Memoirs of a Spectrum Addict

Toil And Trouble: Making 'Macbeth'

September 2014 •English

A new documentary on the Criterion Collection edition of Roman Polanski's 1971 adaptation of Macbeth featuring interviews with the director, producer Andrew Braunsberg, assistant executive producer Victor Lownes, and actors Francesca Annis and Martin Shaw.

JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later

November 2013 •English

A look back at the 1000 days of the John F. Kennedy presidency.

Thrash, Altenessen

January 1989 •German

Documentary focusing on the thrash metal band Kreator but also exploring the economic and social situation of Essen at the time.

David Hockney: Joiner Photographs

July 1983 •English

David Hockney is unquestionably one of the most passionate and versatile experimental artists on the contemporary scene. In the late 1970s the British artist developed a pioneering concept which also changed his perspective on painting – his “joiners”. In this film, the artist himself talks about this photographic approach, a kind of Cubism-inspired photocollage which explores the space-time continuum. Hockney allows the viewer to share in the creative “joiner” process and leads us step by step into the universe of his artistic creativity.

Santoalla

June 2016 •English

A Dutch couple, Martin and Margo Verfondern, move to a remote Spanish village of Santoalla to start a new life. There is conflict with the Spanish residents resulting in the disappearance of Martin.

The Mystery Beneath

November 2015 •English

A group of treasure hunters discover a mysterious object at the bottom of the Baltic Sea in this documentary. Theories abound about the large object's origins. It might be a UFO, manmade, or it might be a naturally occurring phenomenon. Nobody knows.

Thoughts and Visions of a Severed Head

January 1991 •French

The theme of death is heavily interwoven in Smolder’s surreal salute to Belgian painter Antoine Wiertz, a Hieronymus Bosch-type artist whose work centered on humans in various stages in torment, as depicted in expansive canvases with gore galore. Smolders has basically taken a standard documentary and chopped it up, using quotes from the long-dead artist, and periodic statements by a historian (Smolders) filling in a few bits of Wiertz’ life.

575 Castro St.

February 2009 •English

Images set to a tape recording that slain San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk made in November 1977 to be played in case he was killed.

Untitled Al Gore Documentary

August 2000 •English

An intimate look at Al Gore and his family during the former Vice President's 2000 campaign

This American Journey

October 2013 •English

As children, British actor Paul Blackthorne and Australian photographer Mister Basquali both fell in love with America. Later they each fulfilled their dream to live here, but after two wars, a near economic collapse, and uncertainty about the country's direction, these two expats began to have doubts -- was America still the great place they once dreamed of? They drive across America to find out, interviewing random people about issues that affect and confront us all. From the ghetto to the gun show, the courthouse to the cattle yard, they are touched by the wisdom and insight of the people they meet. This American Journey is a cinematic postcard from the people to the people, teaching us that hearts can be healed at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected places.

The Confession

July 2016 •English

Moazzam Begg has experienced a generation of conflict. The Confession captures the entirety of Begg’s story, from his forced confession and testimony as a free man, to his experience as a British Muslim and living the War on Terror Commissioned by BBC Storyville and the BFI, The Confession is a gripping account of the rise of modern jihad, its descent into terror and the disastrous reaction of the West. The Confession is now available to watch on iTunes.

1998: de heertjes Haarhuis en Eltingh

January 1998 •Dutch

I Heart Monster Movies

October 2012 •English

Documentary about horror fans

Bomarsund 1854 - The Baltic Theatre

January 2016 •English

Bomarsund 1854 tells the story of two humanists, whose actions during the Crimean War prevented bloodshed. They are the British hydrographer, Bartholomew James Sulivan, and the Russian commandant, Jacov Andreyevitch Bodisco, two men who fought on opposite sides in the war. It also traces the rise and fall of the multi-cultural community of Bomarsund. The small island of Åland, located in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland, played a significant role in the war that raged during 1854, originally called the Oriental War and partially fought in Northern Europe. The Baltic campaigns became the forgotten theatre of the Crimean War. The attention awarded events elsewhere has overshadowed the significance of this theatre, which lay close to the Russian capital of St Petersburg.

Fiddlin Man: The Life and Times of Bob Wills

September 1993 •English

Legendary western swing band leader Bob Wills rose up in the Great Depression to fame in Oklahoma and Texas that soon swept the entire nation. The documentary FIDDLIN MAN offers a full biography of Wills, using a vast array of on camera interviews with his friends, family, and fellow musicians. The film also draws on a wealth of rare archival footage.

Interview With A Murderer

June 2016 •English

A famed criminologist reexamines the evidence in this powerful interview with murderer Bert Spencer, suspected in the killing a paperboy in 1978.

Toni Segarra: The Ads Writer

June 2016 •English

Advertising surrounds us. It is part of our lives, our memory and our culture: it is a pure reflection of our society. However, those who think and create ads are unknown people. Playing with the mechanisms of publicity as a narrative resource, we enter this medium through Spain's best creative director: Toni Segarra.

Inside the Dragon's Lair

December 2013 •English

Inside The Dragon's Lair takes a journey into the ongoing history of one of the most popular video games of all time - Dragon's Lair. The film will give the audience an in-depth view of the extensive production process that created this revolutionary game. Utilizing the laserdisc medium, this technologically advanced game was a marvel during its release in 1983 and has changed the video gaming world forever. The documentary will revisit the game from its initial conception to its most current release, showing the many different variants and iterations of the game. Also featured will be interviews of the original creators Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, John Pomeroy, and Rick Dyer. Additional interviews will feature artists and programmers involved in the game's production, collectors, technical gurus and die-hard fans.

Polanski Meets Macbeth

January 1972 •English

A 1971 documentary by Frank Simon featuring rare footage of the film’s cast and crew at work.

Lennon or McCartney

December 2014 •English

550 artists were interviewed over ten years. At some point during those interviews, they were asked a question and told to answer with one word only. Some stuck to one, some said more, some answered quickly, some thought it through, and some didn't answer at all. That question… Lennon or McCartney?