Documentaries: The epic thread of interesting ones!

[Anderson]

The thing that gets me about it is that even the Union's own didn't really seem to want to fight that hard for the locals. I had always envisioned Unions slightly different than what was shown at the end of the docu. And the fact that the area remains almost the same is crazy/sad.

Well, it's a two-part problem in terms of why the area still remains bad.

1) They lose almost all of their potential aid to more urban ghettos. Fed and State lawmakers see the larger areas benefitting from the same amount of aid since it gets spread around to more people. The same line of thinking for 40-50 years deprives the same funds from other pockets. Those pockets pop up around the country as these weird time capsules of lands forgotten.

2) The people of the area are predominantly white and impressionable. They are easy pickings for the Right prop machine and they get prodded into depriving themselves of the cash. They view it as a handout and they don't want to take cash from a government that they've been taught for generations to distrust. They're scared of authority and they tend to be a little more aggressive towards it than most.

The UMWA didn't fight for Harlan County because it didn't make economic sense. They could wait out the older miners until they died from black lung. Then, they move the operation out of county or into West Virginia/VA. Pick a new crop of workers or hire scabs. Start back up and pay the new guys less. As long as the UMWA played ball, they kept their jobs with new union members.

[Ben Thomas]

wow nobody mentioned American Movie?

Glad you mentioned it. Probably my favourite film about making films. Makes me (almost) cry and laugh in equal measure.

I'll throw in some extra love for Enron, Capturing the Friedmans and the truly incredible When The Levees Broke.

But my two favourite docs, both about obsession in a way, are Grizzly Man and Man on Wire. Fucking incredible, both of them.

[Matt]

Ben: are you referring to 'Enron: The Smartest Men in the Room?' That was FANTASTIC.

I still need to see 'Grizzly Man'.

[Ed Hocken]

Smartest guys in the room was damn good. So was when When The Leeves Broke, the kind of film that'll get you mad at government. And the fact it reminds you that the people at the top of power aren't all that bright. No matter it being local, state or federal.

[Ben Thomas]

Ben: are you referring to 'Enron: The Smartest Men in the Room?' That was FANTASTIC.

Sure am. Very good film, fascinating stuff.

[Lesley]

Glad you mentioned it. Probably my favourite film about making films. Makes me (almost) cry and laugh in equal measure.

I'll throw in some extra love for Enron, Capturing the Friedmans and the truly incredible When The Levees Broke.

But my two favourite docs, both about obsession in a way, are Grizzly Man and Man on Wire. Fucking incredible, both of them.

When you were quoting CJ I was like - WHOA when did CJ post?! And then I found the date was 9/7/08.

[BillyG]

I love Man On Wire so much. I tried discussing it a few months ago at a family dinner, and my aunt through a fit about "arrogant French asshole" blah blah blah. Jesus did that ruin the evening. I've had The Bridge on my queue for months. It's a documentary about people that go to Golden Gate to commit suicide.

[Matt]

Another really good one: 'This Film Has Not Been Rated'. Caught this on IFC a few months ago, and it was a pretty fascinating look at the movie ratings industry.

[Ed Hocken]

What cracks me up about that documentary is that I was living down the street from MPAA headquarters all this time.

[Abraham Smashington]

Another really good one: 'This Film Has Not Been Rated'. Caught this on IFC a few months ago, and it was a pretty fascinating look at the movie ratings industry.

That movie pissed me off so bad.

[Ed Hocken]

The one about Indie Sex is pretty good, cept for the parts where you'd want to vomit.

[B_Metal]

Ed, is there any movie you don't live next to?

[Ed Hocken]

I didn't live next to the two dudes from the King of Kong.

Nor Schwartzenegger from Pumping Iron.

[Matt]

'Pumping Iron' is a damned good documentary. Schwarzennegger is a charisma machine in it.

[Abraham Smashington]

Ed, is there any movie you don't live next to?

Lulz.