CINECOLA'S 20 GREATEST DOCUMENTARIES OF ALL TIME - part 1

With Sight and Sound having compiled the list of the greatest documentaries of all time (which we have yet to see), CineCola decided to compile our own list of what we think are the greatest, most influential documentaries of all time. This list is restricted to feature length films, and while personal taste is subjective, the list takes into consideration the vast variety of documentaries from investigative, biographical, essayistic etc.

This is the first part of the list, and we begin our countdown with number 20, scaling up to number 11.

20 – CHINA (Chung-Kuo – Cina) by Michelangelo Antonioni (1972)

An exceptional eye for detail and a rare look at the 'New China', this film in retrospective is both representative of the average intelligent tourist stepping into a new world and a close up look at the price to be paid in the reconstruction of a nation. Admittedly, it is rather hard on any viewer to watch the whole thing in one go, but the end result is extremely complete, rewarding and feels like an important inevitably politically aware observationalist piece.

19 – DIG! by Ondi Timoner (2004)

There’s rarely ever been a more insightful look at rock musicians on the rise – at least not in recent times. To find a film so personal, direct, exciting and insightful we would probably have to look at the age of direct cinema. Today, music documentaries simply tend to remain more distance on par with the way in which the music industry in general is shaped. Yet, Ondi Timoner directly tracked down The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre before they had garnered success – whether mainstream or underground. And that is precisely where the film start, where the respective band leaders are still claiming they want to take over the world. On top of it being a gripping tale of passion and music, Timoner is not easily satisfied by simply filming his subject – and we can only imagine how many hours of footage there must have been having followed the subjects for years. There is also elements of creativity through sharp editing and post production tweaking that fuel Dig! with a type of excitement that conveys the energy and charge of the music of the two bands. All the while, the outrageousness of the characters Timoner follows adds appeal and makes the film all the more interesting and entertaining.

18 - ZEITGEIST: THE MOVIE by Peter Joseph (2007)

Feeding off of the internet age of conspiracy theories, made all the more popular by the 9/11 tragedies, Peter Joseph makes the inconceivable seem eye opening through a well researched and convincing arguments. One can’t help but admire the motormouthing and excitement that takes place in hypnotic waves before our eyes, as he trashes religion, reveals his well researched truth about 9/11 and exposes the evils of world banks. Zeitgeist: The Movie is an uncomfortable and frightening use of sensationalism in documentary. Whether you like what is being portrayed, downright see it as a piece of fanatic garbage or are willing to be compelled by it, no one watching it will be able to ignore it. On top of that, Zeitgeist is still being used as an example of getting your work out there through the internet and starting a huge following. In other words, it became a landmark movie for internet exploitation for distribution purposes.

17 - WOODSTOCK by Michael Wadleigh (1970)

This documentary is like an important time capsule taking us back to one of the biggest and most important communal events ever. With modern editing techniques, a true to the camera eye cinematography and a most legendary music soundtrack with the biggest names of music of the time that all gathered up to hold something so exciting and unforgettable, this film is an amazing account of one of the best times in rock and roll history. Music fans will notice some tracks missing and performances of individual artists incomplete, but there is no reason to complain about the documentary itself, which is exciting and extremely lively all throughout.

16 - THE ACT OF KILLING by Joshua Oppenheimer (2012)

Former members of the Indonesian death squads are challenged to re-enact their killings in whichever cinematic genre as they want. A truly daring and unique examination of a history of violence. Oppenheimer is able to draw an amazing result from his main subject without pontificating him, and as a result we see a man whose violent past catches up with him and comes back to haunting. The photography deserves praise too, as it alternates between scenes of realism to the scenes made for the film, which recall campy b-movies, and lead to a bizarre intense mix.

15 – ITALIANAMERICAN by Martin Scorsese (1974)

Scorsese often claimed that this was his favourite out of all his works. Well, this is a real treat of a film. Here, the great filmmaker is in his formaice years and he interviews his Italian American parents. Italianamerican is a funny, charming and illuminating intimate work that gives a rare insight in the origins of a legendary filmmaker in the making. What stands out about it as well, is its illuminating nature as a perfect example of how a filmmaker may have the perfect subject for his next feature sitting in his home without even knowing it.

14 – CINEMANIA by Angela Christlieb and Stephen Kijak (2002)

An examination of the most drastic example of cinephelia, Christlieb and Kijak follow the lives of five New York individual who also happen to be borderline psychotic obsessive movie buffs. Cinemania does show the side of suffering and the result of a life of withdrawal and marginalisation led by these people, as well as hinting at why they would want to escape to a world of darkness and fantasy. However, thankfully, it does not exploit these characters in spite of turning out to be quite funny and humorous as well as delightfully entertaining though undeniably brutally honest, in its extreme portrayal, to the point of seeming perhaps a little depressing to at least half of the audience that will have seen this film. Nevertheless, it is also because of the nature of the five characters whose lives are being portrayed that the film works, in fact after the credits stop rolling it is easy to wonder what might have happened to them after the cameras stopped following them. Interesting, original and very entertaining.

13 – MAN ON WIRE by James Marsh (2008)

The story of Philippe Petit, a tightrope walker who dared a high wire routine between the World Trade Center Twin Towers in 1974. James Marsh's film makes great use of the best techniques that make a documentary film gripping, from meticulous re-enactment to intimate talking heads interview. The film effectively builds up the right tension that should walk hand in hand with portraying a feat that has been described as the artistic crime of the century. It helps, of course, that the man whom this film revolves around, Philippe Petit, is an enchanting character who tells his story with such passion.

12 – BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE by Michael Moore (2002)

Michael Moore explores the depths of the gun trigger happy culture of the United States, referring to such gun related tragedies as the one in Columbine High School and including an interview to NRA president Charlton Heston. Moore’s work has poignant humour but is also thought provokingly serious. It is very effective in raising questions concerning the American culture. Moore’s fearlessness in taking on such a subject matter is remarkable.

11 – THE ARMSTRONG LIE by Alex Gibney (2013)

The exploration of the construction of a lie. The investigative documentarian par excellence of this generation, Alex Gibney, returns shortly after the release of his fearless The Story of WikiLeaks and Mea Maxima Culpa with another gripping and exciting documentary that retains the urgency of unfolding history. Here, the subject of his documentary is Lance Armstrong, the seven times Tour de France winner who was caught for doping, thus tainting his legacy as sports icon. The interesting aspect is that in 2009, Armstrong’s return to the Tour the France after his retirement would have been the subject of another Gibney documentary which would have looked at him in a totally different perspective. This adds a personal element to the film which makes it a little more personal and hence interesting whilst never taking over the mystery of the plot as it unravels at an exciting pace. Gripping and entertaining, this film is also an interesting behind the scene to a sport tainted renowned for being repeatedly tainted by doping scandals whilst being accessible to an audience that wouldn’t be very familiar with the sport. In short, it seems that Alex Gibney is a trend setter and there is no one better, at least in cinema nowadays, in making the kind of films that he makes and in making them with such an amazing consistency.