Documentaries
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- StarsDavid McCulloughDocumentary 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.
- StarsJohn RomerJohn Romer recreates the glory and history of Byzantium. From the Hagia Sophia in present-day Istanbul to the looted treasures of the empire now located in St. Marks in Venice.
- StarsLyall B. WatsonMichael SheenJames D'ArcyA docu-drama covering the rise and the fall of the Roman world, including the establishment of strong individual rule by Julius Caesar and the rebuilding of Rome under Nero.
- StarsJeremy PaxmanIan MaineAlasdair BruceJeremy 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 and their stark contrast between the dreams and nightmares of the age. Victorian artists painted cozy, opulent interiors of domestic happiness without any of the hardships of the poor. Many artists however rebelled against this in the mid Victorian era and painted what happened was happening to the unfortunates and the destitute and depict the dark, lingering fears and anxieties that threatened too destroy the calm of home which the Victorians had insulated themselves with.
- StarsMark RylanceChe CartwrightSherwin NulandAn exploration of the life of Leonardo da Vinci.
- DirectorGary ForemanStarsMark D. HutterSally E. BennettDave FagerbergElaborate reenactments are juxtaposed with comments by historians in this glossy review of America's "Second War of Independence" against Britain (1812-15). Included: the causes of the conflict; American designs on Canada; the burning of Washington D.C.; the Battle of New Orleans. Edward Herrmann narrates.
- StarsStephen LangDonna MurphyEdward HerrmannSix-hour documentary on the American Revolution, from the passage of the Stamp Act (1765) through the ratification of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights (1789). In addition to narration and interviews with historians, the series uses re-enactments of military engagements and excerpts from letters, diaries and other documents of the period, spoken by actors.
- StarsClancy BrownThomas BurnsMichael KulikowskiThis 4 part series documents the history of the Vikings, Goths, Mongols, and Huns.
- StarsCampbell ScottH.W. BrandsMark CubanRockefeller, Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Astor, Ford and Morgan. Their names are part of history and synonymous with the American dream. These men transformed every industry they touched: oil, rail, steel, shipping, automobiles, and finance.
- StarsTony CallDan BittnerGeoffrey CantorTHIRD REICH: THE RISE & FALL tells the story of Hitler's Germany through rarely seen films of the people who were there. Immersive and evocative, it takes viewers inside the Germany of the 20s, 30s, and early 40s, through the use of rare and never-before-seen home movies, Nazi propaganda films and other contemporaneous material. The narrative consists of personal recollections culled from German's diaries, journals and letters. The end result is an intimate, richly nuanced and authentic portrait of the Third Reich and its people.
- StarsMichael RedgraveRalph RichardsonEmlyn WilliamsOne of the greatest achievements of television -broadcast from 1964 in 26 episodes. Use of extensive archive footage and sound effects, linked with contemporary classic music of that area. Concentrated by the commentaries by Michael Redgrave, and some of the finest male actors of the twentieth century. Still manages to be breathtaking despite the lack of special effects or modern gimmicks.
- StarsJonathan LewisVoja TankosicAndrée BernardA comprehensive survey of the history of World War I.
- StarsLiam NeesonNigel SpiveyVictor Davis HansonA documentary, narrated by actor Liam Neeson, that chronicles the rise and fall of the civilization of ancient Greece.
- StarsAndrew MarrPierre MaraisJoe VazAndrew Marr's History of the World is a 2012 BBC documentary television series presented by Andrew Marr that covers 70,000 years of world history from the beginning of human civilisation, as African nomadic peoples spread out around the world and settled down to become the first farmers, up to the twentieth century.
- StarsAndrew MarrAndrew Marr presents a history of Britain from the end of the Second World War to the start of the third millennium.
- DirectorDavid FranceStarsKurt WolfeSue YackaCatherine Shugrue Dos SantosVictoria Cruz investigates the mysterious 1992 death of black gay rights activist and Stonewall veteran, Marsha P. Johnson. Using archival interviews with Johnson, and new interviews with Johnson's family, friends and fellow activists.
- DirectorDylan Mohan GrayStarsZackie AchmatPeter MugyenyiBill ClintonAn intricate tale of "medicine, monopoly and malice", FIRE IN THE BLOOD tells the story of how Western pharmaceutical companies and governments blocked access to low-cost AIDS drugs for the countries of the global south in the years after 1996 - causing ten million or more unnecessary deaths - and the improbable group of people who decided to fight back. Shot on four continents and including contributions from global figures such as Bill Clinton, Desmond Tutu and Joseph Stiglitz, FIRE IN THE BLOOD is the never-before-told true story of the remarkable coalition which came together to stop 'the crime of the century' and save millions of lives in the process.
- StarsFrancis Ford CoppolaSteven SpielbergMeryl StreepThe wartime contributions of five prominent Hollywood film directors during World War II are profiled.
- DirectorMary DoreStarsChude Pamela AllenAltaJudith ArcanaA documentary that resurrects the buried history of the outrageous, often brilliant women who founded the modern women's movement from 1966 to 1971.
- DirectorJohn ScheinfeldStarsDenzel WashingtonReggie WorkmanRavi ColtraneAn exploration of the global power and impact of the music of John Coltrane where the passions, experiences and forces that shaped his life and revolutionary sounds are revealed.
- DirectorRobert GordonMorgan NevilleStarsGore VidalWilliam F. BuckleyDick CavettA documentary on the series of televised debates in 1968 between liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley.
- DirectorLiz GarbusStarsNina SimoneLisa Simone KellyRoger NupieA documentary about the life and legend Nina Simone, an American singer, pianist, and civil rights activist labeled the "High Priestess of Soul."
- DirectorKasper CollinStarsLee MorganHelen MorganWayne ShorterAn exploration of the relationship between jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan and his common-law wife Helen, who was implicated in his murder in 1972.
- DirectorPetra EpperleinMichael TuckerStarsChrista EpperleinPetra EpperleinUwe EpperleinA filmmaker journey through the former East Germany looking into her father's 1999 suicide.
- DirectorNick BroomfieldStarsThe Notorious B.I.G.Tupac ShakurNick BroomfieldDocumentary on the deaths of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls and the East Coast/West Coast, hip-hop/rap rivalry that culminated in late 1996 and early 1997.
- StarsDavid McCulloughSam WaterstonJulie HarrisA comprehensive survey of the American Civil War.
- StarsLaurence OlivierAverell HarrimanAnthony EdenA groundbreaking 26-part documentary series narrated by the actor Laurence Olivier about the deadliest conflict in history, World War II.
- StarsPeter CoyoteHuy DucJames WillbanksA comprehensive history of the United States' involvement in the bitterly divisive armed conflict in Southeast Asia.
- StarsMathieu KassovitzMartin SheenRudolf HessThis 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.
- StarsKeith DavidKatharine PhillipsTom HanksA seven-part series focusing on the many ways in which the Second World War impacted the lives of American families.
- StarsTerry JonesPeter BarberFaye GetzTerry Jones hosts this series that looks at the real facts about the Middle Ages and its roots.
- StarsTerry JonesMarcello WaltonKammy DarweishTerry Jones presents the history of the medieval religious wars in the middle-east known as the Crusades.
- StarsGary SiniseCharles ScheffelRon LivingstonFollow the lives of soldiers who lived World War II, through previously unseen color footage.
- StarsKenneth BranaghHarry PatchHubert WilliamsDocumentary using computer colorized footage from World War I to give the audience the feel of how it really looked back during the war.
- StarsLucy WorsleyJanet HartleySimon DixonBritish historian Lucy Worsley travels to Russia to investigate the 300-year reign of the Romanov dynasty.
- StarsJames BurkeKenneth KendallBruce BoaFollow James Burke through the history of science and technology in this collection of 10 1-hour episodes, starting with "The Trigger Effect."
- StarsJames BurkeRoger AvonPeter SprouleJames Burke explores key moments in Western History where new knowledge in science changed the way the modern Western world thinks.
- StarsKenneth ClarkIan RichardsonRonald LaceySir Kenneth Clarke walks through the ages exploring the glorious rise of civilization in Western man.
- StarsSimon SchamaMichael KitchenSamuel WestA comprehensive historical survey of the British Isles.
- StarsSimon SchamaAllan CordunerPaul PopplewellFocusing on eight iconic works of art, Power of Art reveals the history of visual imagination through the ages.
- StarsDavid StarkeyTony CottrellGerard HaylingA history of the English Crown from AD 400 to today.
- StarsDan JonesDragos OniseiAdina EadyDocudrama series with author Dan Jones. It follows the period from control freak king Henry II to the tyrant king Richard II.
- StarsNigel SpiveyVilayanur RamachandranStefano MariottiniDocumentary series looking at the influence of art on the current day situation of our society.
- StarsAdam CurtisRobert ReichAnn BernaysA documentary about the rise of psychoanalysis as a powerful means of persuasion for both governments and corporations.
- StarsJeremy PaxmanMichael PalinAshley JacksonWritten 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 nation ruled over a quarter of the world's population. Examining what is often considered a dark stain on British history, it shows how greed and a lust for power marginalized numerous groups across the Empire's vast expanse.
- StarsNeil OliverScott GlynnJames FlemingA documentary charting the birth and growth of the Scottish nation.
- A gripping and shocking documentary composed of numerous colorized archive footage. Apocalypse: Verdun takes us to the infamous and bloody battle of Verdun that occurred in February 1916, when World War I had been raging for two years.
- StarsMathieu KassovitzDoug RandThe rise of Stalin, from his early beginning as a bankrobber to the cold-blooded leader of the Soviet Union.
- StarsRichard LinternMathieu KassovitzDoug RandChronicles Hitler's life as a failed painter and far-right activist up to his election as Chancellor of Germany, leading to his relentless rise to power, culminating in the beginning of World War II.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsThomas AdlamWilliam ArgentJohn AshbyA documentary about World War I with never-before-seen footage to commemorate the centennial of the end of the war.
- StarsAndrew Graham-Dixon
- StarsRobert BartlettThe story of England's longest ruling dynasty, starting with Henry II and ending with Richard III.
- StarsJanina RamirezFrançois NeveuxNigel SaulThis 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 Doctorate in Cultural History and she visits the various towns and country area that were sites for events. The host is very articulate and passionate and with a pleasing voice.
- StarsPeter GuinnessStephen BeckettBenjamin Till"Days That Shocked the World" is a British documentary television series that premiered on BBC Two on 17 September 2003 and ran for three series. Each 60-minute episode explores one or two major events in history through a combination of dramatization, archival footage and eyewitness accounts.
- StarsWaldemar JanuszczakShaun GreenhalghChristianity slowly emerged from being a persecuted minority to the state religion of the Roman Empire. This episode is a history of the ways believers grappled with a way to depict Jesus. Simple symbolic meaning developed into splendid art and churches.
- StarsRobin EllisSlobodan MilosevicFranjo TudjmanThis captivate documentary covers the struggles of the Yugoslavian people during the collapse of their country, and the subsequent wars to finally find hope with the signing of the Final Peace Accords.
- StarsSean Cameron MichaelScot CooperPaul HampshireSeries looking at history through the eyes of ordinary people. Rulers and royals, lords and ladies have all had their say down the centuries, what were the last 1,600 years like for everyday Britons?
- StarsMichael WoodGregory DoranRay FearonMichael Wood tours the English locations important to William Shakespeare as he explores the playwright and poet's life and work.
- StarsMark GatissJohn CarpenterMichael RobertsMark Gatiss examines the history of the horror film, from classic Hollywood monsters to Hammer's glory days and beyond.
- StarsAngela Palmer-HaibachDiarmaid MacCullochDiarmaid MacCulloch, an Oxford history professor, travels to historical points of interest relevant to Christianity discussing the origins and spread of Christianity in a span of 6 episodes.
- DirectorLisa AdesStarsHal BaumgartenMel BrooksMorton D. BrooksGI JEWS: Jewish Americans in World War II tells the story of the 550,000 Jewish American men and women who fought in World War II. In their own words, veterans both famous and unknown (from Hollywood director Mel Brooks to former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger) bring their war experiences to life: how they fought for for their nation and their people, struggled with anti-Semitism within their ranks, and emerged transformed, more powerfully American and more deeply Jewish.
- DirectorLeni RiefenstahlStarsSheigo AraiJack BeresfordRalf BerzsenyiThe document of the 1936 Olympics at Berlin, orchestrated as Nazi propaganda.
- DirectorJustin FolkStarsMatt WalshGert ComfreyMarci BowersPolitical commentator Matt Walsh explores the changing concepts of sex and gender in the digital age, particularly the transgender rights movement, anti-transgender bigotry, and what it means to be a woman.
- StarsNicholas DayDiane PurkissLiz GloynThis documentary series tells the stories that have gripped imaginations for centuries and reveals the fascinating and unexpected history behind them.
- StarsJacob BronowskiJoss AcklandRoy DotriceAn account of man's development through his scientific and technological achievements.
- StarsKenneth BranaghAnatoli DobryninRobert McNamaraA 24-part series which deals with the relations between the United States, the Soviet Union and their respective allies between the end of World War II to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
- StarsPeter CoyoteGeorge F. WillGeoffrey C. WardA documentary that weaves together the stories of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, three members of one of the most prominent and influential families in American politics.
- StarsMichael WoodChris BailyMichael Wood visits places and interviews experts all over India to cover the great chapters of the subcontinent's history.
- StarsLiam NeesonJoe MullinsNarrated by Liam Neeson, this landmark documentary tells the dramatic story of the events that took place in Dublin during Easter Week 1916, when a small group of Irish rebels took on the might of the British Empire.
- StarsDavid Ogden StiersKenneth JacksonMike WallaceExploration of New York City's rich history as a complex and dynamic city that has played an unparalleled role in shaping the nation and reflecting its ideals.
- StarsSean BarrettVeronika HyksEva HartSeries documenting the history of the twentieth century through the testimony of those who lived through it.
- StarsJames MasonColleen MooreByron HaskinThe history of the American film industry in Hollywood during the Silent era.
- StarsJim Al-KhaliliEliza SheaProfessor of physics Jim Al-Khalili investigates the most accurate and yet perplexing scientific theory ever - quantum physics.
- StarsMassimo MarinoniPeter GuinnessRoss KingFrom a small Italian community in 15th-century Florence, the Medici family would rise to rule Europe in many ways. Using charm, patronage, skill, duplicity and ruthlessness, they would amass unparalleled wealth and unprecedented power. They would also ignite the most important cultural and artistic revolution in Western history--the European Renaissance. But the forces of change the Medici helped unleash would one day topple their ordered world.
- StarsMichael WoodTao Tao LiuFrank ChingMichael Wood embarks on a great historical adventure, exploring the stories, people and landscapes that have helped create China's distinctive character and genius over four thousand years.
- StarsRageh OmaarTariq AliKaren ArmstrongA landmark documentary series examining the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the origins of Islamic faith.
- StarsWill LymanHenry KissingerWilliam C. WestmorelandAn in-depth look at the Vietnam War.
- StarsAlice RobertsNeil OliverMike LoadesThis three-part documentary discovers the origins and beliefs of the Celts in artifacts and human remains across Europe. What emerges is not a portrait of wild people on the western fringes of Europe, but a highly sophisticated tribal culture that influenced vast areas of the ancient world - and even Rome.
- StarsPaul RhysCharles HazlewoodDavid BamberA dramatized documentary on the life and music of Ludwig van Beethoven.
- StarsLucien Jean-BaptisteBirgitta AssheuerDavid GasmanA look back at years of largely unpunished violence committed from 1865 to the present day by the Ku Klux Klan, the "oldest terrorist group in the United States".
- StarsLucy WorsleyMichael KirkMathew PrichardThis documentary takes a look at some of the most horrible and despicable murders in modern British history. From Jack the Ripper in the 1880's to Agatha Christie's best known stories.
- StarsSimon Russell BealeEthan HawkeHarriet WalterVarious actors discuss Shakespeare plays. Each episode is presented by one actor and, in most cases, the actor discusses one play. However, some episodes cover more than one play. For example, all three "Henry plays" are presented together.
- StarsMichael WoodDocumentary series retracing the journey of Alexander the Great across sixteen countries.
- StarsMichael WoodJohn ChadwickColin RenfrewOver six hour-long programs, Michael Wood marshals the disparate strands of evidence to present as fully rounded a portrait as possible of both the historical and the legendary city of Troy, its central place in Western culture, and the Mycenaean Age itself. From Schliemann's initial cavalier bulldozing of the mound at Hisarlik, to Homer's epics, the Hittite Empire, and the role of slave women, Wood journeys back and forth across the Aegean and elsewhere, from a pre-unification Berlin to Liverpool, to illuminate the dawn of Western literature, myth, and history. Did the Trojan war ever happen, or was the city destroyed by natural causes? Wood doesn't claim to find a definitive answer, of course, but for the viewer it's rewarding enough simply to accompany him on this fascinating journey.
- StarsBettany HughesRay LonnenMargaret RobertsonA history of the ancient Spartans, featuring historian Bettany Hughes as presenter and narrator.
- StarsRichard StrattonTy HurleySam Shoubber"America's War on Drugs" is an immersive trip through the last five decades, uncovering how the CIA, obsessed with keeping America safe in the fight against communism, allied itself with the mafia and foreign drug traffickers.
- StarsPeter SnowDan SnowMax BollingerPeter Snow tells the stories of major battles of the 20th Century in the big picture, while his son, Dan, explores the details.
- StarsJoann FletcherChris NauntonGlenn GodenhoJoann Fletcher presents the extraordinary story of Ancient Egypt, from its beginnings to the great pyramid builders and on, to the last of the pharaohs.
- StarsLiev SchreiberSimon SchamaMaya JasanoffNine-part series telling the story of art from the dawn of human history to the present day, for the first time on a global scale. It is now nearly half a century since Kenneth Clark's series Civilisation thrilled audiences with its authoritative interpretation of the glories of Western art. Inspired by that groundbreaking program, this new series of Civilisations introduces a new generation to the great masterworks of beauty, ingenuity and illumination created across the continents. It explores the visual culture of societies from around the globe, revealing alongside the magnificent objects made in the West the wealth of treasures created by other cultures, from the landscape scrolls of classical China and the sculpture of the Olmecs to African bronzes, Japanese prints and Mughal miniatures. Told by three presenters, each bringing their own skills and perspectives to the series - Simon Schama, Mary Beard and David Olusoga.
- StarsPeter CoyoteJeff DanielsEdna O'BrienExplore the painstaking process through which Hemingway created some of the most important works of fiction in American letters.
- DirectorKen BurnsStarsKeith DavidKevin ConwayPhilip BoscoA biographical film about the acclaimed American humourist and author.
- StarsGwyneth PaltrowSam WaterstonMichael PottsA biographical film about The United States' influential and profoundly enigmatic Founding Father.
- StarsPeter CoyotePete HamillCatherine Gilbert MurdockThe story of the American activist struggle against the influence of alcohol, climaxing in the failed early 20th century nationwide era when it was banned.
- StarsPeter CoyoteMandy PatinkinJosh LucasExploring the life and work of writer and publisher, scientist and inventor, diplomat and signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution: Benjamin Franklin.
- StarsGraham SibleyStefan AdegbolaJenny SteadThrough a poverty-ridden childhood on the American frontier, Lincoln is determined to leave his mark on the world.
- StarsJustin SalingerFrancis ChoulerCarel NelThe documentary-series examines Ulysses S. Grant's life story using his perspective and experiences to explore a turbulent time in history: the Civil War and Reconstruction.
- CreatorMatthew GinsburgStarsJeff DanielsJoanne FreemanAlan TaylorThe life story of George Washington, the first President of the United States.