Documentaries
by chrisashmore-29225 | created - 06 Mar 2021 | updated - 02 Oct 2022 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976)
PG | 103 min | Documentary
A heartbreaking record of the thirteen-month struggle between a community fighting to survive and a corporation dedicated to the bottom line.
Director: Barbara Kopple | Stars: John L. Lewis, Carl Horn, Norman Yarborough, Logan Patterson
Votes: 6,640
2. The Last Waltz (1978)
PG | 117 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A film account and presentation of the final concert of The Band.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robbie Robertson, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Van Morrison
Votes: 20,185 | Gross: $0.32M
3. Why We Fight (2005)
PG-13 | 98 min | Documentary, History, War
Is American foreign policy dominated by the idea of military supremacy? Has the military become too important in American life? Jarecki's shrewd and intelligent polemic would seem to give an affirmative answer to each of these questions.
Director: Eugene Jarecki | Stars: Gore Vidal, John McCain, Ken Adelman, John Ashcroft
Votes: 10,233 | Gross: $1.44M
4. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
R | 122 min | Documentary, Drama, War
Michael Moore's view on what happened to the United States after September 11 and how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic event to push forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, George W. Bush, Ben Affleck, Stevie Wonder
Votes: 132,411 | Gross: $119.19M
5. Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Crime, History
Alex Gibney exposes the haunting details of the USA's torture and interrogation practices during the War in Afghanistan.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Alex Gibney, Brian Keith Allen, Moazzam Begg, Christopher Beiring
Votes: 16,805 | Gross: $0.27M
6. Woodstock (1970)
R | 184 min | Documentary, History, Music
Oscar-winning musical chronicle that brilliantly captures the three-day rock concert and celebration of peace and love that became a capstone for the Sixties.
Director: Michael Wadleigh | Stars: Joan Baez, Richie Havens, Roger Daltrey, Joe Cocker
Votes: 18,471 | Gross: $50.00M
7. The Decline of Western Civilization (1981)
Not Rated | 100 min | Documentary, History, Music
A look into the Los Angeles punk rock scene, that was largely ignored by the rock music press of the time.
Director: Penelope Spheeris | Stars: Eugene Tatu, Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline
Votes: 4,869
8. The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)
R | 93 min | Documentary, Music
Documentary showcase, what life was like for the music artists living during the Los Angeles Heavy Metal scene in the mid and late 1980s.
Director: Penelope Spheeris | Stars: Joe Perry, Steven Tyler, Gene Simmons, Alice Cooper
Votes: 4,315 | Gross: $0.37M
9. Cosmos (1980)
TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary
Astronomer Carl Sagan leads us on an engaging guided tour of the various elements and cosmological theories of the universe.
Stars: Carl Sagan, Jaromír Hanzlík, Jonathan Fahn, Jean Charney
Votes: 44,189
10. Eyes on the Prize (1987–1990)
TV-PG | 360 min | Documentary, History
A documentary about the American Civil Rights Movement from 1952 to 1965.
Stars: Julian Bond, Coretta Scott King, John Lewis, Andrew Young
Votes: 737
11. The Untold History of the United States (2012–2013)
TV-MA | 58 min | Documentary, History, War
Oliver Stone 's re-examination of under-reported events in American history.
Stars: Oliver Stone, Alan Shearman, Jim Ward, André Sogliuzzo
Votes: 9,710
12. 13th (2016)
TV-MA | 100 min | Documentary, Crime, History
An in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.
Director: Ava DuVernay | Stars: Melina Abdullah, Michelle Alexander, Cory Booker, Dolores Canales
Votes: 37,691
13. O.J.: Made in America (2016)
TV-MA | 467 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A chronicle of the rise and fall of O.J. Simpson, whose high-profile murder trial exposed the extent of American racial tensions, revealing a fractured and divided nation.
Director: Ezra Edelman | Stars: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mike Albanese, Muhammad Ali, Marcus Allen
Votes: 21,957
14. Night and Fog (1956)
TV-14 | 32 min | Documentary, Short, History
The history of Nazi Germany's death camps of the Final Solution and the hellish world of dehumanization and death contained inside.
Director: Alain Resnais | Stars: Michel Bouquet, Reinhard Heydrich, Heinrich Himmler, Adolf Hitler
Votes: 21,478
15. Inside Job (2010)
PG-13 | 109 min | Documentary, Crime
Takes a closer look at what brought about the 2008 financial meltdown.
Director: Charles Ferguson | Stars: Matt Damon, Gylfi Zoega, Andri Snær Magnason, Sigridur Benediktsdottir
Votes: 79,000 | Gross: $4.31M
16. The Battle of Chile: Part I (1975)
Not Rated | 97 min | Documentary, History
The chronicle of the political tension in Chile in 1973 and of the violent counter revolution against the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende.
Director: Patricio Guzmán | Stars: Abilio Fernández, Salvador Allende
Votes: 1,614
17. The Battle of Chile: Part II (1976)
Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary, History
Filmmaker Patricio Guzmán tracks the deterioration of Salvador Allende's position following the attempted coup d'état of 29 June 1973, and analyzes the 10 weeks before Augusto Pinochet's CIA-backed seizure of power.
Director: Patricio Guzmán | Stars: Salvador Allende, Carlos Altamirano, Fernando Castillo, Luis Corvalán
Votes: 1,283
18. The Battle of Chile: Part III (1979)
80 min | Documentary, History
This film investigates the factory worker's response to the insurrection, as well as Chile's socialist aspirations for the future. The camera captures the optimism in the industrial working class before Pinochet's US-backed coup d'état.
Director: Patricio Guzmán | Stars: Salvador Allende, Abilio Fernández, Ernesto Malbran
Votes: 1,041
19. Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood (2008)
66 min | Documentary, Family, Fantasy
Consuming Kids throws desperately needed light on the practices of a relentless multi-billion dollar marketing machine that now sells kids and their parents everything from junk food and ... See full summary »
Directors: Adriana Barbaro, Jeremy Earp | Stars: Daniel Acuff, Enola Aird, Michael Brody, George W. Bush
Votes: 592
20. The Spanish Civil War (1983– )
315 min | Documentary, History, War
Documentary series which uses film and eyewitness accounts from both sides of the conflict that divided Spain in the years leading up to World War Two, also placing it in its international context.
Stars: Frank Finlay, Enrique Lister, Ramón Serrano Súñer, Narcís Julián
Votes: 196
21. American Experience (1987– )
TV-PG | 120 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A series showcasing documentaries on American history.
Stars: David McCullough, David Ogden Stiers, Michael Murphy, Oliver Platt
Votes: 2,206
22. The French Revolution (2005 TV Movie)
100 min | Documentary, History
Documentary about the bloody beginning, bloodier middle and unceremonious end of the French Revolution, an event that ended in blood the reign of kings in France and laid the foundation for a new - republican - system of government.
Director: Doug Shultz | Stars: Edward Herrmann, George Ivascu, Rodica Lazar, Tomi Cristin
Votes: 336
23. A Huey P. Newton Story (2001 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
The story of how the radical Huey P. Newton developed the Black Panther Party based on his 10-point program for social reform.
Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Roger Guenveur Smith, Rahum Brown, Brenda Lee, Georgina Ransley
Votes: 852
24. American Masters (1985– )
TV-14 | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Documentary series focusing on great American artists and personalities.
Stars: Martin Scorsese, Peter Bogdanovich, Tony Bennett, Dick Cavett
Votes: 1,173
25. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
R | 120 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama
Filmmaker Michael Moore explores the roots of America's predilection for gun violence.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, Charlton Heston, Marilyn Manson, Salvador Allende
Votes: 148,774 | Gross: $21.58M
26. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
PG | 96 min | Documentary
Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim follows Al Gore on the lecture circuit, as the former presidential candidate campaigns to raise public awareness of the dangers of global warming and calls for immediate action to curb its destructive effects on the environment.
Director: Davis Guggenheim | Stars: Al Gore, Billy West, George Bush, George W. Bush
Votes: 85,230 | Gross: $23.81M
27. Let It Be (1970)
G | 81 min | Documentary, Music
The filmed account of The Beatles' attempt to recapture their old group spirit by making a back to basics album, which instead drove them further apart.
Director: Michael Lindsay-Hogg | Stars: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr
Votes: 6,586 | Gross: $1.06M
28. The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2009)
Not Rated | 92 min | Documentary
An exploration of the life and work of Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, former Marine and military strategist, who was responsible for the publication of secret government documents that revealed the truth behind America's involvement in Vietnam.
Directors: Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith | Stars: Peter Arnett, Ben Bagdikian, Ann Beeson, John Dean
Votes: 2,421 | Gross: $0.45M
29. Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day (2012)
Not Rated | 124 min | Documentary, Music
A concert documentary of Led Zeppelin's December 10, 2007 tribute performance for Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun.
Director: Dick Carruthers | Stars: Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Jason Bonham
Votes: 2,695
30. The Monday Night War: WWE vs. WCW (2014– )
Documentary, Sport
A documentary about the period in sports entertainment, known as the Monday Night Wars. Includes interviews with past and present on-air personalities. Also includes looking back on ... See full summary »
Stars: Keith David, Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, Phil Brooks
Votes: 552
31. The Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling (1999 TV Movie)
100 min | Documentary, Action, Sport
Director: Chris Mortensen | Stars: Dusty Rhodes, Dan Gable, Dallas Page, Jerry Lawler
Votes: 191
32. 30 for 30 Shorts (2012– )
Documentary, Short
Inspired by ESPN's anniversary, ESPN Films' 30 for 30 is an unprecedented documentary series featuring films from some of today's finest storytellers. Each filmmaker brings their passion ... See full summary »
Stars: Ray Van Ness III, Andrew Jenks, Bill Lee, Alma Warren
Votes: 253
33. 30 for 30 (2009– )
TV-G | 60 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A collection of documentary films focused on sports.
Stars: Brent Musburger, Chuck D, Larry Bird, William C. Rhoden
Votes: 5,550
34. Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006)
86 min | Documentary, History
Featuring never-before-seen footage, this documentary delivers a startling new look at the Peoples Temple, headed by preacher Jim Jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to Guyana, where he orchestrated a mass suicide via tainted punch.
Director: Stanley Nelson | Stars: Rebecca Moore, Janet Shular, Tim Carter, Stanley Clayton
Votes: 5,642
35. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004)
TV-PG | 214 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
The story of Jack Johnson, the first African-American Heavyweight boxing champion.
Director: Ken Burns | Stars: Jack Johnson, Keith David, Samuel L. Jackson, Adam Arkin
Votes: 1,691
36. Hoop Dreams (1994)
PG-13 | 170 min | Documentary, Drama, Sport
A film following the lives of two inner-city Chicago boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional.
Director: Steve James | Stars: William Gates, Arthur Agee, Emma Gates, Curtis Gates
Votes: 28,029 | Gross: $7.83M
37. Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987)
R | 93 min | Documentary, Comedy
Eddie Murphy in a stand-up performance recorded live. For an hour and a half he talks about his favourite subjects: sex and women.
Director: Robert Townsend | Stars: Eddie Murphy, Tatyana Ali, Billie Allen, Clebert Ford
Votes: 20,745 | Gross: $50.50M
38. Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982)
R | 77 min | Documentary, Comedy, Musical
The Monty Python troupe perform a combination of classic sketches and new material at the Hollywood Bowl.
Directors: Terry Hughes, Ian MacNaughton | Stars: John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman
Votes: 15,773 | Gross: $0.33M
39. Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982)
R | 82 min | Documentary, Comedy
Richard Pryor performs his stand-up comedy act on the Sunset Strip.
Director: Joe Layton | Stars: Richard Pryor, Gene Cross, Julie Hampton, Jesse Jackson
Votes: 4,404 | Gross: $36.30M
40. Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979)
Not Rated | 78 min | Documentary, Comedy
Richard Pryor's classic 1979 concert film has him discussing a wide range of topics, including race, the police and his favorite target -- himself.
Director: Jeff Margolis | Stars: Richard Pryor, Patti LaBelle, Huey P. Newton, Jennifer Lee Pryor
Votes: 5,815 | Gross: $30.00M
41. Eddie Murphy: Delirious (1983 TV Special)
Not Rated | 69 min | Comedy
Eddie Murphy's raunchy, raucous stand-up comedy routine is captured for posterity on this tape.
Director: Bruce Gowers | Stars: Eddie Murphy, James Argiro, Gus Loundermon, Brian O'Neal
Votes: 18,498
42. The Song Remains the Same (1976)
PG | 137 min | Documentary, Music
The line forms here for the world's greatest and possibly most influential band--Led Zeppelin. This mesmerizing movie built around Zep's famed 1973 concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden is convincing proof why.
Directors: Peter Clifton, Joe Massot | Stars: Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham
Votes: 9,040
43. That's Entertainment! (1974)
G | 135 min | Documentary, Family, Musical
Various MGM stars from yesteryear present their favorite musical moments from the studio's 50-year history.
Director: Jack Haley Jr. | Stars: Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Bing Crosby, Peter Lawford
Votes: 5,434 | Gross: $26.89M
44. Elvis: That's the Way It Is (1970)
PG | 97 min | Documentary, Music
After years of making movies, the King made a triumphant return to the stage in 1970. Now, see the backstage footage from rehearsals to relaxing at the hotel and the performances in one of the most intimate looks at Elvis captured on film.
Director: Denis Sanders | Stars: Elvis Presley, James Burton, Glen D. Hardin, Charlie Hodge
Votes: 3,249
45. Hitler's Circle of Evil (2018)
TV-14 | 52 min | Documentary, Biography, History
This is the story of the rise and fall of the Third Reich told like the drama it really was: through the personal relationships of the movers and shakers of the Nazi Party.
Stars: Guy Walters, Alisdair Simpson, Jay Osborne, Michael Lynch
Votes: 5,069
46. The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971)
Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A chronicle of Fred Hampton's revolutionary leadership of the Illinois Black Panther Party, followed by an investigation into his assassination at the hands of the Chicago Police Department.
Director: Howard Alk | Stars: Skip Andrew, Edward Carmody, James Davis, Rennie Davis
Votes: 555
47. The Arrival of a Train (1896)
Not Rated | 1 min | Documentary, Short
A train arrives at La Ciotat station.
Directors: Auguste Lumière, Louis Lumière | Stars: Madeleine Koehler, Marcel Koehler, Mrs. Auguste Lumiere, Jeanne-Joséphine Lumière
Votes: 12,878
48. Cuba: The Forgotten Revolution (2015 TV Movie)
90 min | Documentary, History
A deconstruction of the known history of the Cuban revolution.
Director: Glenn Gebhard | Star: Rita Moreno
Votes: 61
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