I thought I'd create a thread for documentaries (be they historical, cultural etc), dramatisations and generally more BOOKISH TV. No point starting individual threads as they won't garner many responses at all. That said, I thought this thread could be somewhere to comment, recommend and generally the more weighty wobbles of the televisual world.

 

Recent viewings by myself include 'All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace'. Excellent series of programmes with fantastic cinematography, graphics and a very punchy and strong narration. Takes a look how selfish humans are and the psychology behind it all.

 

Another is 'Country House Revealed' with "TV Architect" type Dan Cruickshank. Very interesting stories told about these big houses and their histories but I do find his very idiosyncratic superfluousness a little off putting...

 

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I've just watched the first part of From D-Day To Berlin. As the title suggests it's about the period from the D-Day Landings on 6 June 1944 to the liberation of Berlin. It has dramatised bits as well which I don't normally like but it's fairly good. I like the fact that the Germans actually speak in German with subtitles rather than having actors speaking English with a German accent.

Not seen any of these :( though that one about selfish human's sounds really interesting will have to check it out. Also it's not the same Country House Revealed but it sounds quite similar where that scottish guy helps a couple do up an old building and goes into the history of it etc. Kinda like a mix between your one and Grand Designs (which is THE BOMB)

 

I watch a load of documentaries in the uni library about cults like the jonestown massacre and the branch davidians even though they depress the hell out of me afterward but I just can't get enogh of them. Anything about murders in general though and you can count me in!

 

Did you watch human planet recently? That was incredible..

I've recently been watching Louis Theroux's episodes on the Westboro Baptist Church. Most fascinating stuff and slightly scary how such things actually exist right underour noses...

That second Louis Theroux visit to Westboro was pretty pointless I thought. The world already knows that the Phelps family are revolting bigots so by going back and making an updated doco about them he was only giving them a platform which they wouldn't have had otherwise. I don't see what good it can have done.

I've recently been watching Louis Theroux's episodes on the Westboro Baptist Church. Most fascinating stuff and slightly scary how such things actually exist right underour noses...

 

I think Louis Theroux's documenary about the modern day Nazis is the most interesting. It's shocking how fascist some people are and how they bring up their children to believe what they believe in in the 21st century. I just love his style. He's a very intelligent man, but he manages to come across as being extremely dumb without causing offence to anybody.

 

The ones about the Miami Mega Jail recently have also been good. It's funny because I've bene watching Strangeways. But the old-style Miami jails are horrible. Really does put prison in to perspective.

That second Louis Theroux visit to Westboro was pretty pointless I thought. The world already knows that the Phelps family are revolting bigots so by going back and making an updated doco about them he was only giving them a platform which they wouldn't have had otherwise. I don't see what good it can have done.

 

I think he did it because they're still very much in the public eye, and also because two (I think it was) of the members left, even though they were blood related family. It was shocking how they disowned their children and pretty much refused to believe their existence because they no longer shared the same religious beliefs as their parents.

That second Louis Theroux visit to Westboro was pretty pointless I thought. The world already knows that the Phelps family are revolting bigots so by going back and making an updated doco about them he was only giving them a platform which they wouldn't have had otherwise. I don't see what good it can have done.

Just to elaborate on what Roo said I think it served as an interesting comparative piece with the changing attitudes within the family and the reaction they've had since becoming so internationally vilified. It certainly didn't stand up as an hour long documentary but nonetheless I thought the psychology and raw emotion displayed in regard to the "disowned members" is the only aspect that gave it any real purpose.

 

The recent 'Miami Jail' one was good but a little bloated over two hours. I found the Crystal Meth one more punchy and better constructed viewing (in terms of his recent American-set output)

 

I watched the 'African Hunting Holiday' one recently which I found superb. Why exactly do white Americans go out to South Africa to kill lions for £200,000 in a walled in artificial environment?

Edited June 7, 201114 yr by ☏ jake℡

I think Louis Theroux's documenary about the modern day Nazis is the most interesting. It's shocking how fascist some people are and how they bring up their children to believe what they believe in in the 21st century. I just love his style. He's a very intelligent man, but he manages to come across as being extremely dumb without causing offence to anybody.

I don't think it's a case of him "coming off dumb". It's more of a case that he's a master of composing manipulative film. Manipulative in the sense that he asks questions in a manner where he knows the retorts he's going to get and can use that to build up the image he wants for the films. Essentially it is a case of playing deliberately dumb and allowing his participants to make "fools" of themselves (if that's even the right term) and then allowing the viewer to come to their own opinion's via the sociology, body language and psychology so vividly portrayed by the extreme individuals he films and interviews.

I don't think it's a case of him "coming off dumb". It's more of a case that he's a master of composing manipulative film. Manipulative in the sense that he asks questions in a manner where he knows the retorts he's going to get and can use that to build up the image he wants for the films. Essentially it is a case of playing deliberately dumb and allowing his participants to make "fools" of themselves (if that's even the right term) and then allowing the viewer to come to their own opinion's via the sociology, body language and psychology so vividly portrayed by the extreme individuals he films and interviews.

 

His style is definitely a lot different to a lot of other journalists. He comes across very well on screen. All of the specials I've seen are very interesting. I was a little bit disappointed with the Lagos one because, I suspect a lot of the people shown in the film will have been playing up to the cameras. The situation out there is certianly a lot worse than was captured on camera anyway! The recent Israel one was very good as well. I thought he did a very good job of staying un-biased, but obviously being anti-Israeli. It was horrible how they kicked people out their homes for Jewish settlers to live there.