Thank you, I agree that Spike Lee's work is important and that cable channels (and more recently Netflix) have been key to theatrical release. HBO has been especially prominent. Another important source of docs that are seen in theaters are the two doc strands on public TV: Independent Lens and POV (if you have a DVR do tag them!). One of the irritating things about the doc discussion in film-culture circles is that there is too little understanding of the interpenetration between TV and theatrical. All of these leaders in showcasing docs on TV do deals that permit and often encourage theatrical first, thus enabling them to do so. Pat Aufderheide, Professor and Director Center for Social Media, School of Communication American University 3201 New Mexico Av. NW, #330 Washington, DC 20016-8080 P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. www.centerforsocialmedia.org [log in to unmask] 202-885-2069 "Larsson, Donald F" <[log in to unmask]> Sent by: Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]> 12/28/2008 10:44 PM Please respond to Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]> To [log in to unmask] cc Subject Re: [SCREEN-L] documentary film in the last decade Not my area, as such, but I hope that you'll consider Spike Lee's work (4 Little Girls, Jim Brown: All-American, When the Levees Broke, etc.). Given that Lee has been able to produce some of these films through cable TV deals is symptomatic of the important growth of that medium for documentary distribution. The Sundance Channel is maybe the most notable example of that trend, "docu-dramas" aside. Don larsson ___________________________________________________ "When something is empty, fill it. When something is full, empty it. When you have an itch, scratch it." --Dieter Dengler Donald F. Larsson, Professor English Department, Minnesota State University, Mankato Mail: 230 Armstrong Hall, Minnesota State University Mankato, MN 56001 Office Phone: 507-389-2368 ________________________________________ From: Film and TV Studies Discussion List [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Tetzlaff [[log in to unmask]] Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2008 6:15 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [SCREEN-L] documentary film in the last decade I'd suggest the most interesting trend in the last decade is that documentaries by people who are NOT well-established have received theatrical distribution, critical notice, and perhaps even some measure of financial success. I'd have to say that Moore set the table for all of this starting with Roger and Me, and there's kind of a muck-raking connection between Moore and Super-Size Me, which is one of the more notable examples (in 'success' terms, I'm not sure it's that great a film). But then there are more apolitical real-life dramas like Murderball, and even personal films like Tarnation. I'm not trying to suggest that the commercial marketplace and mainstream distribution machinery has suddenly opened it's arms wide to the broad spectrum of documentary, but certainly many sorts of films and filmmakers that would not have found their ways into theaters 25 years ago are now showing up on the big screen (or maybe, since these things often play in the smallest house in the multiplex, we should say 'kinds-big-screen'). I don't have any explanation for this phenomenon, either in terms of audience tastes or the political economy of the biz... I would guess the corporatization of 'art house' films and also the rise of reality TV have something to do with it, but that's just speculation. I also have a question: what standards get applied at the gate? Why do some indie docs get picked up for presentation to a wider audience while others (perhaps equally as worthy in aesthetic or social worth) get left behind? Whatever the answer, I think it goes beyond the reputations of the Herzogs, Morrises, Moores etc. There are too many new faces (even if they are Morgan Spurlock) showing up... > Among the artists I've seen as > exemplifying the range of expression are Herzog, Morris, Kopple, > Guzman, > and of course Moore. (I think the fact that these are all well- > established > has a lot to do with why they were so well-positioned in the > theatrical > market in the last decade.) ---- Learn to speak like a film/TV professor! Listen to the ScreenLex podcast: http://www.screenlex.org ---- Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the University of Alabama: http://www.tcf.ua.edu ---- Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the University of Alabama: http://www.tcf.ua.edu