Reviews Articles - The Documentary Network

Bully – 2011 (REVIEW)

Documentary.net staff — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 09:59:41 +0000

In this controversial but generally well-received documentary, award-winning director Lee Hirsch (NextWorld) covers an explosive topic: millions of American children are bullied at school every year. Far from harmless “child’s play”, bullying often has devastating psychological effects, sometimes even leading to suicide. Bully (originally titled “The Bully Project”) is not so much an analytical doc about the reasons for the phenomenon but a film about the young victims and their families. This makes the viewing experience quite heartbreaking and sad – Bully is emotionally powerful from the first frame, showing home video footage of a boy who hung himself after being bullied at school. His parents are now part of an initiative to end bullying and the scenes with them talking about their loss are among the saddest in recent documentary history. This is not a pleasant film, but an important one. Hirsch follows several victims of bullying through their daily routine, shows them at home or at school and lets them talk about their experiences. “I feel kind of nervous on the school bus … They punch me, strangle me, take things from me, sit on me”, young Alex recounts. A girl named Ja'Maya was arrested for taking a gun to a school bus because she had been bullied there and wanted to defend herself (as a result, she was sent to a Juvenile Delinquent Center) and Kelby, living in the Bible Belt, is excluded because she is homosexual. Hirsch takes his time with each kid, showing what it’s like to be an outsider. No doubt than many will be reminded of their own time at school. The saying “Kids can be cruel” is well known but rarely has it been as evident as in this film. Touching and powerful as the doc is, Bully has some shortcomings: It would have been interesting to hear the stories of the bullies too (What is the reason for their behaviour?) and statistical material is absent. But there is no denial of the impact the film has on the viewer. There are even some uplifting moments, especially when Hirsch shows the anti-bullying movement and the attention it created for the topic. An important film about one of the biggest problems in today’s society. Documentary.net says: Powerful, emotionally touching documentary about an important topic. Watch the film

Searching for Sugar Man (REVIEW)

Documentary.net staff — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 09:55:01 +0000

Some stories are so incredible that one hardly believes them but Searching for Sugar Man, nominated for an Academy Award this year, is no mockumentary. Directed by Malik Bendjelloul and co-produced by Academy Award Winner Simon Chinn (Man on Wire), the doc tells the story of Rodriguez, a singer/songwriter from Detroit, who recorded two albums in the early 1970s (the film’s title comes from the catchy song “Sugar Man”, an immediate stay-in-your-ear sing-along). The songs of the shy “hippie with shades”, as he is called in the film, were easily as good as Dylan’s, mixing poetry with social commentary. His producers, who worked with the likes of Marvin Gaye or The Four Tops, expected big things, but the records flopped and Rodriguez drifted into obscurity. In most cases, the story would end here but this is where Searching for Sugar Man starts. In Apartheid-era South Africa, Rodriguez sold hundreds of thousands of LPs and CDs. There, he was as big as Elvis, even inspiring the anti-Apartheid-movement. But he didn’t know about it and his South African fans believed he was dead (there was a rumour he had committed suicide on stage). “To us, it was one of the most famous albums of all time”, says Stephen Segerman, a record shop owner in Cape Town about the LP “Cold Facts”. Together with a friend of his, music journalist Craig Bartholomew-Strydom, Segerman tried to find out what really happened to Rodriguez. Using interviews, animation and of course the great songs of Rodriguez, Searching for Sugar Man is a very touching film that solves some mysteries and leaves other things open (which can be a good thing too). If you haven’t seen the film yet and/or never heard of the man you should definitely watch the film – and not do any research beforehand. Searching for Sugar Man – which has some nice location shots of Detroit and South Africa and also features interesting archive footage – is full of bittersweet surprises that shouldn’t be spoiled. Sugar man you’re the answer / That makes my questions disappear... Documentary.net says: Great documentary about one of the most enigmatic artists in the history of pop music with a wonderful soundtrack. Definitely Oscar-worthy. Watch the trailer

The Great Olympic Greenwash [REVIEW]

Brigitte Auer — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 19:34:11 +0000

For a few weeks all eyes and most of our media’s lenses are focused on London while the city hosts its third Olympic Games – the first one to do that. Naturally, a high profile event such as this proves to be a more than welcome occasion for a country to advertise their image and also for different groups and organisations to publicise their agendas. That includes different lobbies and special interest groups and of course more visibly, companies serving as sponsors to the event. The months leading to the grand opening ceremony on July 27th have been marked (and aren’t they always in a case like that?) by minor scandals and major worries. And mostly because of the latter, concerning safety of course, a few other issues haven’t gotten the attention they deserve. One of those issues, and a major one at that, is the Olympic committee’s claim to host the most environmental friendly games to date. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) therefore released a sustainable sourcing code “ensuring that products and services are sourced and produced under a set of internationally acceptable environmental, social and ethical guidelines and standards.” As doubts and protests have arisen because of that claim, Mei-Ling McNamara, a journalist with Al Jazeera began investigating, resulting in this very informative made-for-TV documentary first broadcasted in June. The films subject is the Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto who deliver 99% of the raw materials used for the 4700 Olympic medals, which are the biggest and heaviest to date. But superlatives are no news to Rio Tinto: Kennecott mine just 25 miles outside of Salt Lake City, Utah is one of the largest open pit extraction operations in the world. There is no other mine this big located so close to an urban population. Aerial photos evoke the feeling of catastrophic explosions or mythical conceptions of an enormous black hole leading straight to hell. But the biggest problem certainly is not Kennecott’s lack in beauty. Doctors, environmental experts and activists claim Rio Tinto violates the US Clean Air Act by not having kept to emission standards or production limits for the last five years. This resulted in Salt Lake City becoming the ninth most toxic city in the US since the mining company moved to town and thus especially endangering the lives of children. A lawsuit is under way. The film is part of a series of documentaries on Al Jazeera under the title “People and Power” and true to that slogan it features single protagonists who don’t accept to be part of a mute crowd in the face of powerful economic or political players. McNamara gives a balanced overlook – or would, if Rio Tinto same as the Olympic committee wouldn’t have refused to answer questions but in short slick written statements and even worse with different committees shifting the responsibility on to each other. That sums up the major problem, which is not failing in fulfilling a high goal itself but missing the opportunity to set a precedent to look up to and model standards for future events. Instead they send the message that it’s okay to cheat – and the Olympic medals are quite the symbol to send this kind of message. The doc focuses solely on Rio Tinto’s Utah based mine (the company also operates in Mongolia, causing serious problems for the already scarce local water sources in the Gobi desert) ‘though there are in fact two more companies out of the Game’s vast circle of sponsors (aka “sustainability partners”) that should be subject to closer investigation, namely BP and Dow Chemicals. “Greenwash Gold 2012”, a campaign started by three international organisations – solidarity, human rights, development and environmental groups – commissioned animated short films about the three controversial firms and call on the public to vote for the winner of the gold medal in green-washing. More information on the campaign, the participating groups as well as the problems Rio Tinto, BP and Dow Chemicals are causing can be found at www.greenwashgold.org. Watch the animated short about Rio Tinto by Irene Fuga on YouTube Of course it should also be mentioned that at a time when weight-related illnesses, especially in children, are becoming one of the biggest problems Western societies have to face, health-wise, there should have been an outcry when McDonald’s, Coca Cola and Cadbury got slots as three of the main sponsors to an event that could have been a possibility to advocate healthy diets and an active lifestyle for young viewers. Instead it is once again a golden opportunity for named companies to green-wash their greasy and sticky hands and to be associated with athletic bodies, entertainment and winning. Alas, let the games begin. Documentary.net says: A well-made journalistic documentary about a small fraction of the whole green-washing problematic. And a good way to remind us: not all that glitters – as we all very well know – is gold and not all that is being promised to us is green. Watch the film

Detroit Lives – Johnny Knoxville explores the new D [REVIEW]

Documentary.net staff — Sat, 19 May 2012 23:32:35 +0000

The downfall of Detroit is a story often told. Once a boomtown and the world’s automotive capital (that became the fourth largest city of the United States), competition from foreign car producers and the gasoline crisis in the seventies took their toll. The violent crime rate is among the highest in the US and many of the factories are in ruins today. Seems like the perfect city for Johnny “Jackass” Knoxville, a man known to disrespect danger. But surprisingly the doc Detroit Lives is not about Knoxville taking on gangsters – it shows the other side of the city. Knoxville visits artists and entrepreneurs, talks to them and discovers that Detroit is “... a blank canvas for developing business, for anything you can think of”, as one of the artists puts it. These possibilities change the city constantly. Though the film shows run-down facilities, it is not about “ruin porn” as a protagonist calls it, referring to tourists who come to Detroit enjoying the look of the empty factories. The film, directed by Thalia Mavros, is about the possibilities of starting all over and how young people – artists and entrepreneurs – take advantage of that. The cheap rents make it possible to use even big warehouses for a diversity of purposes – be it a barbecue franchise or a clubbing facility. Detroit Lives has a positive tone about it and does away with clichés. It also has plenty of comedy in it, particularly when it shows Knoxville riding through town in his convertible, being in awe that a regular Detroit street is almost as broad as a highway. Also he meets many people who tell intersting stories about Detroit, past and present. Another fascinating scene shows Knoxville, together with a couple from Detroit, exploring the inside of Eastown Theater, a one-time rock venue. One can still see how beautiful the building once was, though it now looks like it was hit by a bomb. Archive footage shows how diverse the musical scene once was there and of course the film wouldn’t be complete if it didn’t touch on the legendary Motown-Time, when Soul was king in Detroit. Maybe the city will boom again like it used to, who knows. After watching Detroit Lives you might feel the desire to go to Detroit, a city constantly changing, a place where everything seems to be possible and that soon might be called the Berlin of the USA. documentary.net say: Dynamic documentary that shows the other side of Motown. Watch the film here

Pina – Documentary – Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel [REVIEW]

Documentary.net staff — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 15:42:03 +0000

Documentary.net special: Oscar nominated documentaries 2012 German-born Pina Bausch (1940 – 2009) was a pioneer in the international world of dancing. Combining modern dance with elements of pantomime, song or acting, she is regarded as the inventor of the so-called „Tanztheater“. Famous arthouse-director Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas, 1984;Wings of Desire, 1987) also combines different elements for his oscar-nominated documentary simply named Pina. Shot in 3D, the film mixes beautfully film dancing sequences (like Pauschs version of Le sacre du printemps) with interviews. To put a finishing touch to it, Wenders added dance choreographies that were filmed round Wuppertal, Germany where Pausch lived. Like Werner Herzog´s masterpiece Cave of Forgotten Dreams (that was robbed by the Academy this year), Pina proves that 3D is not only a gimmick for blockbusters to make explosions look better but can, when properly used, enhance the artistic possibilites of the medium film. The dancers in this film come closer to the viewer than in a dancing theatre – truly sensual and beautiful. The comparison of scenes with reduced, yet artificial sets and those that are shot in Wuppertal – next to streets and highways – make for a great viewing experience. Wenders has created a cinematic monument for a truly impressive woman, who, without a doubt, was a genius in her field. documentary.net says: Wim Wenders best film in a long time is a visually stunning hommage to choreographer Pina Bausch.

See the trailer of all Oscar nominees Documentary

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front [REVIEW]

Documentary.net staff — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:36:45 +0000

Documentary.net special: Oscar nominated documentaries 2012. Director Marshall Curry is no stranger to the Oscars: in 2006, his film Street Fight (which covered the mayoral campaign in Newark, New Jersey) was nominated for Best Documentary Feature – as is his latest doc. If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front also covers political and social issues; it centers on environmentalist Daniel McGowan, a former member of the “Earth Liberation Front” (also known als ELF), a worldwide collective of eco-guerillas. In 2005, McGowan was arrested together with five other people in one of the largest arrests of environmental activists in US-history. The accusal: arson and domestic terrorism. The group had burnt down the Superior Lumber Company in Glendale, Oregon in 2001 and Jefferson Poplar Farms in Clatskanie, Oregon. Curry explores the motivation of the ELF and asks if what they did would qualify as either “terrorism” or “crime”. An important question for the accused, as a conviction because of terrorism means imprisonment in a high security facility. The film is well balanced and shows both sides of the story: McGowan and other former members of the ELF are interviewed as well as police officers, prosecutors and the managers of burnt down facilities. It all comes down to two big questions: What drove idealistic young people to such drastic measures? And were those means justified? Curry tries to deliver answers through news footage and videos shot by activists themselves. Some of the footage is quite drastic, as it shows in detail how violent police forces handle peaceful protestors. We get to see a lot of the private and personal side of McGowan, while he waits for his trial (he even marries his girlfriend). He seems like a nice, quiet person and when his sister says: „He had a totally normal childhood“ you believe her. But McGowan was worried that the environment would be destroyed by the big companies. The US-cell of the ELF was born when a peaceful protest against a parking lot escalated (Curry covers this with newsreel footage that might appear disturbing to some viewers). These violent events radicalized McGowan and his collaborators and they decided that peaceful demonstrations weren’t enough. If a Tree Falls not only demonstrates how well-organised the cell was (animated dramatizations visualise the ELF committing the arsons) but also shows in detail how the Department of Justice was able to track the group down after four years. Viewers who don’t know about the outcome of the trial will find the film not only informative, but also thrilling. If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front addresses important themes and moral questions. A film which should be interesting to anyone who is concerned about the environment. Documentary.net says: A well-balanced documentary about the phenomenon eco-terrorism that allows the viewer to make his own judgement.

Watch Academy Awards 2012 documentary nominees trailers

“180” Movie – Ray Comforts Hitler vs Abortion Film [REVIEW]

Brigitte Auer — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:34:44 +0000

“Have you heard of Adolf Hitler?” – “No.” – “You don't know who he is?” – “No.” “He was kind of a president.” – “He had a moustache.” – “He was a communist leader in Germany.” – “An actor or someone.” ... Ray Comfort nearly had me there. And then he made me angry. Very angry. To the point where I’m actually not sure wheter to write a single sentence about this piece of election propaganda or just keep quiet – as bad publicity is still better than no publicity. To put my conclusio in the beginning: my biggest problem with this documentary is not the foreshortened editing Comfort makes in his and his believe’s favour, not the pseudo-logical take with which he lures his not quite eloquent interviewees towards his goal and not even the missing counter arguments or opposite opinions a fair and objectively weighed film would need. The point that (unfortunately) gets my emotions boiling over is that you can NOT compare abortion to the Holocaust (being the term he uses for what might be more correctly called the Shoah). It does not matter wheter you personally are pro-joice or pro-life (or anti-abortion if you will) – to call abortion a modern Holocaust is simply a cruel ridiculing of what happend to the millions of jewish, gipsy, homosexual, socialist, communist or in any other way different or defamed people who had to die or suffer during the Nazi regime. It was of course by far not the only atrocity in the cruel history of this planet, but to put the word Holocaust so easily in another context is mocking the destiny and memory of the dead and those who survived alike – especially when talking in the name of God. So much for my initial emotional response. Let’s now revisit the path this film takes in terms of telling its story. Ray Comfort is a Christian preacher and also mentions to have jewish ancestry – wheter he tells the audience that to gain credibility for the cause to follow is uncertain. He starts by asking mainly adolescent people of different ethnic backgrounds if they know who Adolf Hitler was and gets mostly shockingly ignorant answers. Those who forget history are bound to repeat it, Comfort reminds the audience rightly. Of course we don’t know how many people the preacher really interviewed in the course of making this film, we don’t know the answers they gave and how many of those didn’t have a “180” – the change of heart he so famously advertises. But he managed to gain sympathy within the initial moments of the film. After diving a bit more into the history of WWII he offers thought experiments: if you had the possibility of killing Hitler, would you have done it and thereby prevent the killings of millions? And what if 30 years earlier there was the chance to kill Hitler’s pregnant mother? Would you still do it? These questions of consciense are not easily replied to aswell are those about to follow, for example if you’d rather kill or be killed yourself. One of the things that produce a bitter reflux is that the only contrast given to those people who let themselves be stirred in the direction Comfort wants, are two neo-Nazis full of hatred who are not only morons (which they are to an extent I can’t depict in only a matter of words) but – and here’s the crux – they don’t believe in God. And to stress it more firmly they are the only ones in the film who really clarify not having faith in a higher power, whichever name you might give it. And so the feeling lingers that not only are those Nazis Atheists but that Atheists might be evil for lack of a moral code – the Ten Commandments to be precise. Of course our preacher does not put it in those exact words but by analogy of quoting Hitler about his low esteem for Christianity (in fact a misquote though not wrong in its content) and by those two human examples of the worst kind of non-believers we are led to feel that value of life and a sense of right and wrong are only possible if you believe in God. After the first mind experiments the questions get trickier. Back to choosing your own life over the lives of others: you value human life, so what about abortion? Comfort asks the people if they think it’s a baby, a “life” one is killing in an abortion. Most of them admit they are not sure. So Comfort gives an analogy: you’re a construction worker and you’re going to blow up this building. There's a possibility, there's someone in there, but you just don't know ... Don’t be mistaken, those are valid questions, but Ray Comfort is not looking for valid answers. If he were, he would have interviewed doctors, scientists maybe even philosophers because it’s not a question of killing “life” as the definition of life, consciousness, connections of nerves etc. is given (or is up for debate if you beg to differ), but the equally difficult and important question of preventing a human being from, well, being. But while at this particular course of argumentation – and unfortunately Comfort doesn’t share his point of view on that subject – what about birth control? What about those billions, trillions, quadrillions of lives that didn’t have a chance to dip into existence? As mentioned before, it is propaganda and not documentary to deny the audience counter opinions and especially expert opinions. Ray Comfort is well prepared in answering raised concerns like being raped and pregnant as a result of that (“why should the child be punished for the crime of the father?”) or the possibility of a child born with disabilities. The interviewees are not prepared and are not really thinking that fast on their feet. In the end there is no answer what to do for example if the health of the mother were to be risked because of her pregnancy. Aborting a child is the path to hell (see mentioned Commandments) we learn. But is killing Hitler’s pregnant mother the answer to preventing the Holocaust, is it murder or even Holocaust itself then? Unfortunately Ray Comfort doesn’t give us the answer to that. Documentary.net says: Make up your own minds about this film but bear in those same minds the concerns about the methods preacher Comfort uses to make ends meet. See the full film here

Big Vinny [REVIEW]

Oliver Stangl — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:28:39 +0000

The Big Vinny is another great short doc by the makers of the “California is a place” series and portrays “Big Vinny” Rich Lieberman, a former used car salesman from Alameda: “Every terrible expression you’ve ever heard about car salesmen – it’s true! Come and see me!”, says Vinny (who got his nickname from a TV commercial for a pizza called The Big Vinny) and you can’t help but feel entertained from the first second you see him on screen. “This is the most difficult job in the world with exception of one, that’s president of the United States.” Lieberman is really an actor, a comedian. He compares himself to an artist: “Either you have it or you don’t have it.” But his humor can’t hide the fact that Lieberman went through hard times. Some years ago he was a local cult figure in Alameda, practically everybody knew him or had heard about him. Business was good, he sold a huge amount of cars on a daily basis – and “Big Vinny” enjoys talking about those old times. In reality, of course, the crisis didn’t happen decades ago but only some years ago. “Business changed quite a bit … People became more and more choosy and business became more and more pronounced.”, Lieberman explains. The film’s sad, but beautiful images work as social commentary on contemporary America: the flag waves upon a desolated car park. The financial crisis hit America hard and the car business was one of its victims. Documentary.net says: This great mini doc from Drea Cooper & Zackary Canepari, the very talented makers of the “California is a place” series manages to be sad and entertaining at the same time. See the film here

The Absence of Silence – Tinnitus (2001) [Review]

Oliver Stangl — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:22:42 +0000

The film starts with the classic Rock’n’Roll hit “Chantilly Lace” but before one can really get into the mood of dancing, a disturbing noise fades in and soon predominates. “What’s this?”, the viewer might think. “I would rather enjoy the music and not listen to that horrible sound.” That’s what makes the opening of Jemma Ridley’s The Absence of Silence: Tinnitus so effective. Imagine you would have to live with that sound not for just a few seconds but day in, day out. Tinnitus can be defined as "perception of sound in the absence of any correspondent external sound (...) The noise may be heard in one ear, in both ears or in the middle of the head.” The film follows four people who suffer from the symptom (Tinnitus is not defined as a sickness per se) and who learned to cope with it. (The precise cause for Tinnitus is still not fully understood by the way, but experiences of Tinnitus are common in all age groups, especially following exposure to loud noise; ten percent of the population have it all the time.) The documentary makes subtle use of the soundtrack, for example when civil servant Fiona describes what she hears as a “high-pitched ping” and that exact sound fades in. The film also combines image effect and sound effect, for example when Fiona describes the hissing in her ears as “white noise”. The image turns to white while hissing can be heard on the soundtrack. The images also are often out of focus, visualizing something that is there but can’t be grabbed – just like Tinnitus. At certain points the film suddenly becomes totally silent, breaching the viewer’s listening habit. One of the docs strongest images is a shot of fish in an aquarium. At first only gentle bubbling is audible but soon chatter and laughter takes over, getting louder and louder. At last, there is only white noise. The doc makes clear that people who suffer from Tinnitus still can carry out their jobs – Iain is a drummer and Ricardo works as a musician and sound engineer. In the beginning, Ricardo was frantic: “You know it’s going to be there forever. In the beginning you get really desperate, there is no way to shut it down.” But Ricardo learned to focus on the positive effects: “It brought me some bad things and it brought me some good things. It made me stronger.” Tinnitus can cause stress, anger, anxiety and frustration; the film points out that when you suffer from something uncurable you have to arrange yourself with the situation. Says David, a professor of auditory neuroscience who researches the causes of Tinnitus: “Being a positive person certainly helps.” Documentary.net says: An insightful, well made film that tries to give the viewer a comprehensible impression of Tinnitus through sound effects and visual compositions. Watch the film here

Step Across the Border (1990) [Review]

Brian Dorsey — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:47:09 +0000

A cinematic portrait of English guitarist, composer and improviser Fred Frith, Step Across the Border is a mixture of improvised music and cinema direct. Shot in black and white on 35 mm film, this “avant-garde documentary” was made between 1988 and 1990 in Japan, Italy, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, England, the US and Switzerland.

There is no narration and the musicians, the music and locations are also not named. Those musicians who do appear, however, include Iva Bittová. Tom Cora, Pavel Fajt, Tim Hodgkinson, René Lussier, Bob Ostertag and John Zorn. Frith and others are seen rehearsing and performing, interspersed with moving images (cars, grass, people, trains) blending into the music. More an art film than simply a documentary on a musician, one of its most impressive scenes shows Frith on a rocky sea coast surrounded by sea gulls, imitating their squawks with his violin and bow. Step Across the Border won "Best Documentary" at the European Film Awards in 1990. Read more about music documentaries

The Decline of Western Civilization (1981) [Review]

Brian Dorsey — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:57:53 +0000

The first part of what was to become a trilogy, The Decline of Western Civilization documents the burgeoning Los Angeles punk music scene between December 1979 and May 1980. Capturing the gritty intimacy of various venues, clubhouses and private homes, Penelope Spheeris showcases “legendary” LA punk formations like The Alice Bag Band, Black Flag (before Henry Rollins), The Circle Jerks, Catholic Discipline, Fear, The Germs, and X. Rounding off the musical picture are interviews with club owners, various local punks, as well as Robert Biggs, publisher of Slash magazine. Several classic statements originate from The Germs’ manager Nicole Panter (“…it’s like being a mother of four three-year-olds who are always fighting with each other”; “….and eventually they learned how to play”). Darby Crash, the Germs lead singer who plays a prominent role in this documentary, never lived to see its big screen debut. He died of a heroin-induced suicide shortly before it hit the theaters. It is not a pretty film, but punk was never meant to be a pretty music, either. http://documentary.net/magazine/music-documentaries-guide-to-the-genres/">Read more about music documentaries

The Kids Are Alright (1979) [Review]

Brian Dorsey — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:29:51 +0000

A rockumentary about the English rock band The Who, featuring live performances, promotional films and interviews from 1964 to 1978. Jeff Stein, an American admirer of the band, approached guitarist Pete Townsend in 1975 about assembling a collections of film clips, mainly for fans of the band. Although he had no previous experience in filmmaking, Stein convinced the West London foursome to go along with the project.

The Kids Are Alright – the title of one of The Who’s first singles – begins with their unforgettable September 1967 appearance on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. At the request of drummer Keith Moon, a stagehand overloaded Moon’s kick drum with explosives. After the band had roared through a guitar- and speaker-smashing rendition of “My Generation,” a deafening explosion literally blew Moon off the stage and supposedly caused Pete Townshend’s permanent hearing damage. Other highlights chronicle the madcap adventures of Keith Moon, who died six months before the film was released, as well as bassist John Entwistle shooting up copies of his gold records. An energetic, diversified tribute to one of the best British rock bands of the 20th Century. Read more about music documentaries

A Great Day in Harlem (1994) [Review]

Brian Dorsey — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:05:55 +0000

On a warm summer morning in 1958, Esquire magazine editors arranged a meeting of jazz musicians to pose for a “class photo” in front of a Harlem brownstone for the January 1959 special issue entitled “The Golden Age of Jazz.” This emblematic image was taken by Art Kane, an Esquire design editor who had never worked as a professional photographer before. Zooming in and out of the photograph, director Jean Bach combines archival black-and-white footage, home-movie color footage of the photograph being taken, as well as interviews with Art Blakey, Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, Marian McPartland, Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver and others who were present that day. Other prominent interviewees include the photographer Art Kane, and the Esquire graphics editor, Robert Benton. In addition, the film offers brief portraits of Count Basie, Coleman Hawkins, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Maxine Sullivan, Mary Lou Williams and Lester Young. Finally, several of the neighborhood kids who snuck into the photograph tell their stories. Narrated by Quincy Jones, A Great Day in Harlem masterfully recalls what was most likely the reatest assembly of jazz musicians ever at one place. A must- (or should-) see for jazz fans, this film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature. Read more about music documentaries

Charles Manson – Then & Now [Review]

Oliver Stangl — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 21:11:44 +0000

True fame, this documentary tells us, is when people only need someone’s last name to know exactly whom they’re talking about. Even after the adaption by musician Brian Hugh Warner alias Marilyn Manson (choosing another iconic name as his stage persona’s first one), “Manson” still works as a synonym for the cold-bloodedness and cruelty that made the criminal mastermind behind his infamous “Family” world-famous. After all those years, Manson still resides on the peak of pop culture’s spectrum’s dark realms. His appearance marked the moment the free spirit and light-heartedness of the Hippie era came to an end. The 1934-born fatherless “no-name-Maddox” seemed to be an outcast by nature with a soon starting career of petty crimes, different homes and juvenile detention centres. Manson just wouldn’t fit in. A fact he himself must have been aware of when – after seven years behind bars – he didn’t want to leave prison. It was the year 1967 and society maybe the whole world had changed dramatically. The youth fought social structures and ex-cons like Manson were admirable martyrs. Being a skilled guitarist he was a hit not only with teenagers but also with Hollywood celebrities and musicians: one of Manson's songs is to be found (un-credited) on the Beach Boys record “2020”. This 1992 documentary which visually has a bit of an 80s touch to it was written, produced and directed by Nick Bougas. The narrator Harold Wells talks his head off and doesn’t seem to breathe at all while tracing the steps and trying to find out how Manson built his commune-like “Family” and what, when the paranoia and delusions kicked in, made them do the senseless cruelties they committed and most famously cost the lives of Roman Polanski’s wife, actress Sharon Tate and her unborn child. An associative picture-stream mixed with rich historical documentation as well as audio and video interviews with Manson himself make this feature an interesting as well as diverting piece of TV production in the midst of those myriads of books, exploitation films, comics, theatre plays, buttons, stickers and artwork there are on the topic. As an encore the documentary shortly retells the story of two of the most notorious serial killers in the history of the US: the necrophile, cannibalistic and human-skinning Edward Gein who was part of the inspiration behind Alfred Hitchcock's “Psycho” and the man who inspired “Texas Chain Saw Massacre”, John Gacy who sodomised, strangled and buried more than 30 boys most of them in his own house. Documentary.net says: probably not the newest/best documentary on the subject out there but definitely a very good start for those interested.

Aquadettes – Synchronized Swimming (2011) [Review]

Brigitte Auer — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:53:26 +0000

This short documentary directed by Drea Cooper and Zackary Canepari (for their “California is a place” project, which covers different aspects of the Golden State) is a charming and touching portrait of elderly women practicing synchronized swimming. The film particularly focuses on 74-year-old Margo Bouer who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and nausea. She clearly is not your everyday senior: to fight the nausea she smokes medical marihuana and to ease the effects of Multiple Sclerosis she goes swimming with the "Aquadettes". "When I first started it, there were more of us and we were meeting every day. You know, just for the love of swimming and just fooling around and trying out new stunts”, Bouer recollects. “Aquadettes” not only takes place around the pool but follows Bouer, who has to use a walker and an electro-mobile through her daily life. "I don’t think about myself as an old person", says Bouer, who also touches upon the suicide thoughts she had when her health started to take a turn for the worse. “It was staying alive versus killing myself." Elderly peoples’ worries about sickness and near death are still a taboo in today’s society; listening to what this charismatic, graceful woman has to say is a remarkable experience and makes this film very commendable and touching. The directors also manage to bring humour to the film, for example when they have the Aquadettes pose to the Beach Boys song "California Girls". Though the film picks Bouer for a closer portrayal, it also is about the importance of team work, about working together towards a common goal. When the women try new swimming choreographies you can clearly see the joy in their faces. "Aquadettes" manages to tell more in its 10 minute running time than some other docs do in 90 minutes. A great film about not giving in to helplessness. documentary.net says: A very touching and nicely photographed short.