For some reason, in the past 20 years, our society has become fascinated with documentaries and docuseries, with streaming services seeming to release a new one every week. This semester at NC State, there is a special topics film class being offered that discusses 20th-century documentaries. When I realized this was the class I was going to have to take because it was the only thing that fit in my schedule, you couldn’t exactly say that I was excited. I had seen a few documentaries during my day, mostly about crimes, and while I liked them, I thought that a class on the subject would be boring (sorry Dr. Gordon!). I was completely wrong, and this class has quickly become one of my favorite classes that I have ever taken at State.
I had always been someone that thought that documentaries weren’t as interesting as fiction films, because they weren’t able to take the same creative approach since, they are supposed to be providing some interpretation of the truth. After only a month in this class, I’m pretty sure that I was just watching the wrong documentaries. A lot of what we have discussed in the class is the differentiation between documentaries and documents, namely placing documentaries in a category where the filmmakers are allowed (encouraged really) to have a voice and a stance on something.
Before I was in this class, pretty much all the documentaries that I watched were essentially true crime. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, I’m still a true crime lover in every sense of the word. But often those documentaries are sensationalized, and can sometimes exploit the victim in order to gain popularity. I just figured those are the types of documentaries I would like, since some of my favorite TV shows are crime adjacent (think Criminal Minds and Bones). This class has truly opened my eyes, and I want to share some of my favorite documentaries, and why you should watch them.
Hail Satan?
This is a documentary about the rise of popularity and following of the Satanic temple. Or, that’s what it seems to be at first glance. If you are at all invested into politics, and more specifically the division of church and state, this is a documentary for you.
Note: This documentary contains explicit content including language and violence that may not be appropriate for all viewers.
Survive and Advance
Personally, I think that everyone who goes to NC State should watch this documentary. The documentary follows the story of legendary NCSU basketball coach Jimmy Valvano as he led the Wolfpack to an unconventional win in the 1983 National Championship. If you’re interested in basketball even in the slightest, or just want to know a cool NC State story, this one is for you.
Woodstock ‘99
Before watching this I had no idea what happened at this festival, and just in case you don’t know either I won’t tell you. But if you’ve ever been to a music festival before, big, or small, I would recommend watching this. It shows you how easily everything can go wrong, while also discussing some of the prevalent social issues at the time.
Blackfish
If LOVE animals, this is the documentary for you. Touching on ethical concerns in the world of animals, and specifically, zoo’s this documentary features an interesting take on a hot topic.
The Jinx
This one is a documentary series rather than a feature length film, but as one of my all-time favorites I felt I needed to add it. The one true-crime documentary on this list, the series follows Robert Durst as he is investigated for multiple murders throughout his lifetime. The filmmakers make some shocking discoveries that bring up documentary ethics into question, and it definitely keeps the audience on their toes.