What Documentaries Do You Recommend?

[Demoncrat]

Why Am I Doing This? (A Film About Touring)

Various "indie" bands relate tales of their sojourns on the road. Steve Albini being easily the most "famous" name here cough. Recommended.

[Demoncrat]

End Of The Century (2003, Joe Fields, Michael Grammaglia)


1-2-3-4 ....

The Ramones story, told by all of the members. Haven't seen this? WHY NOT FFS??

[Demoncrat]

The Bandit (1996, Jesse Moss)

Burt and Jerry Reed and fellow stuntfolk pay tribute to Hal Needham. Decent enough effort centred round his struggle to get Smokey & The Bandit made.

[Demoncrat]

So I watched this Summer Of Soul, which is about a music festival that I had never heard about. More or less an overview of the whole six day event, some of the footage is just blinding.
The 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival was put together by one man more or less, but ever since this footage has sat mouldering as no one wanted anything to do with it. Utterly mindboggling. I hope that this is merely a taster and somehow the footage will be made more readily available ....

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006)

Probably my favourite horror documentary with great interviewees - Carpenter, Winston, Nicotero, Wes Craven, Amy Holden Jones, Sean S. Cunningham, Zombie and many more - and even greater and bloodier clips from the greatest slasher films as well as many more obscure titles such as Saturday the 14th (1981).

It's both a critique and defence of a much maligned genre and when Amy Holden Jones, the director of Slumber Party Massacre, tells you the genre is not misogynistic you'll believe her.

At ninety minutes this effortlessly flies by.

I have this as disc three on a Last House on the Left Ultimate Edition dvd. I've watched it four or five times over the years considerably more times than i've watched the main feature.

[Demoncrat]

The Sparks Brothers (2021, Edgar Wright)

Finally got to see this one.
Largely an overview of their extensive career told with archive footage and fans testimonies. Strap in for a slightly bumpy ride ahem. Whilst it's not yer archetypal rock biog (quel surprise) it does reflect their own sensibilities reasonably well imho.



I Am Divine (2013, Jeffrey Schwarz)

A look at Harris Glenn Millstead's life as the "trash" icon who surely needs no introduction. A bittersweet tone sadly hangs over the production, but that is unavoidable ....
This was decent enough. I haven't seen Divine Trash, so cannot compare it. The extras contained further interviews which fleshed out some anecdotes (this being the Peccadilo Pictures release)

[Mojo]

Originally Posted by Demoncrat

The Sparks Brothers (2021, Edgar Wright)

Finally got to see this one.
Largely an overview of their extensive career told with archive footage and fans testimonies. Strap in for a slightly bumpy ride ahem. Whilst it's not yer archetypal rock biog (quel surprise) it does reflect their own sensibilities reasonably well imho.

Looking forward to seeing this one myself

[Demoncrat]

I think you'll be happy with what you see M

[Inspector Abberline]

I recently re-watched this again-

Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death of Al Adamson
What ever you may think of Al Adamson,and let's be honest most people don't think a hell of alot of his movies,he certainly had an interesting if a little cut short life.. Although it seems that to be a low budget film director, especially if you are from the USA,they tend to be a little eccentric to say the least..And Al Adamson was certainly no different on that score. To most people an Al Adamson movie is like some sort of test of endurance,an to be fair even his fans would find some of his movies a test of there patience..But amazingly this documentary on his life and film making career,and his unfortunate murder , is not only a great documentary but it may even make you appreciate some of Al's work....(although I won't hold my breath)... Anybody familiar with Adamson film's, knows how diverse his films were,and he worked with some amazing actor's,and a couple of his director of photography went on to do major films...It has to be said that the story of his life is a lot more entertaining than many of his movies,but it does give you a new appreciation of his career...
Overall it gets more bizarre the more I watch it...Rip Al...

[Justin101]

I've never seen a single one of his films but I absolutely loved watching this documentary! Worth watching, it's also one of the few Severin discs that has a UK release so you don't have to pay import prices.