I may have missed it, but I saw no reference to any of the documentaries of Ken Burns, the master of the art. Do you know them? If not, you are in for a treat. He has done a huge number over his life (b 1963), many about the US, such as the American Civil War, the Vietnam War and numerous others. Cannot recommend highly enough!
Thanks Ann. Of course, how could I not know the documentary titan Ken Burns! But he makes series (or at least everything of his I’ve watched is a series - the standout for me being his series on The West which I watched as a uni student back in the 90s). So he’s excluded on a technicality - sorry Ken 😄Though if he has directed any stand alone feature docs I’d happily watch them for sure.
You could find out by going to Google, but I think he has made a number of one hour documentaries (apologies for not having read your rules too carefully). We have Sky TV because my husband loves watching sports and old movies (and is somewhat housebound for health reasons), which gives us PBS. They frequently show Burns' programmes and once did a marathon showing ALL of them, which I worked my way though. I have a lousy memory, but there was one about the Brooklyn Bridge and a charming one about a guy making the first car journey from the West Coast to the East. You should find something just to make sure he is represented in your otherwise great list.
PS. I love documentaries, but since my books (and my research throughout my life) are all like documentaries but in writing, this is not surprising.
Wow, that sounds like a helluva marathon of documentary watching - I am impressed! Just done a bit of internet sleuthing - and quickly was reminded of Burns' Central Park Five doc, which has been on my watchlist for ages. So that might well end up on the list. Though the one you mentioned on the first cross -US road trip (called Horatio's Drive) sounds delightful - so will definitely seek that one out too. Also, the Brooklyn Bridge one was his first ever film which would be fascinating to see, even aside from it being a cool topic in itself. Oh and I've still got several episodes of his epic Vietnam series to watch too. So many documentaries, so little time eh 🤣
Dare I ask, with all this discussion of other people's documentaries, are you really interested in pursuing a discussion around one of my books? You suggested so and then went quiet. I assumed it was because you were on holiday, but obviously my curiosity was piqued. No hard feelings if not or you would rather leave it until the autumn.
Incidentally, I loved your beach picture of my most recent book, but no sign that it sold any in fact! Too bad. Win some, lose some.
Absolutely - and yes, was trying not to do any work last week and concentrate on being present with my kids while we were in or hols (though couldn’t keep off Substack entirely clearly!) Emailing you to kick off talk around collaboration ideas is on my to do list for this week now I’m back home 😊
Excellent. No rush at all. You can leave it for awhile if you prefer. Just nice to know it is coming some time – not that there is any commitment, but just discussing it would be fun, especially after (I think I told you this) I was scammed on the same issue and wrote a post about it -'That little voice in the middle of the night'. I worked freelance for years and am used to having discussions about possible projects, some of which happen and some of which don't.
I used to have a Love Film subscription, too, Vicki!
So many good recommendations here. Koyaanisqatsi is one of my favourite films ever, of any type. It had such an impact on me when I first saw it in 1986.
I've watched Who Killed The Electric Car more than once. And it gives an interesting insight into younger Elon Musk fighting for Tesla's life.
The vertiginous Man on Wire is extraordinary. Reminded me of what it was like standing on top of the south tower when I visited New York in September 1999, two years before the Twin Towers were destroyed.
Lots of these (most) I have not seen, so thanks for the list!
Ah, I miss LoveFilm! It really did seem like you could order up pretty well any film ever and get the DVD eventually, even if sometimes the wait was quite long. But then that only added to the excitement after all the anticipation when a particular title finally popped through the letterbox. Streaming feels expansive when you start scrolling to find something to watch - but actually there are SO many films not available on streaming anywhere. It's interesting how DVDs & Bluerays haven't gone away entirely. My other half is obsessed with 1970s 'Giallo' (Italian pulp horror) movies and is constantly buying up DVDs on Ebay to satisfy his thirst for them 🤣
I definitely need to rewatch Who Killed the Electric Car - young Elon will be pretty fascinating to watch again in light of all that's happened since!
Let me know if you watch any on the list you've not seen. Hopefully you'll find something there to pique your interest eh x
I saw you have a Carol Morley film on your list, The Alcohol Years by her is one of my favourite documentaries. The things I love about it are the things that seem to annoy people that don't like it, the "unabashed narcissism", etc.
Streetwise by Mary Ellen Mark and her husband is my all time favourite though, I've watched it so many times even though it breaks my heart and makes my eyes puffy with crying every single time.
I forgot King of Kong, and a bunch of music ones that I think are great too; Duct tape messiah, Without getting killed or caught, and The Devil and Daniel Johnston.
How could I have forgotten The Devil and Daniel Johnston??!! First re-edit to the post required immediately! Not seen the others (though King of Kong is one of those films I've been meaning to get round to watching for forever). But if they're in the same class as the Daniel Johnston one I'm sure I'll love them.
I haven't seen The Alcohol Years as it just sounded so raw but your description - both of what you love and what others really don't - is definitely sparking my curiosity to give it a another try. And I have to confess I'd never heard of Streetwise at all but that sounds like one I 100% need to add to my list. Thanks for these recommendations! 🙏
Glad to see some of my faves on this list including Flee, Icarus, Summer of Soul, and Koyaanisqatsi! And thanks for making my watchlist blow up to epic proportions with this list.
Ha! I know that feeling. Sometimes I think I need to fall off a ladder and break both my legs just to get an extended recuperation period to catch up with all the films I want to watch 🤣 Was so much fun trawling through the memory vault to make this list though. Next job is to decide which one to write about first!
Oooooh! I can feel a cross post coming on! It’s years since I watched it but your piece will be a perfect nudge to go back to it again by the sounds of it 😊
I am not a big watcher of films (it doesn't work well with my ADHD) but there are a few documentary films that I've really loved: Etre et Avoir, which I saw was on your list; the French film Demain; Cave of the Yellow Dog (I saw The Story of the Weeping Camel on your list, which I haven't seen, but would like to); and I don't think this one would count in your list, but it is my go-to comfort film (yeah, I'm weird) The Big Short (lol). I will return to this list, when I'm next looking for a film to watch!
Ha! Not sure I’ve ever heard The Big Short described as a comfort film 😄 I’ve actually never seen it but you’ve made me want to now! Etre et Avoir is just so delightful - and probably will land differently for me now I’m a mum than when I first watched it 20 odd years ago. Think you would definitely enjoy the Weeping Camel from what I know about the Cave of the Yellow Dog.
Just in case this needs to be said, for your other readers, The Big Short is absolutely not a comfort film. But… I find it comforting. I don’t know what this says about me… 🙈
I loved the Vivian Maier documentary too. I also love One Day in September. The Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty documentary is one of my favourites. Man on Wire is great too
Oh I thought I’d put One Day in September down - but I can see I didn’t?! Maybe I took it off as I already had a couple of other Kevin Macdonald films (Touching the Void & the 2020 Story of Us Covid film which I just found so utterly heartbreaking and raw). That was a great film though. Will have to check out the Alexander McQueen doc too [adds one more to list 😄]
This is a great list thank you - super helpful for someone who has watched very very few documentaries. I was also Love Film subscriber and was quite sad when it stopped.
Questions: as a documentary novice, which one(s) out of your very comprehensive list should I start with?
Well.... I noticed that The Queen of Versailles is currently available on the iPlayer. It's absolutely bonkers and brilliant - about an insanely wealthy American couple trying to build an enormous mansion as the global financial crisis hits (released back in 2012). I'm going to make that the next post in the series (after my recent joint one on Koyaanisqatsi) so you could give it a watch and then we can chat about it when I hit publish..? That would be a fun place to start anyway 😃
The characters, especially the wife, are honestly out of this world. Yet you do end up feeling some strange level of sympathy with them too as far as I remember it. Am looking forward to rewatching it. Even the image on the BBC listing gives you a sense of it I think...https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01qbz9m/queen-of-versailles
I can see why you could sympathise, because as wealthy as they are if it all starts falling apart it’s still a hard watch, especially if they’re not really awful humans
Ah, but what of "The Act Of Killing", one of the most shocking and fascinating documentaries of all time? And it's companion, "The Look Of Silence"? Those odysseys stuck with me, both for how difficult they were to sit through, but also how the movies subtly interrogate and challenge the documentary format.
Two favorites of mine:
-"The Ambassador", a brilliant high wire act of a doc. Journalist Mads Bruegger goes undercover to secure a fraudulent Liberian ambassadorship simply to procure blood diamonds. Not only an intriguing look at the diamond trade and corruption, but a daring performance, as Bruegger, trying to avoid getting killed in every frame, adopts a persona that's half Tom Wolfe, half Borat.
-"Audience Of One" follows a priest who, upon seeing his first movie in his forties, decides God has told him to make his own film. The result is a big budget sci-fi Biblical epic for which he's able to secure considerable budgetary donations, despite knowing absolutely nothing about movies. This is, uh, not one of those "underdog overcoming all odds" stories, let's put it that way. A hilarious documentary about religion, filmmaking and hubris.
Thanks for these! I've actually never seen either of the Oppenheimer films, though I know they are hugely admired (I think I was pregnant when The Act of Killing came out and just couldn't bring myself to engage with the subject matter and then somehow I've just never got around to them since then). One of my ideas, alongside my own A to Z is to do some video posts with other folk on Substack talking with me about docs they've recommended I watch so if that sounds interesting maybe we could think about doing an Act of Killing/Look of Silence double header collaboration sometime..?
In the meantime, both of your other recommendations sound like definite 'add to list' contenders. And I can see I'm going to need to spend some time delving around the archives in your Substack... Thanks again for commenting 😃
That would be a pretty interesting proposition! You let me know, but those certainly are difficult movies to discuss. When the time comes, I'll have to think about it, since I may have to preserve my anonymity! Happy to discuss further, it would be a delight and an honor to do a vlog.
I may have missed it, but I saw no reference to any of the documentaries of Ken Burns, the master of the art. Do you know them? If not, you are in for a treat. He has done a huge number over his life (b 1963), many about the US, such as the American Civil War, the Vietnam War and numerous others. Cannot recommend highly enough!
Thanks Ann. Of course, how could I not know the documentary titan Ken Burns! But he makes series (or at least everything of his I’ve watched is a series - the standout for me being his series on The West which I watched as a uni student back in the 90s). So he’s excluded on a technicality - sorry Ken 😄Though if he has directed any stand alone feature docs I’d happily watch them for sure.
You could find out by going to Google, but I think he has made a number of one hour documentaries (apologies for not having read your rules too carefully). We have Sky TV because my husband loves watching sports and old movies (and is somewhat housebound for health reasons), which gives us PBS. They frequently show Burns' programmes and once did a marathon showing ALL of them, which I worked my way though. I have a lousy memory, but there was one about the Brooklyn Bridge and a charming one about a guy making the first car journey from the West Coast to the East. You should find something just to make sure he is represented in your otherwise great list.
PS. I love documentaries, but since my books (and my research throughout my life) are all like documentaries but in writing, this is not surprising.
Wow, that sounds like a helluva marathon of documentary watching - I am impressed! Just done a bit of internet sleuthing - and quickly was reminded of Burns' Central Park Five doc, which has been on my watchlist for ages. So that might well end up on the list. Though the one you mentioned on the first cross -US road trip (called Horatio's Drive) sounds delightful - so will definitely seek that one out too. Also, the Brooklyn Bridge one was his first ever film which would be fascinating to see, even aside from it being a cool topic in itself. Oh and I've still got several episodes of his epic Vietnam series to watch too. So many documentaries, so little time eh 🤣
Dare I ask, with all this discussion of other people's documentaries, are you really interested in pursuing a discussion around one of my books? You suggested so and then went quiet. I assumed it was because you were on holiday, but obviously my curiosity was piqued. No hard feelings if not or you would rather leave it until the autumn.
Incidentally, I loved your beach picture of my most recent book, but no sign that it sold any in fact! Too bad. Win some, lose some.
Absolutely - and yes, was trying not to do any work last week and concentrate on being present with my kids while we were in or hols (though couldn’t keep off Substack entirely clearly!) Emailing you to kick off talk around collaboration ideas is on my to do list for this week now I’m back home 😊
Excellent. No rush at all. You can leave it for awhile if you prefer. Just nice to know it is coming some time – not that there is any commitment, but just discussing it would be fun, especially after (I think I told you this) I was scammed on the same issue and wrote a post about it -'That little voice in the middle of the night'. I worked freelance for years and am used to having discussions about possible projects, some of which happen and some of which don't.
Love this. So happy to have a list to go through!
Me too! A few random ones in there as well as lots of big well known titles - let me know if you watch anything & have comments 😀
I used to have a Love Film subscription, too, Vicki!
So many good recommendations here. Koyaanisqatsi is one of my favourite films ever, of any type. It had such an impact on me when I first saw it in 1986.
I've watched Who Killed The Electric Car more than once. And it gives an interesting insight into younger Elon Musk fighting for Tesla's life.
The vertiginous Man on Wire is extraordinary. Reminded me of what it was like standing on top of the south tower when I visited New York in September 1999, two years before the Twin Towers were destroyed.
Lots of these (most) I have not seen, so thanks for the list!
Ah, I miss LoveFilm! It really did seem like you could order up pretty well any film ever and get the DVD eventually, even if sometimes the wait was quite long. But then that only added to the excitement after all the anticipation when a particular title finally popped through the letterbox. Streaming feels expansive when you start scrolling to find something to watch - but actually there are SO many films not available on streaming anywhere. It's interesting how DVDs & Bluerays haven't gone away entirely. My other half is obsessed with 1970s 'Giallo' (Italian pulp horror) movies and is constantly buying up DVDs on Ebay to satisfy his thirst for them 🤣
I definitely need to rewatch Who Killed the Electric Car - young Elon will be pretty fascinating to watch again in light of all that's happened since!
Let me know if you watch any on the list you've not seen. Hopefully you'll find something there to pique your interest eh x
Thanks Vicki. And as I already mentioned before, I’d add The Truffle Hunters to the list!
I will message you!
I recently stumbled across Ian Dunt's lament for LoveFilm. He says the same - that streaming services haven't served film fans well (unless they are only interested in mainstream films). https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/aug/14/lovefilm-postal-dvd-service-closing-amazon-netflix
What a great (sad) article - agreed with every word of it!
I saw you have a Carol Morley film on your list, The Alcohol Years by her is one of my favourite documentaries. The things I love about it are the things that seem to annoy people that don't like it, the "unabashed narcissism", etc.
Streetwise by Mary Ellen Mark and her husband is my all time favourite though, I've watched it so many times even though it breaks my heart and makes my eyes puffy with crying every single time.
I forgot King of Kong, and a bunch of music ones that I think are great too; Duct tape messiah, Without getting killed or caught, and The Devil and Daniel Johnston.
How could I have forgotten The Devil and Daniel Johnston??!! First re-edit to the post required immediately! Not seen the others (though King of Kong is one of those films I've been meaning to get round to watching for forever). But if they're in the same class as the Daniel Johnston one I'm sure I'll love them.
I haven't seen The Alcohol Years as it just sounded so raw but your description - both of what you love and what others really don't - is definitely sparking my curiosity to give it a another try. And I have to confess I'd never heard of Streetwise at all but that sounds like one I 100% need to add to my list. Thanks for these recommendations! 🙏
Glad to see some of my faves on this list including Flee, Icarus, Summer of Soul, and Koyaanisqatsi! And thanks for making my watchlist blow up to epic proportions with this list.
Ha! I know that feeling. Sometimes I think I need to fall off a ladder and break both my legs just to get an extended recuperation period to catch up with all the films I want to watch 🤣 Was so much fun trawling through the memory vault to make this list though. Next job is to decide which one to write about first!
I actually have a post planned in September on Koyaanisqatsi. Don't want to give too much away yet but will be revisiting the film ahead of that post.
Oooooh! I can feel a cross post coming on! It’s years since I watched it but your piece will be a perfect nudge to go back to it again by the sounds of it 😊
I am not a big watcher of films (it doesn't work well with my ADHD) but there are a few documentary films that I've really loved: Etre et Avoir, which I saw was on your list; the French film Demain; Cave of the Yellow Dog (I saw The Story of the Weeping Camel on your list, which I haven't seen, but would like to); and I don't think this one would count in your list, but it is my go-to comfort film (yeah, I'm weird) The Big Short (lol). I will return to this list, when I'm next looking for a film to watch!
Ha! Not sure I’ve ever heard The Big Short described as a comfort film 😄 I’ve actually never seen it but you’ve made me want to now! Etre et Avoir is just so delightful - and probably will land differently for me now I’m a mum than when I first watched it 20 odd years ago. Think you would definitely enjoy the Weeping Camel from what I know about the Cave of the Yellow Dog.
Just in case this needs to be said, for your other readers, The Big Short is absolutely not a comfort film. But… I find it comforting. I don’t know what this says about me… 🙈
Tee hee. It says you are you. And that's just exactly as it should be 🤗
I loved the Vivian Maier documentary too. I also love One Day in September. The Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty documentary is one of my favourites. Man on Wire is great too
Oh I thought I’d put One Day in September down - but I can see I didn’t?! Maybe I took it off as I already had a couple of other Kevin Macdonald films (Touching the Void & the 2020 Story of Us Covid film which I just found so utterly heartbreaking and raw). That was a great film though. Will have to check out the Alexander McQueen doc too [adds one more to list 😄]
Ah! Touching the Void was so brilliant 🤩
This is a great list thank you - super helpful for someone who has watched very very few documentaries. I was also Love Film subscriber and was quite sad when it stopped.
Questions: as a documentary novice, which one(s) out of your very comprehensive list should I start with?
Well.... I noticed that The Queen of Versailles is currently available on the iPlayer. It's absolutely bonkers and brilliant - about an insanely wealthy American couple trying to build an enormous mansion as the global financial crisis hits (released back in 2012). I'm going to make that the next post in the series (after my recent joint one on Koyaanisqatsi) so you could give it a watch and then we can chat about it when I hit publish..? That would be a fun place to start anyway 😃
Oh wow, sounds bonkers, people and money right?! That's if they still had it after the crisis....
The characters, especially the wife, are honestly out of this world. Yet you do end up feeling some strange level of sympathy with them too as far as I remember it. Am looking forward to rewatching it. Even the image on the BBC listing gives you a sense of it I think...https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01qbz9m/queen-of-versailles
I can see why you could sympathise, because as wealthy as they are if it all starts falling apart it’s still a hard watch, especially if they’re not really awful humans
Ah, but what of "The Act Of Killing", one of the most shocking and fascinating documentaries of all time? And it's companion, "The Look Of Silence"? Those odysseys stuck with me, both for how difficult they were to sit through, but also how the movies subtly interrogate and challenge the documentary format.
Two favorites of mine:
-"The Ambassador", a brilliant high wire act of a doc. Journalist Mads Bruegger goes undercover to secure a fraudulent Liberian ambassadorship simply to procure blood diamonds. Not only an intriguing look at the diamond trade and corruption, but a daring performance, as Bruegger, trying to avoid getting killed in every frame, adopts a persona that's half Tom Wolfe, half Borat.
-"Audience Of One" follows a priest who, upon seeing his first movie in his forties, decides God has told him to make his own film. The result is a big budget sci-fi Biblical epic for which he's able to secure considerable budgetary donations, despite knowing absolutely nothing about movies. This is, uh, not one of those "underdog overcoming all odds" stories, let's put it that way. A hilarious documentary about religion, filmmaking and hubris.
Fromtheyardtothearthouse.substack.com
Thanks for these! I've actually never seen either of the Oppenheimer films, though I know they are hugely admired (I think I was pregnant when The Act of Killing came out and just couldn't bring myself to engage with the subject matter and then somehow I've just never got around to them since then). One of my ideas, alongside my own A to Z is to do some video posts with other folk on Substack talking with me about docs they've recommended I watch so if that sounds interesting maybe we could think about doing an Act of Killing/Look of Silence double header collaboration sometime..?
In the meantime, both of your other recommendations sound like definite 'add to list' contenders. And I can see I'm going to need to spend some time delving around the archives in your Substack... Thanks again for commenting 😃
That would be a pretty interesting proposition! You let me know, but those certainly are difficult movies to discuss. When the time comes, I'll have to think about it, since I may have to preserve my anonymity! Happy to discuss further, it would be a delight and an honor to do a vlog.
Fromtheyardtothearthouse.substack.com