Documentary Movies
Prince: Sign O’ the Times (1987)
In 1987, to capitalize on his growing success in Europe, Prince toured extensively to promote the album of the same name and sales increased accordingly. However, the United States remained…
Rock’n’ Roll (1987)
In 1987, a Berlin couple hits the small stage with rock’n’roll – petticoat, stripped socks, ducktail and all. A laid-back study of a GDR slice of life.
Jimi Plays Monterey (1987)
Jimi Hendrix’s debut American set at 1967’s Monterey Pop Festival is generally considered one of the most radical and legendary live shows ever. Virtually unknown to American audiences at the…
Shake! Otis at Monterey (1987)
Renowned documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker captures Otis Redding in his ascendancy, singing at the historic Monterey International Pop Festival in June 1967. Comedian Tom Smothers introduces Redding to a crowd…
Chuck Berry – Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll (1987)
St. Louis, 1986. For Chuck Berry’s 60th, Keith Richards assembles a pickup band of Robert Cray, Joey Spampinato, Eric Clapton, himself and long-time Berry pianist, Johnnie Johnson. Joined on stage…
Iron Maiden: 12 Wasted Years (1987)
A documentary of the band’s first 12 years with interviews and live footage.
Signed: Lino Brocka (1987)
Documentary filmmaker Christian Blackwood profiles controversial Filipino director Lino Brocka, detailing his rags-to-riches rise in the mainstream film industry of the Philippines. Primarily using interviews with the effusive director himself,…
The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On (1987)
Kenzo Okuzaki, a 62-year-old veteran of the New Guinea campaign in World War II, sets out to conduct interviews with survivors and relatives to find the truth behind atrocities committed…
The Ultimate Stuntman: A Tribute to Dar Robinson (1987)
A documentary on the life and career of legendary stuntman Dar Robinson, with clips of some of his more famous movie stunts and interviews with stars he’s worked with.
Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown (1987)
Driven by their mutual admiration of classical architecture, Robert Venturi and Denise Scott-Brown have worked together to create a space of unique post-Modernist construction. Filmed during the design and realization…
Hermann My Father (1987)
“Hermann mein Vater” is a companion piece by director Helma Sanders-Brahms to her 1980 film “Germany Pale Mother”. The latter work was focused on the impact of war on a…
Moments Without Proper Names (1987)
Parks makes himself the subject, tracing his development as a person and an artist through a non-narrative abstract self-portrait that combines his photographs with his poetry, musical compositions and scenes…
Aimé Césaire: The Mask of Words (1987)
Aimé Césaire – Le Masque des mots is a portrait of the Martinican writer who calls himself a rebellious negro and for whom the poetic act represents an act of…
Ethnic Notions (1986)
This documentary traces the deep-rooted stereotypes which have fueled anti-black prejudice.
Hero (1986)
1986 FIFA World Cup Official Film. Mexico had just recovered from a devastating earthquake, but the nation put on a great tournament and Argentina, inspired by Maradona, justified “favourite” status….
Kamikaze Hearts (1986)
Porn stars Sharon Mitchell and Tigr navigate the ups and downs of being in love while working in the sex industry.
Beyond the Edge (1986)
Push your limits and go Beyond the Edge with professional skiers and riders like Scot Schmidt, Tom Day, Yolanda Plank, Scott Brooksbank, Dick Bass, Glen Wortel, and plenty of others….
Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate (1986)
A documentary following a sex surrogate and two of her clients.
You’ve Got Beautiful Stairs You Know… (1986)
Short directed by Agnès Varda in 1986 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the French Cinematheque, presenting a contrast between the famous stairs from the place along with…
We Were So Beloved (1986)
Filmmaker Manfred Kirchheimer gained the trust of holocaust survivors living in New York’s Washington Heights who agreed to talk to his cameras. But what they told him went so far…
Private Conversations: On the Set of ‘Death of a Salesman’ (1986)
Playwright Arthur Miller, director Volker Schlöndorff and actor Dustin Hoffman are seen creating the Roxbury Productions and Punch Productions teleplay Death of a Salesman (1985).
Heavy Metal Parking Lot (1986)
Heavy Metal Parking Lot documents heavy metal music fans tailgating in the parking lot outside the Capital Centre (since demolished) in Landover, Maryland, on May 31, 1986, before a Judas…
Routine Pleasures (1986)
Jean-Pierre Gorin interacts with a club of model railroad train enthusiasts and his mentor, artist/writer Manny Farber.
Ornette: Made in America (1986)
Shirley Clarke’s frenetic documentary about multi-talented musician Ornette Coleman.
Workshop Exercises (1986)
A street poll about contemporary youth. The answers are engineered to show the manipulation of propaganda and television.
The Presence III (1986)
Two rabbis show the ruins of an abandoned synagogue to a group of primary school-age Jewish children, and stand by as the children dip bread in honey, drink wine, pray,…
Richard Cardinal: Cry from a Diary of a Métis Child (1986)
This short documentary is a moving tribute to Richard Cardinal, a Métis adolescent who committed suicide in 1984. Taken from his home at the age of 4 due to family…
The Movement of Things (1985)
A picture of daily life punctuated by silence. In a village in the north, the daily routine of three families. Glimpses of Isabel, her eyes turned towards the future; for…
Sting – Bring on the Night (1985)
Bring on the Night is a 1985 documentary film, that focuses on the jazz-inspired project and band led by the British musician Sting during the early stages of his solo…
You Got to Move (1985)
A documentary that follows people from communities in the Southern United States in their various processes of becoming involved in social change, with special emphasis on the work the
The Statue of Liberty (1985)
For more than 100 years, the Statue of Liberty has been a symbol of hope and refuge for generations of immigrants. In this lyrical, compelling and provocative portrait of the…
Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got (1985)
This in-depth examination of the life and career of clarinetist and bandleader Artie Shaw cuts between archival footage, location shots, and an interview with Shaw himself. Berman illustrates the tumultuous,…
16 Days of Glory (1985)
The definitive photographic record of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, told “from the inside” through the lives of the participants, the words of David Perry, and the singing voice of…
Iron Maiden: Live After Death (1985)
Filmed and recorded towards the tail end of ‘The World Slavery Tour’ over a record breaking four sold out nights at Los Angeles’ 13,200 capacity Long Beach Arena. Featuring tracks…
What Sex Am I? (1985)
“What Sex Am I?” follows a group of Transgender individuals struggling to make their way in every strata of 1980s America. From finding employment to finding acceptance, the first question…
Huey Long (1985)
Ken Burns’ portrait of Louisiana governor and U.S. senator Huey Long.
Jack Kerouac: King of the Beats (1985)
Jack Kerouac’s life is examined through interviews with his contemporaries and friends including Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti and William S. Burroughs. The film also employs dramatic recreations of Kerouac’s life…
The Making of ‘Superman III’ (1985)
This documentary treats movie fans to a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Superman III, a more comical take on the superhero story in which the Man of Steel takes…
The Making of ‘Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome’ (1985)
Follows the cast and crew of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome filming in the heat and dust of central Australia.
The Dream Is Alive (1985)
The Dream Is Alive takes you into space alongside the astronauts on the space shuttle. Share with them the delights of zero gravity while working, eating and sleeping in orbit…