Staff Picks Category: Documentary

Page One: Inside the New York Times by Andrew Rossi [DVD]

view/request

Andrew Rossi’s film Page One explores the role of print media in a rapidly changing technological landscape. The documentary goes inside the Eighth Avenue tower and we watch events unfold and become shaped into articles that eventually get delivered to our doorsteps.
The Internet has redirected the way in which many people seek information and this proves to be a financial threat to the survival of every newspaper. When Julian Assange’s initial YouTube barrage is dropped on the heads of the public, the Times writers not only have to think how to cover the event, they also need to ponder how it affects journalism on the whole. The WikiLeaks organization may upload footage, reach millions of people in a matter or moments and have little accountability in how they present their broadcast. The Times realizes that though they must follow the guidelines of responsible reporting, they still need to compete with this brand of information giving on some level.
Staff members are also profiled and followed around through the course of pitching and working on articles. We go inside meetings and presentations, too. David Carr, arguably the star of this film, is seen laying down the law in a meeting with Vice personnel, seeing his elderly father and giving a presentation on technology and media. Carr and many of the staff on screen, discuss the role of technology and Twitter and other social media.
Though the advertising and subscriptions that power the New York Times are at all time lows, the paper continues to move forward. Page One documents this tense, transitional period and shows the organization working on the fly to stay in the business.

Talking heads Chronology [DVD]

view/request

An official retrospective DVD compilation of rare footage and performances from throughout the Talking Heads illustrious career. The footage spans chronologically from mic tests and rough 1976 black and white footage of the band in NYC to television and festival performances during the height of their fame in the early 80’s. As the quality of the footage improves, the band becomes tighter and more assured, adding members until it culminates in the art-house funk monster period of Remain in Light and Speaking in Tongues. This development and gradual expansion of the band in style and number mirrors the sequences of Stop Making Sense, the bands epic masterpiece concert film, but also allows a rare live glimpse of the late 70’s Heads whose angular tightly structured charm was just as innovative for its time as their later afro-cuban funk explorations. Talking Heads fans have waited for years without any significant “archived material” from the band and few releases outside of greatest hits compilations, and this release provides the perfect companion to Jonathan Demme’s 1983 concert film. The DVD is bound within a book with some great photographs of the band and extensive liner notes by Lester Bangs, who lets loose with his usual unrestrained hyperbolic blurt.

Last Train Home [DVD]

view/request

There are 130 million migrant workers in China, many of whom only journey home to see their families once a year on Chinese New Year. Lixin Fan’s 2009 award winning documentary follows the journey, conflict and struggle of one such family and is a film of remarkable impact. To its western audiences, the film is an eye opening look into the arduous lives of the thousands of low wage workers who produce assemble and manufacture many of our imported goods. While the film exposes the insidious impact of globalization and the poor working conditions of Chinese low wage workers, it is equally successful in capturing universal family conflicts and generational differences. The ‘mass exodus’ of Chinese workers home for the Spring Festival is the world’s largest human migration. The arduous journey of the Zhang family from their urban factory and cramped living conditions back to their poor rural village vividly illustrates the dramatic changes Chinese society has undergone as a result of its economic role in the global marketplace. The film is shot in a cinema-verite, fly on the wall style and the viewer is confronted not only by our role and responsibility as the world’s largest consumers, but by our perspective as the viewer of this hauntingly intimate look into the lives of this family. The parents of the family have sacrificed being present to raise their children for the purpose of sending enough money home to allow their children to pursue their education and have a better life than they have. When their rebellious teenage daughter confronts them about their continual absence and the pressure they place on her to succeed, she addresses the camera directly and the viewer can’t help but feel connected to this extraordinarily personal, politically relevant and remarkably timely film.

Girl Groups [DVD]

view/request

This rare, long out of print copy of Steve Alpert and Stephanie Bennett’s 1982 film provides a joyous glimpse into the history and development of the girl group sound. In addition to candid interviews with key figures like Darlene Love, Mary Wilson, Ronnie Spector, Arlene Smith and Ellie Greenwich, the film includes rare performance footage discovered by the filmmakers in the damp basement of a local TV affiliate in Windsor, Canada. These clips and performances by seminal groups of the era were originally aired on Teen Town, Detroit’s local version of American Bandstand. The film traces the history of the girl group sound from song writers in the Brill Building in New York to Motown and beyond, and includes clips of the Ronettes, Martha and the Vandellas, the Shangri-Las, the Marvelettes, the Angels, the Dixie Cups, the Shirelles, Dee Dee Sharp and a rare short color film of the Exciters bizarrely miming “Tell Her” in the general direction of lions and bears in a zoo. The film quality is certainly dated and shows it’s age in places, and a segment on the Supremes runs perhaps a bit too long (Motown required a minimum of ten songs to be featured for the rights to the Supremes) while other important groups are barely mentioned. All things considered, the interview segments and performances more than make up for these faults and the film stands as a valuable artifact of the times, and must viewing for fans of the Girl Group Sound.

Art 21 [DVD]

view/request

The Mighty Uke [DVD]

view/request

Birds of the Gods [DVD]

view/request

This 2011 DVD release of the latest beautiful and informative documentary from the BBC/Nature series captures the spectacular beauty of the native birds of New Guinea. In the 16^th century European explorers named the gorgeous and elusive birds of the island “Birds of Paradise”. The local indigenous people have revered them for centuries and honor them as sacred ancestors by wearing their feathers as status symbols in elaborate headdresses during tribal ceremonies. This tradition, however, has made the more exotic and colorful birds’ feathers highly prized and, together with loss of habitat, has threatened the species’ survival and made them vulnerable to extinction. The ever-present BBC narrator David Attenborough introduces us to local biologists and conservationists, Miriam Supuma and Paul Igog, whose knowledge of the area and expertise guides us through the dense forests to document the elusive birds. The film does a good job of conveying the difficulty and challenges posed to researchers in the area, who must face incredibly difficult terrain, elusive and skittish subjects and are faced with centuries of local tradition and customs in their efforts to research and protect the birds of New Guinea. The joy of the researchers, when they do witness one of the elusive birds mating displays and dances, is palpable and infectious. The birds of New Guinea have evolved in relative isolation for thousands of years and have developed a wide variety of plumage, some with vivid iridescent blue and green coloring while others have tail feathers up the three times the length of their body. Overall, the film offers a satisfying, informative and visually captivating look at a corner of the world the viewer might not be familiar with and is a sure hit for birdwatchers and fans of nature docs alike.

Paul Taylor, Dancemaker [DVD]

view/request

Paul Taylor is an innovative dancer and choreographer. He is known for his pioneering work in modern dance and his long career which began in the 1950s (he danced in Martha Graham’s company) and continues today. His choreography can be startling, beautiful, frightening, comical, serious, ornate, minimalist, and much else besides.

This documentary about Paul Taylor’s career focuses on the Paul Taylor Dance company as they prepare and perform a number pieces. We see the company rehearsing and performing, but best of all, we get to see Paul work with the company as he creates new dances. We are also treated to historical footage of Paul performing as a young man. The dancing is fantastic, and the portrait of this great artist is complex. This film is a great introduction to Paul’s work for those unfamiliar with it as well as a treat for those who have already grown to love the dances he creates.

Grateful Dawg by Gillian Grisman [DVD]

view/request

This film celebrates the musical collaborations of Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. The film, by David’s daughter Gillian, is an affectionate tribute to the music created when these two musical giants worked together. Garcia and Grisman shared a common enthusiasm for bluegrass and American roots music, but Grisman had a tight and disciplined approach to the music, while Garcia was well known for his relaxed attitude. Something special happened when they worked together, as Grisman loosened up, Garcia became more focused, and each took on some of the best qualities of the other.

This film isn’t particularly rich in storytelling, and it is nothing special to look at, but it contains some good interviews with Grisman, Garcia, and their many collaborators, including Vassar Clements and Peter Rowan of Old and in the Way. The real focus of the film, however, is the music, and the camaraderie between these great musicians, and that is how it should be. The film’s editors often made the unfortunate decision to show footage, often in slow motion, which doesn’t match the music being played, but this is easy to over look. All you have to do is close your eyes and listen—and listening to these two play together is a joy.

Wheel of Time by Werner Herzog [DVD]

view/request

Werner Herzog, director of Fitzcarraldo, Aguirre: the Wrath of God and Stroszek, has almost become equally as famous for his non-fiction work in recent years thanks to the success of the fabulous Grizzly Man documentary. Forbes Library is fortunate to be receiving several of Herzog’s documentaries (many of which currently hard to find, out of print titles) through our acquisition of the Pleasant St. Video collection thanks to the kind donations from our patrons.

I first saw Wheel of Time at a Werner Herzog retrospective in Austin, TX. I must confess that I didn’t know much about the film or this German auteur at the time. I would soon receive a wonderful education by purchasing a pass to attend the rest of the festival and also borrowing everything I could find by the director at the video library where I was then employed.

The film chronicles a Buddhist pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya, India. At this destination, several artists create a giant, yet intricate, sand design or “sand mandala” (which is referred to as the wheel of time). The creation of the sand mandala is carefully constructed over a lengthy period of time and the viewer is constantly worried that it will not be completed by its deadline (or at least I was feeling tense). The stunning landscape along our travelers’ journey and the vibrant colors of the dyed sand are brilliantly captured by the film’s gorgeous cinematography. There is also a personal interview Herzog conducts with the Dalai Lama.

Wheel of Time, along with many of his documentaries, is certainly as interesting and entertaining as his classic fiction films. In both mediums, we are often supplied with adventure, drama, social commentary, humor and taken to exotic locales. Whether going up in a strange flying apparatus into a rainforest canopy, living in the jungle while filming, hauling a riverboat up a mountain, eating his own shoe, working with wild bears and collaborating with Klaus Kinski (!), Werner Herzog has managed to survive and also produce great art. It wasn’t until a 2006 BBC interview when his life became (arguably) most in danger when a sniper opened fire with an air rifle. After the shooting Herzog calmly commented, “it was not a significant bullet. I am not afraid.”

Two Escobars [DVD]

view/request

This riveting documentary film was made by Northampton natives Jeff and Michael Zimbalist as part of the excellent ESPN 30 for 30 series. It examines a harrowing period in Colombia’s history when rival drug cartels were warring in the streets and the national soccer team set out to win the world cup and by extension, create a new positive image for their country. The Two Escobars of the title are Andres Escobar, the softspoken but inspiring captain of the National Team, and Pablo Escobar, who was a notorious cartel leader and brutal drug baron, but also a team owner and folk hero to many poor people in Colombia. The documentary takes a clear eyed look at a period of Colombian soccer and society which stretched from the height of the phenomenon known as “Narco-Soccer” through their ignominious and ultimately tragic loss in the first round of the 1994 World Cup. Like many of the 30 for 30 series filmmakers, the directors succeed in showing the importance and influence of sport on society as a whole, how it reflects and is influenced by the best and worst aspects of our culture. As a result the film appeals to viewers who are not die-hard sports fans, ‘soccer’ fans or familiar with World Cup Football. One of the best of the ESPN 30 for 30 series and best documentaries of 2010, it was an Official Selection at the Cannes, Tribeca and Los Angeles Film Festivals.

Exit through the Gift Shop [DVD]

view/request

What starts off somewhat conventionally as a documentary on street art culture and its biggest legend and mystery Banksy, is flipped into an scathing satire of the art world. The film, ostensibly created by and starring Banksy, Shepard Fairey and the ‘amateur documentarian’ Thierry Guetta , is a priceless document/depiction of street art’s journey indoors and its eventual corruption at the hands of those who seek to document, celebrate and endorse it. The films ability to keep the viewer questioning the authenticity and the reliability of the films guide/narrator/director, Thierry, cleverly parallels the art world’s desperate quest to identify Banksy and to own and define his work. In capturing both the rush and excitement of the creation of ‘street art’ and the vacuous dullness of those who seek to commodify and blandly reproduce it, Banksy has created an enthralling portrait of what happens when the lines between art and commerce, public spaces and private property, and documentary and mockumentary are blurred. Highly recommended along with the wonderful and more straightforward “B Movie” which documents much of Banksy’s legendary work.