Re: [Videolib] List of 50 best documentaries

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• Maybe in reply to: Pamela Sue Reeves: "[Videolib] List of 50 best documentaries"
• Next in thread: Gary Handman: "Re: [Videolib] List of 50 best documentaries"

In a message dated 12/7/05 2:05:18 PM, jrosner@kino.com writes:

> PLEASE if there was an AFI list, the top one would be TRUTH OR DARE and
> NANOOK OF THE NORTH , TRIUMPH OF THE WILL and PLOW THAT BROKE THE PLAINS
> would be nowhere to be seen. After all they are not owned by the studios=20
> that finance
> and PICK those phony lists
>=20
>=20

Gee, I've been agreeing with Jessica so long, that it almost seems, well,=20
like old times. Not about the AFI list, mind you, but being so dismissive! I=
t's=20
like me about the Cubs' chances in 2006. And 2007. And 2008... Go, Omar!

First off and for example, I disagree entirely about Triumph of the Will=20
being one of the great documentaries of all time. Especially top 50. Influen=
tial,=20
perhaps, but beyond politics, I'm not fond of the filmmaking. It's always=20
bored the hell out of me. So it's really up to the librarian to come up with=
their=20
own. Being in Bergen County, there's much more of an interest for Holocaust,=
=20
Korean and middle-eastern docs, than say for the films of Les Blank or Tony=20
Buba. (Two of my favorite directors)

Anyway, there has been a recent spate of very good books about documentaries=
=20
that can be discussed and an astonishing amount of early and classic docs=20
coming out on video these days. Harlan County, Marjoe, et cetera. Facets alw=
ays=20
highlights some of the good docs in their year-end catalogs and monthly=20
bulletins.

And I think Gary has come up with a decent list in the past.

>From Milestone, I would say my favorites are GRASS, THE SORROW AND THE PITY,=
=20
IN THE LAND OF THE WAR CANOES (not a doc by today's standards, but was=20
Flaherty's main influence), and NOBODY'S BUSINESS. Three more -- WINTER SOLD=
IER,=20
ELECTRIC EDWARDIANS and THE TROUBLES WE'VE SEEN are coming out next year.

Dennis Doros
Milestone Film & Video
PO Box 128
Harrington Park, NJ 07640
Phone: (800) 603-1104 or (201) 767-3117
Fax: (201) 767-3035
Email: milefilms@aol.com
Website: http://www.milestonefilms.com

"Welcome to New Jersey.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Big Hair, Big Heart, Big Fun!"
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0- Amy Heller

--part1_243.31b5a97.30c8b468_boundary
Content-Type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

In a message dated 12/7/05 2:05:18 PM, jrosner@kino.com writes:

PLEASE if there was a= n AFI list, the top one would be TRUTH OR DARE and
NANOOK OF THE NORTH , TRIUMPH OF THE WILL and PLOW THAT BROKE THE PLAINS
would be nowhere to be seen. After all they are not owned by the studios tha= t finance
and PICK those phony lists