Tag Archives: Documentary

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The Bootleg Files – The Challenge: A Tribute to Modern Art

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BOOTLEG FILES 876: “The Challenge: A Tribute to Modern Art” (1974 Oscar-nominated documentary narrated by Orson Welles).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: There might be a right issue that is unresolved.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: A re-release on DVD and Blu-ray is not likely at this time.

Question: How can anyone encapsulate the history of modern art in roughly 100 minutes? The answer: You cannot, although Herbert Kline gave it a spirited try with his 1974 documentary feature “The Challenge: A Tribute to Modern Art.” Perhaps the key word in the film’s title is “tribute” – as with any tribute, it provides a celebratory overview of achievement without plumbing the depth and scope of the subject with any great intensity.
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Last Man Standing: The Chronicles of Myron Sugerman (2023)

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Director Jonny Caplan’s documentary is probably one of the most outstanding and entertaining crime documentaries of the year. Despite its short run time, he manages to unfold the story of a real underdog hero and anti-establishment mobster whose entire life was spent virtually kicking societal status quos in the ass. “Last Man Standing” is a True Crime Feature Documentary on the life of Myron Sugerman, son of Barney Sugerman, a partner of leading US mobster Meyer Lansky.

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The Darkside of Society (2024) [Popcorn Frights 2024]

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There’s nothing I love more than a documentary about the conception of one of the most notorious cult classics ever made. Brian Yuzna’s 1989 horror satire is a gross, vile look at the amorality of the affluent. What I don’t like is a documentary that paints itself as a look at the making of a movie and is in reality conspiracy claptrap garbage sexual abuse, ritual child abuse, and sexual violence that has about two percent to do with Brian Yuzna’s movie.

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Rory McHarg & Brett Miller Discuss Their Documentary “A Two Hearted Tale”

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Now making its way through the festival circuit, the directors of “A Two Hearted Tale” took time out of their busy schedules to discuss their newest short subject documentary. The tale of the iconic beer label for one of America’s most popular IPA beers and how the creation of the logo proved quite tumultuous.

Disclaimer: This film was produced independently of Bell’s Brewery. All views and opinions are those of the filmmakers.

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A Two Hearted Tale (2023)

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Dave Chappelle asked for a Bell’s Beer during a comedy set in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Taking a sip, he casually called out, “The Two-Hearted Ale? Why the hell did you put a fish on the label? ” This is the story of that iconic trout label adorning the most popular it IPA beer in America, and its eccentric artist, Ladislav Hanka.

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The Bootleg Files: The Magic Machines

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BOOTLEG FILES 872: “The Magic Machines” (Academy Award-winning short film about sculptor Robert Gilbert).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It fell through the cracks.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Unlikely.

Making a nonfiction film about a visual artist is always a tricky proposition. After all, the finished product is often a work of genius but the process of bringing it to fruition is frequently a tedious process. And truth be told, not every visual artist is a magnetic raconteur or a force of personality.
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