Documentaries you would recommend.

'Man on Wire'
'Enron - The Smartest Guys in the Room'
'Taxi to the Dark Side'

.

ffs

.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runnin%27_Down_a_Dream_%28film%29

yellowstone , if you like your wildlife, series of 3 were shown on bbc couple of years ago.

Rory Stewart - Afghanistan:The Great Game.Best thing I've seen on tv for a long while.

yellowstone , if you like your wildlife, series of 3 were shown on bbc couple of years ago.

Saw that one mm.Great shows and well worth viewing for anyone who has not seen them.

I'm worried that CC has had too much influence on me. Got in last night, switched the TV on and it was Tom Petty on TOTP2. I thought to myself - I wonder if Nilsson Schmilsson is watching this?

GoOnThen

You should try and see Restrepo which is also about the Afghanistan War as well.

Very revealing indeed.

That one with that Geordie bloke with the debilitating skin disease, he died at the end of it, was heartbreaking to see the struggles he and his mother put up with.

It possibly had some trashy attention seeking title like the boy who had no skin.

"All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace." Epic, strange, compelling, full of insight.

The BBC4 doc. about the decline of Detroit and its car industry.

The Olympic docs. on BBC2 last week, especially the progs. about the milers and gymnasts - Herb Elliott, Kip Keino, Peter Snell, Seb Coe, El Guerrouj...Vera Caslavska, Olga Korbut, Nadia Comaneci...the Japanese lad who vaulted with the busted knee to get a 9.5 and a medal for the team...Comaneci describing her slow motion experience and the gyroscope inside her head...she was able to made tiny adjustments in the middle of acrobatics, at great speed...

Those olympic ones were great Velasquez.

Channel 4 did one a few years ago on Ali and Joe Frazier that was very good.

HH

The olympic ones were excellent indeed but I do prefer sporting documentaries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGKJfst9kL8&feature=relmfu

The Fabulous 4.

For anyone who loves their boxing.

Oh to see their like again.

I've watched that four times, Mr. E - brilliant. It's even better than "When We Were Kings" which won an Oscar...there is another brilliant Ali doc. by a guy called William Klein - it lasts for about two hours and was made at the time of the Liston fights.

I used to love the ones in the Storyville series.

Cosmos - Carl Sagan.

Every school child should be forced to watch this, 30 years old and still relevant.

The Secret History of Our Streets has been fascinating.

I loved the last one in the series about Arnold Circus.

I missed the first one, I must see if it's still on iplayer.

I used to love the ones in the Storyville series.

Best ongoing documentary strand on TV in a canter.

The aforementioned When We Were Kings was very good.

I'll add two more...

Etre et Avoir - a year in the life of a single class primary school in a tiny village in the Massif Central in France.

The Power of Nightmares - Documentary by Adam Curtis about the way in which governments use propaganda. The links below are two of his shorts (about 4 and 7 mins respectively) from Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9FaIyc4vpU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW3XeT7qavo

The Storyville one with the Gippo fighters is very good.

I've not seen it, but The King of Kong is meant to be very good.  About someone trying to break a video games high score in the 80's.

Sex: The Annabel Chong Story. It's actually a very interesting documentary despite the obvious subject matter.

I'd second that Slippy. Makes for quite uncomfortable viewing.

Keep them coming folks.

Here's a link to a site which shows them online.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com

Must track down the ones mentioned to date.

Is that the bird who got gang raped in a London tower block?

QED: Foolish Wise Ones (1987). I have it one VHS somewhere. Astonishing. I could never watch it without tears. Documented the talents of three young idiot savants.

The man who cycled the Americas

BBC 4 now.

Watch this ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkY6pgrOOOg&feature=related

Salesman

It's stunning. Death of a Salesman and Glengarry Glen Ross made real.

gippo fighters on bbc4 now

Dear Zachary: A letter to a son about his father. - Heartbreaking story, and a very well made documentary.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/dear-zachary-a-letter-to-a-son-about-his-father/

Solo: Lost at Sea - Story of Andrew McAuley who tried to Kayak from Australia to New Zealand.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/solo-lost-at-sea/

And for the grief mongers among you, a fascinating Japanese documentary about the Aokigahara Forest, one of the most popular suicide sites in Japan.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/suicide-forest-in-japan/

I think I'll give that one a swerve Dan.

Forgot this gem:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_AZZGqNN6Y

The Death of Yugoslavia.

I visited the country close to the war and just after the fall of the Iron Curtain. Makes for chilling viewing.

It's one of the only full length Youtube films I've even watched. Youtube video's are for short attention spans but I watched this in full twice, really great info on the region.

Think it was The Boy Who's Skin Fell Off. Nice.

Trouble The Water about hurricane Katrina is excellent.

I would recommend anything made by adam curtis, intelligent, articulate documentaries dealing with complex ideas but still totally accessible

one from the 80s about a load of city traders who go off for a fishing trip off the scottish coast, their excesses seemed shocking at the time, by today's standards they seem quaint - can't remember what series it was in, but they revisted it several years later and all the participants seemed quite embarrassed by it 

The one where they start shooting seagulls?

'Forty Minutes' The Fishing Party

One that fascinated me recently was about the history of Bridges spanning the Thames.Yes I know...I'm easily pleased.

I stumbled across this Russian prison system documentary on youtube a few weeks ago and it's well worth a watch imo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9JDJdaMs-Y

The one featuring the actual survivors of the plane crash in The Andies where they had to resort to cannabalism. Fascinating and horrific throughout, but really, really emotional at the end. Best documentary ever.

Kurt and Courtney by Nick Broomfield

The revolution will not be televised

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZajyVas4Jg&feature=related

irish doc about venezuelan president hugo chavez  and the failed coup to remove him from power back in 2002



the two escobars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKAevl6hrQk

espn film linking the stories of colombian footballer andreas escobar who was murdered 10 days after  missing a penalty in the 94 world cup and pablo escobar, drug baron and head of the medellin cartel in colombia

both well worth a gander

Did'nt see this nominated.  Horizon special "How many people can live on planet earth"  Narrated by Sir David and something that all humans should watch.

Simon Reeve - Indian Ocean

Cocaine Cowboys - About the Miami drug scene, mind blowing the volume/money involved
Which Way Home

Don - totally agree Cocaine Cowboys. You beat me to it.

Checked out 'Cocaine Cowboys 2 - Hustling with the Godmother'  as well yet?  It's spread over various parts on YouTube.

regards etc, and you've got a message

Don - totally agree Cocaine Cowboys. You beat me to it.

Checked out 'Cocaine Cowboys 2 - Hustling with the Godmother'  as well yet?  It's spread over various parts on YouTube.

regards etc, and you've got a message

I'd second The Two Escobars.

In fact most of the 30 for 30 series that ESPN made were excellent. There are as many good sports documentaries on that one strand as the entire British media have ever produced.

A good non-ESPN sport one is Once in a Lifetime:The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos. About when 'our' football first really threatened to break through in the United States.

Yep Al, watched it soon after the original.  The scale of it is surreal, couldn't believe what I was watching

Dambusters - Building the Bouncing Bomb - Channel 4 documentary and now on Youtube

hoop dreams and paradise lost are both exceptional , really worth viewing

The 15 greatest rounds of boxing of all time, made in 1990 

.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAl9XDCCCHQ&feature=fvwrel

Thanks lads, I enjoyed the one about 'The Two Escobars'

I almost don't like to recommend this next one, because it's a rather tragic one. Originally broadcast as part of Channel 5's 'Sensitive Freakshow' series, prepare to shed a few tears, yet be simultaneously uplifted, by watching  'The Boy With An Ar$e' for a Face'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGvH86wfrzk

Men who brought the dawn - Enola Gay

'The Story of The Ramones : End Of The Century' is well worth a look for any fans of the band.

All 1 hour and 48 minutes available here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlfo59Qfcs4

Adam Curtis -  25 Million Pounds (1996)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVa95dSREmE


Excellent doc made just after the collapse of Barings Bank.

Remember seeing a very good one about Zimbabwe farmers being thrown off their land. 

Mugabe and the White African.  Heartbreaking stuff.

Can't remember the name but was a very good one about Last Meals on Death Row.

Lot of good crime ones on the Crime Channel on Sky. Any of Louis Therouxs are thought provoking as he asks questions and doesn't give is opnions.

timbuctooth     Joined: 11 Jun 12
Replies: 164 16 Jul 12 16:26 
The one featuring the actual survivors of the plane crash in The Andies where they had to resort to cannabalism. Fascinating and horrific throughout, but really, really emotional at the end. Best documentary ever.


Just watched this doc, what a remarkable story, cheers

.http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=sILm8VM-fec

Glad you enjoyed it.

That`s not the right documentary! A better one is; `Stranded I have come from a plane that crashed in the mountains.`

Ok, I wasn't sure which one you meant exactly, might check that out although the one I posted did the job

It was also released as `Stranded; The Andes plane crash survivors` The ending alone makes it worth watching.

i'd highly recommend The Two Escobars and Man On Wire also and Bobby Fischer Against the World is not bad either.

orioles, is that Salesmen available to watch online at all?

B29 FROZEN IN TIME

NOVA accompanies famed test pilot Darryl Greenamyer and his intrepid crew on a perilous mission to repair and re-fly a B-29 bomber stranded on the Greenland icecap since 1947. In the face of incredible hardships, the team struggles to bring the old warbird back to life.

The Greatest Raid of all time (The St Nazaire raid)-Jeremy Clarkson

Forget your views on Clarkson for this is one of the finest WW11 docus ever made.The tale it's self is pure boys own stuff and the bravery shown is beyond astonsihing.A few of the old boys themselves are interviewed as well..stirring stuff.If ever a war docu should be on the school curriculum it's this one.

It's in 6 parts on You Tube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgF0R4dhUqk

this one is absolutely heart wrenching... I wont give any spoilers but highly recommend it:

Dear Zachary, A Letter to a son about his father.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHaIYcWbnFM

Another good one is Bus 174 About a hostage situation on a bus in Rio that unfolded live on tv.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYUBptIhnVE

These 3 documentaries by David McWilliams about modern-day, property-bubble, pre-crash Ireland were on BBC4 around 5 years or so ago.  Very scary viewing in many ways. How on earth did such a wave of mad property-speculation grip the country?  I know Britain had its moments back in the 80s, and since, but I don't remember ordinary people routinely going off in buses (for example) to look at properties in Bulgaria 

'In Search of the Pope's Children'

http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/the-popes-children-watch-online

Thriller in Manilla documentry is way better than When we were Kings IMO

Can be easily found on youtube.




Documentaries on "John Bindon" and "Brinks Mat robbery" was very entertaining aswell

any of the ESPN "30 for 30" documentaries

http://www.filmsforaction.org/WallOfFilms/


Received a link to this site with 100+ free documentaries on it yday on Facebook and remembered this thread.

Thank you Duncan Idaho, I'm sure there'll be a few decent ones in there.

Keep them coming folks.

Great thread, I'll be getting stuck into a lot of these next week.

Touching The Void

THE FALLEN - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyzLr9m1DPs
A powerful and poignant film in which families and friends of those who have died fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq talk openly about their loved ones and their grief. Epic in scale and spanning seven years of war, this landmark three-hour film gives a rare insight into the personal impact and legacy of this loss.

Every Heart Beats True-The Jim Stynes Story - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUy7F1eBez4
This is a documentary about legendary Aussie rules player Jim Stynes.

THE BRIDGE - Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwl-Pa_QT0M
Most popular suicide spot in the world filmed for 1 year capturing several jumpers.

Whoever posted The Death of Yugoslavia, thanks v much - have been watching it all week, excellent viewing

ttt

"The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson - Unforgivable Blackness"

About the great Heavyweight World Champion boxer.

Part 1:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex1TX2Vp3pQ

Part 2:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAy-Sz0LDow

One of the best documentaries I've ever seen. Never shown here. I had to watch it in numerous small bits on YouTube when I saw it.
Good to see someone has now put it up in just two continual and consecutive parts.

short and incredibly moving documentary about the 'matchstick man' boxer johnny owen whom died in the ring

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2XuN934ksA

Apologies if this has already been posted:

The Civil War - a documentary by Ken Burns. Tells the story of the American civil war. Not merely a retelling of the major battles, it relies heavily on contemporaneous diaries, letters etc. I was never much interested in American history before watching this. I am now. It's not just we British that can make excellent stuff for TV.

SHOAH by Claude Lanzmann

quite simply the greatest documentary ever made on the Holocaust.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shoah-4-DVD-Set-Simon-Srebnik/dp/B000G8O00C/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1350528193&sr=1-1

The Donner Party.

Just totally fascinating haunting and absorbing from the start

The best documentary I ever saw.

Can be seen here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZe4SmIH_U4

Zeitgeist

Tommy Toes

Thanks for putting that link up.

I read a book about him a few yrs back so I look forward to watching that.

Keep them coming lads.

Peter TP
amazing story well told
liked the one about barings bank too posted earlier
note to self..must get out more

ranader 17 Oct 12 22:38

There was on on BBC a few years ago where Owen's dad met Pintor, was excellent but very sad to watch.

Monte Christo, you're welcome - and won't be disappointed when you watch it.

Jack Johnson was an exceptional man - and not just for his boxing prowess.

It's a fascinating slice of history regarding the absurd notions people had/have about the colour of a person's skin - and also of indomitable human spirit, which Jack was abundant in.

creatureinthesky
yep saw that one too.very emotional and another superb documentary
amazing scenes too btw when mike tyson came to merthyr to see johnny owens statue and meet the people

Hearts of darkness - "There have been few sharper portraits of the film maker as alchemist than "Hearts of Darkness: A Film Maker's Apocalypse," in which Francis Ford Coppola is seen struggling with hellish logistical problems, wild-card actors, freak accidents and other unseen demons, then ultimately pulling a miracle out of his hat."

Brilliant clip of Martin Sheen teetering on the brink :

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGkIQWzearw


Dig! - "Seven years in the making, this documentary tracks, then-unknown, US bands The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre as they launch their musical careers. Pretty soon the Dandys make it big, while Jonestown start to crumble under the weight of their frontman’s ego"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhWlukvCFEY

Hearts of darkness - "There have been few sharper portraits of the film maker as alchemist than "Hearts of Darkness: A Film Maker's Apocalypse," in which Francis Ford Coppola is seen struggling with hellish logistical problems, wild-card actors, freak accidents and other unseen demons, then ultimately pulling a miracle out of his hat."

In a similar vein - Lost in La Mancha, charting Terry Gilliam's ultimately doomed attempts to film Don Quixote on location is supposed to be worth a watch. I haven't seen it though.

For people who like nature documentaries I'd recommend Buddha,Bees and the Giant Hornet.

Really enjoyed it myself.Think it's still available on youtube.

cosmos - it's dated but it's what i use to fall asleep to -

artists and models - about three artists in France - engres,david and Gercault.

american experience - american histories.

Just getting into the ESPN 30 FOR 30 series. They really are top notch. My favourite is Catching Hell. The story of Steve Bartman, a Chicago Cubs fan who had to go into hiding after he deflected a foul ball away from one of their fielders in a playoff game in 2003.

Does anyone remember the name of that documentary series (think it was BBC), where a couple of guys in the 1920's took cine film of crowd scenes at football matches, people walking down the promenade,and people leaving the factories etc.

I think they were based in the north. The films had only just been found and had been re-edited. The series was a 3 parter I think, obviously in black and white.

It gave you a great insight into days gone by

Lost World of Mitchell and Kenyon ???

Lost World of Mitchell and Kenyon ???

thats the one  - thanks.

Need to see if I can find it somewhere.

G mclennan v n benn fight on itv4 now.  2200 to 2330, looks good so far.

^^seen this v good

Rob, did you read the book "War Baby" about the fight??

No i didnt.  I remember watching the fight though.  Was a great time to be a british boxing fan,of course a shame about what happened to watson and gmac.