What's the most fascinating documentary you've ever watched and why did it captivate you?
What's the most fascinating documentary you've ever watched and why did it captivate you?
For me it's gotta be something from ARTE (the French/German culture television channel). Either it's the one about Chodorowskis weird Dune project or the three-part series about the history of racism. Both were extremely well-made documentaries.
Down the Rabbit Hole for EVE Online is absolutely amazing. I've played the game here and there for quite a long time, and it's one of my favourite experiences, that is however really hard to put into words.
That game is weird. I still can't explain why it's one of the best games I've played, but I always keep returning to it and love consuming content about it from time to time. And this document is amazing in explaining how extremely unique and cool the game is in it's metagame and the stories it generates. The game has it's problems, but I still think it's one of the most unique lifestyles in gaming, that nothing ever comes close to. It's the only MMORPG that's actually literally roleplay, that basically forces you to roleplay without you even realizing it. Sure, you may not speak in character, but the fleet doctrines, logistics, corp organization, propaganda, corp-politics and everything around it people do - that's literally roleplaying.
Another one would be B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989. This document is really really hard for me to watch, because it's a subculture that was always really important to me, to the point where I help with event promotions and DJ at local 80s goth/synthpop events and it's my main hobby. But, since I'm now in my 20s, I've missed it. The way internet transformed music subcultures is terrible, especially so the alternative ones, but music consumption in general - sure, it's really amazing to have every almbum ever in the palm of your hand, but there's just so many that I don't know any. If I talk to anyone who started with music with the one MC tape, and each new relleas was something hard to get that you actually treassured, I really envy their relationship with music. And that's something that's almost impossible to build in this day and age.
The fact that I'll never get to experience the scene as it was in the 80s is one of the saddest things for me, and this documentary shows it in really genuine and amazing way.
And then there's The Social Dillema, about the dangers of social networks. A word of warning from people who worked at large social network companies and left because the way they exploit users got too much for them, and now they are trying to spread the word. I really recommend this for everyone, it's eye openning and really terrifying. It was one of the first impulses that got me heavy into privacy, and it everyone should see it at least once.
Everyone should watch The Social Dilemma.
DTRH is one of my favorite channels, I love almost everything that he has made. I think my favorite of his (aside from WingsOfRedemption of course) was about Henry Darger, tragic and hopeful at the same time.
I'm a fan of the pur cat Cafe. It's funny and sad and it's interesting how he gets you to care about something so inconsequential.
That was so good, even as someone who has never associated with EVE Online.
I think my favorite DTRH was about the Final Fantasy House.
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Everything by Adam Curtis. It's mostly already known facts, but arranged in a positively depressing way.
Three from Ron Fricke: Koyaanisqatsi, Baraka, Samsara.
So so beautiful. I've only seen one(Samsara)though are they all like that.
Yeah, pretty much. Similar style.
Baraka changed my life when saw it in college
The Vietnam War by Ken Burns. Among other things, it's got an amazing soundtrack
The civil war as well by KB. The Ashokan Farewell stayed in my head for 20 years after watching it and I didn't know where it came from. All I remembered was a good narrator and serious historical content, finally found the song name!
Hell yes, it's hard to go wrong Trent Reznor on the soundtrack.
That documentation is seem like propaganda from capitalism side.
“How it’s Made”
Probably not what you were thinking of, but yes, it’s actually a documentary series.
Just a fascinating look into how various things are made.
For me it was a short YouTube doc about pagpag. Granted I haven't seen many docs but this one sorta hit home as we were very poor growing up but we were fortunate enough to not be this poor.
Another one came to my mind - ROBLOX_OOF.mp3 by hbomberguy.
It's really a wild ride. As traditional with his videos, it starts with a pretty innocent investigation into one of sounds popular on the internet, and then gets into a mindboggling rabbit hole about Tommy Tallarico, the guy behind Video Games Live, and how he accidentally discovered what an insane text-book example of pathological lier he is. It's funny, and really absurd - I'd recommend it to everyone, because it's really interesting insight into how bad can it get with pathological liers. It's a roller coaster, and a really fascinating one. And I also learned that Guiness World Record is a scam and literally only an advertisement business, which I never realised before.
It's a shame, I really liked Video Games Live, the live recordings of it's shows are great. Assuming you skip the ego-trip monologues he interupts the concert with.
hbomberguy has a few of these wild rides. I look forward to the video he will make sometimes this year.
I say give "Icarus" a shot. I think it's on Netflix rn. It starts off as bike race and then grows into something much more crazier. I think it win some awards? Highly recommend!
Starts as trying to show how you can cheat in bike racing and ends up exposing Russia in a doping scandal within the Olympics. Was a crazy movie but amazing
Two that I watched on Netflix a while back:
The Untold History of the United States - good overview of US history with an emphasis on conservatives fucking us over and liberals not really doing a whole lot about it
Winter on Fire - striking footage of the Maidan revolution in Ukraine prior to the invasion of Crimea
Azorian: The Raising of the K-129
One of the secretive, over-engineered, and ridiculously expensive Cold War spy projects which inspired fiction like James Bond and Metal Gear Solid really happened.
It’s hard to pick just one, but I’ve always enjoyed June 17th, 1994 by Brett Morgen and it’s one I rarely see mentioned in these contexts. There’s no narrator, it’s basically entirely archival news/sports footage from the day, but has a lot of footage that wasn’t actually broadcast, with hosts and reporters talking to producers, trying to decide what to do next. I worked in local TV news for about 10 years, so those segments were very familiar to me and really resonated with me seeing not only the events, but also the quick decisions of trying to figure out how to present those events and particularly how to tell people about what became the dominant news story of the day.
"Terror! Robespierre and the French Revolution"
- imdb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1468876/
- a youtube copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suZdYkZ_feM
- invidious: https://yewtu.be/watch?v=suZdYkZ_feM
Focuses on Robespierre's year on the Committee for Public Safety. It has a mix of re-enactments and "talking head" experts, and the talking heads often disagree with one another. It's a set of events that's usually ignored in US schools, which is a shame because there's a lot we could learn there.
I keep comming back to it, Nuclear Nightmares, a BBC Horizon dpcumentary about our fear of radiation and weather or not it is warrented.
It is from 2006, so it might be a bit outdated, but it still seems to hold up.
It would be interesting to see a new documentary on the subject.
Related, The Atomic Cafe is my favorite documentary ever and about ignoramce, the cold war and McCarthy era US propaganda around nuclear war.
Is that like Threads and The War Game?
Nope, Nuclear Nightmares deals with our fear of radiation from civilian nuclear sources.
Ghenghis Blues - A blind musician discovers Tuvan throat singing and travels to Mongolia to discover the music and people.
Not "Pirates of Silicon Valley" but an actual documentary that compares the film to reality and has interviews from a lot of the key players like Jobs, Wozniak, Gates and others. I would love to see it again, actually, but I do not for the life of me remember its title other than containing the reference to "Pirates of Silicon Valley." The Real Pirates of Silicon Valley, maybe? It was something shown on a slow day in one of my high school classes and I think originated from A&E.
I always mention The Smartest Guys In The Room. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enron%3A_The_Smartest_Guys_in_the_Room
Its about Enron and the manipulation of the energy market in the 90s.
Eye opening for anyone who expects ethics , morality, or human dignity from a corporation.
Cane Toads: An Unnatural History
It’s got a good dose of Aussie humor for a pretty serious ecological disaster. Also a good dose of “we humans have learned nothing from our mistakes “.
Particle Fever is one of my favs. Its filmed in just a simple and honest way and it really conveys the excitement of the work going on at CERN.
three-part series about the history of racism
That sounds interesting, but I couldn't find it. Do you have a link, or a title?
I can reommend "Encounters at the End of the World" by Werner Herzog, it's about researchers in Antarctica and what motivates them to be there. So many interesting people, and it gets a bit philosophical.
I am not entirely sure. I just searched a bit for it. I only found one in human zoos that was also really interesting. Also another one about the general topic but it's from a 4 part series on a short history of slavery. Technically a small part of this series is about the emergence of modern racism as a cultural institution to justify the realised oppression due to slavery.
2008, I Think We’re Alone Now directed by Sean Donnelly.
It’s the personal documentaries that really stay with me. Obsession, delusion, a personal hell there seems to be no escape from but bewildering to anyone on the outside as to how it’s possible to be so ensnared.
The Farthest, a documentary about the Voyager program. It's marvelous.
Behind Bars series on YouTube. Especially the one on Antananarivo prison in Madagascar.
It really helps me appreciate my freedom and life, despite occasional difficulties.
Fog of War (2003) is just heartstopping for anyone interested in 20th Century American history. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317910/
Grizzly Man (2005) is mesmerizing all the way through despite it's quirky protagonist and predictable conclusion.
Probably Tony Seba clean disruption.
I'm not sure if this quite fits. He looked into the past and extrapolated into the future.
Now it's hard to think back 10 but no one really thought solar panels were going to go anywhere and everyone thought electric vehicles were a gimic. Many, many experts made predictions of linear or linear with some jumps. But I remember Tony Seba talking about exponentials and improvements in costs and manufacturing. He was the only one and everyone made fun of him. But he turned out to be right.
Everything he said made so much sense to me, what I knew about physics, economics and manufacturing. All of it resonated with me and I was sure that guy was on to something. But no one else was.
I'm really surprised he isn't more famous. I really need to go back and rewatch a video from 10 years ago just to see how close he got.
Shoot I have a LOT. Documentaries and educational youtube channels are my JAM. If people like my top picks here and want more recs, let me know and I will spill out my list of followed channels.
But the top ones that spring to mind:
Most of Barely Sociable's work (especially the two parter on bitcoin) but of all of his, my absolute favorite is The Dark Side of the Silk Road.
Again, most of Lemmino's works, but particularly Cicada 3301: An Internet Mystery
and honorable mention to Summoning Salt for The Quest to Beat Matt Turk a documentary about the history of Mike Tyson's Punchout speed running.
“Grey Gardens” Documentary now had me interested to find out what they were parodying and it just held my attention from start to finish. The crew is just there to observe, very little influence by them. Not that they needed to, the duo was entertaining on their own. You get to see what happens to these people who were once basically royalty what mental health and isolation does to someone. Yet, they maintain a level of optimism and a sense of living life the best they can. It’s a beautiful combination of sad and hopeful.
"First they kill my father" .
Because this is the only documentation that is not seem like a propaganeda but make Viet Cong look good,
Paris is burning
Tickled. Best watched knowing nothing as when i was shown it. I couldnt stop watching.
The competitive tickling one. Its not what you think. But even more interesting. And fucking creepy.