War Docos
Innovative German film-maker Leni Riefenstahl's pioneering masterwork epic "Triumph of the Will" (1934) was explicitly propagandistic yet historical in its spectacular yet horrifying documentation of the Nazi Party Congress rally in Nuremberg in 1934. It was a revolutionary film combining superb cinematography and editing of Third Reich propaganda. She also documented the 1936 Berlin Olympics in the stunning film "Olympia" (1938) - with graceful and beautiful images of 'Aryan' athletes in competition. To respond to the Nazi propaganda, Frank Capra was commissioned by the US War Department to direct seven films in a "Why We Fight" (1943) series of narrated WWII newsreel-style films. The first in the series, "Prelude to War," a look at the events from 1931-1939, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1942. These and many other truely great War Documentaries, including the BBC's brilliant "World At War" series, are available by scrolling below.
Right: William Wyler's Academy Award winning "The Memphis Belle"Â
Swastika (1973)
7.1/10
Director: Philippe Mora, Lutz Becker
Produced by David Puttnam in 1973, this revelatory documentary tracks the rise of Hitler's Nazi regime and the seduction of the German people, using f... Read more
Vietnam War: Combat - Volume 3 (2002)
9.2/10
A follow on from the highly acclaimed 'Vietnam War' series with Walter Cronkite, this offers in-depth analysis, review and personal representations of... Read more
Suicide Killers (2006)
6.5/10
Director: Pierre Rehov
An in-depth documentary that attempts to unwind the psycho-pathology behind suicide bombers, and more specifically Palestinian suicide bombers. Filmm... Read more
A Newsreel History of the Third Reich: Hitler's Rise to Power (2007)
This educational and thought provoking series comprises German newsreel recordings and includes unique footage plundered by Russian troops. Directed a... Read more
Trinity and Beyond / The Atomic Filmmakers: Behind the Scenes (1995)
Director: Peter Kuran
"Trinity and Beyond" - Rarely-seen film footage from dozens of nuclear tests by the United States, Russia, England and China, much of it classified "t... Read more
The Stillwell Road - The Battle for Burma (1946)
After the invasion of China by the Japanese army, Burma became a vital land bridge and supply route for the allies in China. This great archival docum... Read more
Blitzkrieg - Germany's Global Invasion (2008)
By early 1940 the Second World War is well under way, the might of the German Army has crushed and is occupying Poland, Denmark, Norway, and the Low C... Read more
The Robert Epstein Collection: The Celluloid Closet / Common Threads / Paragraph 175 / The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)
Director: Jeffrey Friedman, Rob Epstein
A collection of four documentaries from queer filmmaker Robert Epstein. "The Celluloid Closet" (1995) - This entertaining and often hilarious look at... Read more
Long Tan: The True Story (2006)
8.6/10
In the gathering dusk of 18 August 1966, 108 young, inexperienced Australian and NZ soldiers are separated and surrounded, fighting for their lives, h... Read more
The Falklands Campaign (2001)
In 1982 tensions between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands erupted into open hostilities. Due to the nature of the terrain, the Special... Read more