M. C. EschÂer, HanÂnah Arendt, HieronyÂmus Bosch, Hilma af Kint, StanÂley Kubrick: if you’re a regÂuÂlar readÂer of Open CulÂture, you’re no doubt fasÂciÂnatÂed some or all of these figÂures. Now, thanks to film disÂtribÂuÂtor Kino LorÂber, you can watch entire films about them on Youtube. HavÂing eviÂdentÂly put a good deal of enerÂgy toward expandÂing their Youtube chanÂnel in recent months, Kino LorÂber has uploaded such docÂuÂmenÂtaries as M. C. EschÂer: JourÂney to InfinÂiÂty, Vita ActiÂva: The SpirÂit of HanÂnah Arendt, HieronyÂmous Bosch: Touched by the DevÂil, Beyond the VisÂiÂble: Hilma af Kint, and FilmÂworkÂer (about KubrickÂ’s right-hand man, the late Leon Vitali) — all of them free to watch.
So far, Kino LorÂber’s playlist of free docÂuÂmenÂtaries conÂtains 80 films, a numÂber that may vary dependÂing on your locaÂtion. Some popÂuÂlar selecÂtions focus on music: that of Elvis PresÂley, that of LevÂon Helm and The Band, that of GreenÂwich VilÂlage in the nineÂteen-sixÂties and sevÂenÂties.
But the docÂuÂmenÂtary is a verÂsaÂtile form, able in the right direcÂtoÂrÂiÂal hands to conÂtain a wide range of real-life subÂjects, from art (Louise BourÂgeois: The SpiÂder the MisÂtress and the TanÂgerÂine, The Jeff Koons Show) to food (Sushi: GlobÂal Catch, El BulÂli: CookÂing in Progress) to nature (More than HonÂey, The Woman Who Loves Giraffes) to reliÂgion (BrilÂliant Moon: Glimpses of DilÂgo Khyentse RinÂpoche, The Last Dalai Lama?), to cinÂeÂma itself (CapÂtured on Films: The True StoÂry of MarÂiÂon Davies, Blank City).
All this gives only a hint of the sheer aesÂthetÂic, intelÂlecÂtuÂal, and culÂturÂal variÂety of Kino LorÂber-disÂtribÂuted docÂuÂmenÂtaries. To get a fuller sense, you’ll have to explore the playlist itself, down to its most recent addiÂtions like FindÂing Fela, NolÂlyÂwood BabyÂlon, and Lina WertÂmĂĽller: Behind the White GlassÂes. Like all docÂuÂmenÂtaries worth watchÂing, these don’t just address subÂjects of interÂest, but leave their viewÂers with newÂly open avenues of curiosÂiÂty to folÂlow. Your jourÂney may begin with films about Glenn Gould, CharÂlotte RamÂpling, JohnÂny Cash, or Maya Deren, but to what realm it will take you — that of the BalÂlets RussÂes, of MexÂiÂcan lucha libre wrestling, of the female BudÂdhists of the KathÂmanÂdu ValÂley — canÂnot be foreÂtold.
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RelatÂed conÂtent:
285 Free DocÂuÂmenÂtaries Online
The 10 GreatÂest DocÂuÂmenÂtaries of All Time AccordÂing to 340 FilmÂmakÂers and CritÂics
50 Must-See DocÂuÂmenÂtaries, SelectÂed by 10 InfluÂenÂtial DocÂuÂmenÂtary FilmÂmakÂers
Based in Seoul, ColÂin MarÂshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
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