Popular Documentary Movies on Fandor - Page 6

The Prison in Twelve Landscapes

2016

The Prison in Twelve Landscapes

2016
6.6
More people are imprisoned in the United States at this moment than in any other time or place in history, yet the prison itself has never felt further away or more out of sight. This is a film about the prison in which we never see an actual penitentiary. The film unfolds a cinematic journey through a series of landscapes across the USA where prisons do work and affect lives, from an anti-sex-offender pocket park in Los Angeles, to a congregation of ex-incarcerated chess players shut out of the formal labor market, to an Appalachian coal town betting its future on the promise of prison jobs.
From Straight to Bizarre

2012

From Straight to Bizarre

2012
3.8
Documentary about the rise and fall of Frank Zappa's record labels, Bizarre and Straight which featured a collection of acts that included: Alice Cooper, The GTOs, and Wild Man Fischer.
Saxophone Colossus

1998

Saxophone Colossus

1998
8
Tenor saxophone master Sonny Rollins has long been hailed as one of the most important artists in jazz history, and still, today, he is viewed as the greatest living jazz improviser. In 1986, filmmaker Robert Mugge produced Saxophone Colossus, a feature-length portrait of Rollins, named after one of his most celebrated albums.
Mean Man: The Story of Chris Holmes

2021

Mean Man: The Story of Chris Holmes

2021
7
From iconic guitar player to construction worker, Chris Holmes has lived a life of highs and lows. After losing publishing rights of his own songs and dealing with addictions, the ex-W.A.S.P. member has had to start from scratch living in his mother in law's basement in Cannes, France. He is now ready to take on Europe with his new band. As we follow him along, he meets many fans and proves that he still is the showman he was as a young and famous rockstar. This musical journey draws parallel stories of the rise, fall, and rebirth of Chris Holmes with archives, live performances, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage.
The Right Girls

2020

The Right Girls

2020
1
In this documentary about friendship and perseverance, three young transgender women from El Salvador and Honduras go on a 2,400-mile journey with the high-profile migrant caravan. These women, strangers at the outset and fleeing extortion, discrimination, and abusive relationships, endure hardship as they slowly make their way to the US, teaming up with other trans girls along the route and integrating with the caravan’s LGBTQ community.
Kate Plays Christine

2016

Kate Plays Christine

2016
5.7
Follow actress Kate Lyn Sheil as she prepares for her next role: playing Christine Chubbuck, a Florida newscaster who committed suicide live on-air in 1974. As Kate investigates Chubbuck’s story, uncovering new clues and information, she becomes increasingly obsessed with her subject.
After Auschwitz

2017

After Auschwitz

2017
6.3
For six female Holocaust survivors, liberation from the camps marked the beginning of a lifelong struggle.
Bisbee '17

2018

Bisbee '17

2018
6.9
It’s 2017 in Bisbee, Arizona, an old copper-mining town just miles from the Mexican border. The town’s close-knit community prepares to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Bisbee’s darkest hour: the infamous Bisbee Deportation of 1917, during which 1,200 striking miners were violently taken from their homes, banished to the middle of the desert, and left to die. Townspeople confront this violent, misunderstood past by staging dramatic recreations of the escalating strike. These dramatized scenes are based on subjective versions of the story and “directed,” in a sense, by residents with conflicting views of the event. Deeply personal segments torn from family history build toward a massive restaging of the deportation itself on the exact day of its 100th anniversary.
Harlem to Hollywood

2019

Harlem to Hollywood

2019
An insider's look at the most famous person most people have never heard of: singer-songwriter Billy Vera.
Welcome to Death Row

2001

Welcome to Death Row

2001
7.7
The record label Death Row Records has, since its creation in 1993, been synonymous with the American hip-hop climate. Formed by ex-bodyguard Suge Knight, the label has released seminal rap albums from luminaries including Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and the famous hip-hop martyr Tupac Shakur. WELCOME TO DEATH ROW is a fascinating, well-researched documentary which explores the history of this intriguing and incredibly significant company.
Motian in Motion

2020

Motian in Motion

2020
Motian In Motion is a documentary film about iconic jazz drummer Paul Motian, with rare footage of Paul playing and recording at the world renowned Village Vanguard, Birdland and other venues.
Sleeze Lake

2020

Sleeze Lake

2020
Tells the story of a wild van party thrown in the middle of a fictitious resort town and the people who dreamt it up.
Return to Gorée

2007

Return to Gorée

2007
9
Because jazz is the miraculous product of the horror of slavery, Youssou N'Dour returned to the slave route and the music they created, in search of new inspiration. Accompanied by the blind Swiss pianist Moncef Genoud and the Director of the Gorée House of Slaves Museum, Joseph N'Diaye, the Senegalese singer wrote new songs during this initiatory voyage which took him to the USA then to Europe. At Gorée, an island just off the Senegalese coast and symbol of the slave trade, his memorable concert marked the end of this quest and the start of a new challenge: making today's generation aware of the tragedy of slavery, the importance of not forgetting and the need for reconciliation.
Bob and the Monster

2011

Bob and the Monster

2011
6.3
Six years in the making, this documentary film follows outspoken indie-rock hero Bob Forrest, through his life-threatening struggle with addiction, to his transformation into one of the most influential and controversial drug counselors in the US today. BOB AND THE MONSTER crafts contemporary footage, animation and compelling interviews with archival performances and personal videos from Bob's past to reveal the complex layers of this troubled, but hopeful soul. Testimony from his peers, including Courtney Love, Anthony Kiedis and Flea add texture, but it's the depth of Bob's music, interwoven throughout the film, that illuminates this unforgettable and inspirational story.
The Dog

2013

The Dog

2013
6.7
In 1972, John Wojtowicz attempted to rob a Brooklyn bank to pay for his lover’s sex-change operation. The story was the basis for the film Dog Day Afternoon. The Dog captures John, who shares his story for the first time in his own unique, offensive, hilarious and heartbreaking way. We gain a historic perspective on New York's gay liberation movement, in which Wojtowicz played an active role. In later footage, he remains a subversive force, backed by the unconditional love of his mother Terry, whose wit and charm infuse the film. How and why the bank robbery took place is recounted in gripping detail by Wojtowicz and various eyewitnesses.
Life on the V: The Story of V66

2014

Life on the V: The Story of V66

2014
Boston's V66 music video station came and went in the mid-1980s but in the 18 months on the air, it was one of the only over-the-air music video channels ever created. But even popular success didn't mean it was going to last...
The Family Jams

2011

The Family Jams

2011
5
A young group of influential musicians tours the country, living and singing together in a Utopian expression of togetherness and family.
The Swinging 60's - The Beach Boys

2007

The Swinging 60's - The Beach Boys

2007
This Newly remastered documentary charts the early years of the Beach Boys. The film features rare footage including live performances captured at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1967. Much of the footage comes from the Peter Whitehead archives. Ideal for all Beach Boy fans and rock music lovers. - Amazon Prime
Grassroots Chicago

1991

Grassroots Chicago

1991
A documentary about neighborhood people creating change. Produced for the MacArthur Foundation by Kartemquin Films, this piece features six vignettes on community organizing in different Chicago neighborhoods: LeClaire Courts, Marquette Park, Roseland, Pilsen, Uptown, Rogers Park and Garfield Park.
Which Way Is East: Notebooks from Vietnam

1994

Which Way Is East: Notebooks from Vietnam

1994
6
In this illuminating study of cultural contrasts, American filmmaker Lynne Sachs and her sister, Dana, travel north from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, recording conversations with Vietnamese strangers and friends. The sisters' expansive travel diary covers tourism, insights into city life, pervasive culture clashes and a bracing historic inquiry. What begins as a picaresque road trip soon blossoms into a richer social and political discourse.