An Impossible Job: ILX's 40 Favorite Documentaries

I had no idea that all documentaries are supposed to be such serious business. Just don't get why some people seem to get a rise sucking all the fun out of a casual poll.

non-fiction film is my passion/career. i'm used to these sort of lists, but they'll always irritate me.

F for Fake got two votes and 15 points. That's a film I don't like at all.

partially because of all the, ahem, discussion that took place above, this 40-film poll reveal thread is longer than some of the old ilx 100-film decade poll threads

Yes--even though I was getting a little exasperated at points, it was Morbius and Eric H. who generated a lot of that. I did not, in any way, intend to chase Eric out of the discussion, which is why I was quick to say I was just having some fun with my initial post this morning.

Another obligatory 'Chris Marker wuz ROBBED' post.

i kid i kid -- its his fault for being so damn obscure (Le Joli mai is really good tho', try and catch it the next time your council commie screens it)

The Battle of Chile

Good choice. Not sure how, but I only saw some of this as a kid and considered voting for it anyway. Does it screen anymore?

it's on dvd now. i saw a lot of it projected, but it's an all-dayer.

It actually just screened in Chicago a few weeks ago.

My ballot:

1. Eyes on the Prize (1987 TV documentary series)/Eyes on the Prize II (1990 TV documentary series)
2. The War At Home (1979)
3. Chronicle of a Summer (1961) [a.k.a. Chronique d'un ete]
4. The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) [a.k.a. Le Chagrin et la pitie]
5. American Dream (1990)
6. Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)
7. The Decline of Western Civilization (1982)
8. Metal and Melancholy (1994) [a.k.a. Metaal en melancholie]
9. Hoop Dreams (1994)
10. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003)
11. Crazy (1999)
12. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)/Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (2000, TV documentary)
13. The Filth and the Fury (2000) [a.k.a. The Filth and the Fury - A Sex Pistols Film]
14. Style Wars (1983)
15. Winter Soldier (1972)
16. The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)
17. Trouble the Water (2008)
18. The Yes Men (2003)
19. The Take (2004)
20. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (2002) [a.k.a. Chavez: Inside the Coup]

i feel like i should sum up what some of mine are about in case peeps have some interest:

Impaler (2007) - vampire runs for mn governor, but the story turns from the wacky and whatever to really sad. very surprising, although the production is low grade at best
Fall From Grace (2007) - westboro fred phelps doc that is utterly chilling
Blood In The Face (1991) - US neo-nazi doc that goes deep
Not Quite Hollywood (2008) - ozploitation doc that is absolutely amazing and hilarious
One Day In September (1999) - actually totally shocked that this didnt make it, assume people know about it
The Rape of Europa (2006) - nazi art theft and the difficulties in recovery of said art
Paradise Lost 2 - see one day in september - i do think part 2 is the better of the pair
Dark Days (2000) - story of the homeless people living in the underground tunnels of NYC
Crips and Bloods: Made In America (2008) - dogtown and z boyz director turns his eye to the historical roots of the crips and bloods, which has been done many times but never close to this well
The Bridge (2006) - camera crew films the suicides on the golden gate bridge for a year and talks to the people involved. dark dark stuff.
Best Worst Movie (2009) - the story of Troll 2, one of the funniest docs you are likely to see, sorry srs doc people.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2000) - remarkably sympathetic look at tammy faye bakker
The Wild and Wonderful Whites - talked abt this too
Bomb It (2007) - sleeper amazing graffiti doc
The Architecture of Doom (1989) - powerful nazi doc framed by the bizarre aesthetic obsessions that drove it

One Day in September is high on my need-to-see list--all the way through Munich, I was thinking about how much more I would rather be watching a good documentary on this. (Still have dim memories of the actual event.) I'd recommend the Joan Rivers film to anyone who likes The Eyes of Tammy Faye.

yeah Joan Rivers was pretty fascinating because she seemed so candid about everything.

anyways judging from all the broken bottles i'm sorry i missed the party here. This was my ranked list:

1. The World At War
2. Phantom India
3. Harlan County USA
4. Grizzly Man
5. Crumb
6. Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples' Temple
7. The Cove
8. The Mystery of Picasso
9. Dig!
10. Tokyo Olymipiad
11. Hearts and Minds
12. American Movie
13. The Cockettes
14. American Dream
15. Hands on a Hard Body
16. Sherman's March (dir Ross Mcelwee)
17. Up Series
18. Roger and Me
19. Streetwise
20. Up the Yangtze

this was my ballot

When We Were Kings - 20
Capturing the Friedmans - 15
The Thin Blue Line - 15
Crumb - 10
Grizzly Man - 10
Touching the Void - 10
Hoop Dreams - 5
Exit through the Gift Shop - 5
Murderball - 5
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster - 5

Crips and Bloods: Made In America (2008) - dogtown and z boyz director turns his eye to the historical roots of the crips and bloods, which has been done many times but never close to this well

I feel like I am picking on jjjusten in particular, and I don't mean to, but Cle Sloan's "Bastards Of The Party" is a far more nuanced and complex (at least for the first half) history of LA gangs. It's on Netflix not, too!

on Netflix now

No I've seen that one and def preferred the peralta doc - I think we may just not see eye to eye on doc stuff

I guess so. Stacey Peralta's schtick really started to annoy me in that film, found Bastards Of The Party not only more original but actually gave a view from the inside and offered some explanations/solutions for the gang problem.

it's extra infuriating when the person on a thread who does the most shouting about how everyone is ill-informed and barbaric turns out to be incredibly middlebrow.

I never said "ill-informed and barbaric," but don't worry about it because, ladies and gentlemen, this is my last poll. (Except for the ones I start, like the Nicholas Ray one.)

But, yeah, "barbaric" applies in rating Anvil! ahead of all of F Wiseman.

Man, I hate/need this board just like NYC, apparently.

if you get caught between the moon and Werner Herzog

where did you come from??

heaven.

don't worry about it because, ladies and gentlemen, this is my last poll

I'm not sure if the allusion's intentional or not, but I'm sure you can appreciate the strong echo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AmDkAV0KeI

must be missing an aged

xp

yes, clemenza, way to explain the jokes

Interesting reading, thanks. I've not seen a great number of these (why I didn't take part), but I've added a ton to my must see list. Sounds like Streetwise needs some sort of follow-up, that tie in with the Green River Killer is horrifying and sad (but interesting, in a morbid way).

Just doing my small part in unlocking the complexities of your mind.

morbsology.

but don't worry about it because, ladies and gentlemen, this is my last poll. = http://www.kirstenwinkler.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/justoutin.jpg

Whats funny about Morbs' performance itt is that he has betrayed just how much he belongs here by engaging in two time-tested ilx techniques - consistent whining about a favorite being snubbed and threatening over and over to leave a thread without ever actually doing so.

He's the consummate ILXor, it's true

that's the worst thing anyone's ever said about me

remember, others may hate you...

i havent seen when we were kings since i was a child, and it was certainly mesmerizing, but i wonder if i'd find it overly reverent towards ali today

After this was nominated for an Academy Award (and won I think?) it landed in a restored movie theatre where I saw it at a matinee along with three other people in attendence. Really liked it from what I remember. Also felt very sorry for George Foreman- Ali and company were relentless in their insults.

I'm away from home for a few days so if you can post my ballot clemenza, that would be lovely.

title - points - placement

Crumb 20 #1
Harlan County U.S.A. 20 #4
Microcosmos 10
Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. 10
The Sorrow and the Pity 10 #5
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts 10
Bowling for Columbine 5
Grey Gardens 5 #20
Grizzly Man 5
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster 5
Richard Williams: The Thief Who Never Gave Up (1982, Thames TV) 5
F For Fake 5
Monterey Pop 5
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills 5
The Thin Blue Line 5 #9

Here's Billy Dods' ballot (x-post):

1. With Orson Welles: Stories from a Life in Film
2. 7 Up
3. The Kid Stays in the Picture
4. The American Civil War
5. The Last Waltz
6. Oil City Confidential
7. The Lost World of Mitchell and Kenyon
8. Cosmos
9. Inside Job
10. From A to B: Tales of Modern Motoring

My submission:

Man on Wire (2008)
My Best Fiend (1999)
Grizzly Man (2005)
The King of Kong (2007)
Stop Making Sense (1984)
Hoop Dreams (1994)
Dogtown and Z-Boys (2002)
Night Mail (1936)
Dig! (2004)
For All Mankind (1989)

10. From A to B: Tales of Modern Motoring

Yay! If I'd thought someone else might vote for it I might have given it more than 5 points.

I feel unexpectedly disturbed and upset that I missed the poll for this.

you can probably still receive the kind of aggressive scrutiny and accusations of cinematic perjury from us that you would have got, had you voted in a timely fashion. just write up a top ten. the fall-out of this has really padded my list of stuff to watch, btw.

I'd like to get my disdain for Nicole's credentials in early, please.

this list is terrible; and not even on time; and such small portions

Her feminine "upset" at missing the deadline will of course colour whatever judgment she might once have had.

So I finished Streetwise last night and it was, as everyone said, excellent. I won't go into detail because I don't want to spoil it for those who expressed interest in seeing it. It seems that Martin Bell made another film about Tiny in 2005 called "Erin". http://www.maryellenmark.com/films/titles/erin/erin_home_page.html There are clips there but I can't find the whole film online. If anyone else can I'd really appreciate it.

guy seemingly made a feature back in seattle featuring the smokingest & baddest jeff bridges, also, e:

http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/551/amheart0.jpg

Damn, Jeff!

would vote for best actor nom based on that one still alone

ps also nom in both senses, lookin good jb

lol

Oh and next up, as I plow through the ones I haven't seen, is Crumb which I should receive from Netflix tomorrow.

How did you see Streetwise? I thought it was unavailable. (We've got a cult-leaning store here that has everything--I haven't checked there.) I'm confident you'll find your first encounter with Crumb memorable.

it's on the internet