Historical
This genre is one of the largest non-fiction genres, and consists primarily of documentaries about one or more historical events or time periods. In general, the title will not be of a contemporary nature (that is, it will be made about a subject that actually occurred in the past). Some historical subjects include ancient civilizations & archaeology, famous crimes, popular culture and trends of the past, and other major world events.
Frost / Nixon: The Original Watergate Interviews (1977)
7.7/10
Director: Jorn Winther
Starring: Richard Nixon, David Frost
Cut from over 28 hours of interview footage between Sir David Frost and Richard Nixon, this was originally broadcast in May of 1977. Never before (or... Read more
Lusitania: Murder on the Atlantic (2007)
6.6/10
Director: Christopher Spencer
Starring: John Hannah, Kenneth Cranham
Documentary filmmaker Christopher Spencer uncovers the truth about the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in this docudrama that gets to the heart of the my... Read more
Cuba: A Lifetime of Passion (2002)
5.7/10
Starring: Michael York, Narrated by
With unprecedented access to Cubans on both sides of the Florida Straits, Cuba: A Lifetime of Passion looks at the present reality of the Cuban Revolu... Read more
Billy Connolly: Journey to the Edge of the World (2009)
8/10
Starring: Billy Connolly
Billy's going to the edge of the world and he's taking us with him. In the summer of 2008, Billy Connolly set sail on a 10-week journey from ocean to... Read more
Simon Schama: The American Future (2008)
Director: Sam Hobkinson, Ricardo Pollack
Starring: Simon Schama
Turning to fascinating moments in American history to understand the present, connecting legendary presences such as Thomas Jefferson, Henry Ford, Mar... Read more
The Day the Universe Changed (1985)
9.1/10
Starring: James Burke
Presented by veteran BBC historian and science reporter James Burke, this series explores influences of discoveries and shared knowledge and perceptio... Read more
Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World (2008)
Director: Paul Cowan
For six fateful months in 1919, Paris was the centre of the world. The last shots had been fired in the most devastating war in history - and world le... Read more
Francesco's Shakespeare in Italy (2012)
Starring: Francesco da Mosto
Shakespeare was in love with Italy. A third of his plays are set in the country. For the Elizabethan playwright, it was the stage on which to explore... Read more
The Dark Ages: An Age of Light (2012)
7.7/10
Starring: Waldemar Januzczak
The Dark Ages have been misunderstood. History has identified the period following the fall of the Roman Empire with a descent into barbarism, a terri... Read more
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia (2013)
7.8/10
Director: Nicholas D Wrathall
Starring: Gore Vidal
No twentieth-century figure has had a more profound effect on the worlds of literature, film, politics, historical debate, and the culture wars than G... Read more