On sanitary documentaries

I was just playing email tennis with Karen Traviss*, eventually getting onto how I was watching Jesus Camp while I wrote, and nattering about documentaries in general. I realised that there were several that have really impressed me recently, and that I watch them more and more for research. The one on right now is full of great material for I Know What You Did Last Supper. Anyway, here’s a few recommendations for the discerning documentary dabbler:

Grizzly Man:

It’s the story of Timothy Treadwell (who, it turns out, could have trodden better). Werner Herzog chucks a fantastic voice over – and some posthumous interviews with related people – onto the hours and hours of footage that Treadwell left. The fact that the subject was absolutely batshit insane suits Herzo fairly well.
Website
YouTube Trailer

Jesus Camp:

I have a special place in my heart for this film, having been a bit of a pseudo-victim of the kind of fundamentalist brainwashing it describes as a child. It follows a group of Christian characters in America and their adventures in conditioning children. Honestly? It makes you feel sick, but it’s enlightening too.
Website
YouTube Trailer

The Bridge:

When my boss suggested checking this film out at the ICA in London, I thought it was a great idea. Eric Steel filmed Golden Gate Bridge for a year, and made a documentary about the people who leapt from it. The most interesting aspect is when they start talking to the families, at which point I wonder if I would have perhaps taken the swim that needs no towel a little sooner, but also of interest is the implication that perhaps the overbearing nature of the bridge in San Francisco is somewhat related to their choice.
Website
YouTube Trailer

Wisconsin Death Trip:

This is a documentary about weird shit in a colonial American town. Think Tim Burton meets John White! The residents of Blackwater Falls experience varying amounts of bizarre happenings, and newspaper articles and photos from the time are slung around, along with recreations of certain scenes. Sometimes, photos become live action scenes in pretty creative ways, making it a touch above the usual historical documentary. The way it’s shot is intriguing and entertaining, and it’s just fucking weird enough that it stands a cut above the rest.
Website

* this was ‘cos another deadly spider sprung out of the fruit aisles at a UK supermarket. It’s a long-running joke with us since a spider escaped into the UK some years ago, and I set up this spoof blog that documented his many harrowing escapes.