Documentaries about Directors
by tlalocx | created - 09 Feb 2013 | updated - 08 Jan 2016 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
D.W. Griffith: Father of Film
(1993)
TV-14 | 155 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Brilliant pioneer of the feature film and discoverer of Hollywood - yet some say he single-handedly re-awakened the Ku Klux Klan.
Directors: Kevin Brownlow, David Gill | Stars: Roy Aitken, Lindsay Anderson, William Bakewell, Evelyn Baldwin
Votes: 226
2. Unknown Chaplin (1983– )
156 min | Documentary, Comedy
Using in part rare out-take footage, the film-making methods and techniques of Charles Chaplin are explored.
Stars: James Mason, Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff, Jackie Coogan, Virginia Cherrill
Votes: 606
3. Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (2003)
TV-PG | 132 min | Documentary, Biography
Narrated by Sydney Pollack, film critic Richard Schickel's dazzling two-hour plus documentary to one of the towering figures in film: Charles Chaplin. Hardcore Chaplin fans may not find ... See full summary »
Director: Richard Schickel | Stars: Charles Chaplin, Sydney Pollack, Bill Irwin, Norman Lloyd
Votes: 1,419
4. Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow (1987)
160 min | Documentary, Biography
A series about the life, career and works of the movie comedy genius.
Stars: Lindsay Anderson, Charles Lamont, William R. Cox, Loyal T. Lucas
Votes: 559
5. The Man You Loved to Hate (1979)
PG | 78 min | Documentary
Erich von Stroheim was an director of silent movies, as well as an actor in both silents and talkies. Uncompromising and rigid, he battled the studio system for control over his pictures' ... See full summary »
Director: Patrick Montgomery | Stars: Edward Binns, Paul Kohner, Marcel Dalio, Leonard Spigelgass
Votes: 210
6. Fritz Lang, le cercle du destin - Les films allemands (2004 TV Movie)
54 min | Documentary, Biography
Director: Jorge Dana | Stars: Fritz Lang, Artur Brauner, Claude Chabrol, Alfred Eibel
Votes: 76
7. Fritz Lang Interviewed by William Friedkin (1975)
140 min | Documentary
American director William Friedkin interviewed Austrian director Fritz Lang on February 21st and 24th, 1975.
Director: William Friedkin | Stars: William Friedkin, Fritz Lang
Votes: 427
8. Regarding Buñuel (2000)
103 min | Documentary
Documentary about spanish director Luis Buñuel.
Directors: José Luis López-Linares, Javier Rioyo | Stars: José Sancho, Carlos Fuentes, Claudio Isaac, Michel Piccoli
Votes: 369
9.
Century of Cinema (1995–1998)
Episode:
A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies
(1995)
225 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Martin Scorsese describes his initial and growing obsession with films from the 1940s and 50s as the art form developed and grew with clips from classics and cult classics.
Directors: Martin Scorsese, Michael Henry Wilson | Stars: Martin Scorsese, Allison Anders, Kathryn Bigelow, Francis Ford Coppola
Votes: 5,138
10. Directed by John Ford (1971)
Unrated | 99 min | Documentary, Biography
A documentary on the life and films of director John Ford.
Director: Peter Bogdanovich | Stars: John Ford, Peter Bogdanovich, Orson Welles, Clint Eastwood
Votes: 1,329
11. Becoming John Ford (2007 Video)
93 min | Documentary
A documentary focusing on Ford's time at Fox and his relationship with Darryl F. Zanuck.
Director: Nick Redman | Stars: Rudy Behlmer, Janet Bergstrom, James D'Arc, Lem Dobbs
Votes: 103
12. George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey (1984)
110 min | Documentary, Biography
Biography of the Academy Award winning director including dramatic color footage of WWII.
Director: George Stevens Jr. | Stars: Fred Astaire, Warren Beatty, Pandro S. Berman, Frank Capra
Votes: 465
13.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
George Cukor: On Cukor
(2000)
TV-14 | 85 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Cukor was an American film director. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. Noted films include What Price Hollywood? (1932), A Bill of Divorcement (1932), Our Betters (1933), and Little Women (1933)
Director: Robert Trachtenberg | Stars: George Cukor, Peter Bogdanovich, Jean Simmons, Mia Farrow
Votes: 159
14. A Letter to Elia (2010)
Not Rated | 60 min | Documentary
A documentary on the late Elia Kazan.
Directors: Kent Jones, Martin Scorsese | Stars: Martin Scorsese, Elia Kazan, Elias Koteas
Votes: 1,122
15. Lightning Over Water (1980)
91 min | Documentary
Wim Wenders abandons the shoot of one of his own films in order to help his friend and fellow director Nicholas Ray create his swan song before he dies.
Directors: Nicholas Ray, Wim Wenders | Stars: Gerry Bamman, Ronee Blakley, Pierre Cottrell, Stefan Czapsky
Votes: 1,503
16. Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder (1980)
59 min | Documentary
French film critic Michel Ciment interviews Billy Wilder about his life and film-making.
Directors: Annie Tresgot, Michel Ciment | Stars: Billy Wilder, Michel Ciment, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau
Votes: 264
17. My Voyage to Italy (1999)
PG-13 | 246 min | Documentary
World-renowned director Martin Scorsese narrates this journey through his favorites in Italian cinema.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Star: Martin Scorsese
Votes: 3,524 | Gross: $0.01M
18. Fellini: I'm a Born Liar (2002)
R | 105 min | Documentary, Biography
A look at Fellini's creative process. In extensive interviews, Fellini talks a bit about his background and then discusses how he works and how he creates. Several actors, a producer, a ... See full summary »
Director: Damian Pettigrew | Stars: Federico Fellini, Roberto Benigni, Luigi 'Titta' Benzi, Italo Calvino
Votes: 986 | Gross: $0.11M
19. Luchino Visconti (1999)
55 min | Documentary
Actors who worked with and knew Luchino Visconti are interviewed about his life.
Director: Carlo Lizzani | Stars: Björn Andrésen, Laura Antonelli, Tina Apicella, Helmut Berger
Votes: 235
20. Marco Ferreri: Il regista che venne dal futuro (2007)
90 min | Documentary
Depicts the highlights of director/writer Marco Ferreri's career. A nonconformist man, extreme, provocative in his ways, always close to the bleeding edge, and considered a visionary experimentalist.
Director: Mario Canale | Stars: Michele Placido, Rafael Azcona, Nicoletta Braschi, Franco Brocani
Votes: 33
21. Antonioni su Antonioni (2008)
55 min | Documentary
A documentary on the life, work, and character of Michelangelo Antonioni.
Director: Carlo Di Carlo | Star: Michelangelo Antonioni
Votes: 11
22. Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)
Not Rated | 142 min | Documentary, Biography
The career and life of Stanley Kubrick is explored through pictures, clips from his films, his old home movies, comments from his colleagues and a narration by Tom Cruise.
Director: Jan Harlan | Stars: Katharina Kubrick, Malcolm McDowell, Stanley Kubrick, Barbara Kroner
Votes: 12,204
23. Eastwood on Eastwood (1997 TV Movie)
68 min | Documentary, Biography
Autobiography of Clint Eastwood up to his movie "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."
Director: Richard Schickel | Stars: John Cusack, Clint Eastwood
Votes: 271
24.
Great Performances (1971– )
Episode:
Kurosawa
(2000)
TV-G | 100 min | Music, Musical
Adam Low's Kurosawa is a 90-minute documentary that looks at Kurosawa's life and works. Originally broadcast on PBS in the US, the film follows a fairly conventional approach as it ... See full summary »
Director: Adam Low | Stars: Akira Kurosawa, Sam Shepard, Paul Scofield, James Coburn
Votes: 396
25. A.K. (1985)
71 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A documentary that shows the production of Ran and discusses the film techniques of Kurosawa himself.
Director: Chris Marker | Stars: Shigehiko Hasumi, Chris Marker, Akira Kurosawa, Tatsuya Nakadai
Votes: 1,223
26. Bergman Island (2004 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary, Biography
All three documentaries were mainly shot in the home of Ingmar Bergman. This was the first time ever that a filmmaker had access to Ingmar Bergman in his home at the small island Fårö in ... See full summary »
Director: Marie Nyreröd | Stars: Ingmar Bergman, Erland Josephson, Marie Nyreröd
Votes: 1,019
27. Deux de la Vague (2010)
Not Rated | 91 min | Documentary
Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut, their careers, their friendship and their impact on the French New Wave of the 1960s.
Director: Emmanuel Laurent | Stars: Isild Le Besco, Anouk Aimée, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Charles Aznavour
Votes: 881 | Gross: $0.03M
28. A Decade Under the Influence (2003)
R | 138 min | Documentary
A documentary examining the decade of the 1970s as a turning point in American cinema. Some of today's best filmmakers interview the influential directors of that time.
Directors: Ted Demme, Richard LaGravenese | Stars: Francis Ford Coppola, William Friedkin, Robert Altman, John G. Avildsen
Votes: 2,803 | Gross: $0.03M
29. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
R | 96 min | Documentary
Documentary that chronicles how Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979) was plagued by extraordinary script, shooting, budget, and casting problems--nearly destroying the life and career of the celebrated director.
Directors: Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper, Eleanor Coppola | Stars: Dennis Hopper, Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, George Lucas
Votes: 23,223 | Gross: $1.32M
30. Burden of Dreams (1982)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary
A documentary following German auteur Werner Herzog as he deals with difficult actors, bad weather and getting a boat over a mountain, all in an effort to make his film Fitzcarraldo (1982).
Director: Les Blank | Stars: Werner Herzog, Klaus Kinski, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards
Votes: 8,130
31. Chambre 666 (1982 TV Movie)
45 min | Documentary
During the '35th Cannes International Film Festival' (14th-26th May 1982), German director Wim Wenders asked a sample of 15 other international film directors to get, each one at a time, ... See full summary »
Director: Wim Wenders | Stars: Wim Wenders, Michelangelo Antonioni, Maroun Bagdadi, Ana Carolina
Votes: 1,497
32.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Woody Allen: A Documentary
(2011)
Not Rated | 192 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A documentary on Woody Allen that trails him on his movie sets and follows him back to Brooklyn as he visits his childhood haunts.
Director: Robert B. Weide | Stars: Woody Allen, Letty Aronson, Marshall Brickman, Josh Brolin
Votes: 5,285
33. Scorsese on Scorsese (2004 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 86 min | Documentary, Biography
Director Martin Scorsese discusses his life growing up in Manhattan and his filmmaking career.
Director: Richard Schickel | Stars: Martin Scorsese, Charles Scorsese, Catherine Scorsese
Votes: 366
34. Spielberg on Spielberg (2007 TV Movie)
86 min | Documentary, Biography
Considered to be one of the most respected film critics in the country, as evidenced by his work with Time magazine, Richard Schickel is widely known for writing, producing and directing a ... See full summary »
Director: Richard Schickel | Star: Steven Spielberg
Votes: 298
35. Krzysztof Kieslowski: I'm So-So... (1995)
56 min | Documentary, Biography
Director/Writer Krzysztof Kieslowski shares his views on life, people, politics and comments a little about some of his films in a very casual conversation.
Director: Krzysztof Wierzbicki | Stars: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Jacek Petrycki, Krzysztof Wierzbicki
Votes: 530
36. Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky (1988)
Not Rated | 102 min | Documentary
Documentary on the making of "The Sacrifice."
Director: Michal Leszczylowksi | Stars: Brian Cox, Susan Fleetwood, Erland Josephson, Sven Nykvist
Votes: 880
37. Carl Th. Dreyer: My Métier (1995)
Not Rated | 96 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Carl Theodor Dreyer is a young journalist in Copenhagen when he gets involved in the early Danish film industry. He writes scripts and inter-titles, and for some years he is the main editor... See full summary »
Director: Torben Skjødt Jensen | Stars: Clara Pontoppidan, Hélène Falconetti, Lisbeth Movin, Preben Lerdorff Rye
Votes: 515
38. The Road to Bresson (1984)
54 min | Documentary
A Dutch documentary about legendary French filmmaker Robert Bresson.
Directors: Leo De Boer, Jurriën Rood | Stars: Robert Bresson, Louis Malle, Dominique Sanda, Paul Schrader
Votes: 261
39. The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli (1973 TV Movie)
57 min | Documentary
Director: Richard Schickel | Stars: Cliff Robertson, Vincente Minnelli
Votes: 233
40. The Men Who Made the Movies: Howard Hawks (1973 TV Movie)
57 min | Documentary, Biography
A documentary filmography of Howard Hawks, including lengthy footage of Hawks himself discussing his films and many clips from his best-known pictures.
Director: Richard Schickel | Stars: Sydney Pollack, Howard Hawks, Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall
Votes: 384
41.
American Masters (1985– )
Episode:
Directed by William Wyler
(1986)
TV-14 | 60 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A tribute to director William Wyler consisting of interviews and excerpts from his many classic films.
Director: Aviva Slesin | Stars: A. Scott Berg, Bette Davis, Samantha Eggar, Greer Garson
Votes: 548
42. Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles (2014)
PG-13 | 91 min | Documentary, Biography
A look at the life and work of the great theatre, radio and film artist.
Director: Chuck Workman | Stars: Orson Welles, Simon Callow, Christopher Welles, Joanne Hill Styles
Votes: 973 | Gross: $0.02M
Excellent.
43. Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008)
Unrated | 99 min | Documentary, Crime
Examines the public scandal and private tragedy which led to legendary filmmaker Roman Polanski's sudden flight from the United States.
Director: Marina Zenovich | Stars: Andrew Braunsberg, Richard Brenneman, Douglas Dalton, Marilyn Beck
Votes: 5,205 | Gross: $0.06M
Good.
44. Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir (2011)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Biography
A documentary about Roman Polanski, the man and filmmaker. Roman Polanski speaks about his eventful life story and career in conversation with Andrew Braunsberg, his former business partner, producer, and friend of many years.
Director: Laurent Bouzereau | Stars: Roman Polanski, Andrew Braunsberg, Pedro Almodóvar, Catherine Deneuve
Votes: 1,273
Very Good.
45. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)
TV-14 | 119 min | Documentary
A look at 1970s Hollywood when it was known as New Hollywood, and the director was the star of the movie.
Director: Kenneth Bowser | Stars: Martin Scorsese, Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdanovich, Sam Peckinpah
Votes: 3,092
Good
46. Altman (2014)
TV-PG | 96 min | Documentary, Biography
A look at the life and work of American film-maker Robert Altman.
Director: Ron Mann | Stars: Michael Murphy, Robert Altman, Kathryn Reed, Sally Kellerman
Votes: 1,412
Good
47. Wild Man Blues (1997)
PG | 105 min | Documentary, Music, Romance
Academy Award-winner Barbara Kopple directs this documentary portrait of Academy Award and Golden Globe-winner Woody Allen, seen traveling with friends and fellow musicians during their New... See full summary »
Director: Barbara Kopple | Stars: Woody Allen, Letty Aronson, Soon-Yi Previn, Dan Barrett
Votes: 2,292 | Gross: $0.43M
48. Stanley Kubrick's Boxes (2008 TV Movie)
48 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Jon Ronson is asked by the widow of Stanley Kubrick to investigate the contents of about a thousand boxes left by Kubrick, shown to contain materials reflecting the work Kubrick did after the release of Barry Lyndon (1975) in 1975.
Director: Jon Ronson | Stars: Jon Ronson, Anthony Frewin, Jan Harlan, Christiane Kubrick
Votes: 1,362
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