Auto racing is an obsession in Anderson, Indiana. Even with local auto factories closing down and jobs being lost, the town's residents continue to flock to the local speedway every Friday night--and its drivers continue to pour their dwindling resources into their Thundercars. Emmy(R)-winning filmmaker Jon Alpert presents this look at this passion for racing in rust-belt America. Since the closing of a GM plant and the loss of 33,000 jobs, the once-thriving town of Anderson now stands witness to empty factories, shuttered stores and abandoned home--but also to packed houses at Anderson Speedway where people put their troubles on hold to watch the cacophony of screeching tires and crashing metal as drivers vie for Thundercar supremacy.
Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.
During the Second World War in the United States, cinema was extensively used as a propaganda vehicle. All the great filmmakers were involved: Capra, Ford, Huston, and Hollywood's new master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. After making several films advocating American entry into the war alongside the British, in direct violation of the Neutrality Act, Hitchcock took advantage of Zanuck's departure from 20th Century Fox to launch a major new propaganda project: Lifeboat. He asked John Steinbeck to write the basic story. This great American literary figure, author of The Grapes of Wrath, whose adaptation was one of Fox's biggest successes, was himself very committed to the war effort. When Lifeboat was released, success quickly turned to controversy. What if Hitchcock's film had completely missed the mark? What if, instead of providing anti-Nazi propaganda, the film actually defended the thesis that the German people were superior to the Allies and the union of democracies?
British documentarian Nick Broomfield creates a follow-up piece to his 1992 documentary of the serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a highway prostitute who was convicted of killing six men in Florida between 1989 and 1990. Interviewing an increasingly mentally unstable Wuornos, Broomfield captures the distorted mind of a murderer whom the state of Florida deems of sound mind -- and therefore fit to execute. Throughout the film, Broomfield includes footage of his testimony at Wuornos' trial.
Documentary about the role of Native Americans in popular music history, a little-known story built around the incredible lives and careers of the some of the greatest music legends.
An in-depth profile of the life and career of Willy T. Ribbs - the controversial Black driver who shattered the color barrier of professional auto-racing and became the first Black qualifier in the storied history of the Indy 500.
Puerto Rico, the last relic of colonization in the western hemisphere, has been a dependent territory of the USA since 1917. Los Macheteros and one of its leaders Juan Segarra have been fighting for its full independence for many decades.
A film that captures the portraits and stories of extraordinary women around the world who are coming together to heal the injustices against the earth, weaves together poetry, music, art, and stunning scenery to create a hopeful and collective story that inspires us to work for the earth. The list of impassioned, indefatigable female environmental activists featured in this film includes Winona LaDuke, a Native American who has championed the use of solar and wind power on reservations; Theo Colborn, head of The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, who fights against toxic chemicals in our water supplies; Beverly Grant, who’s created a vibrant farmer’s market in a black neighborhood of Denver, Colo.; Dana Miller, who spearheads an “urban agriculture movement” in the same city; and Vandana Shiva, who champions organic farming in India.
New York City's beloved Ukrainian restaurant Veselka is best known for its borscht and varenyky, but it has become a beacon of hope for Ukraine. As the second-generation owner Tom Birchard reluctantly retires after 54 years, his son Jason faces the pressures of stepping into his father’s shoes as the war in Ukraine impacts his family and staff.
This broadcast special describes the manners by which we modern Americans might pursue a lifestyle that can only be described as “Full Bush”. Filmed at the gorgeous jewel box known as The Chicago Theatre.
Some of MGM'S musical stars review the studios history of musicals. From The Hollywood Revue of 1929 to Brigadoon, from the first musical talkies to Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain.
Private McKinley Nolan vanished 40 years ago in Vietnam on the Cambodian frontier. Some say he was captured, some say he was a traitor, some even say he was an American operative. The US Army officially claims he was radicalized and went native, joining the Viet Cong and later encountering the Khmer Rouge. In 2006, retired US Army Lt. Dan Smith, revisiting the battlefields of his youth, may have encountered the elusive McKinley, alive. So began a journey into the heart of darkness.
More than one million immigrants have been deported since President Obama took office. Frontline investigates Obama's enforcement strategies and journeys into the secretive world of immigrant detention, with a penetrating look at who is being detained and what is happening to these detainees.
The Led Zeppelin Story documents the colorful and outrageous history of rock's heaviest band. This unique DVD features candid interviews with long-time tour manager Richard Cole, members of The Yardbirds, Bad Company, The Ramones, Foreigner, Vanilla Fudge, engineer Andy Johns, ex-girlfriends, Lori Mattix and Pamela Des Barres and more. Rare archival interview footage with John Bonham, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and manager Peter Grant, along with rare photos spanning the "New Yardbirds" era through the breakup of Led Zeppelin illustrates their fascinating story.
D'Inked is a documentary about the development of laser tattoo removal technology and how it has changed the culture of tattoos. The film follows a man named Jake on his 5-year journey through the process of removing a full color half sleeve tattoo. The film also features interviews with prominent figures in the tattoo and laser removal communities discussing the technological, physical and ethical realities of removing what has always been considered a definition of permanent.
The impeachment and removal from office of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in 2016 was triggered by a corruption scandal involving, among others, her then vice-president Michel Temer. Director Maria Augusta Ramos follows the trial against Rousseff from the point of view of her defence team. This is a courtroom drama that unfolds slowly: the appearances of the various parties gradually turn the proceedings into something akin to theatre. Inside the courtroom, grand emotions are played to full effect whilst, on the other side of the doors, lobbyists and supporters pace the corridors. Meanwhile, outside, in front of Brasília’s modernist government buildings, demonstrators are chanting like a Greek chorus. Only the main character, Rousseff herself, remains professional and aloof.
Clue (1985) has become a cult classic film and is loved by multiple generations. Yet there has never been a documentary created to tell the behind the scenes stories...until now.
During his long and distinguished ministry, Billy Graham has preached the gospel to well over 200 million people worldwide. The massive evangelistic gatherings that took place in sports arenas, concert halls, and outdoor venues became known as the Billy Graham Crusades. This documentary gives the history of the crusades.
A collective, cinematic love letter to the elusive French filmmaker, Chris Marker; Emiko Omori's film captures the persona of the legendary and enigmatic filmmaker.