Subgenre Sampler

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Sheilas: 28 Years On (2004): Dir. Annie Goldson, Dawn Hutchesson; Utilising the approach of Michael Apted's 7–UP films, this features encounters with the participants of the 1976 New Zealand TV series 'Women'…
Backyard Science (2003): A likeable demonstration of the basic principles of science, with four Australian kids finding all they need in the kitchen, garage, and the garden…
Last Post, The (2003): Dir. Dan Cleary, James Hollings; A documentary of local significance, yet universal application, charting the last week of operations for the long–running Wellington newspaper…
Pyramid - Beyond Imagination (2003): Dir. Jonathan Stamp
Feat. Omar Sharif; Short study concerning the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the largest manmade structures on the planet. Inside the dramatic framework of one worker's…
Berlusconi's Mousetrap (2002): Dir. Aaron Rip; Eye–witness, partisan account of the G8 summit in Genoa, Italy, which led to serious clashes between police and protesters (leaving one dead…
Children of Gallipoli (2002): Dir. Anna Cottrell; Interesting documentary interviews the grandchildren of four combatants in the ANZAC Gallipoli campaign of WWI – involving Turkish and New…
Finest Hour (2002): Dir. Nick Read; In–depth and atmospheric study of the ‘Battle of Britain’, the crucial air war of WWII fought over England in 1940. Gripping…
In a Land of Plenty (2002): Dir. Alister Barry; Described as ‘the story of unemployment in New Zealand,’ this serves as a strong companion piece for SOMEONE ELSE'S COUNTRY, dir. Barry’s…
Lost Dinosaurs, The (2002): Dir. Bryan Bruce; The true story of Joan Wiffen who in 1975 discovered dinosaur bones in the remote Mangahuanga Stream (Hawkes Bay, New Zealand). Returning to the…
Only the Strong Survive (2002): Dir. Chris Hegedus, D.A. Pennebaker; Warm and intelligent appreciation of several of the soul–music legends of the 1960s and 70s by a veteran documentary team. Based around a…
Earth, Wind and Fire - Shining Stars (2001): Pretty comprehensive look at the long career of US funksters 'Earth, Wind and Fire', including interviews with band members, music clips and live…
Epitaph (TV Series) (2001): Feat. Paul Gittens; TV series that scours the cemeteries of New Zealand for the intriguing, weird and worthy tales of our ancestor's demises. Paul Gittens is the…
Facing the Music (2001): Dir. Bob Connolly, Robin Anderson; Art and commerce clash in corridors of academia at Sydney University, as budget cuts compromise the integrity and possible viability of the music…
Happy Days - Biography (2001): Feat. Ron Howard, Henry Winkler; The 1970s US TV–Series ‘Happy Days’, set in suburban 1950s Milwaukee, is revisited with the crew and cast.
Magical World of J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter) (2001): The creator of the kidult ‘Harry Potter’ books is documented in this made–for–TV study.
Savage Planet (2001): Dir. Chris Malone, Emma Hawley, Tony Coldwell; Various extreme ‘acts of God’ are showcased in this visually compelling nature odyssey. Stray asteroids, storms, volcanos, avalanches, baking…
Stanley Kubrick - A Life in Pictures (2001): Dir. Jan Harlan
Feat. Malcolm McDowell, Woody Allen, Jack Nicholson…; Authorised by his family, a 'biography' of the great, reclusive, obsessive film–maker, whose genius is attested by the likes of…
Stripped (2001): Dir. Jill Morley; Directed by a former stripper, this gritty, though at times amateurish delve into the lives of six American strippers delivers some real shocks,…
A Moment of Innocence (2000): Dir. Mohsen Makhmalbaf; A slowly unfolding tale of the dir.'s own involvement in the stabbing of a policeman when he was an Islamic radical in the 1970s. Subsequently…
Beefcake (2000): Dir. Thom Fitzgerald
Feat. Daniel MacIvor, Carroll Godsman, Jack Griffin Mazeika…; The director of THE HANGING GARDEN blends archival footage and dramatic action to reveal the secret world behind the well–oiled muscles and…
Diplomat, The (2000): Dir. Tom Zubrycki; Panorama of East Timor’s struggle to regain independence from Indonesia following the 1975 invasion, expressed through the 24 year exile of former…
Gendernauts (2000): Dir. Monika Treut; Prolific lesbian director Monika Treut takes a tour of San Francisco’s transgender community. Aided by the likes of queer luminaries Annie…
Oracle of Omaha (2000): Dir. Lisa D Gildehaus; The second–richest man in America, investor Warren Buffett, is the subject of this study, whose investment success and ethics have made him a…
Scooterz (2000): Dir. Todd Grossman
Feat. John Wilkening, Ali Kermani; Pro–riders like John Wilkening, Ali Kermani, and Kevin Keehl demonstrate the most cutting–edge tricks (or ways to put yourself in…
Universal Horror (2000): Dir. Kevin Brownlow; Reeling back to the horror films produced by Universal Studios in the 1930s, this Kevin Brownlow documentary is a lovingly–made reminder of the…
Whirling Man, The (2000): Dir. Gretchin Mornin, James Hollings
Feat. Arnold Brooker; Brief compelling whirl through the world of Arnold Brooker, an eccentric fixture on the streets of Wellington who campaigns for the rights of the…
20 Dates (1999): Dir. Myles Berkowitz; Queasily, both a documentary and 'mockumentary'; the director set out to make a movie and find himself a girlfriend at the same time, organising 20…
American Pimp (1999): Dir. Hughes Brothers; Provocative documentary on that classic black socio–cultural archetype – The Pimp. Although the makers tend to be out–manipulated by…
Art of Piano, The (1999): Dir. Donald Sturrock; Survey of 20th century classical pianists that starts with Hofman and ends with Arrau, taking in such diverse talents of the keyboard as Rachmaninov,…
Cinema Verite - Defining the Moment (1999): Dir. Peter Wintonick; Unique "documentary of documentaries" from the dir. of MANUFACTURING CONSENT that chronicles "Cinema Verite", a film–making movement bound by a…
Curse of the Blair Witch (1999): Expose of the BLAIR WITCH PROJECT back–story, keeping up the pretence of 'fact' and wringing more than a modicum of new twists out of the…
Fugazi - Instrument (1999): Dir. Jem Cohen, Fugazi; Culled from concert, interview and home footage, this portrayal of fiercely independent rock–bank Fugazi transcends the…
Funny by George (The George Wallace Story) (1999): Dir. Don Percy; Celebrates the life and times of unashamedly Australian vaudeville comedian and movie star, George Wallace.
Last Days, The (1999): Dir. James Moll; Accompanied by return visits to their homeland and the Nazi death camps, five Hungarian survivors of the Holocaust recount their remarkable stories…
Millennium (1999): Dir. Various; Exhaustive history of the last thousand years, taken from the book by Felipe Fernandez–Armesto and presented by CNN. Refreshingly deals not…
Pop and Me (1999): Dir. Chris Roe; A 'real life' documentary with a distinctive twist – would–be film–maker Chris Roe convinces his affluent divorcee father to not…
Punitive Damage (1999): Dir. Annie Goldson; Emotive documentary about the ordeal of an ordinary New Zealand mother, Helen Todd, who ultimately sued an Indonesian general for punitive damages…
Cold War (1998): Dir. Various; With encyclopedia–like detail, this lengthy documentary series analyses every aspect of the Cold War, from the onset of frosty relations…
Dancemaker (1998): Dir. Matthew Diamond
Feat. Paul Taylor; Exemplary biography of American choreographer Paul Taylor, whose vivid, unconventional works are a high–point in modern dance. Made by an…
David Oistrakh - Artist of the People? (1998): Dir. Bruno Monsaingeon; The life of the renowned 20th century Russian violinist, who at times locked horns with the Soviet state, is told through interviews with family and…
Destroy All Rational Thought (1998): An eclectic patchwork of material to do with William Burroughs and Brion Gysin, including footage from Burroughs films and home–movies, and…
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau - Autumn Journey (1998): Dir. Bruno Monsaingeon; Interviewed on his 70th birthday the German baritone recollects his life and art in fascinating detail. Tape includes an 85–min concert recital…
Endurance (1998): Dir. Leslie Woodhead; Quietly profound docu–drama on the life of the 1996 Olympic 10,000 metre champion, Haile Gebrselassie, gives unique insight into the man behind…
Full Tilt Boogie (1998): Dir. Sarah Kelly; Little more than a 'making of' FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, edited to feature–length to cash in on Tarantino–mania. Without dramatic meat or…
Gathering, The (1998): Dir. Kylie Plunkett; Document of the popular New Years Eve celebrations at Takaka Hill 1997–8, featuring a variety of dance–music, local DJs and of course,…
Henry Rollins - You Saw Me There (1998): Dir. Modi; Spoken–word performance from the beefy, former–Black Flag singer, displaying his talent for combining humour with cringe–worthy…
Hillary - A View From the Top (1998): Feat. Edmund Hillary; A straightforward, populist documentary about New Zealand’s most famous individual, mountaineer and philanthropist Sir Edmund…
Radiohead - Meeting People Is Easy (1998): Dir. Grant Gee; The album OK COMPUTER took the Oxford quintet into the rock stratosphere, a place where, on this evidence, they'd often rather not be.…
Tackle Happy (1998): Dir. Mick Molloy
Feat. Simon Morley, David Friend; Eye–widening puppet–show utilises the visual and tactile properties of the male–organ to impersonate… all sorts of things:…
Wild Man Blues (1998): Dir. Barbara Kopple
Feat. Woody Allen; Affably entertaining documentary that follows Woody Allen 'on tour' through Europe in 1996 aboard his musical side–act, a New Orleans Jazz Band…
Century of Cinema - Australia / NZ / UK (1997): Dir. George Miller, Sam Neill, Stephen Frears; Director George Miller (MAD MAX) construes his own personal perspective on the history of Australian cinema and its wider cultural meanings. Perhaps…
Century of Cinema - France / Germany / Scandinavia (1997): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard, Edgar Reitz, Stig Bjorkman; French entry is a typically obtuse, subversive essay by iconoclast Jean–Luc Godard, questioning the validity of celebrating cinema. The Germans…
Four Little Girls (1997): Dir. Spike Lee; Spike Lee's Oscar–nominated documentary focuses on a quartet of pre–teens killed in the 1963 bombing of a black congregational church in…
Peoples Century (TV Series) (1997): Dir. Various; Indispensible BBC TV series covering 20th century history told via the accounts of ordinary people, gives a vivid and sobering taste of world events.…
Pretty As a Picture (1997): Dir. Toby Keeler
Feat. Jack Nance, Mel Brooks, Dean Stockwell; A beguiling and extensive peep behind the velvet curtains of director David Lynch's creative processes, during the making of LOST HIGHWAY. Helping…
Road to Jerusalem + Roaring Forties (1997): Dir. Bruce Morrison; Affectionate biography/homage tracing the life of the late great NZ poet James K Baxter. Admirable recitals of his verse complement many candid…
Titanica (1997): Dir. Stephen Low
Feat. Leonard Nimoy; Stunning footage of the world's most famous shipwreck shot by IMAX, who specialise in high–definition photography under exacting conditions.…
Vietnam War - Unknown Images (1997): Dir. Isabelle Clarke; Recently declassified military footage gives a harrowing new look into the years of the Vietnam War. Three episodes – 'Secrets of War',…
Alien Autopsy Video (1996): Dir. Tom McGough; Documentary based around footage purporting to come from the Roswell, New Mexico UFO crash in 1947, showing an 'alien' being dissected. A suspect…
Alien Empire (1996): Dir. Steve Nicholls; Utilising miniature cameras and endoscopes to peer into the 'microcosmos' of various insect species, this BBC series endeavours to vividly reveal…
American Cinema (Box Set) (1996): In–depth series explores most dimensions of the American feature film (mainly post–1930s). Ten 50 minute episodes include classic clips…
Betrayal, The (1996): Dir. John Anderson
Feat. Allen O'Leary; A dynamic mix of documentary, rare achive footage, and vivid dramatic recreations tells the extraordinary adventures of Kiwi Ron Jeffrey in wartime…
Century of Cinema - China (Yang±Yin - Gender in Chinese Cinema) (1996): Dir. Stanley Kwan; One of the more outstanding (and idiosyncratic) episodes in the CENTURY OF CINEMA series, dir. Kwan (ROUGE) analyzing depictions of sexuality and…
Cinema of Unease (1996): Dir. Sam Neill & Judith Rymer; Sam Neill essays a personal history of Kiwi film as a reflection of our national identity. From his big break in the landmark SLEEPING DOGS to the…
Conspirators of Pleasure (1996): Dir. Jan Svankmajer
Feat. Petr Meisell, Gabriela Wilhemova; Famed animator Svankmajer moves further into the live–action arena, but remains anything but conventional. The private perversities and…
Dancing in the Street (TV Series) (1996): Exemplary documentary chronicles the history of pop music through nine hour–long episodes defined by generic lineage. Truly rare clips and…
Dexter Gordon - More Than You Know (1996): Dir. Don McGlynn; Tenor jazz saxophonist Dexter, renowned for his work with Lionel Hampton and others, gets fan treatment in a lively montage of performance and…
East Side Story (1996): Dir. Dana Ranga; Enchanting curiosity draws back the Iron Curtain to detail the history of the Communist musical! Focus on the Russian, East German, and…
Fetishes (1996): Dir. Nick Broomfield; One of dir. Broomfield's more insalubrious documentaries, where his customised faux innocence is used as a passport into the world of New York's…
Gallivant (1996): Dir. Andrew Kotting; An engrossing ‘gallivant’ around the coastline of Great Britain (and the parameters of experimental documentary) with the filmmaker, his…
Hemp Revolution, The (1996): Dir. Anthony Clarke; Wide–ranging look at the manifold properties and uses of hemp, incl. medicine, textiles, fuel, food and ‘inspiration’. Though made by…
Hype! (1996): Dir. Doug Pray; Absorbing document of the evolution of the Seattle grunge–music 'scene' from its genesis in the early '80s. Reflected in the ambiguous light of…
Jackie Chan - My Story (1996): Feat. Jackie Chan; An authorised biography of the incomparable one–man movie–machine from Hong Kong. Banal presentation is compensated by clips from all his…
Knowledge of Healing, The (1996): Dir. Franz Reichie; The first feature length film dealing extensively with 'Tibetan medicine', one of the most highly developed, holistic approaches to healing, based on…
Russia - The Missing Years (1996): A glance at the disturbing facts of the Eastern Front conflict of 1942–43 that resulted in Russian glory at a cost of three million lives.…
Car Crash (1995): Dir. David Caesar; Typically eccentric doco from the director of IDIOT BOX. Various Aussies express their near–fetishistic obsession with cars, then somewhat less…
Century of Cinema (UK / Ireland) - Typically British (1995): Dir. Mike Dibb, Stephen Frears, Donald Taylor Black; The British contribution to the series celebrating 100 years of the moving image. Film–maker Stephen Frears chats to industry heavyweights Alex…
Century of Cinema - Japan / Korea (1995): Dir. Nagisa Oshima, Jang Sun-Woo; Provocative director Nagisa Oshima provides a purely cinematic, subjective overview of Japanese cinema, its themes, forces and historical context,…
Century of Cinema - Russia / Poland (1995): Dir. Sergei Selyanov, Pawel Lozinski; In 'The Russian Idea' the philisophical concept of a self–contradicting Russian 'character' is discussed using the films of various political…
Executions (1995): Despite the exploitative title and subject, this in fact draws attention to the inhumanity of the death penalty and makes a case for its worldwide…
Greatest Moments In Sport, The (1995): A sterling compilation of world–famous sporting moments, matches and races from from Phar Lap's 1930 Melbourne Cup to Fermin Cacho Ruiz's 1500m…
I Just Wasn't Made for These Times (1995): Dir. Don Was; Step gingerly into the strange world of Beach Boys genius Brian Wilson. Interviews with friends, family and Wilson himself chart a tumultuous and…
Moruroa - The Big Secret (1995): Dir. Michel Daeron; A damning indictment of French nuclear testing program in the South Pacific. A French team investigate the impact of the tests on the neighbouring…
Paris Was a Woman (1995): Dir. Greta Schiller; Capturing a distinct ambience of early 20th century Paris, this feminist–orientated look at American–Parisians such as Gertrude Stein,…
Show, The (1995): Dir. Brian Robbins; Well–made document of a 90s hiphop roadshow featuring Run DMC, Naughty BY Nature, Warren G and Wu–Tang Clan. Combines live and backstage…
Unzipped (1995): Dir. Douglas Keeve; A giddy slice of non–fiction, the camera gets intimate with the colourful world of fashion king Isaac Mizrahi, whose charm and humour survives…
Wigstock (1995): Dir. Barry Shils; Following PARIS IS BURNING and UNZIPPED, this is the third quintessential camp New York doco! Essentially an on–the–spot recording of an…
Dennis Potter - The Last Interview (1994): Dir. Tom Poole; The maverick writer's final interview (on the Southbank Show), made just weeks before his death, is a gripping and highly personal summing–up…
Ed Wood: Look Back in Angora (1994): Doco on the B–movie director, that reveals the man beneath the pink cardy. Covering the time of Tim Burton's biopic and beyond, through to the…
Glitterbug (1994): Dir. Derek Jarman; An unnarrated montage of Derek Jarman's super 8 footage from 1970 to 1986, with a specially composed soundtrack by Brian Eno. It offers a personal…
Harley Davidson (1994): Dir. Joel T. Smith; The definitive story of how the humble motorcycle company became a cultural phenomenon with celebrity and bikie interviews and good old rock 'n' roll…
Human Animal, The (1994): Famed zoologist Desmond Morris' personal assessment of the human being spans the cultural globe to understand behavioural peculiarities that we daily…
Martha and Ethel (1994): Dir. Jyll Johnstone; This touching and absorbing recount of the lives and times of two octogenarian nannies, one a fastidious German immigrant, the other a compassionate…
Annie Leibovitz (1993): Dir. Rebecca Frayn; South Bank Show biography of American photo–journalist Annie Leibovitz, whose work has appeared in Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair. Melvyn Bragg…
Boys and Balls (1993): Dir. Sue Thompson; An amusing look at men obsessed with knocking a round piece of leather 'round the paddock. Many Ocker sports–blokes offer their theories.
Curse of the Dragon (1993): Dir. Fred Weintraub
Feat. Bruce Lee, Brandon Lee; A look at the life of Kung–Fu cult hero, Bruce Lee, with an emphasis on the circumstances surrounding his mysterious death. Incorporates…
D.W. Griffith - Father of Film (1993): Dir. Kevin Brownlow, David Gill
Feat. D.W. Griffith; The feature–film pioneer who directed classics such as BIRTH OF A NATION and Broken Blossoms, is paid lavish homage in this three–part…
Last Bolshevik, The (1993): Dir. Chris Marker; Chris Marker's video essay celebrates the life and work of little known film pioneer Aleksandr Medvedkin to reflect on the legacy of Soviet…
Lip Gloss (1993): Dir. Lois Siegel; The lives of transvestites, drag queens and female impersonators are chronicled in this revealing portrait that takes you behind the scenes as they…
Luck, Trust and Ketchup (1993): Dir. Mike Kaplan, John Dorr; Director Robert Altman is observed while at work on 'Short Cuts'. Includes many interviews with cast and crew, including Tess Gallagher (the late…
Sacred Sex 2 (1993): Sequel to the highly successful sex doc is more specialised in its focus, geared more as a practical, introductory handbook for those wishing to take…
Seven Songs for Malcolm X (1993): Dir. John Akomfrah; A tribute to the revolutionary activist compiles interviews with people that knew him and those that know much about him as well as authentic footage…
Theremin - An Electronic Odyssey (1993): Dir. Steven M. Martin; The fascinating life of Prof. Leon Theremin, the Russian inventor of the Theremin – a unique musical instrument/sound effects generator,…
Wild Swans (The Daughters of China) (1993): Dir. Mischa Scorer; Jung Chang, author of Wild Swans recollects the experiences that inspired her award–winning book.
Cyberpunk (1992): Dir. Marianne Trench
Feat. William Gibson, Timothy Leary; Low–budget insight into the cyberpunk counter–culture. Author William Gibson and many hangers–on offer their view of what it means…
Forbidden Love (1992): Dir. Aerlyn Weissman, Lynne Fernie; A wonderful collection of vignettes that celebrates the experiences and defiance of a dazzlingly diverse bunch of Canadian lesbians who came out in…
Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time (1992): Dir. Robert Heath; Fascinating, non–sensational doco presents the Playboy magnate's perspective of how he built his colossal publishing empire through the decades…
JFK: Assassination Tapes (1992): Dir. John Barbour; Largely a basis for Oliver Stone's opus, Jim Garrison himself speaks frankly about his investigation into the alleged cover–up surrounding the…
MGM - When the Lion Roars (1992): The story of "super–studio" Metro–Goldwyn–Meyer from its origins in 1924 to become one of the largest production companies in…
Panama Deception, The (1992): Dir. Barbara Trent; Oscar–winning film is unabashedly activist attempt to uncover some truths about the propaganda used to sanitise the U.S. Government's invasion…
Search for Robert Johnson (1992): Dir. Chris Hunt; Essential documentary attempts to unshroud the mystery surrounding the legendary Blues singer/songwriter who was murdered in 1938 at only 27.
Silent Feminists, The (1992): Dir. Anthony Slide, Jeffrey Goodman; A factual study of the silent movie era that tributes the pioneering women behind Hollywood's cameras. Features rare film clips,…
Commissioner of Sewers (1991): Dir. Klaus Maeck; Dir. Maeck brings a European perspective to bear on the cult American writer, William S. Burroughs (NAKED LUNCH). A familiar blend of archival…
Good Woman of Bangkok (1991): Dir. Dennis O'Rourke; A typical sex–worker reveals her experiences to illuminate the harsh reality and profound sadness at the base of Thailand's prolific sex…
Monster in a Box (1991): Dir. Nick Broomfield; Spalding Gray recalls the adventures that befell him while trying to write his autobiography. Colourfully delivered monologue with Laurie Anderson…
Oscar's Greatest Moments (1991): Highlights from twenty years of Academy Award ceremonies
Pleasures and Dangers (1991): A glance at the work and lives of six women artists in New Zealand; Alexis Hunter (painter), Alison MacLean (film–maker), Julia Morison…
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Funky Monks (1991): Dir. Gavin Bowden; Stylishly shot documentary about the California funksters, caught on the cusp of massive worldwide success.
Republic Pictures Story, The (1991): In its heyday one of the most important of the 'small' Hollywood studios, Republic Pictures is here documented from its beginnings in 1935 to its…
Talk 16 (1991): Dir. Janis Lundman, Adrienne Mitchell; The transition of childhood to womanhood is revealed in this intimate, candid study of five 16–year–old girls over a five year period.
Berkeley in the Sixties (1990): Dir. Mark Kitchell; A lively, dense study of 1960s counter–culture in microcosm, this chronicles the rise and fall of the student movement in a Californian campus…
Close-Up (1990): Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Hossain Sabzian, Mohsen Makhmalbaf; A uniquely–devised work intermingling life and art, documentary and fiction, born of a real life incident in which an unemployed film buff is…
Creative Process - Norman McLaren (1990): Dir. Donald McWilliams
Feat. Norman McLaren; The ideas and intriguing techniques of Canadian animator Norman McLaren are dissected in this detailed documentary. Draws upon uncompleted works and…
I Want to Die at Home (1990): Dir. Monique Oomen; A sensitive documentary about Elizabeth, a woman with terminal liver cancer who chose to die at home. This is the story of her dying wishes,…
Jodorowsky Constellation, The (1990): Dir. Louis Mouchet; The creator of latterday surrealist films such as EL TOPO, THE HOLY MOUNTAIN and SANTE SANGRE, Alejandro Jodorowsky, gets due homage in this detailed…
Martin Scorsese Directs (1990): Dir. Joel Sucher, Steven Fischler; Summarises the life and film–making of the American director of 'Taxi–Driver' & 'Raging Bull'. Shot during the making of 'Goodfellas',…
Wonderful World of Dogs (1990): Dir. Mark Lewis; A refreshing expose of man's four legged friends, the subject receives the whimsical treatment that endeared viewers to the director's CANE TOADS.
For Adults Only (Sex and Buttered Popcorn) (1989): Dir. Sam Harrison; A must–see for schlock film fans, this investigates the origins of exploitation film–making in the 1930s and 1940s, mixing rarely seen…
Preston Sturges - Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer (1989): Dir. Kenneth Bowser; Celebration of the unique comic vision of Preston Sturges, who shot to success with 40s films like Sullivan's Travels and The Miracle of Morgan's…
Stephen King's World of Horror (1989): Doco covering the various facets of Stephen King's works, plus tributes to fave movies.
Still Life at the Penguin Cafe (incl. Penguin Cafe Orchestra - A Profile) (1989): Two selections featuring the unique musical entourage 'Penguin Cafe Orchestra' who combine classical and world music genres. 'Still Life at the…
Chaos (1988): CHAOS is a mathematical theory which attempts to address, and possibly predict, social and natural phenomena. This video describes its constituent…
Colin McCahon - Victory Over Death (1988): Dir. Judy Rymer; An award–winning documentary on New Zealand's most controversial and profound contemporary artist, and the social environment that influenced…
Decline of Western Civilization 2: The Metal Years (1988): Dir. Penelope Spheeris
Feat. Lemmy , Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth; Affectionate tribute to heavy–metal music, the musicians and the culture. The seen–it–all anecdotes of Lemmy, Ozzy Osbourne and…
Forever James Dean (1988): Dir. Ara Chekmayan; Revealing portrait of the quintessential lost–boy–turned– Hollywood legend, tragically killed at age 24 with just 3 films to his…
Trial of Bernhard Goetz (1988): Dir. Harry Moses; A verbatim re–creation of the courtroom battle that ensued after Goetz admitted to shooting four black muggers on the New York subway in 1984.…
Buster Keaton - A Hard Act to Follow (1987): Dir. Kevin Brownlow, David Gill
Feat. Buster Keaton; Lovingly assembled by historians Kevin Brownlow and David Gill, this three–part biography on the great 'stone–faced' comedian compares a…
Faded Dreams (1987): Dir. James Forsher; In true Hollywood tradition this film explores alternative theories over the controversial deaths of such Hollywood legends as James Dean, Marilyn,…
Going Hollywood - The War Years (1987): Dir. Julian Schlossberg
Feat. Vivian Blaine, Dane Clark, Jackie Cooper…; A glance back at Hollywood attitudes, movies and stars during the WW2 years 1941–1945. Compromising movie clips, newsreel footage and…
Heavy Petting (1987): Dir. Obie Benz; A nostalgic peagent to what made being a teen in the 50's as cute and corny as it was. A mix of cheesy pop music, clips from sex and drug–ed…
Len Lye - Doodlings (1987): Dir. Keith Griffiths; A refreshing paean to New Zealand's best known avant–garde filmmaker (who is equally famous for his kinetic sculptures). Features clips from…
Mondo New York (1987): Dir. Harvey Keith
Feat. Joseph Arias, Rick Aviles, Charlie Barnett; Eye–opening documentary depicts the seedy underbelly of life in the Big Apple. Fascinating but often repulsive, so keep the remote at close…
Rolling Stone - 20 Years of Rock 'n' Roll (1987): Feat. Dennis Hopper; Dennis Hopper hosts this informative showcase of American rock history from the psychedelic era onwards, via clips and interviews with the performers…
Secret Life of Sergei Eisenstein (1987): Dir. Gian Carlo Bertelli; Thorough look at the legendary Soviet director of 'Battleship Potemkin' and 'Alexander Nevsky', acknowledged pioneer of the montage approach to…
T. Dan Smith (1987): Dir. Amber Film Collective; Docu–drama chronicles of events leading to the imprisonment of a maverick Newcastle councillor. Made in collaboration with Smith himself, it…
Vincent: The Life and Death of Vincent Van Gogh (1987): Dir. Paul Cox; Engrossing and expressive documentary of the famous artist, using his own written letters and paintings as clues to his tortured personality. John…
Erotic Tatooing and Body Piercing (1986): Dir. Charles Gatewood; A behind–the–scenes peek at the 'modern primitive' sub–culture. Mondo king Charles Gatewood visits a body adornment convention…
Picasso: Man and His Work (1986): Dir. Edward Quinn; A two cassette anthology of perhaps the greatest painter of all time. This unique film reveals many unknown aspects of his work and personality, and…
That's Dancing! (1985): Dir. Jack Haley, Jr.
Feat. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, James Cagney…; A compilation of splendid dance sequences from dozens of Hollywood films. Includes over fifty top dancers, with the best of the crop generally dating…
Beach Boys: An American Band (1984): Dir. Malcolm Leo; Authorized history of the Californian hitmakers. Includes some rare, eyebrow–raising footage of Wilson family lunacy.
Before Stonewall (1984): Dir. Greta Schiller; Anecdotes and archival footage reflect the difficulties and absurdities of gay life from the 1920s up until the landmark revolt in 1969 following a…
Chicken Ranch (1984): Dir. Nick Broomfield; Astonishing expose of a famous legal whorehouse in Texas on which a popular Dolly Parton movie was based. What is revealed, however, is far from the…
Marlene (1984): Dir. Maximilian Schell
Feat. Marlene Dietrich; Maximilian Schell presents his own personal vision of Germany's greatest screen legend, Marlene Dietrich. Witness the woman in person and her career…
Pumping Iron II - The Women (1984): Dir. George Butler; This look at the burgeoning world of women's bodybuilding is even more entertaining than its male precursor. Conflicts over what determines a…
Hell's Angels Forever (1983): Dir. Richard Chase, Kevin Keating, Leon Gast
Feat. Bo Diddley, Willie Nelson; Seemingly straightforward doco is more a chilling endorsement of the self–styled outlaws. Even amid disturbing glimpses of short–fuse…
Other Side of Nashville, The (1983): Feat. Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash; The 'alternative' stars of country music are the subject of this loose documentary, which includes some rare live footage. Featured are Bob Dylan,…
Atomic Cafe, The (1982): Dir. Kevin Rafferty, Jayne Loader, Pierce Rafferty; An insight into the American phenomenon of A–Bomb culture, which compiles cheesy propaganda flicks and newsreels with hilariously naive…
Wild Style (1982): Dir. Charles Ahearn; The Hip–hop movement had it first wide impact via this documentary–drama shot on the streets of The Bronx in 1982. With its close…
Being Different (1981): Dir. Harry Rasky
Feat. Billy Barty, Sandra Elaine Allen, Jo-Ann Cantilla; Siamese–twin cowboys, a bearded lady, the world's tallest woman and a living 'elephant man' are among those that come upfront for this well…
Man Who Saw Tomorrow (1981): Dir. Robert Guenette
Feat. Orson Welles; Orson Welles narrates and appears in this dramatisation of the prophecies of Nostradamus, many of which have proved to be alarmingly accurate.
Pasolini - Whoever Says the Truth Shall Die (1981): Dir. Philo Bregstein; A fascinating scan of the multi–faceted life of Pier Paolo Pasolini, as poet, theorist and film–director. Gives a lucid account of his…
Soldier Girls (1980): Dir. Nick Broomfield, Joan Churchill; Early Nick Broomfield entry surveys the US Army's training regime for female recruits. Though less obtrusive than in later incarnations, Broomfield…
Best Boy (1979): Dir. Ira Wohl; Academy–award winning doco follows three years in the life of the film–maker's cousin Philly, a 52–year–old with the…
Kids Are Alright, The (1979): Dir. Jeff Stein
Feat. Keith Moon, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend; Chaotic yet compulsive documentary defining the eclectic career of 'The Who', made shortly before the death of drummer Keith Moon. The others, of…
Rust Never Sleeps (1979): Dir. Neil Young
Feat. Neil Young; King loser Neil Young triumphs in this concert film of him and Crazy Horse at the height of their rustic charm. Twenty songs, a great guitar sound…
Valentine's Day - Liberace (1979): The flamboyant ivory–tinkler shows us around his personal museum, hot air ballon, super–yacht and wardrobe, performing some piano ditties…
Tattooed Tears (1978): Dir. Nick Broomfield, Joan Churchill; Early Nick Broomfield doco eschews his later interactive style for an unrelenting examination of the life of four youths in a prison for young…
Grateful Dead Movie, The (1977): Dir. Jerry Garcia
Feat. Jerry Garcia
Bigger Splash, A (1974): Dir. Jack Hazan; A whimsical, unconventional doco, interweaving the somewhat vacuous daily life of English painter David Hockney and his retinue, with the formal…
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (1974): Dir. Phillipe Mora; Intriguing montage of Depression–era America, that combines newsreels and Hollywood movie–clips in an ambiguous, imaginative…
Andy Warhol and His Work (1973): Dir. Lana Jokel; Enigmatic pop artist Warhol's life and art is chronicled through a mixture of film footage and interviews.
Ciao, Federico! (1970): Dir. Gideon Bachmann; This portrait of director Federico Fellini was shot during the making of Satyricon. Revealing, while managing to capture his many contrasting sides.
John Pilger's Documentaries That Changed the World (The Quiet Mutiny; Do You Remember Vietnam?; Year Zero; Death of a Nation) (1970-1994): Dir. David Munro, John Pilger
Feat. John Pilger; Four of journalist John Pilger's most important documentaries, that exemplify his fiercely humanist perspective which makes few concessions to…
Complete Monterey Pop Festival, The (Monterey Pop, Jimi Plays Monterey, Shake! Otis at Monterey) (1968-1997): Dir. D.A. Pennebaker
Feat. Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding; In 1967 the acclaimed documentary maker D.A. Pennebaker recorded performances at the Monterey Pop Festival, California. This…
Tokyo Olympiad (1965): Dir. Kon Ichikawa; Ichikawa produced this 'definitive' sports documentary from the output of over a thousand cameras to capture the fascinating human element behind the…
Four Days in November (1964): Dir. Mel Stuart; An unbiased view of events surrounding the death of JFK taken from more than eight million feet of newsreel footage encompassing joyous Kennedy…
Elgar (1962): Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Peter Brett, Rowena Gregory, George McGrath; Restrained and brilliant TV docudrama on England’s greatest 20th century composer, Edward Elgar, that made the director’s name and…
Delius (1958): Dir. Ken Russell; Ken Russell's BBC film biography of the music and life of English composer Frederick Delius, who had to overcome blindness and paralysis to fulfil…
Divine Horseman (1953): Dir. Maya Deren; Interesting filmic record of Voodoo 'possession' dances from Haiti, shot by experimental filmmaker Deren, whose rhythmic editing patterns enhance the…
Native Land (1942): Dir. Leo Hurwitz, Paul Strand; Impassioned and authentic, this landmark film call for social revolution in Depression–era America blends vivid re–anactments with actual…
War Years (1939-1945): An excellent representative selection of wartime footage shot by the National Film Unit during WW2. Originally distributed as newsreels, this…
Britain in the Thirties (1934-1939): Dir. Various; A compilation of short films from Britain’s flowering of innovative documentary and experimental film during the 1930s. Featured films: Song of…
20th Century Newsreels: A leisurely tour through the most famous newsreels of the 20th century, from the Boer War and San Francisco earthquake to Chuck and Di's wedding.…
Adventures in Maoriland: An insight into the making of 'Hei Tiki', a romantic drama by American Alexander Markey, circa 1930. From the Education and Resource Series.
Alfred Hitchcock - Legend: The Master of Suspense discusses his film–making techniques and career, as well as interviews with those that worked with him and many excerpts…
CNN: 1991 Year in Review: America's News Network takes a look at a significant year in history – from the Russian revolution and the Gulf war to general events in sport,…
Complete Beatles, The: Feat. Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison…; Almost everything you ever wanted to know about the pop music phenomenon is here contained. Their performances, recording and marketing techniques…
Dalekmania: Feat. Peter Cushing; Cast members and cultists take a nostalgic peek at the making of the Dr. Who feature films.
Day the Wall Came Down: Chronicle of events that led to the falling of the Berlin Wall and the re–integration of East and West Germany.
Death Row + Worst Crimes of the 20th Century: Part one looks at the history of capital punishment in America while the second examines four of the most horrific mass murders of this century…
Doors, The - Tribute to Jim Morrison: An interesting documentary on which much of Oliver Stone's film was based. Much rare footage is intercut with interviews from band members and…
Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras: The official videos of both the 1994 and 1995 Sydney Mardi Gras Parade integrating insider and public interviews with the famously flamboyant street…
Great Crimes and Trials of the Twentieth Century: This absorbing crime series analyses the grim details of century's most heinous yet fascinating crimes. Five volumes to quench that voyeuristic…
Great War, The: Nine million died over the four years of World War 1. This chronicles events with exclusive use of achival footage.
History of Pornography: Dir. Hons Wegmunsen; Raw expose of the origins and changing social implications of taboo erotica. The 'stag' movies of the '30s and '40s, in this context are particularly…
Joys of the Women: Dir. Franco Di Chiera; An Australian–Italian folk–singer rediscovers the songs of her grandmother's generation in this inspiring document of her search, and…
Keri Hulme: An encounter with the acclaimed writer by Gaylene Preston plus an except from Hulme's short story 'Hooks and Feelers'. From the Education and…
Making Movies: This complete movie–making serial collates footage from the golden age to give insight into the role of the director, the actors,…
Newest City On the Globe: Dir. Peter Wells, Stewart Main; From the Education and Resource Series, this is Peter Wells and Stewart Main's film about our art deco city, Napier.
Rhino's Guide to Safe Sex: A hilarious retrospective of public service sexual films from the '40s, '50s and '60s, detailing everything from proper petting etiquette to military…
Shocking San Francisco / Weirdo New York: Dir. Charles Gatewood; Two galleries in which Gatewood's low–tech perv–cam sniffs out dubious delights from both capitals of kink. SEE a mistress of…
This Is Horror I & II: Feat. George Romero, Clive Barker, Dario Argento…; Two informative and entertaining documentaries that celebrate the best of modern horror. Contains many excerpts from films (some unavailable) with…
Ufos Are Real!: Close encounters of all kinds and conspiracy cover–ups are revealed in this tabloid–style doco which is determined to have you believe!…
Wake: Dir. Annie Goldson; Annie Goldson's complex film that examines 'NZ as the promised land for immigrants'. From the Education and Resource series.

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