Documentary Movies
Let’s Get Lost (1988)
Documentary about jazz great Chet Baker that intercuts footage from the 1950s, when he was part of West Coast Cool, and from his last years. We see the young Baker,…
The Secret Identity of Jack the Ripper (1988)
A panel of experts examines the five main suspects in the Jack the Ripper murders and determines which of them is the most likely to have committed the crimes.
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Errol Morris’s unique documentary dramatically re-enacts the crime scene and investigation of a police officer’s murder in Dallas.
The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)
An exploration of the heavy metal scene in Los Angeles, with particular emphasis on glam metal. It features concert footage and interviews of legendary heavy metal and hard rock bands…
Steel Mask Versus Blue Abyss (1988)
A world of strong colours between documentary and fiction, centered on the life and work of modernist painter Amadeo de Souza Cardoso.
Powaqqatsi (1988)
An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.
Mondo New York (1988)
A young woman wanders around New York City and stumbles across a number of strange characters and settings that represent the “underground” areas of the city. She sees stand up…
A Reggae Session (1988)
Gathered together for one night, the legendary names of Reggae and more meet at Fort Charles, Jamaica for a musical event that would reverberate around the world!
Distant Harmony: Pavarotti in China (1988)
In 1986, Luciano Pavarotti was invited to Beijing to present La Bohème, conduct master classes and perform concerts for more than 150 million people. Academy Award-winning filmmaker DeWitt Sage captures…
Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night (1988)
Recorded live at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles, Roy is joined by an eclectic ensemble of rock and roll superstars including Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett, J.D. Souther,…
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A Family Portrait (1988)
A documentary about the classic ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ film, including interviews with Gunnar Hansen, Edwin Neal, John Dugan and Jim Siedow.
Tadao Ando (1988)
Tadao Ando, a self-taught architect, proposes an international architecture that he believes can only be conceived by someone Japanese. His architecture mixes Piranesian drama with contemplative spaces in urban complexes,…
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…
Gap-Toothed Women (1987)
A charming valentine to women born with a space between their teeth, ranging from lighthearted whimsy to a deeper look at issues like self-esteem and societal attitudes toward standards of…
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…