Documentaries About Film
by inindulgence | created - 06 Jan 2015 | updated - 2 weeks ago | PublicThe 60 must watch documentary films if you love film
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1. A Decade Under the Influence (2003)
R | 138 min | Documentary
A documentary examining the decade of the 1970s as a turning point in American cinema. Some of today's best filmmakers interview the influential directors of that time.
Directors: Ted Demme, Richard LaGravenese | Stars: Francis Ford Coppola, William Friedkin, Robert Altman, John G. Avildsen
Votes: 2,804 | Gross: $0.03M
2. American Grindhouse (2010)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary
A documentary about the history of exploitation movies, from the silent-film era to the 1970s.
Director: Elijah Drenner | Stars: Robert Forster, Eric Schaefer, Eddie Muller, John Landis
Votes: 2,616 | Gross: $0.01M
3. American Movie (1999)
R | 107 min | Documentary, Comedy
Documentary about an aspiring filmmaker's attempts to finance his dream project by finally completing the low-budget horror film he abandoned years before.
Director: Chris Smith | Stars: Mark Borchardt, Mike Schank, Tom Schimmels, Monica Borchardt
Votes: 19,344 | Gross: $1.16M
4. Cleanflix (2009)
Not Rated | 92 min | Documentary, Crime, History
When a small Utah-based edited movie company is caught sanitizing Hollywood's copyrighted material, the film industry strikes back with a devastating blow.
Directors: Andrew James, Aukai Ligairi | Stars: Ray Lines, Allan Erb, Scott Nybo, Danny Thompson
Votes: 625
5. Don't You Forget About Me (I) (2009 Video)
R | 74 min | Documentary, Biography
How did John Hughes capture the growing pains of adolescence so perfectly? Why do his films resonate with those that grew up with them, and those that have just discovered them? Those and many other questions fueled this documentary.
Director: Matt Sadowski | Stars: David Anderle, Mike Bender, Jackie Burch, Scott Coffey
Votes: 885
6. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)
TV-14 | 119 min | Documentary
A look at 1970s Hollywood when it was known as New Hollywood, and the director was the star of the movie.
Director: Kenneth Bowser | Stars: Martin Scorsese, Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdanovich, Sam Peckinpah
Votes: 3,092
7. Full Tilt Boogie (1997)
R | 97 min | Documentary
A documentary about the production of From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) and the people who made it.
Director: Sarah Kelly | Stars: Rick Stribling, Ken Bondy, Amy Minda Cohen, Elizabeth Avellan
Votes: 2,912 | Gross: $0.01M
8. Great Directors (2009)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary
Ten of the greatest filmmakers in the world passionately discuss their craft in Angela Ismailos' hugely entertaining documentary GREAT DIRECTORS.
Director: Angela Ismailos | Stars: David Lynch, Catherine Breillat, Bernardo Bertolucci, Liliana Cavani
Votes: 505 | Gross: $0.02M
9. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
R | 96 min | Documentary
Documentary that chronicles how Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979) was plagued by extraordinary script, shooting, budget, and casting problems--nearly destroying the life and career of the celebrated director.
Directors: Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper, Eleanor Coppola | Stars: Dennis Hopper, Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, George Lucas
Votes: 23,235 | Gross: $1.32M
10. Inside Deep Throat (2005)
NC-17 | 89 min | Documentary, Biography, History
An examination of the infamous pornographic film Deep Throat (1972), covering aspects from the film's creation to its cultural impact.
Directors: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato | Stars: Linda Lovelace, Harry Reems, Dennis Hopper, Gerard Damiano
Votes: 7,036 | Gross: $0.65M
11. Lost in La Mancha (2002)
R | 89 min | Documentary
Terry Gilliam's doomed attempt to get his film, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018), off the ground.
Directors: Keith Fulton, Louis Pepe | Stars: Terry Gilliam, Johnny Depp, Jeff Bridges, Tony Grisoni
Votes: 12,000 | Gross: $0.73M
12. Searching for Debra Winger (2002)
R | 99 min | Documentary
Rosanna Arquette talks to various actresses about the pressures they face as women working in the entertainment industry.
Director: Rosanna Arquette | Stars: Patricia Arquette, Rosanna Arquette, Emmanuelle Béart, Katrin Cartlidge
Votes: 1,237
13. Side by Side (2012)
Not Rated | 99 min | Documentary
The documentary investigates the history, process and workflow of both digital and photochemical film creation.
Director: Christopher Kenneally | Stars: Derek Ambrosi, Michael Ballhaus, Andrzej Bartkowiak, Dion Beebe
Votes: 13,717 | Gross: $0.03M
14. Tales from the Script (2009)
Not Rated | 105 min | Documentary
War stories and life lessons from the industry's top writers.
Director: Peter Hanson | Stars: Allison Anders, Jane Anderson, Doug Atchison, John August
Votes: 1,543 | Gross: $0.01M
15. Tell Them Who You Are (2004)
R | 95 min | Documentary, Biography
The son of acclaimed cinematographer Haskell Wexler confronts his complex father by turning the camera on him. What results is a portrait of a difficult genius and a son's path out of the shadow of a famous father.
Director: Mark Wexler | Stars: Haskell Wexler, Mark Wexler, Billy Crystal, Norman Jewison
Votes: 554 | Gross: $0.04M
16. The Celluloid Closet (1995)
R | 102 min | Documentary, History
A documentary surveying the various Hollywood screen depictions of homosexuals and the attitudes behind them throughout the history of North American film.
Directors: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman | Stars: Lily Tomlin, Tony Curtis, Susie Bright, Arthur Laurents
Votes: 7,517 | Gross: $1.51M
17. The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004)
TV-PG | 98 min | Documentary, History
Documentary about the art of film editing. Clips are shown from many groundbreaking films with innovative editing styles.
Director: Wendy Apple | Stars: Kathy Bates, Zach Staenberg, Jodie Foster, Michael Tronick
Votes: 3,197
18. The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002)
R | 93 min | Documentary, Biography
Documentary about legendary Paramount producer Robert Evans (the film shares the same name as Evans's famous 1994 autobiography).
Directors: Nanette Burstein, Brett Morgen | Stars: Robert Evans, Eddie Albert, Peter Bart, Charlie Bluhdorn
Votes: 7,967 | Gross: $1.43M
19. These Amazing Shadows (2011)
Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary
Tells the history and importance of The National Film Registry, a roll call of American cinema treasures that reflects the diversity of film, and indeed the American experience itself.
Directors: Paul Mariano, Kurt Norton | Stars: Jeff Adachi, James H. Billington, Robin Blaetz, Brooks Boliek
Votes: 1,758
20. This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)
Unrated | 98 min | Documentary
Kirby Dick's exposé about the American movie ratings board.
Director: Kirby Dick | Stars: Kirby Dick, Kimberly Peirce, Darren Aronofsky, Atom Egoyan
Votes: 28,626 | Gross: $0.30M
21. Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004 TV Movie)
R | 122 min | Documentary, Biography, History
The story of Z Channel, one of the first U.S. pay cable stations and its programming chief, Jerry Harvey. Debuting in 1974 in LA, their eclectic slate of movies became a prime example of the untapped power of cable television.
Director: Xan Cassavetes | Stars: Jerry Harvey, Chuck Ross, Timothy Ryerson, Bob Strock
Votes: 1,695
22. This Filthy World (2006)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, Comedy
Jeff Garlin's documentary on the work of John Waters.
Director: Jeff Garlin | Star: John Waters
Votes: 1,743
23. Strictly Background (2007)
84 min | Documentary
A documentary spotlighting movie extras - the indispensable background actors in films.
Director: Jason Connell | Stars: Terry Bolo, Geoffrey Gould, Cecilia Hartfeld, Louis McCarten
Votes: 264
24. Life Itself (2014)
R | 121 min | Documentary, Biography
The life and career of the renowned film critic and social commentator, Roger Ebert.
Director: Steve James | Stars: Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Gene Siskel, Martin Scorsese
Votes: 16,257 | Gross: $0.81M
25. Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)
Not Rated | 142 min | Documentary, Biography
The career and life of Stanley Kubrick is explored through pictures, clips from his films, his old home movies, comments from his colleagues and a narration by Tom Cruise.
Director: Jan Harlan | Stars: Katharina Kubrick, Malcolm McDowell, Stanley Kubrick, Barbara Kroner
Votes: 12,205
26. Room 237 (I) (2012)
Not Rated | 102 min | Documentary
An exploration of various interpretations of Stanley Kubrick's horror film, The Shining (1980).
Director: Rodney Ascher | Stars: Bill Blakemore, Geoffrey Cocks, Juli Kearns, John Fell Ryan
Votes: 23,117 | Gross: $0.26M
27. And the Oscar Goes to... (2014 TV Movie)
87 min | Documentary, History
The history of the Academy Awards.
Directors: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman | Stars: Anjelica Huston, Billy Crystal, Tom Hanks, Cher
Votes: 1,525
28. For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism (2009)
Not Rated | 80 min | Documentary, History
The history of American film criticism.
Director: Gerald Peary | Stars: Patricia Clarkson, Harry Jay Knowles, Elvis Mitchell, Roger Ebert
Votes: 596
29. Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film (2009)
Unrated | 96 min | Documentary, Horror
An exploration of the appeal of horror films, with interviews of many legendary directors in the genre.
Director: Andrew Monument | Stars: Lance Henriksen, Larry Cohen, Joe Dante, John Carpenter
Votes: 2,891
30. Visions of Light (1992)
92 min | Documentary, History
Cameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography, illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from The Birth of a Nation (1915) to Do the Right Thing (1989).
Directors: Arnold Glassman, Todd McCarthy, Stuart Samuels | Stars: Conrad L. Hall, John Bailey, Vilmos Zsigmond, Charles Lang
Votes: 3,336 | Gross: $0.80M
31. Reel Injun (2009)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary, Western
The history of the depiction of Native Americans in Hollywood films.
Directors: Neil Diamond, Catherine Bainbridge, Jeremiah Hayes | Stars: Adam Beach, Chris Eyre, Russell Means, John Trudell
Votes: 1,649
32. Casting By (2012)
TV-14 | 89 min | Documentary, Biography
The surprising, never-before-told tale of the indispensable yet unsung Casting Director - Iconoclasts whose keen eye, exquisite taste and gut instincts redefined Hollywood.
Director: Tom Donahue | Stars: Deborah Aquila, Risa Bramon Garcia, Ellen Chenoweth, Marion Dougherty
Votes: 1,639 | Gross: $0.01M
33. Spielberg (2017 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 147 min | Documentary, Biography
A documentary on Steven Spielberg, filmmaker. Includes interviews with relatives, film critics, peers and people who have worked with him.
Director: Susan Lacy | Stars: Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Richard Dreyfuss, Bill Butler
Votes: 8,305
34. Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny (2016)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary
A feature documentary on the life and work of filmmaker, Richard Linklater. Produced and Directed by Louis Black (founder of SXSW Festivals and the Austin Chronicle) and Karen Bernstein (... See full summary »
Directors: Louis Black, Karen Bernstein | Stars: Sandra Adair, Patricia Arquette, Michael Barker, Jack Black
Votes: 427
35. They'll Love Me When I'm Dead (2018)
TV-MA | 98 min | Documentary, Biography
In the final fifteen years of the life of legendary director Orson Welles, he pins his Hollywood comeback hopes on a film, The Other Side of the Wind (2018), in itself a film about an aging film director trying to finish his last great movie.
Director: Morgan Neville | Stars: Alan Cumming, Peter Bogdanovich, Oja Kodar, Orson Welles
Votes: 5,441
36. De Palma (2015)
R | 110 min | Documentary, Biography
A documentary about writer and director Brian De Palma.
Directors: Noah Baumbach, Jake Paltrow | Stars: Brian De Palma, Mark Hamill, Amy Irving, Kurt Russell
Votes: 6,204 | Gross: $0.16M
37. Score (2016)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary, Music
A look at the cinematic art of the film musical score, and the artists who create them.
Director: Matt Schrader | Stars: Marco Beltrami, Jon Burlingame, Leonard Maltin, Bill Field
Votes: 4,876 | Gross: $0.10M
38. Cinematographer Style (2006)
86 min | Documentary
110 of the world's top cinematographers discuss the art of how and why films look the way they do.
Director: Jon Fauer | Stars: Remi Adefarasin, Russ T. Alsobrook, Howard A. Anderson III, Howard A. Anderson
Votes: 392
39. That Moment: Magnolia Diary (2000 Video)
73 min | Documentary, Drama
A behind-the-scenes documentary, following the 80+ days of filming Paul Thomas Anderson's epic film Magnolia.
Director: Mark Rance | Stars: Paul Thomas Anderson, Fiona Apple, William Arnold, Bobby Brewer
Votes: 504
40. Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust (2004)
92 min | Documentary, History
The history of Hollywood's handling of the Nazis and its later depiction of the Holocaust they perpetrated.
Director: Daniel Anker | Stars: Gene Hackman, Norma Barzman, Jack Benny, Michael Berenbaum
Votes: 663 | Gross: $0.02M
41. Altman (2014)
TV-PG | 96 min | Documentary, Biography
A look at the life and work of American film-maker Robert Altman.
Director: Ron Mann | Stars: Michael Murphy, Robert Altman, Kathryn Reed, Sally Kellerman
Votes: 1,417
42. Hal (2018)
90 min | Documentary, Biography
Hal Ashby's obsessive genius led to an unprecedented string of Oscar®-winning classics, including Harold and Maude (1971), Shampoo and Being There. But as contemporaries Francis Ford Coppola... See full summary »
Director: Amy Scott | Stars: Hal Ashby, Norman Jewison, Haskell Wexler, Louis Gossett Jr.
Votes: 681 | Gross: $0.05M
43. Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)
PG-13 | 90 min | Documentary
The story of cult film director Alejandro Jodorowsky's ambitious but ultimately doomed film adaptation of the seminal science fiction novel.
Director: Frank Pavich | Stars: Alejandro Jodorowsky, Michel Seydoux, H.R. Giger, Chris Foss
Votes: 27,579 | Gross: $0.65M
44. Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011)
R | 95 min | Documentary
A documentary on DIY producer/director Roger Corman and his alternative approach to making movies in Hollywood.
Director: Alex Stapleton | Stars: Roger Corman, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Paul W.S. Anderson
Votes: 2,675 | Gross: $0.01M
45. Rise of the Superheroes (2018)
TV-PG | 117 min | Documentary
This is the story of how comic book superheroes were brought to life in cinema, from Tim Burton's Batman films to The Avengers, Black Panther and beyond, and how they first took over Hollywood and then conquered the world.
Director: Tom O'Dell | Stars: Neal Adams, Scott Beatty, Jenna Busch, Chris Claremont
Votes: 373
46. Memory: The Origins of Alien (2019)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, Biography, History
An in-depth voyage into the sci-fi film Alien (1979) with the visionary filmmakers who created it. See how one of the most terrifying movies of all time came to life 40 years ago, inspired by ancient mythology and our universal fears.
Director: Alexandre O. Philippe | Stars: Clarke Wolfe, Nicholas Cull, William Linn, Dan O'Bannon
Votes: 3,480 | Gross: $0.03M
47. In Search of the Last Action Heroes (2019)
140 min | Documentary
A comprehensive retrospective of the 80's and 90's action film genre.
Director: Oliver Harper | Stars: Scott Adkins, Stuart Ashen, Shane Black, James Bruner
Votes: 1,423
48. Survival of the Film Freaks (2018)
86 min | Documentary
"Survival of the Film Freaks is a documentary exploring the phenomenon of cult film in America and how it survives in the 21st Century. Through interviews and fan events, the documentary ... See full summary »
Directors: Bill Fulkerson, Kyle Kuchta | Stars: Ted Raimi, Kansas Bowling, Lloyd Kaufman, John Bloom
Votes: 258
49. Milius (2013)
PG | 103 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
A look at the life of filmmaker John Milius.
Directors: Joey Figueroa, Zak Knutson | Stars: John Milius, Ethan Milius, Amanda Milius, Walter Murch
Votes: 2,194
50. What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael (2018)
98 min | Documentary, Biography
A portrait of the work and life of controversial film critic Pauline Kael, and her battle to achieve success and influence in the 20th century movie business.
Director: Rob Garver | Stars: Pauline Kael, John Guare, Lili Anolik, David Edelstein
Votes: 1,035
51. Directed by John Ford (1971)
Unrated | 99 min | Documentary, Biography
A documentary on the life and films of director John Ford.
Director: Peter Bogdanovich | Stars: John Ford, Peter Bogdanovich, Orson Welles, Clint Eastwood
Votes: 1,330
52. Who Needs Sleep? (2006)
78 min | Documentary
A documentary that highlights the deadly combination of sleep deprivation and long days of work.
Director: Haskell Wexler | Stars: David Agus, Netta Bank, Annette Bening, Gilbert Cates
Votes: 227
53. Is That Black Enough for You?!? (2022)
R | 135 min | Documentary, History
Tracks the history of Black cinema, focused mainly on the '70s, with archival and new interviews with many of the key players from the era.
Director: Elvis Mitchell | Stars: Elvis Mitchell, Margaret Avery, Harry Belafonte, Charles Burnett
Votes: 1,508
54. The Shark Is Still Working (2007)
Not Rated | 100 min | Documentary
After three decades, Jaws continues to intrigue, thrill and frighten viewers. This documentary focuses on the many ways Jaws has helped to shape common elements of pop culture.
Director: Erik Hollander | Stars: Steve Alten, Joe Alves, Roy Arbogast, Steven Awalt
Votes: 808
55. The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013)
Not Rated | 118 min | Documentary
Follows the routines of those employed at Studio Ghibli, including filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki as they work to release two films simultaneously, The Wind Rises and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.
Director: Mami Sunada | Stars: Hayao Miyazaki, Yumiko Miyoshi, Toshio Suzuki, Shinsuke Nonaka
Votes: 5,663
56. Overnight (2003)
R | 82 min | Documentary
A documentary on the rise and stumble of Troy Duffy, the bartender-cum-filmmaker who was swept up by Miramax's Harvey Weinstein to turn his script for The Boondock Saints into a feature film.
Directors: Tony Montana, Mark Brian Smith | Stars: Troy Duffy, Jeffrey Baxter, Chris Brinker, Jake Busey
Votes: 4,664
57. Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)
Not Rated | 169 min | Documentary, History
A documentary on how Los Angeles has been used and depicted in the movies.
Director: Thom Andersen | Stars: Encke King, Ben Alexander, Jim Backus, Brenda Bakke
Votes: 2,736
58. Cameraperson (2016)
Not Rated | 102 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Exposing her role behind the camera, Kirsten Johnson reaches into the vast trove of footage she has shot over decades around the world. What emerges is a visually bold memoir and a revelatory interrogation of the power of the camera.
Director: Kirsten Johnson | Stars: Kirsten Johnson, Aisha Bukar, Eric W. Davis, Jacques Derrida
Votes: 3,246 | Gross: $0.10M
59. Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (2007 Video)
214 min | Documentary
The definitive three-and-a-half hour documentary about the troubled creation and enduring legacy of the science fiction classic Blade Runner (1982), culled from 80 interviews and hours of never-before-seen outtakes and lost footage.
Director: Charles de Lauzirika | Stars: Harrison Ford, Daryl Hannah, Michael Deeley, Joanna Cassidy
Votes: 2,112
60. Disclosure (2020)
TV-MA | 108 min | Documentary
An in-depth look at Hollywood's depiction of transgender people and the impact of those stories on transgender lives and American culture.
Director: Sam Feder | Stars: Laverne Cox, Bianca Leigh, Jen Richards, Alexandra Billings
Votes: 6,086
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