Subgenre Sampler
Rental > History: 375 Films to Rent on DVD
- One Life (2023)
- Dir. James Hawes
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Flynn…
- the true story of a London broker Nicholas Winton; who secretly organised the rail transport of hundreds of Jewish children from Nazi occupied Europe…
- Oppenheimer (2023)
- Dir. Christopher Nolan
Feat. Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon…
- Christopher Nolan's grand biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), the American Physicist credited with being the "father of the atomic…
- Shackleton: The Greatest Story of Survival (2023)
- The true story of polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and the crew of the Endurance, told by the only man ever to have repeated their incredible…
- Zone of Interest, The (2023)
- Dir. Jonathan Glazer
Feat. Christian Friedel, Sandra Huller
- A Holocaust film quite unlike any other, The Hoss family have moved into their new home in Poland. The camera objectively documents their daily life…
- Merkel (2022)
- Dir. Eva Weber
- A fittingly admirable portrait of the one of the great diplomats of modern times, Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany for sixteen years, and most…
- Woman King, The (2022)
- Dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood
Feat. Viola Davis, John Boyega
- Inspired by true events, this is the remarkable, action–packed story about the all–female unit of warriors who protected the African…
- Delicious (2021)
- Dir. Eric Besnard
Feat. Gregory Gadebois, Isabelle Carré, Benjamin Lavernhe…
- Sumptuous historical drama set in the world of haute cuisine in 18th century France.
As the Revolution dawns, a talented cook who has been sacked…
- Raphael: The Young Prodigy (2021)
- Dir. Massimo Ferrari
- A documentary about the Italian painter Raphael, and his extraordinary contribution to the short–lived High Renaissance movement of the late…
- Pompeii: Sin City (2020)
- A documentary exploring the city of Pompeii and its profound influence on culture and art over the course of human history.
Provides an evocative…
- #Anne Frank: Parallel Stories (2019)
- Dir. Sabina Fedeli, Anna Migotto
Feat. Helen Mirren
- Documentary marking the 75th anniversary of the Auschwitz liberation, featuring Helen Mirren reading from Anne Frank's diaries and providing a moving…
- Apollo 11 (2019)
- Dir. Todd Douglas Miller
- A handsomely mounted, meticulously conceived documentary presenting the events of the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon, led by commander Neil…
- Horrible Histories: The Movie - Rotten Romans (2019)
- Dir. Dominic Brigstocke
Feat. Emilia Jones, Sebastian Croft, Nick Frost…
- Live action historical farce based on the book and TV series of the same name, about a teenager in the Roman era who is forced to join the Roman Army…
- Civilisations (TV Series) (2018)
- Inspired by Kenneth Clark's classic documentary series CIVILISATION (1969), this nine–part series tells the story of art from the dawn of human…
- Doctor Who (Series 11) [Jodie Whittaker] (2018)
- Feat. Jodie Whittaker, Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole…
- The Thirteenth Doctor and first Doctor to be a woman, played by Jodie Whittaker, touches down on Earth where she recruits three new friends –…
- Looming Tower, The (TV Mini-Series) (2018)
- Feat. Jeff Daniels, Tahar Rahim
- Mini–series exploring the rivalry between the FBI and the CIA in the lead up to 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan. Based on Lawrence Wright's…
- Meeting Gorbachev (2018)
- Dir. Werner Herzog, André Singer
- Werner Herzog directs this candid documentary based on three interviews with Mikhail Gorbachev, the eighth and last leader of the Soviet Union. With…
- Peterloo (2018)
- Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Pearce Quigley
- Elaborate historical drama directed by Mike Leigh (MR TURNER), portraying the infamous 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where British army forces attacked a…
- Studio 54: The Documentary (2018)
- Dir. Matt Tyrnauer
- In–depth account of how the world's most famous (and infamous) nightclub, Studio 54, was created by co–owners Ian Schrager and Steve…
- The Pacific: In the Wake of Captain Cook with Sam Neill (2018)
- Feat. Sam Neill
- 250 years after Captain James Cook began his epic exploration of the Pacific, Sam Neill journeys in the wake, uncovering stories that resonate from…
- They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)
- Dir. Peter Jackson
- Ground–breaking documentary that employs state–of–the–art technology to transform audio and moving image archive footage to…
- Alone in Berlin (2017)
- Dir. Vincent Perez
Feat. Emma Thompson, Brendan Gleeson, Daniel Bruhl…
- Earnest resistance drama set in 1940, with Emma Thompson and Brendan Gleeson as a working class couple who, after learning of their only son's death…
- Bitter Harvest (2017)
- Dir. George Mendeluk
Feat. Max Irons, Samantha Barks, Terence Stamp
- A modest epic with a romantic centre set against the backdrop of the Holdomor, a death–by–starvation program that ultimately killed…
- Britannia (TV Series) (2017)
- Feat. David Morrissey, Kelly Reilly, Nikolaj Lie Kaas…
- A historical fiction series set in 43AD, following the Roman conquest of Britain and it's opposition by the wild warrior women and powerful Druids of…
- Churchill (2017)
- Dir. Jonathan Teplitzky
Feat. Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson, John Slattery
- Brian Cox delivers an impressive performance as iconic Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the days before the D–Day landings in June 1944.
- Diana: In Her Own Words (2017)
- Credible documentary on Princess Diana, based on unreleased audio interviews from 1991 which reveal her thoughts at a very specific point in her life.
- Gunpowder (TV Mini-series) (2017)
- Dir. J Blakeson
Feat. Kit Harington, Peter Mullan, Mark Gatiss…
- Three–part BBC dramatisation of the famous Gunpowder Plot in London of 1605 where activist Guy Fawkes conspires with a group of provincial…
- Joanna Lumley's India (2017)
- Feat. Joanna Lumley
- Actress and presenter Joanna Lumley, who was born in India in the last days of The Raj, travels back this country to explore it's wildlife, culture,…
- King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
- Dir. Guy Ritchie
Feat. Charlie Hunnam, Astrid Allwyn, Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey…
- Charlie Hunman plays the Arthur of legend, unaware of his royal lineage until drawing the sword Excalibur from the stone. Director Guy Ritchie brings…
- Knightfall (TV Series) (2017-2019)
- Feat. Tom Cullen, Jim Carter
- Historical drama series about the Knights Templar, the powerful and mysterious Catholic military order from the middle ages. Made by The History…
- Ottoman Lieutenant, The (2017)
- Dir. Joseph Ruben
Feat. Hera Hilmar, Josh Hartnett, Ben Kingsley…
- Undemanding, old–fashioned wartime romance following the fates of an army Lieutenant and a strong–willed American combat nurse who fall…
- Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History (TV Series) (2017)
- An eight–part CNN series that incisively explores the music tied to iconic moments in history. Includes interviews with Pat Benatar, Melissa…
- Story of Us with Morgan Freeman, The (TV Series) (2017)
- Feat. Morgan Freeman
- 6–episode National Geographic TV Series presented by Morgan Freeman, which explores themes central to humanity such as love, belief and power,…
- Viceroy's House (2017)
- Dir. Gurinder Chadha
Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson, Michael Gambon…
- Another handsome chronicle of Britain's imperial history, this one depicting events of 1947, when Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy, was charged…
- Victoria and Abdul (Victoria & Abdul) (2017)
- Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Eddie Izzard…
- The legendary Judi Dench returns to the role of Queen Victoria in this sumptuous story of the unlikely bond between the the aging queen and a young…
- 1916: The Irish Rebellion (2016)
- Feat. Liam Neeson
- Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Irish Rebellion, this superb three–part documentary covers the impact of this seminal event.…
- Finding Altamira (2016)
- Dir. Hugh Hudson
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Golshifteh Farahani, Clément Sibony…
- Antonio Banderas plays Spanish archaeologist Marcelino de Sautuola whose 1879 discovery of the 10,000–year–old cave paintings in the Cave…
- Greeks, The (2016)
- Feat. Neil deGrasse Tyson
- National Geographic landmark "event series" featuring historians, archaeologists, actors, athletes, scientists and artists all weighing in on the…
- Joanna Lumley's Japan (2016)
- Feat. Joanna Lumley
- British actress and presenter Joanna Lumley continues her series of travel documentaries with a 2,000 mile journey across the four main islands of…
- Letters From Baghdad (2016)
- Feat. Tilda Swinton
- The complex history of the Middle East and British colonial power is explored in this documentary centered around the remarkable life of British…
- Lo And Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (2016)
- Dir. Werner Herzog
- Acclaimed Documentarian Werner Herzog approaches the internet as a curious outsider on an exotic vacation. Meeting the digital natives, getting…
- Roots (TV Mini-Series) (2016)
- Dir. Phillip Noyce, Mario Van Peebles, Thomas Carter
Feat. Laurence Fishburne, Matthew Goode, Derek Luke…
- A powerful new adaptation of Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize–winning novel. This tragic story of resilience is told in four parts covering four…
- Story of God, The (TV Series) (2016)
- Feat. Morgan Freeman
- Ambitious cross–cultural survey of what God means to people and how religion has shaped world history , narrated and produced by Morgan…
- Tutankhamun (TV Mini-series) (2016)
- Dir. Peter Webber
Feat. Max Irons, Jonathan Aris, Sam Neill…
- A four–part dramatisation of how a penniless, ostracised archaeologist named Howard Carter became a household name following his discovery of…
- Althea (2015)
- PBS documentary account of the story of Althea Gibson, a truant from the tough streets of Harlem, who overcame extraordinary odds to becomes the…
- Banished (TV Mini-series) (2015)
- Feat. Orla Brady, Ewen Bremner, MyAnna Buring…
- British period drama created by Jimmy McGovern (CRACKER), set in the 18th century in the first penal colony founded by the British in New South…
- Cancer - The Emperor of All Maladies (2015)
- Dir. Barak Goodman
- Ken Burns produced this illuminating study of Cancer from its first mention in Egyptian scrolls to the present day medical laboratories where the…
- Dawn of Humanity (2015)
- National Geographic documentary focusing on a 2013 fossil discovery and the 2–year excavation process that followed, with insights into how…
- Francofonia (2015)
- Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Benjamin Utzerath
- A richly evocative and insightful historical cine–essay from celebrated dir. Alexander Sokurov (RUSSIAN ARK) that charts the relationship…
- Story of China with Michael Wood, The (TV Series) (2015)
- Feat. Michael Wood
- Veteran historian and broadcaster Michael Wood follows his celebrated Story of India with this in–depth portrait of the most populous country…
- From Scotland With Love (2014)
- Scottish history as told through a vast collection of real home movie and archival footage, this is a charming filmic tapestry of everyday family…
- Genius of the Ancient World (2014)
- Historian Bettany Hughes takes a tour through the ancient world and examines the works of three key philosophers, Socrates, Confucious and Buddha.
- Great Fire, The (TV Mini-series) (2014)
- Dir. Jon Jones
Feat. Andrew Buchan, Charles Dance, Jack Huston…
- Vivid dramatisation of The Great Fire of London that details the stories of a city and its people in crisis..
- Pompeii (2014)
- Dir. Paul Anderson
Feat. Kit Harington, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Browning…
- This inglorious disaster epic from the 'other' Paul Anderson imagines the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in tandem with a hoary Ancient Roman melodrama.
- Queen Victoria's Letters: A Monarch Unveiled (2014)
- A.N. Wilson guides the viewer through revealing look at the life of Queen Victoria, told through a selection of the Monarch's correspondences..
- 12 Years a Slave (2013)
- Dir. Steve McQueen
Feat. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Paul Giamatti…
- Steve McQueen (HUNGER, SHAME) directs this powerful historical drama of a free black man from upstate New York who is abducted and sold into slavery.
- Beyond the Edge (2013)
- Dir. Leanne Pooley
Feat. Chad Moffitt, Sonam Sherpa
- Thrilling, definitive docu–drama on Sir Edmund Hillary's historic 1953 scaling of Everest with sherpa Tenzing Norgay.
- Bonnie and Clyde (TV Mini-Series) (2013)
- Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Emile Hirsch, Holliday Grainger, Sarah Hyland…
- The legend of depression era outlaws Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker is given the full treatment in this evocative History Channel drama.
- Butler, The (2013)
- Dir. Lee Daniels
Feat. Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey…
- A stagy but sincere history of post–war Black America from the point of view of a White House servant (played by Forest Whitaker). It works as…
- Da Vinci's Demons (TV Series) (2013)
- Feat. Tom Riley
- A lavishly produced historical fantasy which imagines Leonardo da Vinci's life as an artist, inventor and genius.
Season One: eight episodes…
- German Doctor, The (2013)
- Dir. Lucía Puenzo
Feat. Àlex Brendemühl, Natalia Oreiro
- Chilling domestic thriller centred on the Argentine family who lived unknowingly with Josef Mengele, the notorious Auschwitz physician, after he fled…
- Killing Lincoln (2013)
- Dir. Adrian Moat
Feat. Billy Campbell
- Bill O'Reilly's novel about the assassination of President Lincoln from the point of view of John Wilkes Booth is the basis for this uneven but…
- Medieval Lives: Birth, Marriage, Death (2013)
- Historian Dr Helen Castor examines everyday life for medieval society, from Queens to peasants, and in particular the trials of childbirth in the…
- Physician, The (Der Medicus) (2013)
- Dir. Philipp Stölzl
Feat. Tom Payne, Ben Kingsley, Stellan Skarsgard…
- A historical epic centred on an orphan from an 11th–century English town whose mother died of a mysterious illness, travels to Persia where he…
- Richard III: The King in the Car Park & The Unseen Story (2013)
- Dir. Louise Osmond
Feat. Simon Farnaby
- In the British town of Leicester, archaeologists unearth the skeleton of a man. The man's spine is deformed. His skull shows signs of violent trauma.…
- Secrets of Britain (TV Series) (2013)
- A PBS–produced series that goes behind the scenes to reveal detailed history and contemporary insights about various British landmarks and…
- Spirit of '45, The (2013)
- Dir. Ken Loach
- In this illuminating documentary, Ken Loach movingly celebrates the radical changes during postwar Britain under the new Labour government, which…
- Story of the Jews, The (2013)
- Simon Schama leads this exhaustive five–part documentary series on the Jewish story and experience, from past to present.
- Vikings, The (TV Series) (2013)
- Going beyond their bloodthirsty reputation, Neil Oliver charts the rise of the Vikings, from their prehistoric Scandinavian homelands to a vast…
- Village, The (TV Series) (2013)
- Feat. John Simm, Maxine Peake, Juliet Stevenson…
- A gritty riposte to the swell of glossy period dramas, this small scale epic charts the progress of a village of working class characters in early…
- Andrew Marr's History of the World (2012)
- A 'definitive' account of human history, according to acclaimed British journalist Andrew Marr, filtered through the 'big stories' of the last 70,000…
- British, The (2012)
- Britain’s tumultuous history is dramatised in this seven–part BBC series looking at the monarchs, leaders, reformers, inventors, pioneers and…
- Crusades, The (2012)
- Medieval historian Thomas Asbridge re–examines the religious fanaticism and unspeakable brutality of the 'Holy War', first explored for the BBC…
- Dust Bowl, The (2012)
- Dir. Ken Burns
- The Great Depression and the subsequent decade–long drought experienced by farmers during the 30s forms the basis of this latest historical…
- First Crossings (TV Series) (2012)
- This rugged adventure series literally retraces the steps of New Zealand's pioneer explorers in the intrepid, no–holds–barred style of…
- Francesco's Shakespeare in Italy (TV Series) (2012)
- Further travels with charismatic Italian architect Francesco da Mosto, here exploring the Bard's great love affair with Italy, with the likes of…
- Hyde Park on Hudson (2012)
- Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Colman…
- Pleasant chronicle of the affair between President Roosevelt (Bill Murray) and his distant cousin, Daisy (Laura Linney), which comes to light during…
- Labyrinth (TV Mini-Series) (2012)
- Dir. Christopher Smith
Feat. Jessica Brown-Findlay, Vanessa Kirby, John Hurt…
- The search for the Holy Grail provides the link between two parallel story lines – one set in medieval France, the other during a modern day…
- Lincoln (2012)
- Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn…
- Daniel Day–Lewis portrays the famed U.S. President between 1861 and 1865 as he dealt with personal demons and politics during the Civil War in…
- London: The Modern Babylon (2012)
- Dir. Julien Temple
- Julien Temple directs this vast, illuminating portrait of London, charting the story of its immigrants and bohemians from the beginning of the 20th…
- She-Wolves: England's Early Queens (2012)
- Dr Helen Castor explores the lives of seven queens who challenged male power during medieval and Tudor England in this proto–feminist history…
- Story Of Wales, The (TV Series) (2012)
- An ambitious, all–encompassing 30,000 year history of Wales, as told by the BBC's Huw Edwards. Covers everything from the Tudor Court, to the…
- Titanic (TV Mini-series) (2012)
- Dir. Jon Jones
Feat. Linus Roache, James Wilby, Timothy West…
- Four–part serial from the pen of DOWNTON ABBEY creator Julian Fellowes that tells the story of the doomed ship through four very different…
- What Really Happened: Votes for Women (2012)
- Feat. Sara Wiseman, Craig Hall, Stephen Lovatt
- Another edifying take on a key turning point in New Zealand history (following What Really Happened: Waitangi), this Sunday Theatre commission…
- Beginning of the Great Revival (The Founding of a Party) (2011)
- Dir. Sanping Han, Jianxin Huang
Feat. Andy Lau, Chow Yun-Fat, Daniel Wu…
- In the tradition of unashamedly jingoistic cinema comes this state–sanctioned celebration of ninety years of Chinese Communist Party rule.…
- Bible, The - A History (2011)
- Enlightening, SBS–broadcast examination of the origins and ideas behind "the most influential book ever written."
- Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975, The (2011)
- Dir. Göran Hugo Olsson
- A cache of 16mm footage shot by Swedish reporters investigating the Black Power movement is restored the re–edited with supporting context is…
- Civilization: Is the West History? (2011)
- A compelling overview of the world as we know it, in which historian Niall Ferguson takes us through the ascendancy of Western civilisation via its…
- East to West (2011)
- An epic six part series which traces the birth of civilisation back to the Middle East, arguing that the influence of ancient Greece on world history…
- Flowers of War, The (2011)
- Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Paul Schneider
- Dir. Zhang Yimou tackles the Nanking massacre with equal parts grim realism and stylish melodrama – befitting of a lavish wartime epic, less so…
- Freedom Riders (2011)
- Dir. Stanley Nelson Jr
- A lesser noted, but equally important strain of the American Civil Rights Movement vis–a–vis Rosa Parks's famous bus boycott, this…
- Fry's Planet Word (2011)
- Dir. John Paul Davidson
Feat. Stephen Fry
- This five–part BBC series joins Stephen Fry as he travel's the continents exploring the nuanced diverse world of human language.
- J. Edgar (2011)
- Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Watts, Judi Dench…
- Heavyweight biopic from dir. Clint Eastwood, with Leonardo DiCaprio stepping into the shoes of controversial FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, whose…
- Mill and the Cross, The (2011)
- Dir. Lech Majewski
Feat. Rutger Hauer, Michael York, Charlotte Rampling
- Polish experimental auteur Lech Majewski offers a breathtaking, elegantly construed anatomy of Pieter Bruegel's epic 1564 painting ''The Procession…
- North (TV Series) (2011)
- Feat. Marcus Lush
- The ever–endearing Marcus Lush follows up his award–winning SOUTH with this typically offbeat traverse of New Zealand's far…
- Prohibition (2011)
- Dir. Ken Burns, Lynn Novick
- Ken Burns focuses on a notorious chapter in American 20th century history – the Prohibition era – in this typically illuminating PBS…
- Story of Ireland, The (TV Mini-Series) (2011)
- An RTE and BBC co–production in which presenter Fergal Keane showcases Irish history, charting the origin and impact of the myths that have…
- Where Were You? (Events That Changed The World) (2011)
- 26–episode series that takes some of the most shocking events of the 20th and early 21st century and analyzes how news of their occurrence…
- Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010)
- Dir. Werner Herzog
- Although intended to be viewed in 3–D, this extraordinary trip inside the Chauvet caves of Southern France – home to the oldest known…
- Churches: How To Read Them (TV Series) (2010)
- Dir. Jonathan Mayo
- Six–part series presented by historian and author Richard Taylor, exploring ideas about God, salvation, life and death through visits to some…
- Disappearing London - Suggs and the City (2010)
- Madness front–man Graham McPherson presents this roving history of London’s unique character and charm via the city’s idiosyncratic…
- Engineering An Empire (TV Series) (2010)
- Dir. Ted Poole
Feat. Peter Weller
- The complete series hosted by Peter Weller (Robocop) examines history's greatest societies by reanimating the architectural and engineering feats…
- Great Epochs of European Art, The (2010)
- A detailed, German–produced art history series illustrated by selected masterpieces of architecture, sculpture and painting. In addition to…
- Henry The 4th (Henri 4, Henry of Navarre) (2010)
- Dir. Jo Baier
Feat. Julien Boisselier, Joachim Krol
- Henry IV (of France) is the subject of this grand and involving German–produced epic, originally conceived as a mini–series framed by the…
- History of Christianity, A (TV Mini-Series) (2010)
- In this fascinating six–part series Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch, one of the world's leading historians and Professor of History of the Church…
- Lope (The Outlaw) (2010)
- Dir. Andrucha Waddington
Feat. Alberto Ammann, Leonor Watling, Pilar López de Ayala
- Splendid biopic of Lope de Vega, the Spanish playwright who dominated Spain's early Golden Age of theare.
- Michael Wood's Story of England (2010)
- Feat. Michael Wood
- Michael Wood (STORY OF INDIA) embarks on an archeological profile of the village of Kibworth in Leicestershire in this fascinating,…
- Nostalgia for the Light (2010)
- Dir. Patricio Guzmán
- Famed documentarian Patricio Guzmán directs this mesmerizing journey into Chile’s recent and faraway past through the annals of astronomy,…
- Of Gods and Men (2010)
- Dir. Xavier Beauvois
Feat. Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale, Olivier Rabourdin
- Residing peacefully in a North African monastery, eight French Christian monks must confront the threat of an Islamic fundamentalist group in this…
- Oranges and Sunshine (2010)
- Dir. Jim Loach
Feat. Hugo Weaving, Emily Watson, David Wenham…
- Dir. Jim Loach (son of Ken) tackles the scandalous post–war history of Britain's deportation of lower class children to the colonies –…
- Royal Upstairs Downstairs (TV Series) (2010)
- The secret lives of British servants and aristocrats are speculated on this prim history series which takes viewers on a tour of the houses and…
- Story of Science, The (2010)
- Passionate overview of the forces that came together to create scientific knowledge. Revealing how scientific ideas have shaped the modern world this…
- Turn Back Time (TV Series) (2010)
- Illuminating series that takes a group of modern shopkeepers and has them experience their occupations through differing periods of history beginning…
- We Believed (Noi credevamo) (2010)
- Dir. Mario Martone
Feat. Luigi Lo Cascio
- Period drama set during the repressive Bourbon reign in Italy in 1828, where two aristocrats and a young peasant join Giuseppe Mazzini's Young Italy…
- 100 Years - 20th Century Almanac (2009)
- Witness the most significant events of the 20th Century, from the Wright Brothers’ first flight to the moon landing, from WWI to the end of the…
- Age Of Stupid (2009)
- Dir. Franny Armstrong
Feat. Pete Postlethwaite
- Confronting and dynamic docodrama from the director of McLibel, has Pete Postlethwaite as an archivist in the devastated world of the future, looking…
- America Before Columbus (2009)
- Intriguing revisionist documentary considers America before Columbus stepped ashore in 1492 as an 'Old World', whose inhabitants had built a vast…
- Andrew Marr's The Making of Modern Britain (TV Series) (2009)
- Following on from his "History of Modern Britain", Andrew Marr this time overviews the first half of the 20th Century, re–visiting the dramas…
- Christianity - A History (2009)
- Reasonably thorough and alternative overview of the origins and divergent paths of Christianity. Eight episodes.
- City of Life and Death (2009)
- Dir. Chuan Lu
Feat. Ye Liu, Yuanyuan Gao, Hideo Nakaizumi
- This first serious depiction of the atrocities wrought on Chinese refugees and soldiers during the occupation of Nanking is a harrowing, expertly…
- Darwin's Brave New World (TV Mini-series) (2009)
- Feat. Socratis Otto, Richard Jongejan, Nicola Bowman
- Three–part dramatized series tells the story of Charles Darwin and his contemporaries, Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley and Alfred Russel Wallace,…
- Empire of the Word (2009)
- Ambitious, page–turning companion piece to THE ADVENTURE OF ENGLISH chronicles the act of reading across five thousand years of history. Host…
- Founding of a Republic, The (Jian guo da ye) (2009)
- Dir. Sanping Han, Jianxin Huang
Feat. Guoqiang Tang, Guoli Zhang, Qing Xu…
- The People’s Republic of China rolls out the big guns for this 60th anniversary epic, chronicling in big, sweeping gestures, the uprising of Mao…
- Hitler's Bodyguard (TV Series) (2009)
- 13–part documentary series offering a thorough, at times incredible, examination of the men who protected Adolf Hitler against numerous…
- Horrible Histories (TV Series) (2009)
- Feat. Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Sarah Hadland…
- Educational irreverance for kids, offering an unconventional take on history's funniest – and most gruesome – moments in a multitude of…
- Hunting the Lost Symbol (2009)
- Dir. John Tindall
- Dan Brown–inspired documentary uses the author's blockbusting 'Da Vinci Code' novel as a launching pad to shed light on, among other…
- Into the Storm (2009)
- Dir. Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Feat. Brendan Gleeson, Janet McTeer, James D'Arcy…
- Enthralling sequel to HBO's acclaimed THE GATHERING STORM focuses on Winston Churchill's challenging term as Prime Minister during the war, followed…
- Paris 1919 (Un traité pour la paix) (2009)
- Dir. Paul Cowan
Feat. David Lowe, Paul Bandey, Yan Brian
- History–drenched docudrama merging archival footage with live action, examining the tricky negotiations that led to the signing of the Treaty…
- South (TV Series) (2009)
- Feat. Marcus Lush
- Another "love story" from intrepid broadcaster Marcus Lush, who this time explores the South Island of New Zealand, an area he fell in love with…
- Taking Woodstock (2009)
- Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Demetri Martin, Imelda Staunton, Henry Goodman…
- Dir. Ang Lee painstakingly recreates the age of Aquarius for this sprawling yet tepid comedy based on the 'true story' of a Jewish interior designer…
- Underbelly - Season 2 (TV Mini-series) (A Tale of Two Cities: The Mr Asia Story) (2009)
- Feat. Roy Billing, Anna Hutchison, Matthew Newton…
- A prequel to the events of the original series, this is loosely based on the hard drug trade that hit New South Wales and Victoria between 1976 and…
- Young Victoria, The (2009)
- Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Feat. Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany…
- Emily Blunt radiates in this elegant if corseted biopic of Queen Victoria's early years as she deals with royal power struggles while being wooed by…
- 10,000 B.C. (2008)
- Dir. Roland Emmerich
Feat. Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis
- Beasts, behemoths and flesh–eating emus prowl the prehistoric landscape in another of Roland (INDEPENDENCE DAY) Emmerich's effects–heavy…
- 102 Minutes That Changed America (2008)
- Dir. Nicole Rittenmeyer, Seth Skundrick
- Documentary about the September 11 attacks produced for the History Channel for the seventh anniversary of the events, telling the story using newly…
- A History of Scotland (TV Series) (2008)
- A fresh and exhaustive chronology of Scotland's fascinating narrative, full of battles and allegiances, political intrigue and religious conflict.…
- A Wall in Berlin (2008)
- Illuminating documentary on the history of the Berlin Wall with biggest attraction being the sheer wealth of interviews and footage never seen…
- American Future - A History by Simon Schama (2008)
- Resonant look at the superpower filmed during the run up to the 2009 inauguration of Barack Obama with popular historian Simon Schama turning his…
- Bank Job, The (2008)
- Dir. Roger Donaldson
Feat. Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows
- Heavy–for–hire Jason Stratham stars in this enjoyable crime caper based around the true story of a robbery in a London bank vault in…
- Bridge, The (Die Brücke) (2008)
- Dir. Wolfgang Panzer
Feat. Franke Potente, François Goeske, Lars Steinhöfel
- Inferior remake of the 1959 film based on the true story of a group of German teenagers who fight to defend a bridge from the approaching allied…
- Bush's War (2008)
- Dir. Michael Kirk
- Extensive two–part documentary chronicling the Iraq War from the post 9/11 murmurings and "Weapons of Mass Destruction" allegations through to…
- Cadillac Records (2008)
- Dir. Darnell Martin
Feat. Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Gabrielle Union…
- Flashy interpretation of the rise of the seminal Chess Records, regarded by many as America's greatest blues label.
This ensemble piece is more…
- Che: Part One (The Argentine) (2008)
- Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Benicio Del Toro, Julia Ormond, Rodrigo Santoro…
- An epic undertaking by dir. Steven Soderbergh, this two part resurrection of the Che Guevara legend (played charismatically by Benicio del Toro)…
- Che: Part Two (Guerilla) (2008)
- Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Benicio Del Toro, Rodrigo Santoro, Demian Bichir…
- An epic undertaking by dir. Steven Soderbergh, this two part resurrection of the Che Guevara legend (played charismatically by Benicio del Toro)…
- Children Of The Silk Road (The Children of Huang Shi) (2008)
- Dir. Roger Spottiswoode
Feat. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Radha Mitchell, Chow Yun-Fat…
- Inspired by real events, this solid WWII epic reveals the story of a young British journalist and Australian nurse who led sixty orphans to safety…
- Crips and Bloods: Made in America (2008)
- Dir. Stacy Peralta
Feat. Forest Whitaker
- Incisive documentary examining the shared histories and violent rivalries of Los Angeles' most notorious street gangs.
Tracing the roots of the…
- Devil's Whore, The (TV Mini-series) (Devil's Mistress) (2008)
- Dir. Martine Brant, Peter Flannery
Feat. Andrea Riseborough, Dominic West, John Simm…
- Period romp set during the English Civil War concerning the devilishly manipulative Angelica (Riseborough), and her marriage to revolutionary Thomas…
- Duchess, The (2008)
- Dir. Saul Dibb
Feat. Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling…
- Costume connoisseurs will rejoice in the splendour of Keira Knightley’s dazzling dresses and eye–catching cranial plumage in this depiction…
- Female Agents (Les femmes de l'ombre) (2008)
- Dir. Jean-Paul Salome
Feat. Sophie Marceau, Julie Depardieu, Marie Gillain…
- Substantial, exciting WWII espionage thriller following an all–female commando unit of the French Resistance recruited to rescue a British…
- First Australians (TV Series) (2008)
- Dir. Rachel Perkins, Beck Cole
- Landmark Australian series produced by top Aboriginal filmmakers tracking the history of Aboriginal culture and the fraught culture clashes between…
- Francesco's Mediterranean Voyage (2008)
- Further travels with charismatic Italian architect Francesco da Mosto, here taking us on a lengthy voyage across the Mediterranean in search of…
- Hunger (2008)
- Dir. Steve McQueen
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Stuart Graham
- Combating harrowing subject matter with formal brilliance, this masterful examination of extreme resistance concerns the 1981 IRA hunger strike and…
- India Reborn (2008)
- Fascinating and disturbing doco series that looks at India as the next superpower, and the juxtapositions to its mighty wealth that cloud its future…
- John Adams (2008)
- Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Sarah Polley…
- Acclaimed miniseries on the life of America's second president and founding father John Adams. Simultaneously epic and intimate this is compulsory…
- Living With the Enemy (2008)
- Thorough and absorbing History Channel series examines the five year period after the end of World War II, accounting for the events and decisions…
- Margaret Thatcher - The Long Walk to Finchley (2008)
- Dir. Niall MacCormick
Feat. Geoffrey Palmer, Andrea Riseborough
- Appealing political drama focused on Margaret Thatcher's younger years as she attempts to enter parliament despite opposition from the British…
- Milk (2008)
- Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin…
- Saying it proud but not too loud, this dramatized biopic of the first openly–elected gay official fittingly tributes the legacy of San…
- National Parks, The - America's Best Idea (2008)
- Dir. Ken Burns
- Ken Burns offers another weighty tome on American history, this time surveying the country’s 58 majestic, awe–inspiring national parks.…
- Nazi Number One: Herman Göring (2008)
- Dir. Guido Knopp
- German director Guido Knopp continues his straightforward, biography–centric investigations into all things Nazi with this documentary on…
- Of Time and the City (2008)
- Dir. Terence Davies
- Terence Davies (DISTANT VOICES, STILL LIVES) launches a broadside on the transformation of his beloved, bricks–and–mortar Liverpool, in…
- Other Boleyn Girl, The (2008)
- Dir. Justin Chadwick
Feat. Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana…
- Blue–ribbon adaptation of the best–selling novel by Philippa Gregory, which tells the compulsive true story of sisters Anne and Mary…
- Paris - An Insider's Guide (2008)
- A 3–part BBC documentary series presented by Sandrine Voillet, about the city of Paris and its history.
In part one, she visits the Louvre,…
- Phantom Punch (2008)
- Dir. Robert Townsend
Feat. Ving Rhames, Stacey Dash, Nicholas Turturro…
- Adding to the growing canon of boxer biopics, this takes a bull–headed look at the great Sonny Liston's story of…
- Richard Dawkins Presents - The Genius of Charles Darwin (TV Series) (2008)
- Dir. Russell Barnes
- Richard Dawkins finally gets to wax lyrical for a few hours about the love of his life – Charles Darwin in this one–sided documentary…
- Salute (2008)
- Dir. Matt Norman
- Compelling documentary investigating the untold story of Australian runner – Peter Norman who placed second in the 200m sprint at the 1968…
- Ships That Changed the World (2008)
- Compelling three–part series looks back at the engineering, building, sailing, and subsequent fate of three history–making ships…
- Tudors, The (TV Series) (2008)
- Feat. Johnathon Rhys-Myers, Jeremy Northam, Sam Neill…
- Top–rating British costume drama brings to noughties audiences the rollicking, bed–hopping, head–lopping early years of the court…
- Underbelly - Season 1 (TV Mini-series) (2008)
- Feat. Vince Colosimo, Kevin Harrington
- Gritty, unflinching crime series dramatising the Melbourne gangland killings and seedy underworld, featuring Aussie actors who bear a striking…
- Valkyrie (2008)
- Dir. Bryan Singer
Feat. Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Wilkinson…
- Hollywood crosses enemy lines with Tom Cruise perversely cast as a disaffected Nazi officer who leads a plot to assassinate Hitler.
Dispensing…
- Winning World War 1 (The Western Front Diaries) (2008)
- Crucial documentary telling the story of the Australian battalion's influence and impact on winning World War 1 on the Western Front, based on the…
- Ancient Megastructures (2007)
- National Geographic series extolling mankind's greatest architectural landmarks and their extraordinary feats of construction.
Vol 1: The…
- Andrew Marr's The History of Modern Britain (TV Series) (2007)
- Political commentator Andrew Marr turns his astute focus on the key events that have shaped British society since the end of WWII, including the…
- Battle of the Little Bighorn, The (2007)
- Ideal introduction to the famous battle where General Custer made his last stand, featuring expert commentary and skillful re–enactments.
- Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007)
- Dir. Yves Simoneau
Feat. Aidan Quinn, Adam Beach, Anna Paquin…
- Distinguished HBO western based on the 1970 book of the same name by Dee Brown.
A historical drama set in the 1860's and 1870's, the plot…
- Captain Cook: Obsession and Discovery (2007)
- Award–winning documentary that examines the controversial legacy of the great explorer Captain James Cook. Hosted by geographer Vanessa…
- Chapter 27 (2007)
- Dir. J.P. Schaefer
Feat. Jared Leto, Lindsay Lohan
- An uneven historical psycho–drama based on events leading up to the infamous shooting of John Lennon by a deranged loner.
While laudable…
- Chicago 10 (2007)
- Dir. Brett Morgen
- Unique documentary that splices together archival footage and motion–capture animation to recreate the infamous trial of anti–war…
- Francesco's Venice (TV Series) (2007)
- Italian architect and TV presenter Count Francesco da Mosto goes on a journey back through the history of Venice and discovers how the city came to…
- Gangland (TV Series) (2007)
- Hard hitting expose of today's nastiest gangs provides the viewer with both historical context and unprecedented access. Some of the stories are now…
- Goodbye Bafana (Color of Freedom) (2007)
- Dir. Bille August
Feat. Joseph Fiennes, Dennis Haysbert, Diane Kruger
- Nelson Mandela's imprisonment and subsequent friendship with a bigoted Afrikaner prison warden is eavesdropped in this humanist portrait of a crucial…
- Here to Stay (TV Series) (2007)
- An enlightening, culturally pertinent reference point for the current make up of New Zealand society, this six part series revisits a number of key…
- Heritage of Maori Song (2007)
- Comprehensive collection of 15 Maori song and dance performances, including 3 poi dances, stick games, haka and a number of well–known songs…
- History of the Devil (2007)
- Historical doco charting the changing role and face of the devil throughout history by way of factual information and academic interview.
- In the Shadow of the Moon (2007)
- Stellar doco reflects on the true story of American astronauts' expeditions into space and the truly remarkable historic achievement of landing on…
- James May's 20th Century (TV Series) (2007)
- Feat. James May
- TV presenter James May presents a candid look at the creations of the 20th century; ranging from weaponry to medical breakthroughs and the…
- Katyn (2007)
- Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Maja Ostaszewska, Artur Żmijewski, Pawel Malaszynski
- Andrzej Wajda cements himself as Poland’s greatest director with this late–career triumph, a war story addressing the eradication of some…
- Last King of Scotland, The (2007)
- Dir. Kevin MacDonald
Feat. Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington…
- A riveting tale of the seductive nature of power, this is worth the admission alone for Forest Whitaker’s astonishing Oscar–winning turn as…
- Last Legion, The (2007)
- Dir. Doug Lefler
Feat. Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya Rai
- CGI fantasy dramatising the plight of Rome's last emperor, the child Romulus Augustus, and his protectors – Firth, Kingsley, and Bollywood star…
- Lusitania - Murder on the Atlantic (2007)
- Dir. Christopher Spencer
Feat. John Hannah, Kenneth Cranham
- Historically imperative docu–drama retelling the tragic story of the cruise liner Lusitania that was torpedoed by a German U–Boat off the…
- Mighty Heart, A (2007)
- Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman
- Michael Winterbottom's sober, well–acted docudrama covering the 2002 abduction of Wall Street Journal reporter Danny Pearl by Pakistani…
- Miss Marie Lloyd (2007)
- Dir. James Hawes
Feat. Jessica Wallace, Richard Armitage, Shaun Parkes…
- Vintage–styled bio–pic dramatising the life of Miss Marie Lloyd – a scandalous Music Hall performer renowned for her lewd songs…
- Moliere (2007)
- Dir. Laurent Tirard
Feat. Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini, Laura Morante…
- Jaunty period rom–com in the spirit of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE speculates on the creative catalysts for the comic masterpieces of famed French…
- Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work (TV Series) (2007)
- Dir. Matt Reid
- In–depth television series spanning a year in the life of the British Royal Family and the myriad of employees that keep the Royal Machine…
- Mongol (2007)
- Dir. Sergei Bodrov
Feat. Tadanobu Asano
- A fiercely–mounted early history of Genghis Khan, from the Mongol leader’s childhood years through to his all–conquering warpath across…
- My Boy Jack (2007)
- Dir. Brian Kirk
Feat. David Haig, Daniel Radcliffe, Kim Cattrall…
- Haunting WW1 drama based on Rudjard Kipling's poem of the same name based on Kipling's own experience of guilt and consequences after insisting his…
- New Orleans: Music in Exile (2007)
- Dir. Robert Mugge
- On–the–ground documentary that follows New Orleans musicians as they try to piece their lives and careers back together after the…
- No End in Sight (2007)
- Dir. Charles Ferguson
- Devastating documentary that comprehensively examines the negligence and political mis–steps that led to the Iraq war.
"Traces the…
- Oswald's Ghost (2007)
- Dir. Robert Stone
- This intelligent investigative doco focusing on the chain of events leading up to John F. Kennedy's assassination and the impact it had on America is…
- Powder and the Glory, The (2007)
- A welcome insight into two of America's greatest female entrepreneurs – Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein; two immigrants with limited…
- Rain of the Children (2007)
- Dir. Vincent Ward
Feat. Vincent Ward, Rena Owen
- Vincent Ward's masterful docu–drama – in which he investigates the 'cursed life' of an elderly Maori woman – is a deeply personal…
- Roman Mysteries (TV Series) (2007)
- Children's mystery series set in 79 AD, Rome, based on a series of kids books that focuses on a group of young friends embarking on crime solving…
- Story of India with Michael Wood, The (TV Series) (2007)
- Feat. Michael Wood
- Acclaimed historian Wood takes to the destination du–jour – India – in order to acknowledge its history and research its…
- Story of Ned Kelly, The (2007)
- Feat. Charles Tingwell, Ian Jones
- Historically accurate doco tracking the life of the ultimate Aussie rogue Ned Kelly. Aptly led by distinguished Kelly historian / author Ian Jones…
- There Will Be Blood (2007)
- Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor…
- Rising to the challenge, overachiever Paul Thomas Anderson delivers some formidable filmmaking to match his grim, egocentric tale of burning…
- Warlords (TV Series) (Untold Stories of World War II) (2007)
- Well–reviewed UK documentary series analyses WWII's big players from a psychological perspective: Hitler, Churchill, Roosevelt and…
- Amazing Grace (2006)
- Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. Ioan Gruffudd, Romola Garai, Albert Finney…
- Stirring dramatisation of the true story of 18th–century abolitionist William Wilberforce and his revolt against Britain’s slave…
- Ancient Rome (TV Series) (2006)
- Extensive series dramatising the rise and fall of the Ancient Roman Empire through six episodes each presenting a different turning point in the fate…
- Battleplan (TV Series) (2006)
- A comprehensive history and analysis of military strategies, combat tactics, and the art of modern warfare.
Across eighteen episodes, historical…
- Blame it on Fidel! (La Faute à Fidel!) (2006)
- Dir. Julie Gavras
Feat. Nina Kervel-Bey, Julie Depardieu, Stefano Accorsi
- A warm, wise and wryly observed evocation of a child's accelerated maturation in the midst of early 1970s social and political upheaval, Nina…
- Catch a Fire (2006)
- Dir. Phillip Noyce
Feat. Tim Robbins, Derek Luke
- Sturdy, serious–minded political thriller from the steady hand of dir. Phillip Noyce, couched in the turbulence of South Africa’s Apartheid…
- Cats of Mirikitani, The (2006)
- Dir. Linda Hattendorf
- Tenderly constructed documentary revealing the compelling life of a homeless artist living on the streets of NYC who survived an internment camp,…
- Civilisations (2006)
- Purporting new insight, this series chronicles four of the most influential ancient civilizations to lay foundations for the world we know today.…
- Crown Prince, The (TV Mini-series) (Kronprinz Rudolf) (2006)
- Dir. Robert Dornhelm
Feat. Max von Thun, Vittoria Puccini, Klaus Maria Brandauer…
- Sumptuous historical Austrian mini–series based on the Crown Prince's doomed love affair with a baroness, that eventually requires the pair to…
- Exodus Decoded, The (2006)
- Dir. Simcha Jacobovici
- Speculative historical documentary in the wake of the 'Da Vinci Code' phenomenon that attempts to find a factual basis behind the biblical story of…
- Francesco's Italy Top to Toe (TV Series) (2006)
- Further travels with charismatic Italian architect Francesco da Mosto, here giving a sweeping tour of the art, history and beauty of greater Italy by…
- Golden Door, The (Nuovomondo) (2006)
- Dir. Emanuele Crialese
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vincenzo Amato
- Award–winning Italian drama from the dir. of RESPIRO follows the fortunes of a family of dirt–poor Sicilian peasants, from their homeland…
- Hoax, The (2006)
- Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, Marcia Gay Harden…
- Solid Lasse Hallstrom–directed ‘literary hoax’ recounts the true story of Clifford Irving, a struggling writer allegedly commissioned by…
- Life Under Napoleon (TV Series) (2006)
- Dir. Georg Schiemann
- Broad, challenging historical overview of late 18th/early 19th century Europe, informed by the legacy and reign of French Emperor Napoleon.…
- Marie Antoinette: The True Story of the Last Queen of France (2006)
- Dir. David Grubin
- Exhaustive documentary on French monarchy's infamous last queen and the history behind her extravagant persona which has come to symbolise 18th…
- One Giant Leap (50 Years of Space Exploration) (2006)
- Historical doco covering 50 years of humans being propelled into space. Includes remastered footage from Sputnik all the way through to Apollo and…
- Power of Art (TV Series) (2006)
- A scholarly, and indeed powerful, roam through art history’s seminal figures, with knowledge imparted by the revered Simon Schama.
Disc 1…
- Rang De Basanti (2006)
- Dir. Rakesh Omprakash Mehra
Feat. Aamir Khan, Alice Patten
- Progressive Bollywood fare bypasses musical melodrama for an overarching tale of history and self–discovery, guided by a British–Indian…
- Secret History of 9/11, The (2006)
- Dir. Terrence McKenna
- A serious–minded Canadian television documentary which details the lead–up to the 9/11 attacks on the NYC World Trade Centre, including…
- Shackleton and Scott - Rivals for the Pole (2006)
- The intense 'polar' rivalry of Shackleton and Scott is relived in this documentary of the two explorers’ fatal trajectory towards the South Pole.…
- Unknown Soldier, The (2006)
- Dir. Michael Verhoeven
- A sobering documentary exploration of the reaction to a museum exhibit in Munich detailing the war crimes and atrocities committed by Nazi Germany's…
- War of the World: The New History of the 20th Century (2006)
- Eye–opening historical documentary, presented by acclaimed historian Professor Niall Ferguson, challenging how we view and assess the arch of…
- What Lies Beneath (TV Series) (2006)
- Feat. Simon Dallow
- An eight–part series about New Zealand's archaeological heritage, presenting a series of intriguing site studies, with Simon Dallow asking the…
- Around the World in 80 Treasures (2005)
- A fascinating world tour through civilisation's lasting imprint, with historian Dan Cruickshank globetrotting the planet in search of the eighty…
- Catherine the Great (2005)
- Dir. John Burgess, John-Paul Davidson
- Made with the help of newly–available documentation from the former Soviet archives, this impressive biopic about the life and times of…
- Churchill's Bodyguard (2005)
- Imposing, unprecedented memoir of the life and times of Winston Churchill, adapted from the diaries of his stoic bodyguard, Walter H.…
- Empire (2005)
- Feat. Colm Feore, Emily Blunt, Jonathon Cake
- Glossy and occasionally patchy drama which reconstructs the events surrounding the assassination of Julius Caesar (Freore) and the succession of…
- Greatest Game Ever Played, The (2005)
- Dir. Bill Paxton
Feat. Shia LaBeouf, Stephen Dillane
- Inspiring Disney drama based on the true story of an ambitious amateur golfer determined to defeat his idols at the 1913 US Open. Shia LaBeouf…
- Guns, Germs and Steel (2005)
- National Geographic TV series in which innovative thinker Jared Diamond outlines his groundbreaking theory of history, which tries to account for the…
- Helen of Troy (2005)
- Bettany Hughes based this investigation on her own acclaimed book, which continues the historian’s pursuit of the ‘real’ Helen of Troy. Her…
- How Art Made the World (2005)
- Flying in the face of Simon Schama's higher, learned arts emporium, this illuminating and invigorating study of human nature through art considers…
- In Search of Myths and Heroes (TV Series) (2005)
- Feat. Michael Woods
- BBC presenter Michael Wood explores four of the most famous myths in the world – Shangri–la, the Golden Fleece, the Queen of Sheba, and…
- In the Light of the Sun (Alla luce del sole) (2005)
- Dir. Roberto Faenza
Feat. Luca Zingaretti
- Grave Italian drama, set in a time of increased Mafia terrorism and based on the chain of events that led to the assassination of the Catholic priest…
- Nomad - The Warrior (2005)
- Dir. Sergei Bodrov, Ivan Passer
Feat. Kuno Becker, Mark Dacascos, Jason Scott Lee
- Historical war epic set in Kazakhstan centred around the life of the prophesied warrior destined to unite the Kazakh peoples.
With its awkwardly…
- Sometimes in April (2005)
- Dir. Raoul Peck
Feat. Debra Winger, Idris Elba, Oris Erhuero
- A worthy HBO dramatisation of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which around one million ethnic 'Tutsis' were slaughtered by ethnic 'Hutu' military and…
- Virgin Queen, The (TV Mini-Series) (2005)
- Dir. Coky Giedroyc
Feat. Anne-Marie Duff, Joanne Whalley, Dexter Fletcher…
- Imprecise yet compelling mini–series portraying the life and loves of the infamously independent Queen Elizabeth I – from her fearful…
- Warm Springs (2005)
- Dir. Joseph Sargent
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Cynthia Nixon, David Paymer…
- Typically smooth and competent HBO biopic, which dramatises Franklin D. Roosevelt's (Branagh) pre–presidency years, especially the period from…
- White Countess, The (2005)
- Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave…
- Set in the tumult of 1930s Shanghai, when China was threatened with Japanese invasion, this final Merchant–Ivory production (producer Ismail…
- Who Do You Think You Are? (TV Series) (2005)
- Celebrated BBC series which explains the 'ins and outs' of researching your own family genealogy through a featured celebrity. Each episode touches…
- Why We Fight (2005)
- Dir. Eugene Jarecki
- Matching THE FOG OF WAR in terms of impact and cogency, this Sundance–winning doco investigates the long history of American involvement in…
- Alexander (2004)
- Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer…
- A valiant, though flawed attempt by dir. Oliver Stone (PLATOON) to depict the life and times of Grecian military commander Alexander the Great,…
- Aryan Couple (2004)
- Dir. John Daly
Feat. Martin Landau, Judy Parfitt, Kenny Doughty
- Mild World War II drama set in against the backdrop of The Euopa Plan in which in wealthy European Jews traded their riches and property in exchange…
- Century of Flight, The (TV Series) (2004)
- All the accidents and achievements of man’s quest for flight are documented in this unprecedented history of taking to the skies.
26 episodes…
- Europe in the Middle Ages (2004)
- Comprehensive, revisionist history documentary attempts to change perception of the Middle Ages as an era of ‘dark times’, largely through…
- Great Moments of the 20th Century (2004)
- A newsreel journey through the momentous 20th century, told in three separate parts and narrated by Laura McKenzie. An essential resource for…
- Gunpowder Treason and Plot (TV Mini-series) (2004)
- Dir. Gillies MacKinnon
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Richard Coyle, Kevin McKidd
- A smokingly violent historical drama, penned by Jimmy McGovern, set around the infamous plot of Guy Fawkes to blow up the English Parliament and the…
- Hotel Rwanda (2004)
- Dir. Terry George
Feat. Don Cheadle, Nick Nolte, Sophie Okonedo…
- A deeply affecting expose of the Rwandan conflict of the early 1990s that matches its political conscience with vivid staging and terrific…
- Jasmine Women (Mo li hua kai; Blossoming Jasmine; Jasmine Flower) (2004)
- Dir. Yong Hou
Feat. Joan Chen, Wen Jiang, Zhang Ziyi
- Intergenerational Chinese weepie about women who are unlucky in love, set during the 1920s, '50s and '80s, and based on the book by Su Tong (also the…
- Lost World of Mitchell and Kenyon, The (2004)
- The recent discovery of 800 rolls of early nitrate film on a building site proved a rare cinematic find – turning out to be documentary footage…
- Michael King - History Man (2004)
- Feat. Colin Hogg
- A balanced television documentary on acclaimed NZ historian Michael King, made shortly after his untimely death in 2004. Presenter/writer Colin Hogg…
- Monarchy (TV Series) (2004)
- Historical TV Series presented by Dr David Starkey tracing the blood–stained history of the English monarchy covering all the epic battles and…
- Operation Valkyrie (Stauffenberg) (2004)
- Dir. Jo Baier
Feat. Sebastian Koch, Ulrich Tukur, Hardy Kruger…
- Highly credible Germanic take on the failed 'Valkyrie' plot to assassinate Hitler favors sobering realism over Hollywood heroism. Made for German…
- Roman Empire (2004)
- Overarching three–part documentary series anatomising the rise and spectacular fall of the Roman Empire.
- Scared Sacred (2004)
- Dir. Velcrow Ripper
- Visiting sites of some of the world’s most horrible stories doesn’t seem like a relaxed night’s viewing, but this doco by the interestingly…
- Seconds From Disaster (TV Series) (2004)
- Compellingly constructed doco series covering some of the most devastating disasters of modern history, each episode opening with a dramatic…
- Shake Hands With the Devil (The Journey of Roméo Dallaire) (2004)
- Dir. Peter Raymont
- Arresting account of the deplorable Rwandan genocide, told through the eyes of one of the most controversial figures surrounding the 1994 massacre,…
- Trilogy 1: The Weeping Meadow (To Livadi pou dakryzei) (2004)
- Dir. Theo Angelopoulos
- The first part of an intended trilogy of films dealing with 20th century Greece, this monumental epic depicts the travails of a Greek refugee family…
- Worst Jobs in History (TV Series) (2004)
- Dir. Brendan Hughes
Feat. Tony Robinson
- BLACKADDER’s Tony Robinson (aka Baldrick) takes us through the hardship of British history via the most unenviable jobs imaginable.
A tour of…
- Augustus (TV Mini-Series) (2003)
- Dir. Roger Young
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Charlotte Rampling
- Peter O'Toole takes on the role of Augustus Caesar in this refreshing series focusing on the time when Augustus stepped into his adopted father's…
- Battlefield Britain (TV Series) (2003)
- Dir. Mary Cranitch
- Father–and–son team Peter and Dan Snow explore the history of Britain through a detailed investigation into 8 epoch–making battles…
- Best of Youth, The (La Meglio gioventù) (2003)
- Dir. Marco Tullio Giordana
- Sprawling and heady Italian saga tracks the lives of two brothers through the idealistic dreams of the 1960s and the long messy aftermath of…
- Days That Shook The World (TV Series) (2003)
- A monumental overview of the world’s most profound and history–defining events, this tome to humankind's great achievements and failures is…
- Give it a Whirl (2003)
- An in–depth visual and musical exploration of New Zealand rock 'n' roll stories, from the fledgling sounds of the 1950s to today's…
- Hitler - The Rise of Evil (2003)
- Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Stockard Channing, Peter O'Toole…
- Somewhat controversial account of Adolf Hitler's rise to power, attempting to fathom his potential for evil–doing.
An only…
- Killing Hitler (TV Mini-series) (2003)
- Dir. Jeremy Lovering
Feat. Peter McDonald, Kate Ashfield, Kenneth Cranham…
- Accurate docu–drama merging archival footage with recreations and educated interview to portray and dissect 'Operation Foxley' – a secret…
- Mandela - The Living Legend (2003)
- Feat. Nelson Mandela
- Notable BBC documentary on the former South African President who was imprisoned in the 1960s under the Apartheid regime and survived decades behind…
- Ned Kelly (2003)
- Dir. Gregor Jordan
Feat. Heath Ledger, Naomi Watts, Geoffrey Rush…
- Australia's most famous bushranger is portrayed with outright sympathy and a large measure of romantic invention in this messy, but not entirely…
- Private Life of a Masterpiece, The (TV Series) (2003)
- Expansive, all–encompassing art history as tackled by the BBC, canvassing masterpieces from the Renaissance era through to 20th Century works…
- Reckoning, The (2003)
- Dir. Paul McGuigan
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Paul Bettany, Vincent Cassel…
- A sober minded recreation of plague–blasted England of the Middle Ages, with Bettany cowling–up as a monk on the run who falls in with a…
- Test, The (2003)
- Television documentary celebrating 100 years of rugby with New Zealand's All Blacks.
Includes interviews with various legends of the game –…
- 11'09'01 (September 11) (2002)
- Dir. Ken Loach, Claude Lelouch, Sean Penn
Feat. Ernest Borgnine
- A consistently intriguing omnibus of 11 short films made by various top directors about the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001 in New York –…
- 9/11 (2002)
- Dir. Jules Naudet, Gedeon Naudet, James Hanlon
- What started out as an amateur documentary by two French brothers about the New York Fire Department turns into a vital, ground’s–eye view of…
- A History of Britain (TV Series) (2002)
- The complete series of Simon Schama's accessible, but provocative look at British history from 3000 BC to 2000 AD.
Disc 1 – Beginnings,…
- Adventure of English, The (2002)
- Dir. Robert Bee, David Thomas
- An involving lesson in linguistics, presenter Melvyn Bragg takes us back to the roots of the English language – which found its genesis in…
- Fidel and Che (TV Mini-series) (Fidel) (2002)
- Dir. David Attwood
Feat. Victor Huggo Martin, Gael Garcia Bernal
- Fairly balanced exploration of the Cuban Revolution as told through the rise of Fidel Castro, from revolutionary fighter, to popular leader and…
- Gathering Storm, The (2002)
- Dir. Richard Loncraine
Feat. Albert Finney, Vanessa Redgrave, Jim Broadbent…
- Critically acclaimed telemovie depicts the life of Winston Churchill during his 'wilderness years', the turbulent 1930s, centred by a mighty…
- Kings and Queens (TV Series) (2002)
- A solid TV documentary series tracing lives and reigns of 12 of England's most influential monarchs. Historian Dr Nigel Spivey draws from an array of…
- Live From Baghdad (2002)
- Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. Michael Keaton, Helena Bonham Carter, Joshua Leonard…
- Media drama set in war–time Iraq tracking a gutsy group of CNN journalists who are among the few to choose to remain in Baghdad to capture the…
- Rosa Parks Story, The (2002)
- Dir. Julie Dash
Feat. Angela Bassett, Cicely Tyson, Peter Francis James
- A drama based on the life of Mrs. Rosa L. Parks from director Julie Dash (DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST).
In America in 1955, her courageous act of…
- Russian Ark (2002)
- Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
- Distinguised by its dazzling cinematic conceit – 300 years of Russian history staged in the Hermitage Museum (with 2000 extras) and captured in…
- Trials of Henry Kissinger, The (2002)
- Dir. Alex Gibney, Eugene Jarecki
- A corrosive yet robust investigation that alleges a misuse of power amounting to 'war crimes' by controversial US diplomat Henry Kissinger –…
- Weather Underground, The (2002)
- Dir. Sam Green, Bill Siegel
- A stimulating, incisive look back at the angry workings of "The Weathermen", a radical splinter faction of the protest movement who were responsible…
- Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary (2001)
- Dir. Othmar Schmiderer, Andre Heller
- The astonishing true story of Hitler's private secretary, Traudl Junge, who at the age of 80 comes to terms with working alongside unspeakable evil…
- Evolution (TV Series) (2001)
- Thorough and rigorous seven–part PBS series extols – and not without wading into the science vs. religion debate – the virtues of Charles…
- Jazz (2001)
- Dir. Ken Burns
- Sprawling and absorbing documentary series from the maker of THE CIVIL WAR, charting the rising star of jazz during the 20th century, with an…
- Celtic Britain (TV Series) (2000)
- Visually splendid three–part series that examines the history of the Celtic lands of Britain, using a mixture of dramatisation and sweeping…
- Howard Goodall's Big Bangs (TV Series) (2000)
- Feat. Howard Goodall
- Presented by affable Brit maestro, Howard Goodall (whose own notable works include the theme tunes to Blackadder and Mr. Bean), this enlightening,…
- Nuremberg (2000)
- Feat. Alec Baldwin, Jill Hennessy, Brian Cox…
- This two part miniseries follows the Chief Prosecutor through the Nuremberg Trials of 1945–46.
- Our People Our Century (2000)
- Major, award–winning series tells the story of New Zealand and its people throughout the 20th century. Six episodes across three…
- Paragraph 175 (2000)
- Dir. Robert Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
- An uneasy delve into past atrocities, this bitter–tasting but necessary document of Nazi war crimes goes beyond the oft–told persecution…
- Faith Of The Century - A History Of Communism (1999)
- Using fascinating, never–before–seen footage from the national archives of many countries including Russia and France, this documentary…
- Federation (1999)
- Well–written doco that brings to life the events, personalities and experiences that lead up to the federation of the Australian colonies in…
- New York: A Documentary Film (1999-2003)
- Dir. Ric Burns
- Grand and compelling PBS portrait of New York City in the vein of Ken Burns's fulsome documentaries (incidentally, directed by younger brother Ric)…
- Scarlet Pimpernel, The (Mini Series) (1999)
- Dir. Simon Langton
Feat. Richard E. Grant, Elizabeth McGovern
- A lively television adaptation of the Baroness Orczy's famous novel set around the bloody chaos of post–revolutionary France and one English…
- 1968: The Year That Shaped a Generation (1998)
- Dir. Steve Talbot
- Stolid examination of the watershed year filled with familiar images and oft heard soundbites.
Key people and events featured include: the…
- Barry Humphries - Flashbacks (TV Series) (1998)
- Feat. Barry Humphries
- Iconic Aussie entertainer Barry Humphries and his alter–ego's Dame Edna, Sir Les Patterson and Sandy Stone take us on a journey through a slice…
- In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great (1997)
- Dir. David Wallace
- Following the travails of the Greek military commander who conquered most of Asia Minor, historian Michael Wood explores the traditional story and…
- Mabo (Mabo: Life of an Island Man) (1997)
- Dir. Trevor Graham
- Landmark documentary, passionately told, that recounts the extraordinary life story of land activist Eddie Mabo.
- Thomas Jefferson (1997)
- Dir. Ken Burns
Feat. Sam Waterston, Blythe Danner, Ossie Davis…
- Burns "paints an enigmatic portrait of self–contradiction" in this comprehensive and reverential documentary of America's third President,…
- Rhodes (TV Mini-series) (1996)
- Dir. David Drury
Feat. Martin Shaw, Frances Barber, Joe Shaw
- Lengthy but worth–it biopic telling the story of Cecil Rhodes, the 19th–Century businessman who was sent to Africa to die, but came back…
- West, The (TV Series) (1996)
- Dir. Stephen Ives
- Steered by a protégé of documentary–guru Ken Burns (JAZZ), this epic TV–study of the conquest and reshaping of the American West shares…
- Churchills, The (1995)
- Dir. Greg Lanning
- Composed primarily of archival footage, this profiles Winston Churchill and the role his family played during his time as the nation's leader.…
- Crusades, The (TV Series) (1995)
- Dir. Alan Ereira, David Wallace
Feat. Terry Jones
- The gruesome history of the crusades is covered here in great detail in this BBC production, from the political background to the harsh daily life of…
- Lost Civilizations (TV Series) (1995)
- Historical series covering nearly 7000 years of history over 25 countries. Brought to life with spfx technology and recreated historically accurate…
- Trinity and Beyond (1995)
- Dir. Peter Kuran
Feat. William Shatner
- Solid presentation of the history of the US atomic weapons programme, including interviews and much recently de–classified footage. Narrated by…
- Baseball (1994-2010)
- Dir. Ken Burns
- Ken Burns's celebrated documentary transcends its sporting appearance to deliver an elegant and engrossing social history through baseball over 150…
- House of Windsor, The (TV Series) (1994)
- The story of the most famous family in the world – from the reign of the first Windsors, King George V and Queen Mary, to the long rule of…
- Time Team (TV Series) (1994)
- Feat. Tony Robinson
- Stimulating television series featuring a group of enthusiastic archaeologists unearthing the secrets of British history from overlooked areas of…
- From the East (1993)
- Dir. Chantal Akerman
Feat. Natalia Chakhovskaia
- Travelogue documentary shot on 16mm which describes the lives of people in Poland, Russia and East Germany before the collapse of the Soviet…
- Tangiwai and Wahine Disasters (1993-2002)
- Dir. David Sims, John Carlaw
- Released for the first time together on DVD, two in–depth documentaries detailing two of New Zealand's worst transport disasters of the last…
- Carry On Columbus (1992)
- Dir. Gerald Thomas
Feat. Julian Clary, Rik Mayall, Alexei Sayle
- Julian Clary, Rik Mayall and Alexei Sayle, among others, contribute double entendres aplenty to this tribute to that '60s comic institution, the…
- Gully-ites, The (1992)
- Dir. John Anderson
- A slice of character–filled life filmed in our own backyard, this is a heartwarming insight into a community with a unique history, capturing…
- Architecture of Doom (1991)
- Dir. Peter Cohen
- Uniquely, this study of the Nazi era concentrates on the vast creations of Adolf Hitler’s Masterplan – choreographed rallies, architecture,…
- Making Sense of the Sixties (1991)
- Fulsome documentary overview of the turbulent sixties, specifically in context with America, where John F. Kennedy, civil rights, the Vietnam War,…
- Rebels in Retrospect (1991)
- Dir. Russell Campbell
- An inquiry into the aims, methods and achievments of the Progressive Youth Movement, Kiwi political activists in the turbulent '60s.
- Civil War, The (The American Civil War) (1989)
- Dir. Ken Burns
- An extraordinary documentary series on the American Civil War, widely recognised as one of the greatest ever made.
Using archival photographs,…
- Shakers, The (1989)
- Dir. Ken Burns
- Documentary about the religion often characterised by their ecstatic dancing, pacifism and belief in non–conventional medicine. Ken Burns…
- Lord Mountbatten - The Last Viceroy (TV Mini-series) (1986)
- Dir. Tom Clegg
Feat. Nicol Williamson, Janet Suzman, Nigel Davenport…
- Epic mini–series tracing the life and influence of 'Lord Mountbatten' choosing to focus on the final days of the Indian British Empire and his…
- Monocled Mutineer, The (TV Mini-series) (1986)
- Dir. Jim O'Brien
Feat. Paul McGann, Robert Fellows
- A four–part BBC historical drama depicting the life of Private Percy Toplis, who supposedly led a British army mutiny against training officers…
- Peter the Great (TV Mini-Series) (1986)
- Feat. Maximilian Schell, Vanessa Redgrave, Omar Sharif…
- Emmy Award–winning mini–series about Peter I, Tsar of Russia from 1682, and his efforts to transform Russia in an "all European" country,…
- Burke and Wills (1985)
- Dir. Graeme Clifford
Feat. Jack Thompson, Nigel Havers, Greta Scacchi
- True blue Aussie classic chronicling the famous journey of two ill–prepared explorers across the unforgiving outback.
- Day the Universe Changed, The (TV Series) (1985)
- Feat. James Burke
- Science historian James Burke's classic 10–part series for the BBC exploring key moments in Western History where new knowledge in science…
- Dunera Boys, The (Mini-series) (1985)
- Dir. Ben Lewin
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Warren Mitchell, Julia Blake
- WW2 set mini–series following a group of suspected Jewish spies sent from England to a POW camp in NSW, Australia. Nicely balanced historical…
- In Search of the Trojan War (1985)
- Dir. Bill Lyons
- A thorough, intelligible excavation of Homer’s epic poems and the speculation of a Trojan Society, historian Michael Wood takes us back in time via…
- Islands of the Empire (1985)
- Dir. Alister Barry, Rod Prosser, Russell Campbell
- Documentary from Wellington production company Vanguard Films (SOMEONE ELSE'S COUNTRY) offering a valuable examination of military relationships…
- Mussolini and I (1985)
- Dir. Alberto Negrin
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Anthony Hopkins, Susan Sarandon…
- The last days of Il Duce as embodied by Bob Hoskins in this strong Italian miniseries.
- Revolution (1985)
- Dir. Hugh Hudson
Feat. Al Pacino, Donald Sutherland, Nastassja Kinski…
- Disastrous epic with Pacino almost committing career suicide as a fur trapper caught in the upheaval of the American Revolution. Some handsome…
- By the Sword Divided (TV Series) (1983)
- Feat. Sharon Maughan, Andrew MacLachlan , Lucy Aston
- Classic BBC period drama following the aristocratic Lacey family, whose lives are thrown into turmoil as their political allegiances split during the…
- Kennedy (TV Mini-Series) (1983)
- Dir. Jim Goddard
Feat. Martin Sheen, Blair Brown, John Shea…
- Absorbing, detailed biography of the doomed president covering the key events of his brief reign and providing subtle insights into his private life.
- I Remember Nelson (TV Mini-series) (1982)
- Dir. Simon Langton
Feat. Kenneth Colley, Geraldine James
- Soap–opera–tinged four–part miniseries taking a look at Naval Officer Lord Horatio Nelson, from the viewpoint of four who knew him…
- Nancy Astor (TV Mini-series) (1982)
- Dir. Richard Stroud
Feat. Lisa Harrow, Pierce Brosnan
- Rags–to–riches biography of the life of Nancy Astor, the first woman to hold a seat in the house of commons.
- Scarlet Pimpernel, The (TV Mini-Series) (1982)
- Dir. Clive Donner
Feat. Anthony Andrews, Jane Seymour, Ian McKellen
- Top–notch mini–series version of the classic tale of The Scarlet Pimpernel – an English nobleman who lived a double–life…
- Bunker, The (1981)
- Dir. George Schaefer
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Richard Jordan, Cliff Gorman…
- Absorbing account of Hitler's last days spent hiding under Berlin with Hopkins giving one of his finest performances. Somber adaptation of James P.…
- Our Heritage (TV Series) (1981)
- A unique series of television snippets, in which seven ballads by legendary Waitakere historian Jack Diamond are recited over historical imagery and…
- Oppenheimer (TV Mini-series) (1980)
- Dir. Barry Davis
Feat. Sam Waterston, Shane Rimmer, David Suchet
- Excellent mini–series starring Waterson as nuclear physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who helped build the atomic bomb for the 'Manhattan…
- Shogun (Mini Series) (1980)
- Dir. Jerry London
Feat. Richard Chamberlain, Toshiro Mifune
- Exciting TV mini–series version of James Clavell's novel set in Feudal Japan, here in its complete form (DVD) or as a cut–down movie…
- Strumpet City (Mini-Series) (1980)
- Feat. Peter O'Toole, Peter Ustinov
- Broad, sweeping Irish history of Dubliners in the early 20th century. Based on James Plunkett’s popular novel.
- Dick Turpin (TV Series) (1979)
- Feat. Richard O'Sullivan, Alfie Bass
- Historical adventure series about the real–life 18th century highwayman Dick Turpin and his "Robin Hood" thieving of the rich to give to the…
- Hitler - A Film From Germany (1978)
- Dir. Hans-Jurgen Syberberg
- An epic and highly original exploration of the sources of German fascism, in which experimentalist dir. Syberberg weaves a tapestry of surreal…
- Frost/Nixon Watergate Interviews (1977)
- Dir. Jorn Winther
Feat. David Frost, Richard Nixon
- The legendary 28 hour interview between the charismatic David Frost and former President Richard Nixon is touted as the greatest political interview…
- Hunter's Gold (TV Series) (1976)
- Feat. Ken Blackburn, Andrew Hawthorn, Ian Mune…
- Classic kidult series follows young Scott Hunter as he searches for his father amidst the Otago Gold Rush in thismagnificent recreation of early New…
- Winstanley (1975)
- Dir. Kevin Brownlow, Andrew Mollo
Feat. Miles Halliwell, Jerome Willis, Terry Higgins
- The dramatized history of a Reformation–era religious sect called the Diggers. A nonviolent aggregation, the Diggers are devoted to tilling the…
- General Idi Amin Dada (A Self Portrait) (1974)
- Dir. Barbet Schroeder
- General Idi Amin Dada’s narcissism is serviced willingly by an intrigued Barbet Schroeder, focusing his camera on the lunatic dictator during his…
- Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (TV Mini-Series) (1974)
- Dir. James Cellan Jones
Feat. Lee Remick, Warren Clarke, Barbara Parkins…
- Rightly acclaimed series that reveals the fascinating life of the Lady Randolph Churchill, and mother of Winston. Adroitly scripted and acted –…
- Ascent of Man, The (TV Series) (1973)
- Feat. Jacob Bronowski
- Renowned TV series from the era of epic–length documentaries, this analyses the progress of mankind through scientific and technological…
- Mururoa 1973 (1973)
- Dir. Alister Barry
- Documentary filmed on the protest boat "The Fri" which visited Mururoa Atoll in 1973 to protest the testing of nuclear weapons by the French…
- Swastika (1973)
- Dir. Lutz Becker, Phillipe Mora
- Consisting solely of startling archival footage, this documentary portrait of the era of Adolf Hitler's domination of Nazi Germany, eschews narration…
- World At War, The (1973)
- Epic – both in length and scope – series that comprehensively examines the second World War. Assembling a vast array of rare footage and…
- Alistair Cooke's America (TV Series) (1972)
- Feat. Alistair Cooke
- Considered one of the great TV documentary series, this is English broadcaster Cooke's personal view of American history and its teeming,…
- Edwardians, The (1972)
- Dir. John Howard Davies, James Cellan Jones, Alan Clarke
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Timothy West, Robert Powell…
- Superb examination of eight famous Edwardians who helped shape the early 20th century. Impeccably presented and directed by some of the BBC's finest…
- Rossellini's History Films: Renaissance and Enlightenment (The Age of the Medici, Cartesius, Blaise Pascal) (1972-1974)
- Dir. Roberto Rossellini
- Three TV films about some of the western world's major figures and moments, from Italian master Roberto Rossellini in the final phase of his…
- Six Wives of Henry VIII, The (TV Mini-Series) (1970)
- Feat. Keith Michell, Rosalie Crutchley, Jane Seymour
- Accurate BAFTA–winning TV series chronicling the life of the notorious Henry VIII by way of six plays, featuring a notable cast and immaculate…
- Civilisation (TV Series) (1969)
- "Not a history of the arts, but a history of life–giving beliefs and ideas made visible and audible through the medium of art." Kenneth Clark's…
- This is New Zealand (1969)
- Dir. Hugh MacDonald
- A long–awaited DVD release of the landmark three camera/three projection spectacle, produced by the National Film Unit for the New Zealand…
- National Geographic - 125 Years (1966-2012)
- A commemorative boxset featuring the new anniversary documentary, 'Exploring New Frontiers: National Geographic at 125 years', plus a further 11…
- Culloden (1964)
- Dir. Peter Watkins
- A groundbreaking documentary depicting the famous battle in 1746 between the English loyalists and Scottish Jacobites.
Re–enacting this…
- Crisis (1963)
- Dir. Robert Drew
- Tense account of a key battle in the American Civil Rights movement with President Kennedy locked in a tense negotiation with Alabaman Governor…
- Mein Kampf (1961)
- Dir. Erwin Leiser
- Based on the infamous diary of Adolf Hitler, this is an impressive, prudent chronicle of his life, from his formative years through the horrors of…
- David and Goliath (1960)
- Dir. Richard Pottier, Ferdinando Baldi
Feat. Orson Welles, Ivica Pajer, Hilton Edwards
- Orson Welles plays King Saul in this adaptation of the biblical story about the unsuspecting shepherd David who is foretold to be the future King by…
- Primary (1960)
- Dir. Robert Drew
- Landmark documentary captures the charismatic JFK as he contests the Wisconsin Democratic Primary with Hubert Humphrey.
One of the first films of…
- I Was Monty's Double (1958)
- Dir. John Guillermin
Feat. Clifton James, John Mills, Leslie Phillips…
- Absorbing war drama based on the true story of a man hired to imitate General Montgomery in order to hoodwink the Germans before the North Africa…
- Napoleon (1955)
- Dir. Sacha Guitry
Feat. Daniel Gelin, Raymond Pellegrin, Yves Montand…
- A somewhat farcical film that suffers from being dubbed into English, over–narration, and the attempt to give a complete account of Napoleon's…
- Classic TV Commercials of the 50's 60's & 70's (1950-1979)
- Collection of American TV commercials from the decorous 50's, rampant 60's and radical 70's. Includes ads on every perfect housewifes dream products…
- Joan of Arc (1948)
- Dir. Victor Fleming
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Jose Ferrer, Gene Lockhart…
- Ingrid Bergman is radiant as the saintly Joan in Fleming's last film, and though perhaps unsuitably theatrical, has been greatly improved by…
- Olympia (Olympiad) (1936)
- Dir. Leni Riefenstahl
- Hitler confidant Leni Riefenstahl's legendary recording of the Berlin Olympics when German nationalism and Nazi pride was at fever pitch. A…
- Prisoner of Shark Island, The (1936)
- Dir. John Ford
Feat. Warner Baxter, Gloria Stuart
- Gripping John Ford–directed prison yarn is based on the ordeal of Dr. Samuel Mudd, a famous victim of circumstance who unknowingly cared for…
- Land of Promise - The British Documentary Movement 1930-1950 (1931-1951)
- A revealing, 40–strong film archival of British society, culture, work ethic, and nationalism, preserved in documentaries shot during the…
- Time to Remember, A - New Zealand Edition (Movietone Edition) (1930-1975)
- Comprehensive archive of New Zealand Cinesound and Movietone newsreels, from 1930–1975. Surveying five decades of Kiwi history and heritage,…
- Time to Remember, A - British Empire Edition (Movietone Edition) (1920-1980)
- Widespread collection of British Empire Movietone newsreels, from 1920–1980. Providing an unbeatable insight into major events in British…
- Time to Remember, A - World Edition (Pathe Edition ) (1900-1980)
- World edition of this invaulable newsreel series, compiling segments from the Pathe archives on two World Wars, totalitarianism, the Holocaust,…
- Empires (TV Series)
- Epic mini–series series focused on the greatest eras of our time and how they shaped the world as we know it.
Directed by respected…
- Exiles - The Story Of A Polish Journey
- Dir. John Anderson
- A 30 year old writer and historian endeavours to uncover more about her Polish mother's harrowing life prior to arriving in Wellington in 1944, as…
- Maori - Culture, Traditions and History
- Historical doco presented by NZ historian Don Stafford tracing the history of Maori from their arrival on the fair shores of Aotearoa to traditional…