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Revolution OS is a documentary which traces the history of GNU, Linux, and the open source and free software movements. It features several interviews with prominent hackers and entrepreneurs (and hackers-cum-entrepreneurs), including Richard Stallman, Michael Tiemann, Linus Torvalds, Larry Augustin, Eric S. Raymond, Bruce Perens, Frank Hecker and Brian Behlendorf. The film begins in medias res with an IPO, and then sets the historical stage by showing the beginnings of software development back in the day when software was shared on paper tape for the price of the paper itself. It then segues to Bill Gates’s Open Letter to Hobbyists in which he asks Computer Hobbyists to not share, but to buy software. (This letter was written by Gates when Microsoft was still based in Arizona and spelled “Micro-Soft”.) Richard Stallman then explains how and why he left the MIT Lab for Artificial Intelligence in order to devote his life to the development of free software, as well as how he started
From the food on our tables to the fuel in our cars, crude oil seeps invisibly into almost every part of our modern lives. It is the energy source and raw material that drives transport and the economy. Yet many of us have little idea of the incredible journey it has made to reach our petrol tanks and plastic bags.
Terry Wogan looks at the life of writer PG Wodehouse. In exploring the extraordinarily long career of his literary hero, Terry employs rarely seen archive material and is joined by Stephen Fry, Griff Rhys Jones, Joanna Lumley and a series of expert contributors in a documentary which addresses Wodehouse's longstanding appeal.
Famed for their ability to inflict Armageddon from outer space, asteroids are now revealing the secrets of how they are responsible for both life and death on our planet. Armed with an array of powerful telescopes, scientists are finding up to 3000 new asteroids every night. And some are heading our way. But astronomers have discovered that it's not the giant rocks that are the greatest danger - it's the small asteroids that pose a more immediate threat to Earth. Researchers have explained the photon propulsion that propels these rocks across space, and have discovered that some asteroids are carrying a mysterious cargo of frost and ice across the solar system that could have helped start life on earth.
It has been said that ten thousand years from now, only one name will still be remembered - that of Neil Armstrong. But in the four decades since he first set foot on the moon, Armstrong has become increasingly reclusive. Andrew Smith, author of the best-selling book Moondust, journeys across America to try and discover the real Neil Armstrong. He tracks down the people who knew Armstrong, from his closest childhood friend to fellow astronauts and Houston technicians, and even the barber who sold his hair, in a wry and sideways look at the reluctant hero of the greatest event of the twentieth century. sideways look at the reluctant hero of the greatest event of the twentieth century.
In September 2011, an international group of scientists has made an astonishing claim -- they have detected particles that seemed to travel faster than the speed of light. It was a claim that contradicted more than a hundred years of scientific orthodoxy. Suddenly there was talk of all kinds of bizarre concepts, from time travel to parallel universes. So what is going on? Has Einstein's famous theory of relativity finally met its match? Will we one day be able to travel into the past or even into another universe?
Most of us don’t know where their money is. However, one thing is for certain, it’s is not in the bank to which we entrusted it. The bank and our money is already a part of the cycle of the global money market. Let’s Make Money is an anti-capitalist Austrian documentary by Erwin Wagenhofer released in 2008.
H.P. Lovecraft was the forefather of modern horror fiction having inspired such writers as Stephen King, Robert Bloch and Neil Gaiman. The influence of his Cthulhu mythos can be seen in film (Re-Animator, Hellboy, and Alien), games (The Call of Cthulhu role playing enterprise), music (Metallica, Iron Maiden) and pop culture in general. But what led an Old World, xenophobic gentleman to create one of literature's most far-reaching mythologies? What attracts even the minds of the 21st century to these stories of unspeakable abominations and cosmic gods? LOVECRAFT: FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN is a chronicle of the life, work and mind that created these weird tales as told by many of today's luminaries of dark fantasy including John Carpenter, Guillermo Del Toro, Neil Gaiman, Stuart Gordon , Caitlin Kiernan, and Peter Straub.
For a decade, Chicago's ALL JOKES ASIDE was one of the preeminent comedy clubs in the country and gave early exposure and early paychecks to many of the nations most important young comedians including: Steve Harvey, Chris Rock, Jamie Foxx, MoNique, Dave Chappelle, Cedric The Entertainer, D.L. Hughley, Mike Epps, Aries Spears, Adele Givens, Carlos Mencia, Bill Bellamy, Deon Cole, JB Smoove, and Bernie Mac to name a few. The rise and fall of All Jokes Aside and salutes the legendary showcase for it's major contribution to comedy history.
From the dark Hades of Greek Mythology to the fire-and-brimstone visions of fundamentalist thunderers, Hell has long held a particular grip over the human imagination. This History Channel documentary travels the world to peer into the darkest depths of this eternal fascination. They review literary landmarks that expanded our ideas of the Underworld, from Dante's Inferno and Milton's Paradise Lost to Mark Twain's anti-hero, and trace development of Christian, Moslem, Jewish, and Buddhist conceptions of the afterlife.
For centuries we have dreamt of reaching the centre of the Earth. Now scientists are uncovering a bizarre and alien world that lies 4,000 miles beneath our feet, unlike anything we know on the surface. It is a planet buried within the planet we know, where storms rage within a sea of white-hot metal and a giant forest of crystals make up a metal core the size of the Moon.
Garry Kasparov is arguably the greatest chess player who has ever lived. In 1997 he played a chess match against IBM’s computer Deep Blue. Kasparov lost the match. This film shows the match and the events surrounding it from Kasparov’s perspective. It delves into the psychological aspects of the game, paranoia surrounding it and suspicions that have arisen around IBM’s true tactics. It consists of interviews with Kasparov, his manager, chess experts, and members of the IBM Deep Blue team, as well as original footage of the match itself. The good parts of the movie is that you have interviews with Kasparov and the IBM team. Kasparov is a charming guy. The IBM team are open and friendly. The movie shows both the bad and good sides of Kasparov, who displays dignity and his temper when he is being pushed around by IBM. The Deep Blue team are interesting, but the IBM company does not come off well. They milk the match for all advertising they could get. The movie keeps touting that it was
Horizon reveals the latest research into one of the most mysterious and common human experiences - pain. Breakthroughs have come from studying a remarkable woman in London who has felt no pain at all in her life, a man in the US who cut off his own arm to survive, and three generations of an Italian family who don't feel extremes of temperature. We witness a new treatment that involves a pioneering computer game 'snow world' that contains the power to banish pain. And we find how powerfully our moods and emotions shape what pain we feel.
Intelligence and Special Operations forces are furious and frustrated at how President Obama and those in positions of authority have exploited their service for political advantage. Countless leaks, interviews and decisions by the Obama Administration and other government officials have undermined the success of our Intelligence and Special Operations forces and put future missions and personnel at risk. The unwarranted and dangerous public disclosure of Special Forces Operations is so serious – that for the first time ever – former operators have agreed to risk their reputations and go “on the record” in a special documentary titled Dishonorable Disclosures. Its goal is to educate America about serious breaches of security and prevent them from ever happening again.
From the creator of the zeitgeist film series, Peter Joseph, comes the worst reality show of all time: the real one. This opening show addresses the coming 2012 US Presidential Election and the subject of what we perceive as “Democracy” in the world today. The well known advocate of the scientific thought Carl Sagan once invited the question: If we are visited by a superior species from another part of the galaxy and forced to explain to them our stewardship of our planet, not to mention the state of the human affairs today, would we be proud of what we describe? How do we frame our explanation that almost half of the world, over 3 billion people, are either barely surviving in abject poverty and sickness, or are simply dying off unnecessarily at a rate of about one person every couple of seconds, all occurring in the wake of an advanced technological realities.
Between 1968 and 1972, nine American spacecraft voyaged to the Moon, and 12 men walked upon its surface. They remain the only human beings to have stood on another world. In the Shadow of the Moon brings together for the first, and very possibly the last, time surviving crew members from every single Apollo mission which flew to the Moon, and allows them to tell their story in their own words. The definitive story of going to the moon, told by those who went. Between 1969 and 1972 an elite group of men achieved an incredible dream. They were, and remain, the only human beings to set foot on a planet other than our own. These personal testimonies are interwoven with digitally remastered footage from Nasa film archives, much of it previously unseen and all of it hauntingly evocative of a bygone era. The result is an intimate and epic film which vividly communicates the daring and the danger, the pride and the passion, of this band of special young men.
On the afternoon of July 26, 2009, Diane Schuler drove the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway in New York for nearly two miles, eventually smashing into an oncoming SUV and killing herself, her daughter, three nieces, and all three people in the other car. Only her five-year-old son survived. Diane’s autopsy revealed that she had consumed the equivalent of 10 shots of vodka, and had smoked marijuana, shortly before the accident. Yet by all accounts, Diane had no history of substance abuse or psychological problems, and was generally known to be a loving and stable wife and mother. In There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane, award-winning director Liz Garbus (see below) explores the facts and speculation surrounding this tragic accident. The film follows Diane’s husband and sister-in-law, who believe that Diane may have had a medical emergency that precipitated the crash, and who hire a lawyer and PI to investigate that angle. Piecing together a minute-by minute retelling of the fa
In his fascinating exploration of a triple homicide case in Conroe, Texas, master filmmaker Werner Herzog probes the human psyche to explore why people kill-and why a state kills. In intimate conversations with those involved, including 28-year-old death row inmate Michael Perry (scheduled to die within eight days of appearing on-screen), Herzog achieves what he describes as "a gaze into the abyss of the human soul." Herzog's inquiries also extend to the families of the victims and perpetrators as well as a state executioner and pastor who've been with death row prisoners as they've taken their final breaths. As he's so often done before, Herzog's investigation unveils layers of humanity, making an enlightening trip out of ominous territory.
Henry embarked on his journey at the age of 47, weighing 750 lbs and determined to lose weight so he could attend his high school reunion. After losing a huge amount of weight Henry had a lot of excess skin that needed to be removed. However, when he went in for his second removal surgery, things went wrong.
Their elaborate hoaxes garnered news headlines. Executing their evil plans required going to extremes: murdering a hitchhiker, digging up a corpse, parachuting out of a crashing plane. Go inside the minds of six convicts to find out what pushed them to the brink and then finally made them take that fatal, extreme step over the edge. Through first-person, on-camera accounts (some from prison) and cinematic re-enactments, discover how the fakers planned and pulled off their elaborate "deaths." Candid interviews with police detectives will also reveal how authorities pieced the convincing evidence to ultimately crack each case and realize some of the biggest lies to ever come through our country's legal system.
The Enemies of Reason is a two-part television documentary, written and presented by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, in which he seeks to expose "those areas of belief that exist without scientific proof, yet manage to hold the nation under their spell", including mediumship, acupuncture and psychokinesis. The documentary was first broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK, styled as a loose successor to Dawkins' documentary of the previous year, The Root of All Evil?, as seen through the incorporation of brief clips from said documentary during the introduction of the first part by Dawkins. The first part aired 13 August 2007 and the second on 20 August 2007.
In 1975, The Sentry, a state-of-the-art Russian warship, was taken over by a rogue Soviet officer. This remarkable mutiny not only inspired the best-selling political thriller and the Sean Connery/Alec Baldwin blockbuster, "The Hunt for Red October," it almost triggered World War III. For the first time, The Real Story takes you deep into the details of the events depicted in the film, revealing firsthand accounts of bravery and tragedy from the men aboard the warship and the officers who ordered its destruction.
Animal Rescue Corps spent the month of July, 2012 on the ground in Tennessee in back-to-back rescues saving the lives of nearly 200 animals. This short film by Brian Wilson documents the collaborative efforts, volunteers and partners that made these rescues possible, as well as the process from the first day until well after the last, as animals enter their new lives and loving families.
Tag along with celebrity superfans like Harvii, who claims he has had his photo taken with over 1,000 celebrities. Harvii leapt to stardom after a picture of him offering a rose to Megan Fox went viral. Then there's Steve, who gets the faces of famous people tattooed on his body, and Danilo, who relocated to the UK in search of his ultimate hero, Mel C.
Ruling the mean streets of 19th-century America with diabolical brio and desperate brutality, Irish immigrants who formed vicious street gangs staked a growing claim in their new homeland after escaping the ravages of the Potato Famine. The history of the Irish mob is explored in this compelling History Channel documentary.
Ever since 17-year-old Rachel Levy, an Israeli, was killed four years ago in Jerusalem by a Palestinian suicide bomber, her mother Abigail has found hardly a moment's peace. Levy's killer was Ayat al-Akhras, also 17, a schoolgirl from a Palestinian refugee camp several miles away. The two young women looked unbelievably alike. TO DIE IN JERUSALEM unabashedly explores the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through the personal loss of two families. The film's most revealing moment is in an emotionally charged meeting between the mothers of the girls, presenting the most current reflection of the conflict as seen through their eyes.
The Real GoodFella features Henry Hill's personal opinion on what really happened, as well as the testimonies of eyewitnesses. It also features an excerpt of a 1978 news report on the famed Lufthansa heist and footage of a newspaper column printed at the same time.
Imagine cameras have been around since the creation of Earth to record every major event. Take a photographic journey thorough time from the violent birth of our planet four and a half billion years ago, through ice-ages, massive volcanic eruptions and the dinosaurs’ reign to the first humans. For the first time, see the incredible story of our planet unfold in one single, seamless camera move. The history of our planet is an epic journey. From its birth out of cosmic rubble to the unique complex of land, sea, atmosphere and life we know now. See how water was transported to Earth’s surface inside millions of meteors. Through CGI re-creations, meet the inhabitants of Earth over the ages, from slimy mats of algae to the great dinosaurs and the ancestors of mammals and humans.
The girl issue is real, and it’s affecting girls and women around the globe, but what is it? This is your starting point for exploration. Learn not only about the plight that girls face, but also about the incredible power girls and women have to change the future for everyone. Girls and women are making real change around the world, breaking the cycle of poverty in the developing world.
The Doors - When You're Strange - This is a documental film about the legendary american band The Doors. Narrated by Johnny Depp. A chronological look at The Doors, focusing on lead singer, Jim Morrison (1943-1971), from the formation of the band in 1965, it's first gigs, and first album, to Morrison's death, after years of alcohol and drug use. Along the journey, we see archival footage of rehearsals, performances, and private moments including a Miami concert resulting in Morrison's arrest and trial for indecency. His love of the spotlight, his desire to be a poet, and his alcohol-fueled mood swings lead to a back and forth between public and private desires, successes, and failures. The band's music plays throughout.
Spike Lee calls the shots as he takes you up close and personal with Kobe Bryant the NBA’s most valuable player of 2008. Experience unlimited access as 30 cameras follow Kobe’s every move in the single most important match up of the 2007-08 season. Bryant was mic’ed so viewers cab hear every word, Kobe puts his leadership skills to the ultimate test as the LA Lakers take on the San Antonio Spurs for the Western Conference title lead. From locker room prep and strategy talks to the dynamic action of the big game itself, Kobe Doin’ Work is the NBA superstar as you’ve never seen him before, insense, uncensored and totally real!
A documentary about the world's most published and controversial comic artist: Jack T. Chick. His cartoons, conspiracies, and controversies are revealed for the first time on screen. Both critics and supporters give a complete view of this mysterious recluse, the invisible mastermind behind the Chick comic book Empire.
In The Case for Faith, legally trained investigative reporter Lee Strobel investigates two of the most emotional objects to Christianity. Barriers to faith confronted by believers and skeptics alike; Why is Jesus the only way to God? And how could a loving God exist if there is evil and suffering in the world?
Musically Bound: A Story of Local Music is a documentary from RockSet Productions, and directed by filmmaker Evan Kidd (BassRockSet). It features bands and artists from Greenville, North Carolina as they record music, play live, and talk about the state of music. The bands/artists featured in the documentary are The Maple Street Band, Broken Angel, Toni Devon, Devin Adams, and Matt Phillips and The Philharmonic.
Meet 'Alice'. She is a four-year-old child out on the streets of London begging hours on end, day in, day out. 'Alice' is just one of Britain's Gypsy child beggars, and she can earn hundreds of pounds a day. A special Panorama investigation uncovers the truth about these children. Reporter John Sweeney tracks down the begging gangs to luxury homes in Romania, where he confronts the adults forcing the children to beg.
Comic Book Superheros Unmasked is a special on The History Channel about the history of the comic book industry from its origins in the 1930's to the present day, and how comic books have mirrored and affected the society around them. It featured traditional historians, people from inside the industry such as Stan Lee, and people who grew up reading comic books.