Documentaries

CoC Page 13: Here!

This past weekend was MeCaf, which involved me hanging out on a lovely Sunday afternoon with the CCS crew right next to the waters of Portland Maine. I'd forgotten how much I'd missed the ocean and I hope that if I make it home to LA for a little while I'll get to spend some time at the beach.

So, anyway, one thing that got me through thesis was watching hours upon hours of documentaries either through Netflix or through other film archive sites. There was a period of time for a good month or so that I averaged about three a day. That's just documentaries, that doesn't include all the other films, shows, wrestling matches, whatever I've watched during that time.

I figured I might as well make a few recommendations:

Beyond the Mat - I've watched a few wrestling documentaries in the past month and this one blows them all away. It's not just a great wrestling documentary, it's a fantastic documentary by itself and hell, an overall satisfying watching in general. This film tore at my soul and I admit that there were parts of it that were so tragic I nearly had to stop. So yeah, it's not necessarily a feel-good movie but it's brilliantly honest and done with an earnest respect for those involved.

Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey - Not just a history of the instrument, but a real look into the life of the man who began the history of electronic music. It also really explores how the theremin came to primarily serve as that creepy sound in the background of all those movies.

Harlan Ellison: Dreams with Sharp Teeth - Definitely a must watch for sci-fi literature fans, but also a very insightful movie about what it means to be a writer. I also admit to having a bias because of the way Harlan Ellison talks about L.A. since it tends to get such a bad rap and I've never heard anyone better express how I feel about it better than him. When you think he's coming off as bitter, there's usually something more to it than first glance. If you're interested in how one of the great writers of past generations approaches the process you should give this movie a watch.

There are tons more and I'll probably make more recommendations later on but these are a good place to start. What tends to attract me are strange cultural documentaries so those will probably be the bulk of what I suggest here.