Documentaries about film that you should watch

If there’s one thing I love more than film it’s films about film. Here’s a few documentaries it would behoove you to check out.

Side by Side is all about film, the medium of choice for crafters of cinema over the last 100 years, is slowly but surely being usurped by high-resolution digital cameras. The film is ably hosted by Keanu Reeves, who goes through a bevy of Hollywood heavy hitters both for and against digital. It’s worth it just to hear David Fincher’s epic rant about the Panavision Genesis.
http://youtu.be/j7DzpCqi4Js
Not Quite Hollywood is a loving tribute to Australian exploitation films, ranging from the sex comedies of the early Seventies that put Ozploitation on the map to gore-soaked horror romps and the uniquely Australian genre of post-apocalyptic car films best exemplified by Mad Max. The entire film is viewable on Youtube (surprisingly) so check it out before it gets pulled.

These Amazing Shadows is a documentary about film preservation, and it goes into pretty serious detail about the importance of preserving film along with just how much work it takes to keep cinematic treasures alive for generations to come.
Other than Side by Side, all these films are on Netflix. Even though Netflix doesn’t have the latest and greatest hits, it does have a lot of hidden gems, especially for film nerds. Have you found any great obscure documentaries (or otherwise) via Netflix? Let me know in the comments!

Warren
Warren Frey is a journalist, freelance writer, podcaster, video producer, and all-around media consultant currently based in Vancouver, Canada. His written work has appeared in such publications as Metro Vancouver, the Westender, Mac | Life and the Japan Times.