The Documentary Thread

[Locke]

Originally Posted by habernac

The holocaust is a difficult thing to delve into. I still haven't watched Schindler's List (I did PVR it the other day, just need to get my courage up to watch it ). I know it will upset me to the point of tears, even though I have no Jewish background at all. Just unfathomable to me that this could happen.

I find it incredibly interesting and important.

In the BBC documentary I posted there is an interview with an Auschwitz survivor and he describes an incident that happened to him while on a train after his time there.

He was a Jew and I'm going to call him 'The Jew' for these purposes because I dont remember his name.

He remarks about how in this cattle car this German comes up to him, this German was just another prisoner, perhaps a convict, the Jew doesnt know, and begs him to move so he can sit down on the train (cattle cars) because he cant stand anymore.

The Jew says 'give me something and I'll move so you can sit' so the German gives him 3 cigarettes.

The Jew takes the cigarettes, moves and allows the German to sit and the Jew stands and smokes. Once the cigarettes have been smoked he tells the German to stand so that he can sit but the German refuses at which point the Jew sits on him to the point where the German suffocates and dies.

This is a straightforward interview but the woman doing it loses it a bit at this point and the Jew just doesnt care. No remorse.

His exact words were: "Why should he sit and live while I stand and die just because he gave me 3 cigarettes?"

It was incredible. Its one of those jaw-dropping moments that then snaps you back into trying to imagine the horrors that man has gone through and it reinforces what many survivors of the Holocaust said.

I was floored. And there were more stories of a similar nature told through interviews and it always reminds me of this:



Powerful stuff.

[metallicat]

Has Happy People been mentioned? It is about Russian fur trappers. Netflix Canada.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

Has Happy People been mentioned? It is about Russian fur trappers. Netflix Canada.

No one wants happy documentaries. Happiness is a sham, there exists nothing in this world other than sadness and despair.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

I've watched a ton of docs in the last year or two. Mostly on Netflix, some on HBO.

Going Clear: Scientology doc was good.

Cove and Blackfish are both disturbing and about dolphins and whales, respectively.

Red Army: I actually preferred the 30 for 30 called Miracle something. They were very similar though.

Terms and Conditions: This is about privacy policies and the internet. It was very interesting to see how companies are continually screwing with their users and often outright lying (saying they won't sell your info, then selling your info)

Hot Girls Wanted is about amateur adult film stars. Quite sobering, a bit depressing. Some faces and names you might recognize. Basically it covers girls that are, I forget the exact term, adult film stars but always do the amateur looking movies. People talk about athletes, especially NFL, and how short their careers are. Well they've got nothing like in adult films. Their careers are measured in months. I also saw Aroused and After Porn Ends. Aroused is just about the girls and how they are normal people, how they got into the biz etc. After Porn Ends is how they struggle to find a life after porn.

The Captains and Chaos on the Bridge are both about Star Trek. Chaos is better. Only about an hour but covers the first few seasons of TNG and talks about how crazy it was.

I'll recommend pretty much all 30 for 30s. So many amazing ones. I'd need a separate post to list them and which ones are best. Recently I watched the one on USC. I also love the non-30 for 30 one called Roll Tide/War Eagle about Bama/Auburn rivalry. It isn't on netflix unfortunately

Happy Valley: about Penn State and the Sandusky scandal.

Room 237: Covers about 10 different crazy theories about the Shinning. Some of them are stupid, others insanely engaging that make you want to watch the movie all over again. Helps if you like Kubrick and the Shinning.

The Seven Five (right?) the one about corrupt cops in New York was fascinating. Loved it.

People vs George Lucas: Self explanatory, enjoyed it.

Can't skip Inside Job about the 2008 financial crisis.

There was one called Are All Men Pedophiles I think. It was an interesting look at the physiology behind pedophiles, differences in types, why we shun them, why it is kinda normal to be attracted to young women etc.

Right America Feeling Wronged about the 2008 election was interesting. It is all about right wing nutjobs.

There is another one by alexandra Pelosi who did Right America about Ted Haggard that I liked. They are both HBO iirc.

HBO/Movie Central also had David Bowie Five Years which I did find again and watch. There are a few others I can't think of. I'll watch pretty much anything that isn't too insanely biased and is compelling.

I feel like there are more that I can't remember. I'd have to go home and look to see what's listed. Most were watched on US netflix because they have the biggest selection. Some on other countries.

[Wormius]

I felt that I learned more about Star Trek from Chaos on the Bridge than Captains, although I guess I did learn that Avery Brooks is a bit of space case / <insert space related pun about being eccentric here>

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Wormius

I felt that I learned more about Star Trek from Chaos on the Bridge than Captains, although I guess I did learn that Avery Brooks is a bit of space case / <insert space related pun about being eccentric here>

No sir. You are incorrect. Avery Brooks is certifiably insane.

[bigtmac19]

I watched Trophy Kids. That was disturbing.

[Daradon]

Some great suggestions on here.

Dunno if it was mentioned earlier than the last two pages but I just watched Citizenfour. An HBO doc about Edward Snowden and the journalists he first reached out to. It starts right when he fled with the first oeople he talked to, before anyone even knew he was gone or who he was and what he'd done. Really interesting, fills in some gaps.

Starts a bit slow, but an hour in I was on the edge of my seat.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Forgot one. Last night on movie central I watched the new documentary called Being Canadian. Pretty sure that's what it's called. Liked it.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Nm

[Wormius]

Montage of Heck was interesting, if you are a fan of Kurt Cobain, in a sad way it really demystifies him so I am conflicted about how I felt about that. I probably prefer the enigma of Cobain than the reality of him. I remember during our morning high school announcements the day after he had OD'd in Rome I made a mention for people to keep Kurt in their thoughts.

Anyway... homes of millionaire heroin addicts - pretty much like the insides of homes of regular heroin addicts. Not sure why I was expecting MTV Cribs.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Montage of Heck was interesting, if you are a fan of Kurt Cobain, in a sad way it really demystifies him so I am conflicted about how I felt about that. I probably prefer the enigma of Cobain than the reality of him. I remember during our morning high school announcements the day after he had OD'd in Rome I made a mention for people to keep Kurt in their thoughts.

Anyway... homes of millionaire heroin addicts - pretty much like the insides of homes of regular heroin addicts. Not sure why I was expecting MTV Cribs.

I have to go ahead and disagree with you there. Montage of Heck was terrible. Just terrible.

Its wrapped in the veneer of an 'edgy' documentary of Cobain but in fact its just lobbing easy questions at people who used to know him in conjunction with Nirvana music and notes that he wrote.

I had to grind through it. Really didnt enjoy that one. There are better Cobain documentaries out there.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Oh I also watched the documentary on scandal and match fixing in Sumo wrestling. I forget the name. It was quite intriguing.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Locke

I have to go ahead and disagree with you there. Montage of Heck was terrible. Just terrible.



Its wrapped in the veneer of an 'edgy' documentary of Cobain but in fact its just lobbing easy questions at people who used to know him in conjunction with Nirvana music and notes that he wrote.



I had to grind through it. Really didnt enjoy that one. There are better Cobain documentaries out there.

Well, to be fair I didn't really say it was "good", just an interesting insight that unwrapped the enigma that enveloped him. The behind the scenes takes from the unplugged concert were interesting as well.

Could have used less Courtney Love.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Oh I also watched the documentary on scandal and match fixing in Sumo wrestling. I forget the name. It was quite intriguing.

Was that Freakonomics? I remember a story in the book about how the system was geared to promote match fixing.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Well, to be fair I didn't really say it was "good", just an interesting insight that unwrapped the enigma that enveloped him. The behind the scenes takes from the unplugged concert were interesting as well.

Could have used less Courtney Love.

Said every person about everything ever.

The priest who married them probably concluded with those words.

"It was a pretty good wedding although it could have used less Courtney Love."

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Was that Freakonomics? I remember a story in the book about how the system was geared to promote match fixing.

Could have been but did it also delve into the murder and conspiracy/coverup of said murder? If so, then yes it must have been Freakonomics.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Could have been but did it also delve into the murder and conspiracy/coverup of said murder? If so, then yes it must have been Freakonomics.

Yeah they have a story about that in the book, but it's only one chapter not the whole book. Is there a Freakonomics documentary?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Yeah they have a story about that in the book, but it's only one chapter not the whole book. Is there a Freakonomics documentary?

Yes.

[Locke]

Just watched an amazing documentary: "Above and Beyond"

It explores the establishment of Israel and specifically the Israeli airforce in 1948 as the country was being founded.

Amazing stuff, I really enjoyed it. You really get a sense of the gravity of the situation and I appreciate the Jews' creativity at getting help.

It was basically a Foreign Legion of post-WW2 fighter pilots.

I love the part where they get a list of US WW2 Fighter Pilots and then use their Jewish connections to call every one of them that has a 'Jewish-sounding' name and a bunch of them, at the risk of their citizenship, passports and jail time in their home country, volunteered to go!

It didnt help that in the US commercial airliners had a policy against hiring Jewish pilots for whatever reason.