documentaries to watch
by dejongangela | created - 12 Jan 2015 | updated - 10 Jan 2016 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Behind the Burly Q (2010)
Not Rated | 97 min | Documentary, History
Leslie Zemeckis's rousing documentary takes a behind- the-velvet-curtain peek at the golden age of burlesque, meeting the women (and men) who pushed the envelope of social propriety.
Director: Leslie Zemeckis | Stars: Bud Abbott, Alan Alda, Joan Arline, Beverly Arlynne
Votes: 375 | Gross: $0.02M
2. The Brothers Warner (2007 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 94 min | Documentary, Biography, History
An intimate portrait and saga of four film pioneers--Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack who rose from immigrant poverty through personal tragedies persevering to create a major studio with a social conscience.
Director: Cass Warner | Stars: Dennis Hopper, Cass Warner, Bette-Ann Warner, Harry M. Warner
Votes: 674
3. Henson's Place (1984 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 53 min | Documentary
A documentary with featured performance clips and interviews featuring Jim and Jane Henson, Frank Oz and others. The documentary focuses on the Muppet phenomena and a look at the ... See full summary »
Director: David A. Goldsmith | Stars: Jim Henson, Jane Henson, Michael K. Frith, Joan Ganz Cooney
Votes: 107
4. America's Most Haunted Town (2001 Video)
TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary
Welcome to New Hope Pennsylvania, where even death it would seem is not the final departure for many of the towns residents.
Director: Robert Child | Star: Cathe Curtis
Votes: 45
5. Madonna: Goddess of Pop (2012)
Not Rated | 69 min | Documentary, Music
This fascinating programme gives you a real insight into the life and the career of one of the greatest figures in popular music. Madonna deservedly has won the accolade of Goddess of Pop.
Director: Maureen Goldthorpe | Star: Madonna
Votes: 55
6. Top of the Pops: The Story of 1978 (2013 TV Movie)
44 min | Documentary, Music
Documentary looking at Top Of the Pops' changing musical direction in 1978, when pop singles were slowly being replaced in the chart by disco, punk and New Wave. It looks the show's ... See full summary »
Director: Dione Newton | Stars: Sue Perkins, Pete 'Peanut' Langford, Kathryn Flett, Richard Jobson
Votes: 23
7. Elvis: The Complete Story (1996 Video)
Documentary, Music
Director: Ted Newsom | Star: Elvis Presley
Votes: 45
8. Early Elvis: From Country Boy to King of Rock and Roll (2002 Video)
53 min | Documentary
Stars: Milton Berle, Debra Paget, Elvis Presley
Votes: 7
9. Soul Boys of the Western World (2014)
Unrated | 110 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A documentary about Spandau Ballet, who were one of the biggest pop groups of the 1980s and a defining act of the New Romantic scene.
Director: George Hencken | Stars: Tony Hadley, John Keeble, Gary Kemp, Martin Kemp
Votes: 613
10. Urban Explorers: Into the Darkness (2007)
86 min | Documentary
A documentary about abandoned, neglected, or otherwise "off limits" places...and the people who explore them.
Director: Melody Gilbert
Votes: 200
11. Undercity (2010)
28 min | Short
Director: Andrew Wonder | Stars: Steve Duncan, Andrew Wonder
Votes: 40
12. Urban Exploration (2010)
15 min | Documentary, Short, Adventure
Urban Exploration is short Documentary Film about young people who gain access to forbidden environments for the rush of the taboo and the prize of photographic proof. This documentary ... See full summary »
13. Urbex (2014)
13 min | Short, Horror, Thriller
An urban explorer heads out to photograph a derelict old hotel. But the decay takes hold of her too....
Director: Paul Ottey | Star: Katy Elizabeth
14. Ghost Towns of the Old West (1989 TV Movie)
47 min | Documentary, Western
A tour of various ghost towns, abandoned mining camps and other sites in the American Southwest and West.
Director: Sam Harrison | Star: Rip Torn
15. Buried Alive: Exploring Far Below Sea Level in an Abandoned New Orleans Bomb Shelter (2009)
10 min | Documentary, Short
Three filmmakers explore an abandoned, underground, flooded bomb shelter in post-Katrina New Orleans. The shelter was built as a haven for elected officials in the event of a nuclear strike... See full summary »
Directors: Michael D. Kennedy, John Richie | Star: Michael D. Kennedy
16. No Trespassing: The Art of Urban Exploration (2016)
15 min | Documentary, Short, History
Enter the subculture of Urban Exploration. Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints.
Director: Denise De La Vega | Star: Tanya Diaz
17. UE: Urban Exploration (2012 Video)
11 min | Documentary, Short, Adventure
In an abandoned, dilapidated building in downtown Detroit, a group of photographers capture amazing images that very few people will ever see in person - they are Urban Explorers.
Director: Christi Jones | Stars: Autumn Ahlgren, Steve Cyrulewski, James Harvey, David Humphrey
18. A Darker Shade of Wight (2012)
40 min | Documentary, Short
Director Arron Swaffar tells the tale of the decay and collapse of the tourist industry of this little island off the south coast of England. In the wake of budget cuts and cheaper air ... See full summary »
Director: Arron Swaffar | Stars: Arron Swaffar, Dennis Swaffar, Martin Johnson, Niki Cox
19. Tennessee Mountain View: Exploring an Abandoned Chairlift in Gatlinburg (2014)
20 min | Short
In searching to discover what lies at the top of the mountain where an abandoned chairlift ends, I learned that the real story is down at ground level. What began as a hike to the peak ... See full summary »
Director: Jordan Liles
21.
The Real West (1992– )
Episode:
Boom Towns to Ghost Towns
(1993)
Documentary, History, Western
Star: Kenny Rogers
22. Ghost Asylum (2008)
Not Rated | 91 min | Documentary
From J.C. Harris, Ronald James & Christopher O'Brien, "Ghost Asylum" begins as a historical documentary, and ends up revealing paranormal evidence that will blow you away. Hear the dead ... See full summary »
Director: Ron James | Stars: J.C. Harris, Ron James, Christopher O'Brien
23. Anime: Drawing a Revolution (2007 TV Movie)
54 min | Documentary
A documentary on the history of Anime and its influence in the US.
Director: Karen Somers | Stars: Christine M. Auten, Dante Basco, Colin Brady, Eric S. Calderon
Votes: 84
24. Aliens of the Deep (2005)
G | 100 min | Documentary, Family
James Cameron teams up with NASA scientists to explore the Mid-Ocean Ridge, a submerged chain of mountains that band the Earth and are home to some of the planet's most unique life forms.
Directors: James Cameron, Steven Quale | Stars: James Cameron, Anatoly M. Sagalevitch, Genya Chernaiev, Victor Nischeta
Votes: 3,423 | Gross: $8.97M
25. Ghosts of the Abyss (2003)
G | 61 min | Documentary, Family
James Cameron and Bill Paxton, director and actor of the 1997 film Titanic, travel to the final undersea resting place of the ill-fated ship of dreams.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Bill Paxton, Lori Johnston, Lewis Abernathy, John Broadwater
Votes: 6,397 | Gross: $17.09M
26. Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010)
G | 90 min | Documentary, History
Werner Herzog gains exclusive access to film inside the Chauvet caves of Southern France and captures the oldest known pictorial creations of humanity.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Werner Herzog, Jean Clottes, Julien Monney, Jean-Michel Geneste
Votes: 17,794 | Gross: $5.23M
27. The Possessed (2009)
Not Rated | 89 min | Documentary, Horror, Thriller
Based on the True Story, The Watseka Wonder, America's first documented possession in 1870. A chilling story of a 13-year-old girl from the small town of Watseka, Illinois who became possessed by spirits of the insane dead.
Directors: Christopher Saint Booth, Philip Adrian Booth | Stars: Christopher Saint Booth, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, John Zaffis, Philip Adrian Booth
Votes: 165
28. Unforgotten: Twenty-Five Years After Willowbrook (1996)
Not Rated | 57 min | Documentary
It was a nightmare that shocked not only New York, but all of America. The public outcry about the Willowbrook State School for people with developmental disabilities resulted from Geraldo ... See full summary »
Director: Jack Fisher | Stars: Danny Aiello, Geraldo Rivera, Maria Caceres, Bernard Carabello
Votes: 210
29. Inside the Labyrinth (1986 TV Movie)
57 min | Documentary, Music
A behind-the-scenes look at the David Bowie film Labyrinth (1986), also featuring director Jim Henson and co-star Jennifer Connelly.
Director: Desmond Saunders | Stars: Jim Henson, David Bowie, Charles Augins, Brian Henson
Votes: 559
30. The Men Who Made the Movies: Alfred Hitchcock (1973 TV Movie)
57 min | Documentary, Biography
A look at Alfred Hitchcock's films. The Master of Suspense himself, who is interviewed extensively here, shares stories including his deep-seated fear of policemen, elaborates on the ... See full summary »
Director: Richard Schickel | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Cliff Robertson
Votes: 399
31. Journey Into Amazing Caves (2001)
Not Rated | 39 min | Documentary, Short
Meet Dr. Hazel Barton and Nancy Aulenbach. These women are compelled to push their limits in hostile environments. They are cavers who risk fatal danger for the thrill of discovery. Barton ... See full summary »
Director: Stephen Judson | Stars: Liam Neeson, Steve Atteberry, Nancy Holler Aulenbach, Hazel Barton
Votes: 537 | Gross: $30.00M
32. A Haunting in Connecticut (2002 TV Movie)
94 min | Documentary, Horror
A haunting documentary of a normal family living in Connecticut, who, after moving into their new house, are terrorized by an evil ghost that dwells in the home.
Director: John Kavanaugh | Stars: Brett Fleisher, Rod Pearson, Tyler Reid, Kelli Barrett
Votes: 1,285
33. Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon (2005)
Unrated | 40 min | Documentary, Animation, Short
This program strives to give the viewer an impression of what it is like to actually be on the moon. It provides a romantic, inspirational depiction of the Apollo astronauts travels on the ... See full summary »
Director: Mark Cowen | Stars: Tom Hanks, John Corbett, Andrew Husmann, Bryan Cranston
Votes: 1,026 | Gross: $34.14M
34. Our Planet Earth (1991)
23 min | Documentary, Short
Over 200 human beings from a dozen countries have left the earth's surface as astronauts since 1961. Seventeen of them talk about their experience in this remarkable documentary. Stunningly... See full summary »
Director: Mickey Lemle | Stars: Loren Acton, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Patrick Baudry, Guion Bluford
Votes: 6
35.
James May's Big Ideas (2008– )
Episode:
Power to the People
(2008)
58 min | Documentary
James examines some ways to tap into alternative, hopefully inexhaustible energy. Solar power can work great based on solar cells, even for a sports car, but a more ambitious solar tower in... See full summary »
Director: Natalie Burke | Stars: James May, Peter Frankel, Wubbo Ockels, Steven Salter
Votes: 14
36. Patti Smith: Dream of Life (2008)
Not Rated | 109 min | Documentary, Music
An intimate portrait of poet, painter, musician and singer Patti Smith that mirrors the essence of the artist herself.
Director: Steven Sebring | Stars: Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye, Oliver Ray, Tony Shanahan
Votes: 1,076 | Gross: $0.03M
37. Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary on rap music and its rise to global prominence.
Directors: Ice-T, Andy Baybutt | Stars: Ice-T, Dr. Dre, Chuck D, Snoop Dogg
Votes: 3,620 | Gross: $0.29M
38. Destination Hitchcock: The Making of 'North by Northwest' (2000 Video)
40 min | Documentary, Short
Hosted by Eva Marie Saint, the film's leading lady, this 40-minute documentary of Alfred Hitchcock's only M-G-M film combines interviews (Martin Landau, Patricia Hitchcock, production ... See full summary »
Director: Peter Fitzgerald | Stars: Eva Marie Saint, Patricia Hitchcock, Ernest Lehman, Robert F. Boyle
Votes: 321
39. Alaska: Spirit of the Wild (1997)
41 min | Documentary, Short
A look at the Alaskan wilderness throughout the year, from the harsh winters to the rejuvenating spring, and the animals (including its human residents) who learn to adapt to the extremes of Alaskan weather.
Director: George Casey | Star: Charlton Heston
Votes: 588 | Gross: $100.00M
40. The Brandon Teena Story (1998)
Not Rated | 89 min | Documentary, Biography
Documentary about a multiple murder in rural Nebraska in 1993.
Directors: Susan Muska, Gréta Olafsdóttir | Stars: Daphne, Reanna, Gina, Shaun
Votes: 1,338 | Gross: $0.04M
41. Crossfire Hurricane (2012)
Not Rated | 111 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Legendary British rock band The Rolling Stones mark their 50th year together.
Director: Brett Morgen | Stars: Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Ronnie Wood
Votes: 2,741
42. Indiana Jones: Making the Trilogy (2003 Video)
127 min | Documentary
George Lucas and Steven Spielberg tell the struggles and the passion for making the Indiana Jones Trilogy.
Director: Laurent Bouzereau | Stars: George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Lawrence Kasdan, Tom Selleck
Votes: 527
43. Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles (2011)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary
An urban mystery unfurls as one man pieces together the surreal meaning of hundreds of cryptic tiled messages that have been appearing in city streets across the U.S. and South America.
Director: Jon Foy | Stars: Justin Duerr, Marc Duerr, Kevin Riley, Abby Miller
Votes: 2,314 | Gross: $0.01M
44. Wicked Pirate City (2011 TV Movie)
120 min | Documentary
Port Royal, Jamaica, home to the real Pirates of the Caribbean. Once the world's wickedest city - until an earthquake swept into the sea. Now a dive team is using new technology to bring ... See full summary »
Director: Diene Petterle | Stars: Craig Cyr, Peter Bramhill, Stuart Chambers, Ryan Egan
Votes: 14
45. Pie Lady of Pie Town (2014)
34 min | Documentary, Short, Biography
In the New Mexico desert, pie equals love. Kathy Knapp left her privileged life to bake pie in dusty Pie Town, a once forgotten corner of the world with few amenities. Why? To find her center and give the world pie. This is her story.
Director: Jane Rosemont | Star: Wes Studi
Votes: 16
46. Crazy Love (I) (2007)
PG-13 | 92 min | Documentary, Romance
The bizarre true story of Linda Riss and Burt Pugach.
Directors: Dan Klores, Fisher Stevens | Stars: Burt Pugach, Linda Pugach, Bob Janoff, Sylvia Hoffman
Votes: 2,828 | Gross: $0.30M
47. The Imposter (2012)
R | 99 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A documentary centered on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years.
Director: Bart Layton | Stars: Adam O'Brian, Nicholas Barclay, Carey Gibson, Bryan Gibson
Votes: 50,463 | Gross: $0.89M
48. The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Crime
A film that successfully argued that a man was wrongly convicted for murder by a corrupt justice system in Dallas County, Texas.
Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Randall Adams, David Harris, Gus Rose, Jackie Johnson
Votes: 25,961 | Gross: $1.21M
49. The Staircase (2004–2018)
TV-MA | 629 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama
The high-profile murder trial of American novelist Michael Peterson following the death of his wife Kathleen Peterson in 2001.
Stars: Michael Peterson, David Rudolf, Ron Guerette, Martha Ratliff
Votes: 27,222
50. There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane (2011 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 101 min | Documentary, Crime
This documentary explores the depth behind the case of a woman whose vehicle collision killed numerous people, including herself. Was she really the reckless drunk, or the perfect suburban mother?
Director: Liz Garbus | Stars: Jesse Temple, Brad Katinas, Diane Schuler, Jay Schuler
Votes: 6,405
51. The Central Park Five (2012)
Not Rated | 119 min | Documentary, Crime, History
A documentary that examines the 1989 case of five black and Latino teenagers who were convicted of raping a white woman in Central Park. After having spent between 6 and 13 years each in prison, a serial rapist confessed to the crime.
Directors: Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon | Stars: Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Kharey Wise, Raymond Santana
Votes: 7,936 | Gross: $0.27M
52. Into the Abyss (2011)
PG-13 | 107 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama
Conversations with death row inmate Michael Perry and those affected by his crime serve as an examination of why people - and the state - kill.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Werner Herzog, Richard Lopez, Michael Perry, Damon Hall
Votes: 17,354 | Gross: $0.22M
53. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son.
Director: Kurt Kuenne | Stars: Kurt Kuenne, Andrew Bagby, David Bagby, Kathleen Bagby
Votes: 40,724 | Gross: $0.02M
54. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes.
Director: Andrew Jarecki | Stars: Arnold Friedman, Jesse Friedman, David Friedman, Elaine Friedman
Votes: 27,131 | Gross: $3.12M
55. The Seven Five (2014)
R | 104 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Meet the dirtiest cop in NYC history. Michael Dowd stole money and dealt drugs while patrolling the streets of 80s Brooklyn.
Director: Tiller Russell | Stars: Mike Dowd, Ken Eurell, Walter Yurkiw, Chickie
Votes: 6,276 | Gross: $0.01M
56. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)
Not Rated | 150 min | Documentary, Crime
A horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.
Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky | Stars: Tony Brooks, Diana Davis, Terry Wood, Dick Clay
Votes: 18,147
57. West of Memphis (2012)
R | 147 min | Documentary, Crime
An examination of a failure of justice in the case against the West Memphis Three.
Director: Amy Berg | Stars: Jason Baldwin, Damien Wayne Echols, Jessie Misskelley, Michael Baden
Votes: 10,956 | Gross: $0.31M
58. Kids for Cash (2013)
PG-13 | 102 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama
Kids For Cash is a riveting look behind the notorious judicial scandal that rocked the nation. Beyond the millions paid and high stakes corruption, Kids For Cash exposes a shocking American... See full summary »
Director: Robert May | Stars: Charlie Balasavage, Joanne Balasavage, Justin Bodnar, Lisa Griffiths
Votes: 1,997 | Gross: $0.09M
59. Murder on a Sunday Morning (2001)
Not Rated | 111 min | Documentary, Crime
Oscar-winning documentary that documents a murder trial in which a 15-year-old African-American is wrongfully accused of a 2000 murder in Jacksonville, Florida.
Director: Jean-Xavier de Lestrade | Stars: Ann Finnell, Patrick McGuinness, James Williams, Michael Glover
Votes: 4,518
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