Some of the best documentaries have lessons to impart and important things to say, but they keep us entertained.
Amazon Prime Video subscribers have a lot of money to sift through when looking for their next focused look at a particular topic or subject. You can still find a lot of options to choose from even if you don't include the PBS broadcasts.
This is not an extensive rundown, but some of them earned their spot sight unseen because they sounded like a wild ride. Here is a list of the documentaries that are available on Amazon Prime Video.
He has played Batman and Jim Morrison. His performance in Tombstone is a cult hit that inspired a lot of meme. The Prince of Egypt is his best movie to date, far exceeding that of The Ten Commandments. Val Kilmer is one of the greats.
In Val, the famed actor who largely fell out of public view in the mid-2010s as he battled throat cancer bares his whole self. In this Amazon Original documentary, the home movies and behind the scenes clips created by Kilmer are interwoven to show a picture of his life and career. Val is about as personal as a biographical documentary can get, with narration from Jack and words written by the actor himself.
Val is on Prime Video.
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If you have never seen Goodfellas or The Wolf of Wall Street, you might not know that Martin Scorsese is a huge music fan. He's helmed a number of excellent music docs over the years, but none that shine brighter than his star studded look at The Band's farewell tour in the 1978 film, The Last Waltz.
Taking viewers both onto and behind the stage, Scorsese captures this legendary moment in music history with a fantastic level of detail and insider perspective. The last ride for the band behind beloved rock standards like "The Weight" and "Up On Cripple Creek" was joined by a lineup of 70's-era giants, including Bob Dylan. That is not all the guests.
This is one of the best music documentaries of all time, and it's about an important moment in our cultural history.
Prime Video has The Last Waltz.
If you have never watched the show, you should start there. Don't think of it as homework. The 1999 ensemble comedy that cleverly turned the aging cast of a Star Trek-like TV series/success story into unlikely space was played by Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, and Sam Rockwell.
The documentary helps us understand how magic came to be. With an eye toward the 20th anniversary of the film, Never Surrender gives us a chance to see the cast and crew as they dig through all manner of behind the scenes moments, share their dark secrets and stolen props, and reflect on the film.
Prime Video has a documentary called Never Surrender: A GALAXY QUEST.
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Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown was released in the same year as Get On Up, and it's hard not to think of it. Maybe it is that. With an accomplished documentarian like Alex Gibney at the helm, Mr. Dynamite more than stands on its own.
The film chronicles Brown's career from his time playing for Black audiences when the American Civil Rights movement was still taking shape all the way into his mainstreamed blockbuster success, thanks to a wealth of rare archival materials. There are more than enough archival materials and fascinating revelations to sustain this two-hour trip through music history.
Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown is available on Prime Video.
You will never forget that voice if you hear it once. The sound of a freight train moaning at midnight is the sound of a raspy, tortured growl by Burnett, which is just one piece of the portrait painted in The Howlin' Wolf Story.
The legendary Chicago bluesman left an indelible mark on culture and rock music, as the originator of what are now universally accepted blues standards, like "Spoonful" and "Smokestack Lightnin'"
There is a lack of archival materials for the early blues scene. Blues music is a child of U.S. slavery and is related to the work songs and spirituals sung by African workers who were stolen from their homes to live, work, and die in America. The Howlin' Wolf Story leaves us wanting more because it has no other choice, but it is a precious document as much for what is missing as it is for what is there.
The Howlin' Wolf Story is on Prime Video.
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A Dockumentary has a powerful hook, and it's about the late Major League Baseball player, Dock Ellis, who once pitched a no-hitter as a Pittsburgh Pirate while tripping his face off on LSD.
The incident is just a moment in a much larger and more complex life. The picture of Ellis is assembled from interviews with friends, family, and former teammates, as well as words from Ellis himself.
A thorough look at the man behind the moment is called No No. The life that led to and followed it is highlighted in the documentary. We come away with a deeper understanding of Ellis, his life, and his highs and lows.
No No: A Dockumentary is on Prime Video.
If I Were a Rich Man andTradition are two Broadway shows that you probably don't know a lot about. It is a thoroughly enjoyable look at one of Broadway's all-time greats, so Jews and goyim should settle in for it.
The movie from Max Lewkowicz looks at the difficult road it took to get to the stage. The story is set against the backdrop of early 20th century Russia, a time when the local Jewish population faced intense persecution, as well as its full-force dive into Jewish culture made it provocative.
Lewkowicz's documentary shows that the doubters were wrong. The first Broadway show to hit 3000 performances was Fiddler on the Roof, and the 1971 film adaptation was equally captivating. If you're a fan of Broadway past and present, you'll love the interviews and insights from people like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Harvey Fierstein, and Jewison himself.
Prime Video has a streaming version of Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles.
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The Indians Who Rocked the World is one of the many secret histories explored in music. The impact of indigenous populations in America on popular music is the subject of a documentary.
That title speaks directly to one of those impacts, which is an instrumental from Link Wray. You are probably aware of it. Anyone who has seen the movie will recognize the mellow, meandering track that is driven by the electric guitar distortion.
The origin story for one of the most potent devices in any rocker's arsenal is Rumble. The other focus is not only Wray. Jesse Ed Davis, a legendary studio guitarist whose contributions on notable albums from John Lennon, Bob Dylan, and George Harrison forever cement him in the highest pantheon of rock godhood, was introduced to us. The spotlight is shared by influential artists like Buffy Sainte-Marie, Redbone, and Charlie Patton.
The Indians Who Rocked the World can be watched on Prime Video.
Ginsburg doesn't need an introduction for a modern audience. The late Supreme Court Justice spent his career in service to the American people, advocating for morally just and equal treatment under law first as a lawyer and later as a judge.
Betsy West and Julie Cohen made a documentary about the life and career of Ginsburg. The account makes a point of demystifying the human being at their core by looking beyond headlines and T-shirts. The best version of a true American hero is shown by the best version of the subject.
Prime Video has a streaming version ofRBG.
It is difficult to describe the appeal of a band. Like all the best examples of art in its many forms, you either get it or you don't. It does offer a glimpse into the life of the guitarist and singer who fuels many of the bands, but it isn't going to turn any doubters into true believers.
While the film centers itself in a particular moment, a busy period in which Anastasio is finishing up the solo album Ghosts in the Forest as he prepares for a run of New Year's Eve concerts at Madison Square Garden. This is a family affair that shows viewers a glimpse into the subdued rocker's home life and off-stage history. We learn a lot about the way Anastasio thinks about his work.
You can either get Between Me and My Mind or you can not. The documentary is as thorough a look at the singer as any fan has ever seen.
Between Me and My Mind is on Prime Video.
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