The Secret Policeman benefit shows for Amnesty International brought together comedy grand masters – from Python and Beyond the Fringe – and performers then relatively unknown, like Rowan Atkinson. Narrated by Dawn French, the programme includes interviews with many of the comedians and musicians who took part: John Cleese, Stephen Fry, Michael Palin, Sting, Lenny Henry and many more. The shows and their stars had a huge effect on modern British comedy. There are few comics today whose careers have not been heavily influenced by the anarchic and surreal humour of these events.
Category: Documentary
Documentary
-
Looking for Fidel
Oliver Stone’s second documentary on/interview with Fidel Castro specifically addresses his country’s recent crackdown on Cuban dissidents; namely, the execution of three men who hijacked a ferry to the United States.
-
High Roller: The Bob Perry Story
By age 12 Bob Perry was one of the best bowlers in the country. He was set to compete at the World’s Fair in 1964 in Queens. Two days before, Bob was hit in the face with a mallet and crushed the side of his head. He lost permanent vision in his left eye. Bob trained himself to bowl with one eye and by 18 has was bowling at a 220 average, an average that was unheard of in 1970. Follow Bob Perry’s rollercoaster career though the Mafia and drugs, with an in-depth look at one of bowling’s finest.
-
Ronin: Filming in the Fast Lane
A behind-the-scenes featurette that focuses on John Frankenheimer’s approach to the 1998 film “Ronin.”
-
Disaster at Chernobyl
The explosion at Chernobyl was ten times worse than the Hiroshima bomb and was due to a combination of human error and imperfect technology. An account of the sixty critical minutes prior to the explosion of the nuclear power plant on the night of April 26, 1986.
-
Superstar in a Housedress: The Life and Legend of Jackie Curtis
Andy Warhol described Jackie Curtis as “A pioneer without a frontier.” In this biographical documentary, Curtis’s co-workers and friends speak of her work and her influence, along with clips from Curtis’s Warhol films as well as never-before-seen footage from her stage shows.
-
George Michael: A Different Story
It follows Michael’s life from joining Wham! in 1981, to the present-day covering his career as a solo artist including personal and professional gain and loss. The film is a British venture produced by Aegean Films with Gorilla Entertainment Limited serving as distributor.
-
The Story of Star Wars
The Skywalker family is at the heart of the Star Wars saga. Now hear the inside story of Luke and Anakin Skywalker from the characters who witnessed it all: the famous droid duo C-3PO and R2-D2. Episodes IV,V and VI are explored in “The Story of Luke Skywalker,” which follows the young man escaping from his daily chores on Tatooine to his becoming a hero in the Rebal Alliance. In “The Story of Anakin Skywalker,” you’ll go behind the mask of the greatest Star Wars villain and discover how Darth Vader started life as a young Podracing Champ on Tatooine and later became a headstrong young Jedi seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. With clips from the Star Wars films, C-3PO and R2-D2 take you on an hour-long journey through the saga and prepare you for the explosive final chapter: Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.
-
Danger Zone: The Making of Top Gun
A comprehensive 6-part documentary on the making of “Top Gun” featuring all-new interviews with the cast and crew. Available on Disc 2 of the “Top Gun” 2-Disc Special Collector’s Edition DVD.
-
The Alamo Documentary: A True Story of Courage
On March 6, 1836 the 13-day siege of the Alamo ended. Among the dead were three men destined to become martyrs and heroes: David Crockett, James Bowie and William B. Travis. Though considered a “small affair” at the time by victorious Mexican commander, General Santa Anna, the Alamo would take its place in history as a key battle of the Texas Revolution. Cries of Remember the Alamo! would eventually fuel an American victory over Mexico.