I can't believe I haven't highlighted this film yet. It is a classic - one of my all-time favorites - and is available for instant viewing on Netflix. I won't say much about it other than it was Errol Morris' first film and it features this guy wearing what is undoubtedly one of the best jackets I've ever seen.
For a long time I've tried to put my finger on just why it is I like documentary films so much. I think there are many reasons. For one, documentaries are all about asking questions and we all know what a big fan I am of questions. I'm also a big fan of the underdog. Documentaries often focus on underdogs - people whose voices aren't often heard in the mainstream media. The films themselves are really the underdogs of the world of cinema. There are very few docs that receive a lot of attention or make a lot of money. Documentaries have exposed me to so many new and interesting things. Like one of the women in the video says, documentaries "have the power to make you empathize with things you never really knew you could empathize with."
I recently discovered an interactive website with 163 interview clips of 38 documentary filmmakers, including some of my favorites like Errol Morris, Werner Herzog, and Albert Maysles, discussing a wide range of topics. Apparently there is also a movie - a documentary about documentaries - which is not yet available on Netflix. I know this probably isn't as interesting to all of you as it is to me, but I can listen to these people talk all day. If this sort of thing interests you as well, you'll really want to spend some time exploring this site.
Errol Morris is one of my all-time favorite documentary filmmakers. Those of you who follow my recommendations should really consider adding his entire catalog to your Netflix queues. He is one of the best. "Standard Operating Procedure" deals with the now infamous photos taken at Abu Ghraib. It is about how photographs can be decieving, especially ones as repulsive as these, when they are presented without necessary context. The movie features interviews with most of the people involved and really takes you inside the prison and the mindset at the time. I don't think the film makes excuses for what took place, but it does explain the extreme conditions under which they occured. It was a film that grabbed me from the opening and never let go. There are also some very artful and clever graphics that help tell the story. Even though it is a difficult film to watch at times, I consider it a must-see.
EDITED TO ADD: I just watched this for the second time, this time with the commentary track on. The commentary (which is excellent) continued into the closing credits. I wasn't really paying much attention until I noticed my brother's name listed. I knew he had worked with Errol Morris on commercials, but didn't know he had worked on this particular film. I called him to confirm it was him. He hadn't seen it yet and was unaware that he was in the credits.
Some of you may be familiar with Errol Morris because of his award-winning film "Fog Of War" or his series of Miller High Life commercials. He has made some great, off-beat documentaries primarily focused on obscure, everyday people. I can't think of one that I haven't liked. Fast, Cheap, And Out Of Control is a movie that juxtaposes four seemingly disparate men with odd occupations (or obsessions as the case may be). One is a topiary gardener (someone who sculpts plants, like in Edward Scissorhands), one is a robotics expert, one is a retired lion tamer, and one is an expert on the lives of mole rats. The passion these men possess for the things they do is fascinating, but it is the way the film is edited that makes it so strong. Morris has a unique ability to elicit information from his subjects. I feel that this is a good introduction for those interested in the films of Mr. Morris, moreso than "Fog Of War", which, while brilliant in its own right, is atypical of most of his work.
I can't believe I haven't highlighted this film yet. It is a classic - one of my all-time favorites - and is available for instant viewing on Netflix. I won't say much about it other than it was Errol Morris' first film and it features this guy wearing what is undoubtedly one of the best jackets I've ever seen.
Errol Morris is one of my all-time favorite documentary filmmakers. Those of you who follow my recommendations should really consider adding his entire catalog to your Netflix queues. He is one of the best. "Standard Operating Procedure" deals with the now infamous photos taken at Abu Ghraib. It is about how photographs can be decieving, especially ones as repulsive as these, when they are presented without necessary context. The movie features interviews with most of the people involved and really takes you inside the prison and the mindset at the time. I don't think the film makes excuses for what took place, but it does explain the extreme conditions under which they occured. It was a film that grabbed me from the opening and never let go. There are also some very artful and clever graphics that help tell the story. Even though it is a difficult film to watch at times, I consider it a must-see.
Some of you may be familiar with Errol Morris because of his award-winning film "Fog Of War" or his series of Miller High Life commercials. He has made some great, off-beat documentaries primarily focused on obscure, everyday people. I can't think of one that I haven't liked. Fast, Cheap, And Out Of Control is a movie that juxtaposes four seemingly disparate men with odd occupations (or obsessions as the case may be). One is a topiary gardener (someone who sculpts plants, like in Edward Scissorhands), one is a robotics expert, one is a retired lion tamer, and one is an expert on the lives of mole rats. The passion these men possess for the things they do is fascinating, but it is the way the film is edited that makes it so strong. Morris has a unique ability to elicit information from his subjects. I feel that this is a good introduction for those interested in the films of Mr. Morris, moreso than "Fog Of War", which, while brilliant in its own right, is atypical of most of his work.
