting but ultimately meaningless extra info was the tuberculosis thing.

Talk about a super weird coincidence.

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