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Political Documentaries

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  • 18-05-2008 3:05pm
    #1
    Gonzo_Reporter
    Registered Users Posts: 176 ✭✭


    As always I am not sure where this thread is better placed here or in the Arts/Film section but anyway...


    Just finished my exams and while I want to relax before starting my thesis (shudders with the thought), I don't want my brain turning to mush.

    So I was wondering what are the best political documentaries out there?

    Not a fan of conspiracy theories or Micheal Moore, I'm looking more along the lines of Pilger or in even stuff on the media like OutFoxed.

    A simple google search has provided my with a few but they havent told me if they are any good.

    Cheers


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    #2
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,986 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    The Revolution will not be televised

    I've zero time for the socialist policies of Hugo Chavez but this is an excellent documentary.
    Made by an Irish production team too which is even more bonus points!


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    #3
    The Saint
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭The Saint


    The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara

    Robert McNamara talking about his life including WWII, Vietnam, JFK, Cuban Missile Crisis. Very interesting. It won an Academy Award in 2003.


    Dead in the Water

    BBC documentary about the Israeli attack on the American ship the USS Liberty during the Six Day War in 1967.


    Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media736MB AVI.

    From Wiki:
    The film presents and illustrates Chomsky's and Herman's propaganda model, the thesis that corporate media, as profit-driven institutions, tend to serve and further the agendas of the interests of dominant, elite groups in the society. A centerpiece of the film is a long examination into the history of The New York Times's coverage of Indonesia's invasion and occupation of East Timor, which Chomsky claims exemplifies the media's unwillingness to criticize an ally.


    From Beirut to Bosnia - Three part documentary by Robert Fisk
    Part 1 - The Martyr's Smile
    Part 2 - The Road To Palestine
    Part 3 - To the Ends of the Earth
    Each part about 50 mins.


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    #4
    Gonzo_Reporter
    Registered Users Posts: 176 ✭✭Gonzo_Reporter


    Cheers guys
    Will give them all a look over the next while, never got around to watching Chomsky's stuff, even though ive read some of his stuff an ive seen other docs by Fisk so that should be good.
    Theres certainly a lot here to keep me occupied, thanks.


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    #5
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Have you watched Peter Taylors series The Troubles, or The New Al-Qaeda, check out "The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear by Adam Curtis which covers some of the same ground.

    If you prefer your politics with wry humour then Jon Ronson is your man.

    Mike.


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    #6
    Executive Steve
    Registered Users Posts: 3,373 ✭✭✭Executive Steve


    i have to echo mike65 here and say that all of Adam Curtis work is splendid.

    "the century of the self", "the trap" and "the power of nightmares" are all absolutely mindblowing carefully researched and immaculately put together pieces of filmmaking.


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    #7
    Belfast
    Registered Users Posts: 1,355 ✭✭✭Belfast


    Documentary on the lost of freedom in America
    America: Freedom to Fascism - Director's Authorized Version
    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173&q=freedom+to+fascism&ei=iZwxSPesCqeijQLU4pTgCQ&hl=en

    collection of free Political Documentaries
    http://freedocumentaries.org/


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    #8
    tunaman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 463 ✭✭tunaman


    Here is a site with links to hundreds of very interesting online documentaries.

    http://best.online.docus.googlepages.com/

    Whatever you are looking for you should find a few docs there.


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    #9
    Moriarty
    Registered Users Posts: 6,007 ✭✭✭Moriarty


    The War of the World was pretty good - it was on channel 4 last year iirc.


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    #10
    Ciaran B
    Closed Accounts Posts: 180 ✭✭Ciaran B


    I watched a great documentary on Ralph Nadar a while back called ‘An Unreasonable Man’. Before I watched it I had Nadar down as a crank who wouldn’t listen to reason and who should have stepped aside for Al Gore and John Kerry. After it I totally revised my opinion of him, he’s a really interesting guy who’s responsible for saving thousands (possibly tens of thousands) of lives over the years and a really good guy. Recommended.


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    #11
    sovtek
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,485 ✭✭✭sovtek


    Ciaran B wrote: »
    I watched a great documentary on Ralph Nadar a while back called ‘An Unreasonable Man’. Before I watched it I had Nadar down as a crank who wouldn’t listen to reason and who should have stepped aside for Al Gore and John Kerry. After it I totally revised my opinion of him, he’s a really interesting guy who’s responsible for saving thousands (possibly tens of thousands) of lives over the years and a really good guy. Recommended.

    that's why I'm voting for him again this year. Supposing he beats the Democratic shenanigans to keep him off the ballot in Texas.


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