Documentaries - Educational
by perezion48 | created - 05 Oct 2019 | updated - 24 Feb 2020 | PublicPBS,BBC,Nature,HistoryChannel,ZDF,SBS,Channel4,Discovery,Science
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1. The Hobbit Enigma (2008 TV Movie)
52 min | Documentary
The Hobbit Enigma examines one of the greatest controversies in science today: just what did scientists really find when they uncovered the tiny, human-like skeleton of a strange creature ... See full summary »
Directors: Simon Nasht, Annamaria Talas
Votes: 33
2. The Pilgrims (2015 TV Movie)
PG | 90 min | Documentary
Arguably one of the most fateful and resonant events of the last half millennium, the Pilgrims' journey west across the Atlantic in the early 17th century is a seminal, if often misunderstood episode of American and world history.
Director: Ric Burns | Stars: Sue Allan, Bernard Bailyn, Michael Braddick, Marge Bruchac
Votes: 157
3. The Pantry Ghost Documentary (2013 Video)
Not Rated | 41 min | Documentary, Short, Horror
A California family filmed strange occurrences in their home. we investigated to get the full story and never before seen footage of the first documented spirit entity ever captured on film.
Director: Will Kessler | Stars: Gary Ruebsamen, Arianna Lee, Jody Lee, Penny Palmer
Votes: 236
4. Bluefin (2016)
TV-14 | 53 min | Documentary
Endangered giant bluefin tuna have returned to Prince Edward Island, Canada in surprising abundance after a complete disappearance from overfishing. But something strange is going on. Normally wary tuna no longer fear humans.
Director: John Hopkins | Stars: Carl Safina, Brian Skerry, Boris Worm
Votes: 120
5. The Last Reef (2012)
Not Rated | 40 min | Documentary, Short, Family
From the Academy-Award nominated creators of the Broadway show STOMP and the award-winning film Wild Ocean, The Last Reef is an uplifting, inspirational large-format and 3D cinema ... See full summary »
Directors: Luke Cresswell, Steve McNicholas
Votes: 349
6. Desperate Crossing - The True Story of the Mayflower (2006)
TV-PG | 180 min | History
An in-depth dramatization of the story of the Pilgrims
Director: Lisa Quijano Wolfinger | Stars: Nicholas Asbury, Christopher Haas, Keith Bartlett, Paul Drinan
Votes: 135
7. Jamestown Unearthed (2007 TV Movie)
57 min | History
Take a look at how history is written and reevaluated as new methods of study are introduced. Using the example of Jamestown in 1607, explore the myths and misconceptions of that era: ... See full summary »
Director: Michael Durling | Stars: Lindsay Grand, Davia Grant, Martin Harcourt, James Horn
Votes: 9
8. Apocalypse: The Second World War (2009)
TV-MA | 60 min | Documentary, History, War
This six-part series traces the Second World War, from the rise of the Nazis to the surrender of the Japanese, with detailed portraits of key figures.
Stars: Mathieu Kassovitz, Martin Sheen, Rudolf Hess
Votes: 14,292
9. The Force (2017)
92 min | Documentary
THE FORCE goes inside an embattled urban police department struggling to rebuild trust in one of America's most violent yet promising cities.
Director: Peter Nicks | Stars: Cat Brooks, Jonathan Cairo, Ben McBride, Johnna Watson
Votes: 737 | Gross: $0.06M
10. Napoleon (2015– )
52 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Historian Andrew Roberts travels the world retracing the footsteps of Napoleon on the approach to the two hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.
Stars: Andrew Roberts, David Sibley, Stephane Cornicard, Philippe Smolikowski
Votes: 108
11. Napoleon (2000– )
240 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Documentary about the rise and fall of one of the greatest military geniuses of modern times from his Corsican childhood to final exile in St. Helena.
Star: David McCullough
Votes: 406
12. City Beneath the Waves: Pavlopetri (2011)
60 min | Documentary
Just off the southern coast of mainland Greece lies the oldest submerged city in the world. It thrived for 2,000 years during the time that saw the birth of western civilisation. An ... See full summary »
Director: Paul Olding | Stars: Peter Campbell, Philip Glenister, Jon Henderson
Votes: 44
13. Requiem for the American Dream (2015)
Not Rated | 73 min | Documentary, Biography, News
Renowned academic and author Noam Chomsky elucidates 10 principles of concentration of wealth and power that have led to unprecedented inequality and the hollowing out of the American middle class.
Directors: Peter D. Hutchison, Kelly Nyks, Jared P. Scott | Stars: Noam Chomsky, Alan Greenspan, Malcolm X, Richard Nixon
Votes: 9,886 | Gross: $0.13M
14. Racing Extinction (2015)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary, Adventure, News
A documentary that follows undercover activists trying to stave off a man-made mass extinction.
Director: Louie Psihoyos | Stars: Elon Musk, Joel Sartore, Louie Psihoyos, Charles Hambleton
Votes: 8,195
15. Before the Flood (2016)
PG | 96 min | Documentary, News
A look at how climate change affects our environment and what society can do to prevent the demise of endangered species, ecosystems and native communities across the planet.
Director: Fisher Stevens | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ban Ki-moon, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mike Brune
Votes: 28,871
16. To the Ends of the Earth (2016)
82 min | Documentary
Emma Thompson narrates this environmental documentary about the rise of extreme energy, the end of economic growth and the people caught in the middle.
Director: David Lavallee | Star: Emma Thompson
Votes: 31
17. Our Planet (2019–2023)
TV-PG | 50 min | Documentary
Explores and unravels the mystery of how and why animals migrate, showing some of the most dramatic and compelling stories in the natural world through spectacular and innovative cinematography.
Star: David Attenborough
Votes: 51,177
18. The Age of Consequences (2016)
TV-PG | 80 min | Documentary, History, News
This Emmy® nominated investigation unpacks how climate change interacts with migration, unrest and conflict through the lens of US national security.
Director: Jared P. Scott | Stars: Michael Breen, Sharon Burke, Stephen Cheney, Francesco Femia
Votes: 254
19. Six Degrees Could Change the World (2008 TV Movie)
96 min | Documentary
The film runs through the effect each degree in temperature change has on the world.
Director: Ron Bowman | Stars: Alec Baldwin, Richard Betts, Duarte Borba, Jamais Cascio
Votes: 389
20. The 11th Hour (I) (2007)
PG | 95 min | Documentary
A look at the state of the global environment including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems.
Directors: Leila Conners, Nadia Conners | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kenny Ausubel, Thom Hartmann, Wangari Maathai
Votes: 5,908 | Gross: $0.70M
21. The Hundred Years' War (2013)
60 min | Documentary, History
This 3 part series explains the various strategies and battles between the French and English in the Hundred Years' War that took place between the 14 th and 15 th centuries. The host has a... See full summary »
Stars: Janina Ramirez, François Neveux, Nigel Saul, Matthew Strickland
Votes: 81
22. Secrets of Great British Castles (2015–2016)
TV-PG | 45 min | Documentary, History
Historian Dan Jones explores the millennium of history behind six of Great Britain's most famous castles: Warwick, Dover, Caernarfon, the Tower of London, Carrickfergus, and Stirling.
Stars: Dan Jones, Christophe Lombardi, Jay Dee, Ronald Hutton
Votes: 1,235
23. Last Will & Testament (2012)
TV-PG | 85 min | Documentary, Mystery
This documentary explores the ongoing debate about the authorship of the works attributed to Shakespeare. Writers and critics, actors and scholars, including Mark Twain, Sigmund Freud, ... See full summary »
Directors: Laura Wilson, Lisa Wilson | Stars: Jonathan Bate, Charles Beauclerk, William Boyle, Michael Cecil
Votes: 293
24. The Story of Ireland (2011– )
59 min | Documentary
Showcases Irish history, charting the origin and impact of the myths that have been passed off as history in the past.
Stars: Fergal Keane, Roy Foster, Tom Ó Loughlin, Donnchadh O'Corrain
Votes: 72
25. Saxon Hoard: A Golden Discovery (2012 TV Movie)
59 min | Documentary
Directors: Dominic Carveley, Neil Leighton | Stars: Dan Snow, Janina Ramirez, Debbie Klemperer, Fred Johnson
Votes: 15
26. Illuminations: The Private Lives of Medieval Kings (2012– )
177 min | Documentary, History
Through this three part series Art Historian Dr Janina Ramirez tells the story of the Medieval monarchy as preserved through stunning illuminated manuscripts from the British Library's ... See full summary »
Stars: Janina Ramirez, Scot McKendrick, Ian Mortimer, Jeremy Ashbee
Votes: 38
27. The Viking Sagas (2011 TV Movie)
59 min | Documentary
When we think of the roots of European civilization it's to Greece and Rome that our thoughts turn. But there is a culture whose effect may be even more profound. Hundreds of years ago in ... See full summary »
Director: Ashley Gething | Stars: Janina Ramirez, Sigurdur Atlason, Vilborg Davíðsdóttir, Benedikt Erlingsson
Votes: 48
28. Digging for Britain (2010– )
TV-14 | 59 min | Documentary
Dr Alice Roberts visits archaeological excavations around the UK, linking together the results of digs and investigations the length and breadth of the country to build up a picture of the year in British archaeology.
Stars: Alice Roberts, Stuart Prior, Cat Jarman, Onyeka Nubia
Votes: 225
29. Empire (2012– )
Not Rated | 303 min | Documentary, History
Written and presented by English broadcaster, journalist, and author Jeremy Paxman, this richly detailed documentary follows the rise of the British Empire. At its height, the small island ... See full summary »
Stars: Jeremy Paxman, Michael Palin, Ashley Jackson, Sadiq Al-Mahdi
Votes: 166
30. A History of Ancient Britain (2011–2012)
TV-G | 60 min | Documentary
Neil Oliver tells the epic story of how Britain and its people came to be over thousands of years of ancient history - the beginnings of our world forged in ice, stone, and bronze.
Stars: Neil Oliver, Alison Sheridan, Francis Pryor, Paul Bahn
Votes: 240
31. Britain's Ancient Capital: Secrets of Orkney (2017)
59 min | Documentary, History
Neil Oliver, Chris Packham, Andy Torbet and Dr Shini Somara follow the work of archaeologists from around the world who are working on one of Europe's largest digs that is reshaping the map of Stone Age Britain.
Stars: Neil Oliver, Chris Packham, Shini Somara, Andy Torbet
Votes: 58
32. A History of Scotland (2008–2009)
60 min | Documentary, History
A documentary charting the birth and growth of the Scottish nation.
Stars: Neil Oliver, Scott Glynn, James Fleming, Grace Beagan
Votes: 371
33. The Normans (2010)
Not Rated | 58 min | Documentary, History
British history professor Robert Bartlett explains, mainly on historical sites and illustrated with authentic artifacts, the eventful history of the Normans, some of the Norse men (Vikings)... See full summary »
Star: Robert Bartlett
Votes: 266
34. The Art of Scandinavia (2016)
Documentary
An examination of the relationship between art, history and landscape in Norway, Denmark and Sweden from the Middle Ages to the present.
Stars: Andrew Graham-Dixon, Søren Malling, Alexander Ahndoril, Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril
Votes: 122
35. Blood of the Vikings (2001– )
TV-14 | Documentary
The Vikings were an ambitious, daring and frightening people who left an indelible mark on the British psyche. Yet archaeology has revealed very little about their time in Britain and even ... See full summary »
Stars: Birthe Kjølbye-Biddle, Martin Biddle, Julian Richards, Tinna Damgaard-Sørensen
Votes: 84
36. London: 2000 Years of History (2019)
Documentary
Historians Dan Jones and Dr Suzannah Lipscomb and engineer Rob Bell explore how London faced daring invasions, catastrophic fires and deadly plague. Also, how it grew from a small Roman ... See full summary »
Stars: Dan Jones, Suzannah Lipscomb, Rob Bell, Jelena Bekvalac
Votes: 120
37. The Victorians (2009– )
59 min | Documentary
Jeremy Paxman, presenter of the BBC's current affairs program Newsnight examines the life and times of the Victorian era. In the first program he focuses on the styles of Victorian artists ... See full summary »
Stars: Jeremy Paxman, Ian Maine, Alasdair Bruce, Conrad Varley
Votes: 73
38. Henry VII: Winter King (2013 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 59 min | History
Author Thomas Penn takes an extraordinary journey into the dark and chilling world of the first Tudor King, Henry VII. From his victory over Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth, to his ... See full summary »
Directors: Giulia Clark, Stuart Elliott | Stars: Thomas Penn, Barry Cook, Shawn Cunningham
Votes: 195
39. Pioneer Quest: A Year in the Real West (2000– )
60 min | History, Reality-TV
Two couples assume the lives of early settlers to the West. Using only the resources and tools of the period, they will attempt to build homes, raise livestock, hunt and grow crops.
Stars: Tom Anniko, Brian Hartigan, Alana Logie, Frank Logie
Votes: 216
40. Citizen K (2019)
Not Rated | 126 min | Documentary
The strange case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once believed to be the wealthiest man in Russia, who rocketed to prosperity and prominence in the 1990s, served a decade in prison, and became an unlikely martyr for the anti-Putin movement.
Director: Alex Gibney | Stars: Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Vladimir Putin, Leonid Nevzlin, Boris Berezovsky
Votes: 1,606
41. Britain's Bloody Crown (2016– )
Not Rated | Drama, History
Using a combination of documentary and drama, historian Dan Jones tells the story of the War of the Roses - the 30 year civil war between the House of York and House of Lancaster that saw the crown change hands seven times.
Stars: Dan Jones, James Oliver Wheatley, Steffan Boje, Tom Durant Pritchard
Votes: 367
42. Washington (2020)
253 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
The life story of George Washington, the first President of the United States.
Stars: Jeff Daniels, Joanne Freeman, Alan Taylor, Joseph Ellis
Votes: 1,076
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