Movies Similar to The Story of British Cinema: The Pioneer Years

Kathryn Bigelow: Hollywood Adrenaline(2023)

For more than 40 years Kathryn Bigelow has been making films that explore male violence. With movies like Blue Steel, Point Break, The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, the Oscar winning American filmmaker has impressed with hard-hitting moviemaking that holds a mirror up to contemporary America and the world.

Indiana Jones: The Search for the Lost Golden Age(2021)

Hawaii, May 1977. After the success of Star Wars, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg meet to find a new project to work on together, the former as producer, the latter as director. The story of how the charismatic archaeologist Indiana Jones was born and how his first adventure, released in 1981, triumphed at box offices around the world.

Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer(2022)

With exclusive behind-the-scenes access into Herzog’s everyday life, rare archive material and in-depth interviews with celebrated collaborators – including Christian Bale, Nicole Kidman, and Robert Pattinson, we are given an exciting glimpse into the work and personal life of the iconic artist.

Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films(2014)

A documentary about the rise and fall of the Cannon Film Group, the legendary independent film company helmed by Israeli cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus.

The Five Obstructions(2003)

In 1967, experimental filmmaker Jorgen Leth created a striking short film, The Perfect Human, starring a man and women sitting in a box while a narrator poses questions about their relationship and humanity. Years later, Danish director Lars von Trier made a deal with Leth to remake his film five times, each under a different set of circumstances and with von Trier's strictly prescribed rules. As Leth completes each challenge, von Trier creates increasingly further elaborate stipulations.

The Prince of Nothingwood(2017)

French documentarist Sonia Kronlund follows actor and director Salim Shaheen, an Afghan movie star who produced more than 110 low-budget movies in a country devastated by war.

Beyond Horror: The History and Sub-Culture of Red Films(2019)

Delves into the history of the most extreme and shocking films that have ever been made. chronicles the timeline of Red Films: those films that are too extreme for the mainstream and historically have been circulated via the bootleg circuit.

His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th(2010)

A retrospective documentary about the groundbreaking horror series, Friday the 13th, featuring interviews with cast and crew from the twelve films spanning 3 decades.

Satan's Blood: recuerdos de «Escalofrío»(2016)

The story of the shooting of Satan's Blood (Escalofrío), a film directed by Carlos Puerto in 1978.

A Gray State(2017)

In 2010 David Crowley, an Iraq veteran, aspiring filmmaker and charismatic up-and-coming voice in fringe politics, began production on his film Gray State. Set in a dystopian near-future where civil liberties are trampled by an unrestrained federal government, the film’s crowd funded trailer was enthusiastically received by the burgeoning online community of libertarians, Tea Party activists and members of the nascent alt-right. In January of 2015, Crowley was found dead with his family in their suburban Minnesota home. Their shocking deaths quickly become a cause célèbre for conspiracy theorists who speculate that Crowley was assassinated by a shadowy government concerned about a film and filmmaker that was getting too close to the truth about their aims.

The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout(2024)

The story of one of the great environmental disasters to befall the United States, and the terrible movie that helped bring the catastrophe to light.

Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki(2017)

A look at legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki following his retirement in 2013.

Fritz Lang, le cercle du destin - Les films allemands(2004)

Audience of One(2007)

The film follows the story of a San Francisco Pentecostal minister Richard Gazowsky on his quest to shoot a groundbreaking fantasy film called Gravity: The Shadow of Joseph (described by him as "Star Wars meets The Ten Commandments"). The film follows him and members of his church as they go through pre-production and fly to Alberobello, Italy, for initial shooting that turns out to be marred with difficulties.

All You Zombies: Bringing 'Predestination' to Life(2015)

Documentary about the making of the Spierig Brothers' 2014 film PREDESTINATION that is based on Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 science-fiction short story '—All You Zombies—'. Through interviews with cast and crew, film clips and behind-the-scenes footage, this documentary thoroughly explores how the film came to be from casting to pre-production to principal photography to post-production. Interviewees include writers/directors Michael and Peter Spierig, producers Paddy McDonald and Tim McGahan, director of photography Ben Nott, special makeup effects designer Steve Boyle, production designer Matthew Putland, special makeup effects supervisor Samantha Lyttle, costume designer Wendy Cork, film editor Matt Villa, and actors Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor and Ethan Hawke.

Mehrjui: The Forty-Year Report(2016)

Mehrjui: The Forty-Year Report dives into the artistic world of Iranian director Dariush Mehrjui. The film offers critical interpretations of his works from cinema experts, enriched with personal anecdotes from his peers.

Manila... A Filipino Film(1975)

Making-of documentary about Lino Brocka's 1975 film "Manila in the Claws of Light," featuring interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers(2019)

Documentary following the history of America's first cinematographers.

Coogan's Runner(2003)

Video diary from behind the scenes of 2002's "Cruise of the Gods."

Heirs of the Beast(2016)

The story of the making and subsequent success of The Day of the Beast, the Spanish cult film directed by Álex de la Iglesia and released in 1995.