Popular Documentary Movies on The Roku Channel

Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies

2001

Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies

2001
6.7
Hollywood is a town of tinsel and glamour; but there is another Hollywood, a place where maverick independent exploitation filmmakers went toe to toe with the big guys and came out on top.
The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner

1974

The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner

1974
7.2
A study of the psychology of a champion ski-flyer, whose full-time occupation is carpentry.
Conan O'Brien Can't Stop

2011

Conan O'Brien Can't Stop

2011
6.5
A documentary that follows the former Tonight Show host. Filmed during Conan’s ”Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television” comedy tour, after his departure from the Tonight Show, taking viewers on an intimate journey of O’Brien’s life.
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

2004

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

2004
4
Discover how television has reflected the African American experience in this retrospective of the medium's first half-century. Actors, writers and historians discuss the image of black America on television from Amos and Andy to the present day. The interviews accompany clips from groundbreaking shows and performances by entertainment pioneers that create a timeline of the portrayal of African Americans throughout TV history.
Manson: Music from an Unsound Mind

2019

Manson: Music from an Unsound Mind

2019
6.7
The untold story of Charles Manson's obsession to become a rock star, his rise in the LA music scene, the celebrities who championed his music, his tragic friendship with The Beach Boys' Dennis Wilson and his descent into violence and chaos once his dreams fell apart.
The Legend of Dolemite! Bigger & Badder

1994

The Legend of Dolemite! Bigger & Badder

1994
Rudy Ray Moore tells all as only he can in this all-new retrospective legendary career. From his humble beginnings to his crowning as "King of the Party Records," Rudy Ray guides us through his struggles and triumphs in the film and music industries.
Straight Outta Puerto Rico: Reggaeton’s Rough Road to Glory

2008

Straight Outta Puerto Rico: Reggaeton’s Rough Road to Glory

2008
10
Explore the burgeoning Reggaeton music scene going back to its roots in Jamaican Reggae and Latin American Soca rhythms. Take an in-depth look at the increasingly popular reggaeton style of music by revisiting its reggae and Latin American soca roots in this documentary.
Trevor Noah: You Laugh But It's True

2011

Trevor Noah: You Laugh But It's True

2011
6.7
In the world of stand-up comedy in South Africa, Trevor Noah uses his childhood experiences in a biracial family during apartheid to prepare for his first one-man show.
Inside Hana's Suitcase

2009

Inside Hana's Suitcase

2009
8.5
A Theatrical Documentary Synopsis "Inside Hana's Suitcase", is the poignant story of two young children who grew up in pre-WWII Czechoslovakia and the terrible events that they endured just because they happened to be born Jewish. Based on the internationally acclaimed book "Hana's Suitcase" which has been translated into 40 languages
Classic Albums: Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (') Over-Nite Sensation

2007

Classic Albums: Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (') Over-Nite Sensation

2007
6.5
This episode focuses on Zappa's early 70s albums, Overnight Sensation (1973) and Apostrophy (') (1974). Together they encapsulate Zappa's extraordinary musical diversity and were also the 2 most commercially successful albums that he released in his prolific career. Included are interviews, musical demonstrations, rare archive & home movie footage, plus live performances to tell the story behind the conception and recording of these groundbreaking albums. Extras include additional interviews and demonstrations not included in the broadcast version, 2 full performances from the Roxy in 1973 and Saturday Night Live in 1976, and new full live performance done specially for these Classic Albums.
When We Were Kings

1996

When We Were Kings

1996
7.6
It's 1974. Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the heavyweight champion of the world. Promoter Don King wants to make a name for himself and offers both fighters five million dollars apiece to fight one another, and when they accept, King has only to come up with the money. He finds a willing backer in Mobutu Sese Suko, the dictator of Zaire, and the "Rumble in the Jungle" is set, including a musical festival featuring some of America's top black performers, like James Brown and B.B. King.
Elis & Tom: It Had to be You

2023

Elis & Tom: It Had to be You

2023
8
Elis & Tom is considered one of the most important albums in the history of Brazilian music. Recorded in Los Angeles, in 1974, it was all captured by a team of filmmakers led by director Roberto de Oliveira, who arranged for the duo to meet. The original footage was kept for 45 years until restored and remastered in 2018. The film is also an exciting reunion of the director with the artists and the material he filmed nearly five decades ago.
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia

2013

Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia

2013
7.8
Anchored by intimate, one-on-one interviews with the man himself, Nicholas Wrathall’s new documentary is a fascinating and wholly entertaining tribute to the iconic Gore Vidal. Commentary by those who knew him best—including filmmaker/nephew Burr Steers and the late Christopher Hitchens—blends with footage from Vidal’s legendary on-air career to remind us why he will forever stand as one of the most brilliant and fearless critics of our time.
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten

2007

Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten

2007
7.2
As the front man of the Clash from 1977 onwards, Joe Strummer changed people's lives forever. Four years after his death, his influence reaches out around the world, more strongly now than ever before. In "The Future Is Unwritten", from British film director Julien Temple, Joe Strummer is revealed not just as a legend or musician, but as a true communicator of our times. Drawing on both a shared punk history and the close personal friendship which developed over the last years of Joe's life, Julien Temple's film is a celebration of Joe Strummer - before, during and after the Clash.
Memory: The Origins of Alien

2019

Memory: The Origins of Alien

2019
6.3
The untold origin story behind Ridley Scott's Alien - rooted in Greek and Egyptian mythologies, underground comics, the art of Francis Bacon, and the dark visions of Dan O'Bannon and H.R. Giger. A contemplation on the symbiotic collaborative process of movie-making, the power of myth, and our collective unconscious.
Last Man Standing: Suge Knight and the Murders of Biggie and Tupac

2021

Last Man Standing: Suge Knight and the Murders of Biggie and Tupac

2021
6.7
Last Man Standing takes a look at Death Row and how L.A.’s street gang culture had come to dominate its business workings, as well as an association with corrupt LA police officers who were also gang affiliated. It would be this world of gang rivalry and dirty cops that would claim the lives of the world’s two greatest rappers: Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls.
'85: The Greatest Team in Football History

2016

'85: The Greatest Team in Football History

2016
8.2
Through never-been-seen-before footage and fascinating interviews with key members of the 1985 Chicago Bears -- Mike Ditka, Jim McMahon, Mike Singletary, and others -- you will hear the inside story of their historic season.
Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth

2020

Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth

2020
7.5
An illuminating portrait of Jay Sebring — the long-forgotten artist, designer, and entrepreneur who created a billion-dollar hair & beauty industry and defined iconic Hollywood styles for men.
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.
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

2019

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

2019
6.9
The history of cinematic sound, told by legendary sound designers and visionary filmmakers.