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Documentaries

Started by Xenopherus, September 06, 2011, 08:14:20 PM

Just watched "Resurrect Dead" about the Toynbee tiles. Amazing. Thanks for the suggestion Aldous!

I am now convinced that Bateman should have those guys on Dark Weekend to discuss the story.

eddie dean

Quote from: McPhallus on January 04, 2014, 05:23:27 PM
I had to watch it in installments, as I just couldn't sit through the whole thing at once, either.  Very good film, although there's a weird metaphor at the end involving radioactive alligators. :)

radioactive gators? I simply MUST finish it then. Just to hear WH say "alley-gate-tours"  with that accent, will be worth it! :)
I hope it's still on netflix.

Quote from: McPhallus on January 04, 2014, 05:23:27 PM
I had to watch it in installments, as I just couldn't sit through the whole thing at once, either.  Very good film, although there's a weird metaphor at the end involving radioactive alligators. :)


I think watching it in 3D makes all the difference.  The 2 things about the movie were 1) that the paintings were about twice as old! (~32,000 years) as the Lascaux cave paintings (~17,000), and 2) how the artists incorporated the contours of the walls into the artwork.

The film couldn't possibly be nearly as good without the 3D effects bringing out the painted shapes, and also a certain feeling of motion on a few of the figures.

The Lascaux paintings are in a variety of colors, while these are done mostly in charcoal, which makes the film less visually appealing.


The albino crocodiles were just a reminder it's a Werner Herzog film

It's not new, but if you haven't watched Ken Burns program on our National Parks, it's very informative and engaging.  (It maybe is a bit long and could be trimmed, but it held my attention, especially the John Muir portions). 

I thought the Herzog documentary on the French cave was very interesting but a bit on the ponderous side.  It struck me that a lot of the images were repeated, telling me the film could have been shortened with no damage to content/tone.


albrecht

General Idi Amin Dada (1974) is something I can watch over and over for some odd reason. Maybe because it is so bizarre and yet so tragic. But at the same time funny. Too see a crazy, insane despot in actual action and his scared functionaries cater to his every bizarre whim. But at the same time you are laughing at the buffoon and his many bizarre costumes and antics- suddenly you realize that the people you literally just saw in the past frame are gone from the next frame. And were tortured and "disappeared" due to their performance or lack thereof. And that so many died at his hands and due to his policies. And that this kind of manic despotism still exists in many places around the world. Sometimes even tacitly supported by European and the American governments for a "balance of power", geo-political, or some other aims.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071544/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1a

Quote from: zeebo on December 29, 2013, 12:07:11 AM
And, super-dorky, but fun and strangely compelling - The King of Kong (2007) about the battle for the highest Donkey Kong score.
Just saw this after area51drone posted a list of retro gaming movies. I really enjoyed it.

pyewacket

If WW2 is of interest- Stalingrad
General military subject- Dirty Wars
The Pentagon Wars- movie about the Bradley armed vehicle design and the air force officer investigating it. Funny but upsetting, too.

Pink Ribbons, Inc.- cancer is big business!

Bully

I loved the Cloud Atlas- the book is even better! If you don't mind Ramtha- What the Bleep Do We Know? Is a good doc/movie on quantum physics- been around for a long time.

Dark humor- God Bless America

British TV Drama- The Sculptress- so named for her slaying method


steelbot

Quote from: West of the Rockies on January 07, 2014, 06:10:53 PM
It's not new, but if you haven't watched Ken Burns program on our National Parks, it's very informative and engaging.  (It maybe is a bit long and could be trimmed, but it held my attention, especially the John Muir portions). 

I thought the Herzog documentary on the French cave was very interesting but a bit on the ponderous side.  It struck me that a lot of the images were repeated, telling me the film could have been shortened with no damage to content/tone.
All Ken Burns stuff is great! - I have been giving a watch thru on the Discovery Channels When We Left Earth series - it's great - and i've probably seen it a dozen times over, but I just love how it's put together.  ANything space gets my attention usually but real life documentary stuff on the space race - great - Speaking of "space race" if ever it can be found, there is a great NatGeo/or/History Channel 2 part miniseries called Space Race or The Space Race, but it's about an hour and a half per episode and deals with US and Russia's getting the German Scientists out of WW2 germany and using their skills for each countries nuclear arms proliferation.  Pretty good stuff.

FallenSeraph

Quote from: McPhallus on January 04, 2014, 05:16:20 PM
Just started watching it.  It's already reminding me of The Woman who Wasn't There, about a woman who claimed to be a 911 victim and to have lost her husband.  She became very active in support groups.  But her story eventually unraveled, and it turned out she was unmarried and nowhere near NYC during 911.  Interestingly, she was also from Spain.

That doc was fabulous. I ended up buying the book too. Wow, that woman was unbelievable.

FallenSeraph

Quote from: HorrorRetro on January 04, 2014, 11:17:38 AM
The Imposter was insane. You know the family had to have killed their son in order for them to have gone along with the imposter. 

OK, I just watched this on Netflix and it blew my mind. Wow.

coaster

Quote from: West of the Rockies on January 07, 2014, 06:10:53 PM
It's not new, but if you haven't watched Ken Burns program on our National Parks, it's very informative and engaging.  (It maybe is a bit long and could be trimmed, but it held my attention, especially the John Muir portions). 

I thought the Herzog documentary on the French cave was very interesting but a bit on the ponderous side.  It struck me that a lot of the images were repeated, telling me the film could have been shortened with no damage to content/tone.
Anything by Ken Burns is great. He has made some of my favorite documentaries. I've seen the Herzog one you are talking about. I cannot stand that guy.

Quote from: coaster on March 07, 2014, 09:45:47 PM
I've seen the Herzog one you are talking about. I cannot stand that guy.

I think hes annoying as well. I did like his documentary on the Antarctica research station though. Encounters at the End of the World.

bigchucka

I found 6 episodes of a show called Forbidden History that are interesting.  Templar treasure, Fatima pt. 3, Jesus's baby, Giants, Solomon's treasure, and Alchemy are covered.

Murph: The Protector

The true story of a ridiculously great human being. Mikie was a true American hero and he is missed.

HorrorRetro

Quote from: Seraphim27 on March 07, 2014, 08:22:58 PM
OK, I just watched this on Netflix and it blew my mind. Wow.

Yeah, there was some seriously nefarious stuff going on with that family.

area51drone

Quote from: Mind Flayer Monk on March 07, 2014, 05:53:38 AM
Re: King of Kong - Just saw this after area51drone posted a list of retro gaming movies. I really enjoyed it.

Did you watch Chasing Ghosts yet?  It gives more insight into some of the people in  KoK, I think you'd really like it too.

Quote from: area51drone on March 08, 2014, 11:55:14 AM
Did you watch Chasing Ghosts yet?  It gives more insight into some of the people in  KoK, I think you'd really like it too.

Not yet. I am trying to watch one per week. I will try and watch that one this week.

FallenSeraph

Quote from: HorrorRetro on January 04, 2014, 11:17:38 AM
The Good Life is a Danish doc. It's a window into the lives of a mother and daughter who refuse to see reality and live within their means.  http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/the_good_life

Haha -- OK, so I'm 30 minutes into this doc and I started having a panic attack about money. Checked my bank account. Did some math. Sent a couple of frantic emails to a couple of editors who might need articles this week. Now I've got a beer in hand and I'm going to try to finish it. May switch to vodka.  :)

b_dubb

Quote from: Seraphim27 on March 09, 2014, 02:55:06 PM
Haha -- OK, so I'm 30 minutes into this doc and I started having a panic attack about money. Checked my bank account. Did some math. Sent a couple of frantic emails to a couple of editors who might need articles this week. Now I've got a beer in hand and I'm going to try to finish it. May switch to vodka.  :)
As your doctor I suggest you start with vodka next time.  My bill is in the mail.  Uh ohhhh.

HorrorRetro

Quote from: Seraphim27 on March 09, 2014, 02:55:06 PM
Haha -- OK, so I'm 30 minutes into this doc and I started having a panic attack about money. Checked my bank account. Did some math. Sent a couple of frantic emails to a couple of editors who might need articles this week. Now I've got a beer in hand and I'm going to try to finish it. May switch to vodka.  :)

Ha, yeah, it makes you think. I was amazed at how oblivious these two women were.

FallenSeraph

Quote from: HorrorRetro on March 09, 2014, 03:00:19 PM
Ha, yeah, it makes you think. I was amazed at how oblivious these two women were.

I'm halfway through it now. My jaw dropped when she said, (paraphrasing) "Work, even the word, is taboo. I'm not going to demean myself by working."

At that point I lost any shred of sympathy.

But damn, if she's going to wheedle around town all day, talking men out of free toilet paper and deals on car repairs, she should at least invest in a decent bra â€" preferably one with a little oomph to it. Those are some sad, sad looking boobs. Pick those things up, honey! You gotta work what you got!

**ducks while the feminists throw things at me**

b_dubb

Quote from: Seraphim27 on March 09, 2014, 03:33:56 PM
I'm halfway through it now. My jaw dropped when she said, (paraphrasing) "Work, even the word, is taboo. I'm not going to demean myself by working."

At that point I lost any shred of sympathy.

But damn, if she's going to wheedle around town all day, talking men out of free toilet paper and deals on car repairs, she should at least invest in a decent bra â€" preferably one with a little oomph to it. Those are some sad, sad looking boobs. Pick those things up, honey! You gotta work what you got!

**ducks while the feminists throw things at me**
Sound advice
*** seeks shelter in basement while feminists unleash barrage of low yield nuclear artillery ***

Quote from: Seraphim27 on March 09, 2014, 03:33:56 PM
Pick those things up, honey! You gotta work what you got!


I fill my wallet with pesos and expired credit cards to make it look huge.

I also wear it on a chain around my neck.

area51drone

Quote from: Seraphim27 on March 09, 2014, 03:33:56 PM
But damn, if she's going to wheedle around town all day, talking men out of free toilet paper and deals on car repairs, she should at least invest in a decent bra â€" preferably one with a little oomph to it. Those are some sad, sad looking boobs. Pick those things up, honey! You gotta work what you got!

**ducks while the feminists throw things at me**

One look at her face and there's no need to look down.   That waiter was right - she's a fat old woman.  Pathetic excuse for an individual.  In a way, she's right, her parents did a shitty job of raising her. 

FallenSeraph

Quote from: HorrorRetro on March 09, 2014, 03:00:19 PM
Ha, yeah, it makes you think. I was amazed at how oblivious these two women were.

I really want to know what happened to them. I spent too much time last night Googling this film, the director and those women, looking for a "where are they now" kind of update. Maybe I'll email the director.

Thank you for suggesting SnagFilms. I wasn't aware of that site, I'm embarrassed to say, but I'm really glad I know about it now.

I'm on another bleak documentary kick. They are the equivalent of the type of magazine piece I'd love to write someday, as opposed to my last ultra-compelling local newspaper assignment, "52 Feral Felines Get Spayed." (LOOK OUT, PULITZER PRIZE! HERE I COME! :D )

HorrorRetro

Quote from: Seraphim27 on March 10, 2014, 08:28:16 AM
I really want to know what happened to them. I spent too much time last night Googling this film, the director and those women, looking for a "where are they now" kind of update. Maybe I'll email the director.

Thank you for suggesting SnagFilms. I wasn't aware of that site, I'm embarrassed to say, but I'm really glad I know about it now.

I'm on another bleak documentary kick. They are the equivalent of the type of magazine piece I'd love to write someday, as opposed to my last ultra-compelling local newspaper assignment, "52 Feral Felines Get Spayed." (LOOK OUT, PULITZER PRIZE! HERE I COME! :D )

I get into researching people in documentaries too.  :-[  I did find a FB page for the daughter. https://www.facebook.com/annemette.beckmann

area51drone

Seraphim, have you watched all the Louis Theroux docs?   You'd probably enjoy them if you liked that good life movie.
 
I'll admit it, I googled to find out what happened to those women too.  I can only imagine her mother is dead, and I want to know WTF she's doing to support herself now.   But, I think it wasn't that great of a documentary.  It didn't really tell you anything other than their personal story.  Nothing much to get out of it except watching a spoiled adult brat.

HorrorRetro

Quote from: area51drone on March 10, 2014, 04:18:18 PM
Seraphim, have you watched all the Louis Theroux docs?   You'd probably enjoy them if you liked that good life movie.
 


I agree, Louis Theroux documentaries are really good.

albrecht

Quote from: HorrorRetro on March 10, 2014, 04:29:26 PM
I agree, Louis Theroux documentaries are really good.
the one when he met "The Hamiltons" is my favorite. Especially if you know who they were and the events going on and scandals at the time. So bizarre. Still like "Idi Amin Dada" documentary for the realism, absurdity, and tragic consequences of a megalomaniacal leader.

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