Documentaries & Biographies > 20 GBP to 30 GBP Documentaries & Biographies

Superb documentary that has never been rivalled

Advantages: Fantastic pooling of archive footage, interviews with eyewitnesses and no sensationalism
Disadvantages: Occasionally, Laurence Olivier's excellent commentary can be a little hard to hear

The World at War was first broadcast in 1973 and ever since then has stood as the benchmark for Second World War documentaries. Composed of archive footage (mostly black and white) and interviews with some of the eyewitnesses from both sides of the conflict, it avoids the annoying modern trend in documentaries of repetition and pointless and/or endless reconstructions that cannot capture meaning or emotion. It will never be bettered in the sense ...
...It is also narrated by the excellent Oscar-winning Laurence Olivier, whose sparse narration has just the right level of sombre gravitas to provide a fitting frame for the events the documentary relates. It's a very thorough, comprehensive series. There are twenty-six original episodes and this box set also includes eight special presentations and a three hour 30th Anniversary disc with includes previously unseen interviews and retrospective interviews ...

Robs86 13.06.2009 · Read full review
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Review of The World At War (Box Set) (DVD)

"I wanna be a thief just like you"

Advantages: Huge amount of information, extremely well put together
Disadvantages: Disturbing images (naturally)

...eigthy of the USA's major crime figures gathered for a conference. As Edgar Croswell states on film, this is when the authorities first appreciated the size of organized crime in America. The documentary then explains how more was learned about the crime network through various figures turning states evidence. Joseph Valachi was the first ever to do this in 1963, and he was the man who publicly used the name 'cosa nostra' (shown through archive ...
...the initiation in to the crime families. They banish the myths and expand on the importance of being a 'made man'. Lt Remo Franceschini of the NYPD gives further insight in to the framework from street level mafiosi upward. Undercover film from New York's police and an FBI wiretap show street deals and intimidation, while the narration explains the violence and the nature of the rackets at this level. Cantalupo and Denono then illustrate the violent ...

dc1971 28.05.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Crime Inc. - The Real Story Of The Mafia (DVD)

The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

Advantages: Archive footage, interviews, live performances
Disadvantages: None

...previous comment on the great Townes Van Zandt, or has heard and enjoyed his music, this DVD is a must see. If neither is applicable to you but you are interesting in an insight into the tragic workings of a genius, this is also a must. This is the an often heartbreaking, sometimes amusing, always fascinating account of the life and times of Townes Van Zandt: Texan troubadour, manic depressive, misunderstood drunk, lovelorn poet and close friend ...
...Everyone who meant anything to Townes (who hadn't passed away themselves) is covered from ex-girlfriend to son to numerous musicians both influenced by Townes and friends of his. All offer insightful and moving accounts of his enigma. Archive footage, some seen for the first time, shows Townes in more relaxed circumstances and at home. This gives the greatest insight into his torment, which you can sense even when Townes is at play. This is most ...

Nixu1980 06.11.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Townes Van Zandt - Be Here To Love Me (DVD)

668: The Neighbour of the Beast!!!

Advantages: Rockumentry!
Disadvantages: The Peter Pan of rock!

...and head of the 'best rock school in Philadelphia' (and the East Coast, according to the maestro), has modelled himself on Jack Blacks manic creation or vice versa, such is the similarity of these two headbanger's. Both, while wanting to teach the kids to find their "inner rock star" when schools out, bring other human qualities to the table, something Mr Barford my old music teacher never did. I was lumbered with the Triangle in primary school to ...
...essential ingredient of being a rock star. You can't help but not secretly admire this guy as he does get the best out of them, but not too shy to say if they have it or not to their face, Gordon Ramsey style! The kids... The Collins twins-two identical five-year-old blonde bombshell surfer boys with floppy fringes-don't seem to have much talent but just enjoy shouting a lot into the microphone, encouraged by their mum who also wanted to be a lead ...

thedevilinme 31.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Rock School (DVD)

Self-agrandizing hero-worship of brutal thugs

Advantages: If watched with a knowledge of psychology, the between the lines reveals these mens true nature
Disadvantages: Much of it is story time at the old age home for sociopaths.

I am not surprised that the two previous reviews were raves for this little film, but it doesn't increase my faith in humanity that that should be the case. This is a film about a bunch of old, flabby, a-moral men all from the same section of East London, the poor side of town, and how they used robbery, murder, and extortion to fund their lives, allowing the director to go to film school, among other things. Right away you knew this was going to ...
...of life" when one of the interviewees said that 90% of people in the East End have done something illegal (by this I took it to mean, robbery, violence, etc., not stealing candy from the local store when they were 9.) So, everyone does it, I guess, and that makes it ok that these men have used violence and intimidation to make their way for their entire lives, because, hey, they have a code, one even considered himself a Robin Hood of his community, ...

tre.fire 28.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of The End - Confessions Of A Cockney Gangster (DVD)