Could anyone recommend any excellent documentaries?

thadman · 3rd March 2011, 12:39 PM

I recently picked up the 34-part "World at War" documentary series. I've found it to be incredibly informative, especially with regards to socioeconomics and the politics involved. They have interviews from individuals on all sides (politicians, analysts, generals, officers, soldiers, civilians, etc), more video than I've ever seen and make significant references to the war's effect on culture. (the soviet poem "Wait for Me" was pretty sobering and most British War Propaganda shown was simply hilarious). Quite excellent imo.

The quality of this documentary has come as quite a shock to me, I'm used to watching History channel documentaries and they seem to have all rehashed footage and their insights aren't particularly enlightening.

Has anybody had a similar experience with other documentaries? Any particular ones you'd recommend?

Thanks,
Thadman

Steve Dunlap · 3rd March 2011, 01:47 PM

White Light Black Rain.

CopperTop · 3rd March 2011, 02:54 PM

I recommend 'The Trap' by Adam Curtis for the BBC. In fact, anything by Adam Curtis. You will not be disappointed!

The Trap (television documentary series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You can see his stuff on Youtube:
YouTube - The Trap - We Will Force You To Be Free (1 of 6)

Also, from my UK-centric standpoint, anything by Jonathan Meades, such as this:
YouTube - Jonathan Meades :: Remember The Future (1/3)

scott wurcer · 6th March 2011, 01:18 AM

Yes "The Trap" incredible a must see.

wakibaki · 6th March 2011, 01:34 AM

David Attenborough's BBC documentaries, starting with 'Life on Earth' are beyond comparison. Just stunning, you can get them as a boxed set of DVDs. You might be able to get a taster online. Some of the later ones were shown on HD satellite.

The blurb describes them as among the greatest and most beautiful nature documentaries even made.

Life on Earth
The Living Planet
Trials of Life
Life in the Freezer
The Private Life of Plants
The Life of Birds
The Life of Mammals
Life in the Undergrowth

And this comes from a war documentary addict.

w

albin · 12:40 PM

Howard Goodall did an ace series on music.channel 4 I think.
Got me good.
regards Max Albin
ps on googling, he's done a few.

jrenkin · 6th March 2011, 12:56 PM

One that I thought was amazing, and perhaps appropriate to this forum, is "making of a Steinway" or a title close to that. It is available on the PBS website I believe. Jaw dropping artisanship in making one of those. And a dying art.

johnYks · 6th March 2011, 02:28 PM

Howard Goodall's Big Bangs (All his programs are excellent)

Civilisation_Kenneth Clarke

The Ascent Of Man_Dr . Jacob Bronowski

The Day The Universe Changed_James Burke

The Private Life Of A Masterpiece

The Journey Of Man

Baroness Susan Greenfield_'Brain Story'

Apeman: Adventures In Human Evolution

The Corporation

HORIZON_series of BBC programs

A History Of Britain

A History Of Scotland

SCORCESE_
A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies

My Voyage To Italy

Anything by John Rommer

Greek Fire

On Youtube the site: Her Aeolian Harp

I'll post more essential documentaries when I've had time to mull it over.

Yours Sincerely
John

kevinahcc20 · 6th March 2011, 02:37 PM

Not a film documentary but if you enjoyed "World at War" you might consider reading Winston Churchill's "History of the Second World War"...obviously a non-detached perspective but from an author with masterful prose who was as inside as you could get. If you like that move on to same author's "History of the English Speaking Peoples"

johnYks · 03:05 PM

Good luck finding a copy of it

BUT superb.

Dancing In The Steet (1995) BBC

Dancing in the Street (TV Series 1995) - IMDb

Dodgy site and the quality is 'dogshit' BUT at least you can watch it

Dancing In The Street - A Rock And Roll History (1995) - Xvid Avi - QuickSilverScreen Forum

The narrator and production values are first rate!

3rd March 2011, 12:39 PM	#1
thadman diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: west lafayette	Could anyone recommend any excellent documentaries? I recently picked up the 34-part "World at War" documentary series. I've found it to be incredibly informative, especially with regards to socioeconomics and the politics involved. They have interviews from individuals on all sides (politicians, analysts, generals, officers, soldiers, civilians, etc), more video than I've ever seen and make significant references to the war's effect on culture. (the soviet poem "Wait for Me" was pretty sobering and most British War Propaganda shown was simply hilarious). Quite excellent imo. The quality of this documentary has come as quite a shock to me, I'm used to watching History channel documentaries and they seem to have all rehashed footage and their insights aren't particularly enlightening. Has anybody had a similar experience with other documentaries? Any particular ones you'd recommend? Thanks, Thadman __________________ "It is a profound and necessary truth that the deep things in science are not found because they are useful; they are found because it was possible to find them."

6th March 2011, 01:18 AM	#4
scott wurcer diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: cambridge ma	Yes "The Trap" incredible a must see. __________________ 2012, our time is running out.

6th March 2011, 12:32 PM	#6
albin diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2008	Independantly verified by my sister. Howard Goodall did an ace series on music.channel 4 I think. Got me good. regards Max Albin ps on googling, he's done a few. Last edited by albin; 6th March 2011 at 12:40 PM. Reason: Top Geezer

6th March 2011, 02:37 PM	#9
kevinahcc20 diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Farmington Hills, MI USA	Not a film documentary but if you enjoyed "World at War" you might consider reading Winston Churchill's "History of the Second World War"...obviously a non-detached perspective but from an author with masterful prose who was as inside as you could get. If you like that move on to same author's "History of the English Speaking Peoples" __________________ Kevin(ahcc20)...I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!

6th March 2011, 03:01 PM	#10
johnYks diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2006	Good luck finding a copy of it BUT superb. Dancing In The Steet (1995) BBC Dancing in the Street (TV Series 1995) - IMDb Dodgy site and the quality is 'dogshit' BUT at least you can watch it Dancing In The Street - A Rock And Roll History (1995) - Xvid Avi - QuickSilverScreen Forum The narrator and production values are first rate! Last edited by johnYks; 6th March 2011 at 03:05 PM.


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3rd March 2011, 01:47 PM	#2
Steve Dunlap diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Here	White Light Black Rain.

3rd March 2011, 02:54 PM	#3
CopperTop diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: UK	I recommend 'The Trap' by Adam Curtis for the BBC. In fact, anything by Adam Curtis. You will not be disappointed! The Trap (television documentary series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia You can see his stuff on Youtube: YouTube - The Trap - We Will Force You To Be Free (1 of 6) Also, from my UK-centric standpoint, anything by Jonathan Meades, such as this: YouTube - Jonathan Meades :: Remember The Future (1/3)

6th March 2011, 01:34 AM	#5
wakibaki Banned Join Date: Jan 2008 Blog Entries: 2	David Attenborough's BBC documentaries, starting with 'Life on Earth' are beyond comparison. Just stunning, you can get them as a boxed set of DVDs. You might be able to get a taster online. Some of the later ones were shown on HD satellite. The blurb describes them as among the greatest and most beautiful nature documentaries even made. Life on Earth The Living Planet Trials of Life Life in the Freezer The Private Life of Plants The Life of Birds The Life of Mammals Life in the Undergrowth And this comes from a war documentary addict. w

6th March 2011, 12:56 PM	#7
jrenkin diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Denver, Colorado	One that I thought was amazing, and perhaps appropriate to this forum, is "making of a Steinway" or a title close to that. It is available on the PBS website I believe. Jaw dropping artisanship in making one of those. And a dying art.

6th March 2011, 02:28 PM	#8
johnYks diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2006	Howard Goodall's Big Bangs (All his programs are excellent) Civilisation_Kenneth Clarke The Ascent Of Man_Dr . Jacob Bronowski The Day The Universe Changed_James Burke The Private Life Of A Masterpiece The Journey Of Man Baroness Susan Greenfield_'Brain Story' Apeman: Adventures In Human Evolution The Corporation HORIZON_series of BBC programs A History Of Britain A History Of Scotland SCORCESE_ A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies My Voyage To Italy Anything by John Rommer Greek Fire On Youtube the site: Her Aeolian Harp I'll post more essential documentaries when I've had time to mull it over. Yours Sincerely John

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