Los Angeles Documentaries
by ericemiliorivera | created - 19 Aug 2021 | updated - 19 Aug 2021 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Wattstax (1973)
R | 103 min | Documentary, Comedy, Music
Documentary covering a Stax Records-sponsored all-day concert at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival with performances by Stax Records artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staples Singers, and more.
Director: Mel Stuart | Stars: The Dramatics, The Staple Singers, Kim Weston, Jimmy Jones
Votes: 1,089
2. 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: 4,868
3. 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: 4,313 | Gross: $0.37M
4. The Decline of Western Civilization Part III (1998)
R | 86 min | Documentary, Music
The Decline of Western Civilization III is a 1998 documentary film that follows the gutter punk lifestyle of homeless teenagers.
Director: Penelope Spheeris | Stars: Flea, Keith Morris, Eyeball, Myke Chambers
Votes: 1,585
5. Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)
PG-13 | 91 min | Documentary, Sport
Documentary about the pioneering 1970s Zephyr skating team.
Director: Stacy Peralta | Stars: Sean Penn, Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Jeff Ament
Votes: 13,361 | Gross: $1.29M
6. Chain Camera (2001)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary
Chain Camera is a 2001 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick about the lives of Los Angeles high school students.
Director: Kirby Dick | Stars: Ethan Adagio, Silva Arzunyan, Stephanie De La Garza, Leo Diaz
Votes: 211
7. OT: Our Town (2002)
Not Rated | 76 min | Documentary
Dominguez High, in the infamous Compton, CA, has not produced a play in over twenty years. With no money and no stage, two teachers and twenty-four students attempt to produce Thornton Wilder's American Classic OUR TOWN.
Director: Scott Hamilton Kennedy | Stars: Catherine Borek, Karen Greene, Ebony Starr Norwood-Brown, Archy Posada
Votes: 323
8. The Hobart Shakespeareans (2005 TV Movie)
Documentary
Rafe Esquith, 1992 American Teacher of the Year and National Medal of Arts recipient, teaches 5th-grade children whose parents don't speak English at a school in a dangerous, poor, drug-infested 100% Latino/Asian neighborhood in Los Angeles.
Director: Mel Stuart | Stars: Rafe Esquith, Ian McKellen, Michael York
Votes: 148
9. Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)
Not Rated | 169 min | Documentary, History
A documentary on how Los Angeles has been used and depicted in the movies.
Director: Thom Andersen | Stars: Encke King, Ben Alexander, Jim Backus, Brenda Bakke
Votes: 2,736
10. Bastards of the Party (2005)
95 min | Documentary
Surrounded by death and the brutal lifestyle that feeds it, a Los Angeles gangbanger explores the history of Southern California street gangs from the 1950s through the 1990s in an attempt ... See full summary »
Director: Cle Sloan | Stars: Daryl Gates, Fred Hampton, Joe Hicks, Ericka Huggins
Votes: 551
11. Crips and Bloods: Made in America (2008)
Not Rated | 93 min | Documentary, Crime
With a first-person look at the notorious Crips and Bloods, this film examines the conditions that have lead to decades of devastating gang violence among young African Americans growing up in South Los Angeles.
Director: Stacy Peralta | Stars: Jim Brown, Tony Muhammad, Kershaun Scott, Forest Whitaker
Votes: 2,912 | Gross: $0.07M
12. I Build the Tower (2006)
87 min | Documentary
"I Build the Tower" is the true story of the life and work of Sam Rodia, the Italian immigrant who built the world-famous Watts Towers on a residential lot in South Central Los Angeles. ... See full summary »
Directors: Brad Byer, Edward Landler | Star: Sam Rodia
Votes: 17
13. Made in L.A. (2007)
Not Rated | 70 min | Documentary
Made in L.A. follows the remarkable story of three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from a ... See full summary »
Director: Almudena Carracedo
Votes: 75
14. Confessions of a Superhero (2007)
R | 92 min | Documentary
Chronicles the lives of four mortal men and women who work as characters on the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard.
Director: Matthew Ogens | Stars: Christopher Lloyd Dennis, Maxwell Allen, Jennifer Wenger, Joe McQueen
Votes: 2,270
15. The Reinactors (2008)
Unrated | 96 min | Documentary
Filmmaker David J Markey interviews people who dress like their favourite movie characters on Hollywood Boulevard.
Director: David Markey | Stars: Gerard Christian Zacher, Christopher Lloyd Dennis, Michael A. Luce, Tiena Marie Johns
Votes: 135
16. The Garden (I) (2008)
Unrated | 80 min | Documentary
From the ashes of the L.A. riots arose a lush, 14-acre community garden, the largest of its kind in the United States. Now bulldozers threaten its future.
Director: Scott Hamilton Kennedy | Stars: Danny Glover, Daryl Hannah, Antonio Villaraigosa
Votes: 751 | Gross: $0.03M
17. Fame High (2012)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary
Everyone dreams of fame. From the nail-biting freshman auditions to the spectacular year-end performances, Fame High captures the in-class and at-home drama, competition, heartbreak, and ... See full summary »
Director: Scott Hamilton Kennedy | Stars: Brittany Hayes, Ruby McCollister, Zak Astor, Grace Song
Votes: 303
18. This Is the Life (2008)
97 min | Documentary
A feature-length documentary that chronicles "The Good Life" emcees, the alternative music movement they developed, and their worldwide influence on the art form.
Director: Ava DuVernay | Stars: 2Mex, Chali 2na, Cut Chemist, Brian Cross
Votes: 298
19. Babe's and Ricky's Inn (2013)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary
For the last 54 years, Babe's and Ricky's Inn has harbored nothing but the greatest live blues music in Los Angeles and across the country.
Director: Ramin Niami | Stars: Ray Bailey, Andrea Balestra, Shawn Barry, Bobby Bryan
Votes: 36
20. The Hollywood Complex (2011)
TV-PG | 90 min | Documentary, Biography, Comedy
We follow several kids with families with a dream of their offspring becoming a TV- or movie star, who for three months live in an apartment complex, where the management host a variety of events and trains them towards such a career.
Directors: Dylan Nelson, Dan Sturman | Stars: Andrew Manley, Rosie Forti, Toni Casala, John McCarthy
Votes: 470
21. The Source Family (2012)
TV-14 | 98 min | Documentary, Music
A charismatic leader founds a commune in Los Angeles in the early '70s based on natural food, spiritual practices and psychedelic rock. This short-lived era is recreated with archival material and the memories of participants.
Directors: Maria Demopoulos, Jodi Wille | Stars: Ahom Aquarian, Isis Aquarian, Don Bolles, Elena Michaels
Votes: 1,465
22. Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's (1997)
90 min | Documentary, History
In 1995, Chasen's closed its doors after 60 years of serving chili to movie stars and visiting dignitaries, Presidents and the Pope. During its two final weeks, Chasen regulars (actors and ... See full summary »
Directors: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini | Stars: Raymond Bilbool, Ronald Clint, Tommy Gallagher, Trisha Absher
Votes: 295
23. Lost Angels: Skid Row Is My Home (2010)
Not Rated | 77 min | Documentary, News
Narrated by Catherine Keener, Lost Angeles takes an uncompromising yet life-affirming look at the lives of eight remarkable individuals, people who have found a way to make a life for themselves within the community of homelessness..
Director: Thomas Napper | Stars: Kevin Cohen, Manuel Compito, Danny Harris, Linda Harris
Votes: 663 | Gross: $0.01M
24. LA 92 (2017)
R | 114 min | Documentary, Crime, History
Twenty-five years after the verdict in the Rodney King trial sparked several days of protests, violence and looting in Los Angeles, filmmakers examine that tumultuous period through rarely seen archival footage.
Directors: Daniel Lindsay, T.J. Martin | Stars: Henry Alfaro, Danny Bakewell, John D. Barnett, Bart Bartholomew
Votes: 6,901
25. Lost L.A. (2016– )
Documentary, History
A collaboration between the USC Libraries and KCETLink, featuring the member collections of L.A. as Subject, a research alliance dedicated to preserving and telling the sometimes-hidden stories and histories of the Los Angeles region.
Stars: Nathan Masters, Eric Avila, William Deverell, Michael Holland
Votes: 32
26. 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: 21,889
27. X: The Unheard Music (1986)
R | 84 min | Documentary, Music
This film is a documentary about the personalities in, and the music of, the early 1980's Los Angeles punk band X. There are studio and live performances by the band and interviews with ... See full summary »
Director: W.T. Morgan | Stars: John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Billy Zoom, D.J. Bonebrake
Votes: 459
28. Iconic Vision: John Parkinson, Architect of Los Angeles (2018)
Documentary
Director: Stephen Gee | Stars: Kenneth Breisch, William Deverell, John Grunewald, Andrew Hilton
29. Infinite Space: The Architecture of John Lautner (2008)
91 min | Documentary
Renowned architectural filmmaker Murray Grigor explores John Lautner's dramatic spaces with choreographed camera moves, as Lautner himself provides the commentary, speaking with insight and wit in recordings culled from archival sources.
Director: Murray Grigor | Stars: Sean Connery, Karol Lautner Peterson, Frank Gehry, Julia Strickland
Votes: 78
30. Tales of the Grim Sleeper (2014)
TV-MA | 110 min | Documentary, Crime
Nick Broomfield digs into the case of the notorious serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper, who terrorized South Central Los Angeles over a span of twenty-five years.
Directors: Nick Broomfield, Barney Broomfield, Marc Hoeferlin | Stars: Nick Broomfield, Lonnie David Franklin Jr., Donna, Steve
Votes: 3,219
31. Bukowski: Born into This (2003)
R | 130 min | Documentary, Biography
Documentary on Charles Bukowski, author of 'Notes of a Dirty Old Man', 'Love Is a Dog from Hell', and the autobiographical novels, 'Women', 'Hollywood', and 'Post Office'.
Director: John Dullaghan | Stars: Charles Bukowski, Bono, John Bryan, Linda Lee Bukowski
Votes: 3,642 | Gross: $0.30M
32. Inventing L.A.: The Chandlers and Their Times (2009)
117 min | Documentary
Inventing LA: The Chandlers and Their Times, tells the story of the Los Angeles Times and the city's most powerful family. For four generations, the Chandlers wielded unique influence ... See full summary »
Directors: Peter Jones, Mark A. Catalena | Stars: Dorothy Chandler, Harry Brant Chandler, Norman Chandler, Mike Davis
Votes: 53
33. Burn Motherfucker, Burn! (2017)
TV-MA | 99 min | Documentary
Explores the roots of civil unrest in California and the relationship between African Americans and LAPD.
Director: Sacha Jenkins | Stars: Alex Alonso, Nicolas Alonso, B-Real, Danny Bakewell
Votes: 603
34. Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (2017)
TV-MA | 144 min | Documentary, History
An in-depth look at the culture of Los Angeles in the ten years leading up to the 1992 uprising that erupted after the verdict of police officers cleared of beating Rodney King.
Director: John Ridley | Stars: Daryl Gates, Tom Bradley, Damian 'Football' Williams, Michael Moulin
Votes: 838
35. Inside the Manson Cult: The Lost Tapes (2018 TV Movie)
120 min | Documentary
A retelling of the Manson story using original, archived 16mm footage.
Director: Hugh Ballantyne | Stars: Liev Schreiber, Stefan Ashton Frank, Melissa Farley, Ryan O'Connell
Votes: 669
36.
The Lost Tapes (2016–2018)
Episode:
LA Riots
(2017)
In this episode, the Lost Tapes series looks at the 1992 L.A. Riots, revisited through television and radio reports, home video, and police footage. Many of these tapes have never been seen or heard, or have not been broadcast since 1992.
Director: Tom Jennings
Votes: 39
37. L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later (2017 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 86 min | Documentary, History
L.A BURNING: The Riots 25 Years Later is a 2-hour documentary film exploring the lives of the people at the flashpoint of the LA riots, 25 years after the uprising made national headlines and highlighted the racial divide in America.
Directors: One9, Erik Parker | Stars: George Holliday, John Singleton, Michael Winters, Henry Keith Watson
Votes: 204
38. A Decade Under the Influence (2003)
R | 138 min | Documentary
A documentary examining the decade of the 1970s as a turning point in American cinema. Some of today's best filmmakers interview the influential directors of that time.
Directors: Ted Demme, Richard LaGravenese | Stars: Francis Ford Coppola, William Friedkin, Robert Altman, John G. Avildsen
Votes: 2,804 | Gross: $0.03M
39. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)
TV-14 | 119 min | Documentary
A look at 1970s Hollywood when it was known as New Hollywood, and the director was the star of the movie.
Director: Kenneth Bowser | Stars: Martin Scorsese, Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdanovich, Sam Peckinpah
Votes: 3,092
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