The Best Documentaries 2024

1. Rocky II

Rocky II [DVD] [DVD] 027616673121

Rocky II

2. Andy Warhol

DVD, 78 minutes, IMAGE

Andy Warhol

3. Maria Callas - La Divina: A Portrait / Gold Medal Winner, Best Documentary 1987 New York International Film and Television Festival / Directed by TONY PALMER / Producer JILL MARSHALL / DVD

Maria Callas - La Divina: A Portrait / Gold Medal Winner, Best Documentary 1987 New York International Film and Television Festival / Directed by TONY PALMER / Producer JILL MARSHALL / DVD Format: NTSC Run time: 91 Minutes UPC: 014381582529 Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.33:1 MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated) Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches; 3.2 Ounces Director ‏ : ‎ Tony Palmer Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Classical, Color Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 31 minutes Release date ‏ : ‎ August 15, 2000 Actors ‏ : ‎ Maria Callas, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Carlo Maria Giulini, Tito Gobbi, Grace Kelly Studio ‏ : ‎ Image Entertainment Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1 No other opera singer this century has aroused such public interest, such adulation and such controversy as Maria Callas, "La Divina Assoluta." Her dramatic and musical reincarnations of operatic heroines were invested with a psychological depth which made her performances and recordings definitive, and her recordings still outsell every other major classical singer. Callas transformed herself from an overweight ugly duckling into a dazzling beauty, inspired by the sylph-like Audrey Hepburn. She was labeled a "tigress" for her temperamental image, others thought her behavior so unforgivable she was pelted with eggs, but her unique and haunting voice and personality dominated public life in the 1950s and early 1960s. Tony Palmer's award-winning film charts her rapid rise to fame and offers a glimpse into the private life of this remarkable woman. It is almost a quarter of a century since Maria Callas died. But the years have done little to diminish interest in this most iconic of divas. The debate surrounding the real quality of that voice continues to be fanned by her devotees and detractors, intermittently reaching fever pitch with the arrival of another biography or the commercial release of a newly discovered live recording. Tony Palmer's 1987 film portrait, now available on DVD, towers over the bulk of contributions to the Callas industry because it manages to be both passionate about its subject and objective about the forces that shaped a great musical talent and then left it in ruins. Lengthy interviews with colleagues and confidants embrace both Callas's undoubted theatrical genius and the emotional traumas that propelled her stumbling private life. The scene is set from the moment this documentary's producer, John Ardoin (himself a Callas biographer), declares the story of Callas the woman to be one of the great tragedies of our time. From that point, the film forges potent links between the evolution of the diva's artistry through her great performances--Tosca, in particular--and the defiant soul captured in a considerable archive of media encounters that range from the intense and contemptuous to the coquettish. This is 90 essential minutes for anyone interested in the Callas legend. Her story will never be better told. MARIA CALLAS: LA DIVINA - A PORTRAIT ISOLDE FILMS AND LONDON TRUST PRODUCTIONS

Maria Callas - La Divina: A Portrait

4. AFI's 100 Years, 100 Stars: American Film Institute (CBS Television Special)

AFI's 100 Years, 100 Stars: American Film Institute (CBS Television Special)

AFI's 100 Years, 100 Stars: American Film Institute (CBS Television Special)

5. Hearst Castle: Building The Dream

VHS, 40 minutes, SLINGSHOT / EREALBIZ

On a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean, craftsman labored nearly 28 years to relize the dreams of one man, William Randolph Hearst. "La Cuesta Encantada" was Hearst's romantic name for his palatial estate on a rocky knoll of the Santa Lucia Mountains. His vision was inspired by his many trips to Europe's finest castles. From this unique blen of European influences rose an architectural masterpiece which Hearst furnished with priceless art treasures from around the world. See the spectacular European castles and art treasures which influenced its creation. Join the continuous flow of famous house guests and the extravegent parties hosted by newspaper publisher, William Randolph Hearst. See the dramatic beauty of "Hearst Castle"- "Building The Dream." A magnificent estate with gardens, terraces, pools and walkways spanning 127 acres.

6. Extreme Winter

DVD, Rating: Not Rated, Runtime: 68, Slingshot Entertainment, 06/13/2000

Extreme Winter

7. Gloria Estefan ? Que Siga La Tradicion

DVD, SONY

This disc captures Grammy winner Gloria Estefan performing over a dozen songs in Spanish. The DVD contains a standard full-frame transfer. The Spanish soundtracks are rendered in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM Stereo. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a biography of the singer, a complete discography, and a still photo gallery. This is a great disc for fans of the artist. Songs performed include "Oye," "Tres Deseos," and "Cuba Libre.". Complete discography with video clips; Complete biography; Photo Gallery; Bonus documentary and interview footage. Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (PCM Stereo); Subtitles: English, Spanish.

8. Trekkies

VHS, PG, 86 minutes, PARAMOUNT

Get ready to beam up to a galaxy where autograph hounds abound, dentists drill in Federation garb and the debate over "Trekkies" vs. "Trekkers" rages on. Denise Crosby of Star Trek: The Next Generation hosts this often-hilarious documentary about the Star Trek "fan-nomenon." Interviewing hundreds of devoted fans and such Star Trek cast members as Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, Kate Mulgrew and Brent Spiner, the film creates an entertaining and endearing portrait of the landmark series that has touched the lives of people around the world.

9. Steely Dan: Aja (Full Frame)

VHS, 60 minutes, RHINO

Pioneering pop/jazz band Steely Dan, formed by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker in the early '70s, had already secured five U.S Top 40 albums before the release of "Aja" in 1977. "Aja," however, would prove to be the biggest-selling album of Steely Dan's illustrious career, reaching Number 3 on the U.S. Billboard chart, spending a year on the U.S. Top 40, and also reaching number 5 in the U.K. It was also the first British Top 10 hit for Steely Dan and also the first album by Becker and Fagen as a duo. On this fascinating video, Becker and Fagen, renowned for their relentless perfectionism in the recording studio, recall the history of an album that was a year in the making but rewarded by a prestigious Grammy Award and three major hit singles, "Peg," "Deacon Blues," and "Josie." Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers and guest backing vocalist on "Aja," British rock performer and songwriter Ian Dury, record producer Gary Katz, and the album's legendary session musicians also contribute to this fascinating documentary. Steely Dan's "Aja" has proven to be one of the most outstanding jazz-rock albums in the history of popular music. This is a vivid portrait of a '70s record that is still fresh and as memorable more than two decades after its release?a true classic.

10. Standard Deviants: Geometry Part 1

DVD, CEREBELLUM CORP.

DVD, Rating: Not Rated, Runtime: 70, Central Park Media, 04/10/2000