Elgar: Fantasy of a Composer on a Bicycle (2002)

Director:
Ken Russell

IMDB

Review:
If you haven't seen this film, sorry but you probably never will. It was commissioned for the South Bank Show, and I wouldn't be surprised if ITV have "accidentally" erased the tapes soon after the broadcast. I have never seen a presenter looking so embarrassed as Melvyn Bragg doing the introduction. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think Melvyn may have had a part in commissioning the original Russell/Elgar film that is still fondly remembered – the first in an ever descending spiral of self-indulgent awfulness of composer biography films that Russell has stuck to ever since (the 1992 film about Bax is a good example). To celebrate the 40th anniversery of this magnum opus the SBS gave Russell carte blanche to self-indulge. Everyone must have known it was going to be a disaster, and those of us who tuned in were not disappointed. It had a cosy, home-made feel, like a bad family video. A bloke with a stuck on Elgar mustache and no acting ability rode up and down Malvern hills on a bike (quite easy to do a period film if all you do is shots of countryside - even so there are glimpses of the Worcester bypass in the background). The various women in Elgar's life (or rather Ken's, as most seem to be related to him) made fleeting appearances, but fortunately none was given many lines to deliver, as they might have found this difficult apparently never having acted before. Elgar's secret beloved spent rather too much of the film dancing around in gauzy material nearly covering her chest, which kept slipping so that she needed to pull it back up. Worst of all were the random interludes of small girls dancing round the woods as fairies (personally I wasn't aware of Elgar's fairy fetish but maybe Ken knows better?). Anyway the film was another unique contribution by the master.

She Stole My Voice (2007)

Director:
Justine Chang and Armand Kaye

Review:
In one of the most important and controversial documentaries of the last four years, filmmakers Justine Chang and Armand Kaye examine a crime that has been ignored, discounted, and even declared impossible. The result of years of research and production, She Stole My Voice: A Documentary About Lesbian Rape is a jarring, terrifying, and eye-opening look at this lesbian rape and sexual violence between women.  The film masterfully interweaves community responses, expert analyses, and graphic reenactments to create an absolutely unforgettable experience. Viewers will see the reality and prevalence of this crime, and learn how the community as a whole, law enforcement, and even the lesbian community itself have repeatedly discounted this crime. And in the unforgettable and terrifyingly graphic reenactments of lesbian rape, viewers will begin to truly understand the chilling and horrific experience of actual lesbian rape.

Apparently there is a lot of controversy with this documentary film, some people believe that this is more porn than actual documentary... Lets have some opinions. Please leave a comment....

Standard Operating Procedure (2008)

Director:

Errol Morris

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0896866/

Review:
Master filmmaker Errol Morris turns his keen eye to the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in this intense and provocative documentary. Using interviews with the soldiers that appeared in the now infamous torture photos, Morris strings their stories together with vivid reenactments and striking digital technology for a wrenching look at the events at the prison. With his trademark straight-into-the-lens interview style, it is chilling to see the familiar faces of Lynndie England and Sabrina Harmon as they try to articulate their experiences. The lawlessness and confusion in the prison quickly become evident, and as their stories unfold, the film slowly strips away the many puzzling questions that surround the incidents, exposing a much larger truth about corruption within the US military, corruption that appears to reach far beyond the handful of soldiers that took the fall for the scandal. Morris's reenactments are extremely vivid, and often shot in a beautifully cinematic style. While these techniques make for riveting film making, they are sometimes considered controversial by documentary purists, and some might criticize his detailed recreations of such deeply disturbing events. However, others might deem the reenactments necessary to really bringing home the reality of what happened. Regardless of his methods, Morris does a masterly job of untangling such a complex, twisted story. He shines a glaring light on one of America's most shameful moments and, more importantly, exposes how little we truly know about our military's methods.