Channel 4's "50 Greatest Documentaries"
by deadmonger | created - 18 Apr 2011 | updated - 09 Nov 2014 | PublicThe 50 Greatest Documentaries was a Channel 4 television programme which was broadcast on 9 October 2005 and was narrated by British actress, Zoë Wanamaker. The list was compiled based on the nominations submitted to Channel 4 by a series of factual filmmakers.
Some entries are imperfect as explained within their description and numbers 34 - "Signs of the Times" (1992) and 35 - "An Impossible Job: Graham Taylor" (1993) are unfortunately totally absent as there is no entry in IMDb for them.
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1. Seven Up! (1964 TV Movie)
40 min | Documentary, Biography, Reality-TV
In this the first installment, we get a chance to meet some of the individuals who took on the responsibility of the 7 Up project, 21-years-ago - Tony, Bruce, Suzi, Nick and Peter.
Director: Paul Almond | Stars: Douglas Keay, Bruce Balden, Jacqueline Bassett, Symon Basterfield
Votes: 4,360
This is for the entire "Up" series; Seven Up! (1964), Seven Plus 7 (1970), 21 Up (1977), 28 Up (1984), 35 Up (1991), 42 Up (1998) & 49 Up (2005). Another instalment is due in 2012.
2. Touching the Void (2003)
R | 106 min | Documentary, Adventure, Drama
The true story of two climbers and their perilous journey up the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985.
Director: Kevin Macdonald | Stars: Simon Yates, Joe Simpson, Brendan Mackey, Nicholas Aaron
Votes: 38,094 | Gross: $4.59M
3. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
R | 120 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama
Filmmaker Michael Moore explores the roots of America's predilection for gun violence.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, Charlton Heston, Marilyn Manson, Salvador Allende
Votes: 148,732 | Gross: $21.58M
4. The World at War (1973–1974)
TV-PG | 50 min | Documentary, History, War
A groundbreaking 26-part documentary series narrated by the actor Laurence Olivier about the deadliest conflict in history, World War II.
Stars: Laurence Olivier, Averell Harriman, Anthony Eden, Albert Speer
Votes: 29,200
5. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes.
Director: Andrew Jarecki | Stars: Arnold Friedman, Jesse Friedman, David Friedman, Elaine Friedman
Votes: 27,110 | Gross: $3.12M
6. The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off (2004 TV Movie)
50 min | Documentary
A year ago, 36-year-old Jonny Kennedy died. He had a terrible genetic condition called Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) - which meant that his skin literally fell off at the slightest ... See full summary »
Director: Patrick Collerton | Stars: Edna Kennedy, Jonny Kennedy, Nell McAndrew
Votes: 427
7. Life on Earth (1979)
54 min | Documentary
David Attenborough's groundbreaking study of the evolution of life on our planet.
Star: David Attenborough
Votes: 3,250
8. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
R | 122 min | Documentary, Drama, War
Michael Moore's view on what happened to the United States after September 11 and how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic event to push forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, George W. Bush, Ben Affleck, Stevie Wonder
Votes: 132,390 | Gross: $119.19M
9. When We Were Kings (1996)
PG | 88 min | Documentary, Sport
Boxing documentary on the 1974 world heavyweight championship bout between defending champion, George Foreman, and the underdog challenger, Muhammad Ali.
Director: Leon Gast | Stars: Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Don King, James Brown
Votes: 19,131 | Gross: $2.79M
10. Faking It (2000– )
Reality-TV
Entertaining transformational battles against the odds. Intrepid volunteers are plucked from their natural habitat and given just four weeks to master a skill well enough to fool a panel of expert judges.
Stars: Michael Kitchen, Tamara Czartoryski-Borbon, Donna Berlin, Sian Evans
Votes: 75
11. Hoop Dreams (1994)
PG-13 | 170 min | Documentary, Drama, Sport
A film following the lives of two inner-city Chicago boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional.
Director: Steve James | Stars: William Gates, Arthur Agee, Emma Gates, Curtis Gates
Votes: 28,016 | Gross: $7.83M
12.
This Week (1956–1992)
Episode:
Death on the Rock
(1988)
News
SAS execute 3 unarmed IRA Volunteers in Gibraltar. Witnesses discuss the British Military cover up.
Stars: George Carman, Julian Manyon
Votes: 16
13. The Leader, His Driver, and the Driver's Wife (1991)
Not Rated | 85 min | Documentary
From the award-winning Director Nick Broomfield, The Leader, His Driver, and the Driver's Wife portrays the sinister and comic sides of Eugene Terre'Blanche, leader of the neo-Nazi AWB Afrikaner Party in South Africa.
Director: Nick Broomfield | Stars: Nick Broomfield, Eugene Terre'Blanche, J.P. Meyer, Anita Meyer
Votes: 446
14. One Day in September (1999)
R | 94 min | Documentary, History, Sport
The Palestinian terrorist group Black September holds Israeli athletes hostage at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich.
Director: Kevin Macdonald | Stars: Michael Douglas, Ankie Spitzer, Jamal Al Gashey, Gerald Seymour
Votes: 6,244 | Gross: $0.16M
15. Fourteen Days in May (1987)
87 min | Documentary
Fourteen Days in May is a documentary film directed by Paul Hamann and originally shown on television by the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1987. The programme recounts the final days ... See full summary »
Director: Paul Hamann | Stars: Bobby Butler, Donald Cabana, Melanie Christopher, Paul Hamann
Votes: 339
16. The Family (1974)
30 min | Documentary, Reality-TV
"The Family" (1974) is one of the first "reality" shows in the history of television. Modelled after the US TV series "An American Family (1972), this 12-part series documents the daily life of a working-class family from Reading, UK.
Stars: Terry Wilkins, Karen Wilkins, Tom Bernes, Margaret Wilkins
Votes: 43
17. Night Mail (1936)
Approved | 25 min | Short, Documentary
Shows the special train on which mail is sorted, dropped and collected on the run, and delivered in Scotland overnight.
Directors: Harry Watt, Basil Wright | Stars: Arthur Clark, John Grierson, Stuart Legg, Robert Rae
Votes: 1,455
18. The Nazis: A Warning from History (1997)
292 min | Documentary, History, War
An examination of how a cultured people could have allowed Adolf Hitler's rise to power.
Stars: Samuel West, Adolf Buchner, Jutta Rüdiger, Günther Ruschin
Votes: 1,722
19. Super Size Me (2004)
PG-13 | 100 min | Documentary
While examining the influence of the fast food industry, Morgan Spurlock personally explores the consequences on his health of a diet of solely McDonald's food for one month.
Director: Morgan Spurlock | Stars: Morgan Spurlock, Daryl Isaacs, Chemeeka Walker, Dania Abu-Rmaileh
Votes: 113,271 | Gross: $11.53M
20. The Death of Yugoslavia (1995–1996)
50 min | Documentary, History
This 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.
Stars: Robin Ellis, Slobodan Milosevic, Franjo Tudjman, Borisav Jovic
Votes: 1,288
21. Walking with Dinosaurs (1999)
TV-14 | 30 min | Documentary, Animation, History
Documentary-style series about the era of the dinosaurs, mixing real locations and CGI.
Stars: Nikolay Drozdov, Kenneth Branagh, Avery Brooks, Craig Sechler
Votes: 6,882
22. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003)
R | 93 min | Documentary, Crime
Nick Broomfield's second documentary about serial killer Aileen Wuornos, focusing on her mental state on death row.
Directors: Nick Broomfield, Joan Churchill | Stars: Aileen Wuornos, Nick Broomfield, Terry Humphreys-Slay, Leitha Prather
Votes: 6,948 | Gross: $0.10M
23. China: Beyond the Clouds (1994 TV Movie)
240 min | Documentary
Following the lives of ordinary Chinese residents of the old quarter of a city. A kindly doctor, a disabled child 'little sparrow' gossiping elderly ladies and middle makers. A fascinating and gentle series from film maker Phil Angland.
Director: Phil Agland | Star: Lisa Lu
Votes: 68
24.
Omnibus (1967–2003)
Episode:
Cracked Actor
(1975)
Not Rated | 53 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
BBC documentary showing David Bowie looking back on his Ziggy Stardust character during his Diamond Dogs tour.
Director: Alan Yentob | Star: David Bowie
Votes: 324
25.
Panorama (1953– )
Episode:
The Secret Policeman Returns
(2008)
30 min | Documentary, News
Stars: Jeremy Vine, Mark Daly
This entry is for the 2003 documentary "The Secret Policeman" for which this is a sequel, however there is no IMDb page for the original.
26.
Q.E.D. (1982–1999)
Episode:
John's Not Mad
(1989)
28 min | Documentary
Influential 1989 documentary which explores the struggles of a Scottish teenager to live with Tourettes syndrome.
Stars: Eleanor Bron, Heather Davidson, John Davidson, Lorna Peggie
Votes: 73
27. Around the World in 80 Days (II) (1989)
49 min | Documentary
Michael Palin attempts to copy the exploits of fictional character Phileas Fogg, by trying to travel around the world (without flying) in 80 days.
Stars: Michael Palin, Basil Pao, Chris Collins, Terry Gilliam
Votes: 1,927
28. The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Crime
A film that successfully argued that a man was wrongly convicted for murder by a corrupt justice system in Dallas County, Texas.
Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Randall Adams, David Harris, Gus Rose, Jackie Johnson
Votes: 25,934 | Gross: $1.21M
29. Wife Swap (2003–2017)
60 min | Family, Reality-TV
During the first week of this reality series, the new wife must adhere to exactly the same rules and lifestyle of the wife she is replacing. Each wife leaves behind a house manual which ... See full summary »
Stars: Samantha Fox, Olivia Williams, Ken Lorimer, Jade Goody
Votes: 301
30. A History of Britain (2000–2002)
60 min | Documentary, History
A comprehensive historical survey of the British Isles.
Stars: Simon Schama, Michael Kitchen, Samuel West, Lindsay Duncan
Votes: 945
31. The Power of Nightmares (2004)
60 min | Documentary, History
A series of three documentaries about the use of fear for political gain.
Stars: Gilles Kepel, William Kristol, Melvin Goodman, Richard Perle
Votes: 4,542
32. Spellbound (2002)
G | 97 min | Documentary, Comedy, Thriller
Spellbound follows eight teenagers on their quest to win the 1999 National Spelling Bee.
Director: Jeffrey Blitz | Stars: Angela Arenivar, Ubaldo Arenivar, Jorge Arenivar, Scott McGarraugh
Votes: 12,461 | Gross: $5.73M
33. The War Game (1966)
48 min | Drama, War
A docudrama depicting a hypothetical nuclear attack on Britain.
Director: Peter Watkins | Stars: Michael Aspel, Peter Graham, Dave Baldwin, Kathy Staff
Votes: 7,308
34. Woodstock (1970)
R | 184 min | Documentary, History, Music
Oscar-winning musical chronicle that brilliantly captures the three-day rock concert and celebration of peace and love that became a capstone for the Sixties.
Director: Michael Wadleigh | Stars: Joan Baez, Richie Havens, Roger Daltrey, Joe Cocker
Votes: 18,465 | Gross: $50.00M
35. People's Century: 1900-1999 (1995– )
Not Rated | 60 min | Documentary
Series documenting the history of the twentieth century through the testimony of those who lived through it.
Stars: Sean Barrett, Veronika Hyks, Eva Hart, Sergei Butsko
Votes: 161
36.
Dispatches (1987– )
Episode:
Beneath the Veil
(2001)
Documentary, News
British journalist Saira Shah travels to Afghanistan with a camera crew to document the realities of life under the Taliban. Filmed just months prior to the terrorist attacks of September ... See full summary »
Director: Cassian Harrison | Star: Saira Shah
Votes: 88
37. Feltham Sings (2002 TV Movie)
60 min | Documentary, Music
A documentary film crew go into Feltham young offenders prison where the teenagers who left are 75% likely to re-offend. The film talks to a handful of inmates about life in prison and how ... See full summary »
Director: Brian Hill
Votes: 33
38. The Human Body (1998)
50 min | Documentary
The BBC explores the human body from the inside out as never before.
Stars: Robert Winston, Andrew Blackall, Phillippa, Jeff
Votes: 731
39.
World in Action (1963–1998)
Episode:
In the Interests of Justice
(1985)
Documentary
Extended edition investigating the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six.
Stars: David Baldock, Brian Caddy, Joe Cahill, Anthony Curtis
40. Driving School (1997–1998)
30 min | Documentary
Stars: Quentin Willson, Maureen Rees, Dale Philip
Votes: 25
41. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
R | 96 min | Documentary
Documentary that chronicles how Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979) was plagued by extraordinary script, shooting, budget, and casting problems--nearly destroying the life and career of the celebrated director.
Directors: Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper, Eleanor Coppola | Stars: Dennis Hopper, Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, George Lucas
Votes: 23,226 | Gross: $1.32M
42. Nanook of the North (1922)
Passed | 78 min | Documentary
In this silent predecessor to the modern documentary, film-maker Robert J. Flaherty spends one year following the lives of Nanook and his family, Inuits living in the Arctic Circle.
Director: Robert J. Flaherty | Stars: Allakariallak, Alice Nevalinga, Cunayou, Allegoo
Votes: 13,452
43.
Forty Minutes (1981–1994)
Episode:
Home from the Hill
(1987)
Documentary
Documentary about Colonel Hilary Hook, formerly of the Indian cavalry and leader of extravagant safaris in Kenya. Hook returned home to England after being evicted from his home in the ... See full summary »
Director: Molly Dineen | Stars: Harry Hook, Hilary Hook
Votes: 33
44. Civilisation (1969–1970)
TV-G | 698 min | Documentary, History, Music
Sir Kenneth Clarke walks through the ages exploring the glorious rise of civilization in Western man.
Stars: Kenneth Clark, Ian Richardson, Ronald Lacey, Patrick Stewart
Votes: 1,066
45. Fred Dibnah: Steeplejack (1979 TV Movie)
60 min | Documentary
Stars: Fred Dibnah, Deryck Guyler
Votes: 71
46. Malcolm and Barbara: A Love Story (1999 TV Movie)
75 min | Documentary
A chronicle of four years in the life of Malcolm and Barbara Pointon, charting Malcolm's descent into Alzheimer's dementia and Barbara's tireless care for a once-loving husband who now scarcely recognizes her.
Director: Paul Watson | Star: Barbara Pointon
Votes: 20
47. The Fog of War (2003)
PG-13 | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, History
The story of America as seen through the eyes of the former Secretary of Defense under President John F. Kennedy and President Lyndon B. Johnson, Robert McNamara.
Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Robert McNamara, John F. Kennedy, Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon
Votes: 25,048 | Gross: $4.20M
48. When Louis Met... Jimmy (2000 TV Special)
49 min | Documentary
Louis Theroux spends some time with the eccentric broadcaster and charity fundraiser Sir Jimmy Savile and attempts to get behind the public persona.
Director: Will Yapp | Stars: Louis Theroux, Jimmy Savile, Michael Buerk, Elizabeth Dawn
Votes: 989
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