Documentary Thread #2

[Chili]

3 minutes ago, Thunderplex said:

I knew him!  Lived in Northenden in his last year’s, lovely bloke and a cracking documentary.

A fascinating bloke. If anyone wants a link here's Cliff's first film G.B.H.

 

 

[SuperBacon]

Undercover: Exposing The Far Right

Probably the best documentary I've seen in years. Fascinating and scary in equal measures, Hope Not Hate do such amazing work.

Although maybe next they can infiltrate the absolute shit that is 4 Player. Who's funding that particular hate crime?

[Devon Malcolm]

On 10/15/2024 at 6:23 PM, IANdrewDiceClay said:

Bought a documentary off youtube called "Mancunian Man: The Legendary Life of Cliff Twemlow."

Oh boy, its a good one. Just Manchester nightclub bouncer who thought he could do anything, and seemingly did, but with success coming few and far between. Started off as a writer of theme tunes for big movies and TV. But the 2nd or 3rd songs, not the main one. Like the b-side of the Sweeney theme tune. Then he becomes a bodybuilder. Then an attempt to be Manchester's version of Charles Bronson mixed with James Bond, filming his own action films on an independent label. Then became a novel writer. Just one of life's mad characters, who is seemingly well liked by everyone.

I mean this guy added 5 years to his age, just so people could go "man, he looks great for his age." Mad bastard. Highly recommended.

I watched this during the week. It's excellent, really good. The access and footage they got is amazing, some of it must have been so hard to track down. Severin are apparently releasing a boxset of Twemlow's films, including a few that never got released. 

[Hannibal Scorch]

Even though it’s a Lego Movie, Piece by Piece is a documentary about Pharrell Williams. It’s enjoyable (and was done pre Neptunes lawsuit so Chad is featured). N.E.R.D is a very personal band to me, so I knew a lot of the history, but you forget just how many songs the Neptunes made in the late 90’s  to early 00’s. The SAW of the time. But it’s an enjoyable enough film even if not essential. My daughter whose only knowledge was his work on the Despicable Me series thought it was excellent.

[davertfnewman]

I have to recommend this episode of Man Alive that I discovered earlier this year. Produced in 1969, but could've been 1980 or 2000 or 2024, because it investigates the ongoing rebellion of children against parents and the reactions of the latter to it. Are they the complete opposite of them or just like they were when they were that age? Find out.

First up are Sylvia and "Hitler", a pair of Hells Angels from Oldbury, with Black Country accents that are near impenetrable but a joy to listen. Then down to London and Steve the skinhead, surrounded by adults who hold onto their own ideas of style, be it a Teddy Boy quiff, Dusty Springfield beehive, or Beatle-like reformed rocker.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p04c0lw5/man-alive-whats-the-truth-about-hells-angels-and-skinheads

[Devon Malcolm]

Will & Harper (Netflix)

I was cautious about this because I didn't trust that a Netflix documentary with Will Ferrell could or would approach the subject of transitioning with anywhere near the tenderness and frankness that it does. It's definitely made more for cisgender people but that's fine because as an entry point to learning more about the journey many trans people go on, it's very good indeed. I don't like Ferrell as an actor at all but he comes across brilliantly in this and his support and love clearly means the world to Harper Steele. Quite lovely.

[Devon Malcolm]

Uncropped

Documentary about the celebrated New York photographer James Hamilton. An incredible body of work, so much of it recognisable and influential, all portrayed really well against a well drawn backdrop of New York journalism and culture. Thought this was really fascinating and enjoyable, and it immediately made me want to go out and buy a camera.

Great Photo, Lovely Life

Devastating film about a filmmaker who turns the camera on her own family and its troubled history as a result of her grandfather's paedophilia. One of the most difficult but necessary films I've seen this year. I wish she hadn't inserted herself so much into the centre of the film but this is surprisingly open and honest but one that might prove too hard to get through for many, and understandably so.

[SaitoRyo]

I posted earlier this year about a feature-length documentary that's in the works on the life of the late country singer Luke Bell. 

That won't be out for a while yet it seems, but Wyoming PBS have released a 30-minute doc looking at Luke's life through the lens of his struggles with mental illness (as part of their "A State of Mind: Confronting Our Mental Health Crisis" series). 

A good introduction to Bell's story, for anyone who might be interested. 

 

[wordsfromlee]

4 hours ago, Devon Malcolm said:

Uncropped

Documentary about the celebrated New York photographer James Hamilton. An incredible body of work, so much of it recognisable and influential, all portrayed really well against a well drawn backdrop of New York journalism and culture. Thought this was really fascinating and enjoyable, and it immediately made me want to go out and buy a camera.

Finding Vivian Maier did a similar thing to me when I watched it years ago.

[SuperBacon]

loaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhem

The mid 90s is probably the most documented period in modern history and has been done to death. 

Having said that, as someone who loves magazines and did buy loaded and the lads mags, I quite enjoyed this as a snapshot of the time. It helps that ex editor James Brown is an entertaining interviewee. 

Also, Katie Puckrick *swoon* To this day...

[Chris B]

The Contestant has some cinema release at the moment. It's all about a turn-of-the millennium Japanese endurance/gameshow thing. We all remember the weird shit that used to come out of Japan at the time, right, and how it was received here? This was probably the pinnacle of it. A young guy was semi-randomly selected, taken to a closed-off apartment, stripped naked, and told to survive entirely on what he could win from magazine competitions with postcards. He's given crackers until he wins his first piece of food, and then he's entirely on his own. He was aware he was being filmed, but was under the impression it would be edited into a one-off when done (if broadcastable at all). It wasn't - it was Japan's top show while he was in there, even live-streamed at times.

It also features, unexpectedly, what appears to be the origin of the aubergine/eggplant emoji.

Spoiler

So, he's got an unusually long face, which he was bullied over as a kid and given the nickname 'eggplant' - which he sort-of embraced when trying to go into comedy. So, when they covered up his junk for broadcast, they'd use an eggplant.

It's slightly uneven in terms of pacing, but it's properly jaw-dropping in places. And really highlights how cruel some of this shit was back in the day, even if he could have left at any time.

[Devon Malcolm]

14 minutes ago, Chris B said:

The Contestant has some cinema release at the moment. It's all about a turn-of-the millennium Japanese endurance/gameshow thing. We all remember the weird shit that used to come out of Japan at the time, right, and how it was received here? This was probably the pinnacle of it. A young guy was semi-randomly selected, taken to a closed-off apartment, stripped naked, and told to survive entirely on what he could win from magazine competitions with postcards. He's given crackers until he wins his first piece of food, and then he's entirely on his own. He was aware he was being filmed, but was under the impression it would be edited into a one-off when done (if broadcastable at all). It wasn't - it was Japan's top show while he was in there, even live-streamed at times.

It also features, unexpectedly, what appears to be the origin of the aubergine/eggplant emoji.

  Reveal hidden contents

So, he's got an unusually long face, which he was bullied over as a kid and given the nickname 'eggplant' - which he sort-of embraced when trying to go into comedy. So, when they covered up his junk for broadcast, they'd use an eggplant.

It's slightly uneven in terms of pacing, but it's properly jaw-dropping in places. And really highlights how cruel some of this shit was back in the day, even if he could have left at any time.

I'm going to see this on Thursday, looking forward to it.

I watched Sven yesterday and it was solid enough. Probably strongest when talking about the parasitic nature of the tabloid press. Neil Wallis comes across just as appallingly as he seems to want to, the cunt.

[BomberPat]

Lucan

Interesting one from the BBC - three-parter about the disappearance of Lord Lucan, following Neil Berriman, the son of Sandra Rickett, the nanny murdered by Lucan.

Initially, it's let down by the sort of thing that dampens any documentary claiming to have uncovered some great mystery - well, no, you obviously haven't, because we'd have seen the headlines.

But it soon becomes something else, as it's not really about Lord Lucan at all, but about obsession and bias. You get glimpses into how Neil's fixation on this case has impacted his family, you see him lose his temper, or obsessively follow any lead that supports his argument and instantly reject anything that goes against it. You start to wonder about to what extent he's been taken advantage of and over-indulged by people around him. And all still with a mystery or two at the centre of it.

I found it fascinating to reflect on, and rather more useful telly than you'd think revisiting a 50 year old mystery would be, as it's not about that, it's about irrational beliefs, cognitive bias, and single-minded obsession with one topic, and that's all very important today.

[TibBo]

I thought this was ace if anyone is feeling festive.
George Michael was pretty damn awesome.

[Devon Malcolm]

Grand Theft Hamlet

Enhoyed this a lot. It is clearly performed at times and I'm surprised they didn't dedicate more time to the actual performance but this was surprisingly wholesome and funny and shows the limitless possibilities of games like this. Possibly the only time I've ever been interested in Shakespeare, too.