New York Times: The MovieA documentary filmmaker has taken up residence at the NYT to make a movie based around the paper’s media desk, documenting the journos’ depressing task of reporting on newspaper layoffs and closures, day-in, day-out.
Documentaries
Film review: This Is It
The documentary of Michael Jackson’s concert-that-never-was, This Is It might be smashing box office records around the world, but the film’s lack of commentary, insight and context will make it a struggle for most to sit through, says Luke Buckmaster. One for the fans.
Starsuckers: British tabloids caught in the act by filmmakers
The sewers of London’s tabloid newspapers are explored in a documentary film called Starsuckers Predictably, the silence of the tabloids has been deafening.
Video of the Day: Welcome to the most polluted place on earth
Take a trip to the coal-mining town of Linfen in Shanxi Province, China — the single most polluted place on earth. If you haven’t had your “Oh Shit” moment yet, this might just be it.
VIDEO: The Wizard of Oz munchkins: where are they now?
It’s been 70 years since the release of classic (and let’s face it, still slightly creepy) film The Wizard of Oz. Newsweek has tracked down the film’s five surviving “munchkins” to share some on-set memories.
VIDEO: The Vodka Wars: Russia vs. Poland
Vice magazine’s Ivar Berglin travels to Poland and Russia in a drunken journey to uncover the real origins of vodka.
Vogue and the chill of Wintour
Culture Mulcher reviews new film The September Issue a documentary about Vogue magazine and its notoriously icy editor, Anna Wintour.
The Rolling Stones’ Cocksucker Blues finally leaked online. What took so long?
The Rolling Stones’ banned 1972 documentary Cocksucker Blues has finally made its way on to the internet. A bizarre court order actually prevents the film from being shown unless director Robert Frank is physically present, but even so: it took 37 YEARS to leak?
Japan’s secret dolphin slaughter
A new documentary, The Cove, exposes the thriving but clandestine Japanese dolphin meat market. The film’s creators, photographer Louie Psihoyos and animal activist Ric O’Barry explain how they infiltrated the industry.
Liberal Rule: historical epoch or chapter of accidents?
Despite what you may have seen on SBS series Liberal Rule, the rise and fall of the Howard government did not represent big shifts in national sentiment, writes Charles Richardson.
MasterHistorian: Aussies learn their history off TV
Aussies love historical dramas, but historians need to get actively involved with film production — since it’s how the public is learning their history, writes Ruth Balint.
The curious rise of the “fan-doc”
Fans of films, TV shows, cartoons and more are sharing their love with the world by making documentaries about their obsessions. “When did an entire wave of budding documentarians decide to start making the equivalent of unsolicited DVD bonus features?” asks the A.V. Club.
Liberal Rule vs. The Howard Years
Does SBS’s new series Liberal Rule provide a better look back at the Howard government than the ABC’s The Howard Years? Peter Brent ranks the retrospectives.
Al Jazeera pulls West Papua doco
Al Jazeera’s English channel has decided not to air an Australian documentary on human rights abuses in the Indonesian province of West Papua. Did they cave in to pressure from the Indonesian government?
Michael Moore takes on the GFC
(In)famous doco maker Michael Moore has the economy in his sights. But there’s nothing particularly memorable about it, expect perhaps the trailer, says Luke Buckmaster.
Michael Moore’s next target: capitalism
Because the Right don’t quite hate him enough yet, film maker Michael Moore is planning to take on America’s entire economic structure in his next documentary.
Media briefs and TV ratings
Aunty continues to struggle with local drama as docos boom … Fitzsimmons to form husband/wife team at Today? … Last night’s TV ratings.
