Exceptional high quality documentaries and non-fictional series produced or released in 2008.
1- Stephen Fry in America ( 6 episodes - 2DVD´s. 1 companion book)
Stephen Fry travels to USA in a London taxi and visits all of the 50 states. The series gives a very personal view of the US and it's citizens. Ranging from the common stereotypes to rather obscure peculiarities, the series paint an educational and entertaining portrait of US society presented by the unique Stephen Fry.
I did not read the companion book therefore I cannot recommend it. Available at major retailers.
2- Unreported World (Several episodes- at least 18 in 2008. 25 minutes each)
Excellent foreign affairs series from Channel 4. Serious investigation journalism on world issues unreported by other media. Gaza, Abkhazia, Venezuela, Sudan, China...
official site: http://www.channel4.com/news/ontv/unreported_world/
3 - The Worlds of fantasy (3 episodes. 60 minutes each).
Three-part documentary series about fantasy fiction, which has become one of the biggest-selling genres in publishing. Terry Pratchett, JK Rowling, Philip Pullman's , Mervyn Peake, Tolkien....
Unreleased in DVD.
Scientific:
1- The story of maths ( 4 episodes. 60 minutes each)
Presented by Oxford Prof. Marcus du Sautoy. From Greek mathematicians to the still unsolved math problems of the 21st century. Descartes, Fermat, Newton, Euler, Gauss, Poincare, Fibonacci, Godel...
Further info at the open university site: http://www.open2.net/storyofmaths/
2- The sky at night
A TV series featuring interviews with the world leading astronomers. Reports of recent space exploration advances. The series has been on in BBC1 since the 60´s and is presented by Sir Patrick Moore. Episodes are online: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/skyatnight/proginfo.shtml
3- History of surgery ( 5 episodes. 1 hour long each)
Heart, Brain, transplants, plastic and the advances since the dark ages until the state-of-the-art of today. Unreleased in DVD.
4- Planet Earth: Complete BBC series (5 DVDs) and Blue Planet : Complete BBC series (4 DVDs). Both narrated by David Attenborough. Available at major retailers.
Art:
1 - TheEYE (20 episodes . 30 minutes each)
Outstanding series about modern british artists with an unusual format- In each episode an artist is questioned about his/her work and criative process while the artist´s creations are displayed. However the interviewer is quite non intrusive, so the presenter is really the artist, which is let alone in front of the camera talking for 30 minutes. Featured artists: Anish Kapoor, Anthony Caro, Antony Gormley,Chris Ofili,David Batchelor, Dryden Goodwin, Gary Hume, Gilbert and George, Julian Opie, Langlands and Bell, Marc Quinn, Mark Wallinger, Michael Landy, Mona Hatoum, Rachel Whiteread, Richard Deacon, Sam Taylor-Wood, Tracey Emin, William Turnbull....
Available here as individual DVDs for each artist.
2 - The sculpture diaries ( 3 episodes. 1 hour long each)
Presented by Waldemar Januszczak. We travel to see the most spectacular sculptural locations around the globe: from Peru to Nigeria, and Easter Island to Japan. And visit some of the most revered contemporary sculptors, including Antony Gormley, Marc Quinn, James Turrell and the Chapman brothers.
Januszczak uses sculpture to explore attitudes to sex, power and the cosmos, to demonstrate why sculpture has been, and will continue to be, at the heart of our cultural lives.
Channel 4 series unreleased in DVD.
1- Stephen Fry in America ( 6 episodes - 2DVD´s. 1 companion book)
Stephen Fry travels to USA in a London taxi and visits all of the 50 states. The series gives a very personal view of the US and it's citizens. Ranging from the common stereotypes to rather obscure peculiarities, the series paint an educational and entertaining portrait of US society presented by the unique Stephen Fry.
I did not read the companion book therefore I cannot recommend it. Available at major retailers.
2- Unreported World (Several episodes- at least 18 in 2008. 25 minutes each)
Excellent foreign affairs series from Channel 4. Serious investigation journalism on world issues unreported by other media. Gaza, Abkhazia, Venezuela, Sudan, China...
official site: http://www.channel4.com/news/ontv/unreported_world/
3 - The Worlds of fantasy (3 episodes. 60 minutes each).
Three-part documentary series about fantasy fiction, which has become one of the biggest-selling genres in publishing. Terry Pratchett, JK Rowling, Philip Pullman's , Mervyn Peake, Tolkien....
Unreleased in DVD.
Scientific:
1- The story of maths ( 4 episodes. 60 minutes each)
Presented by Oxford Prof. Marcus du Sautoy. From Greek mathematicians to the still unsolved math problems of the 21st century. Descartes, Fermat, Newton, Euler, Gauss, Poincare, Fibonacci, Godel...
Further info at the open university site: http://www.open2.net/storyofmaths/
2- The sky at night
A TV series featuring interviews with the world leading astronomers. Reports of recent space exploration advances. The series has been on in BBC1 since the 60´s and is presented by Sir Patrick Moore. Episodes are online: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/skyatnight/proginfo.shtml
3- History of surgery ( 5 episodes. 1 hour long each)
Heart, Brain, transplants, plastic and the advances since the dark ages until the state-of-the-art of today. Unreleased in DVD.
4- Planet Earth: Complete BBC series (5 DVDs) and Blue Planet : Complete BBC series (4 DVDs). Both narrated by David Attenborough. Available at major retailers.
Art:
1 - TheEYE (20 episodes . 30 minutes each)
Outstanding series about modern british artists with an unusual format- In each episode an artist is questioned about his/her work and criative process while the artist´s creations are displayed. However the interviewer is quite non intrusive, so the presenter is really the artist, which is let alone in front of the camera talking for 30 minutes. Featured artists: Anish Kapoor, Anthony Caro, Antony Gormley,Chris Ofili,David Batchelor, Dryden Goodwin, Gary Hume, Gilbert and George, Julian Opie, Langlands and Bell, Marc Quinn, Mark Wallinger, Michael Landy, Mona Hatoum, Rachel Whiteread, Richard Deacon, Sam Taylor-Wood, Tracey Emin, William Turnbull....
Available here as individual DVDs for each artist.
2 - The sculpture diaries ( 3 episodes. 1 hour long each)
Presented by Waldemar Januszczak. We travel to see the most spectacular sculptural locations around the globe: from Peru to Nigeria, and Easter Island to Japan. And visit some of the most revered contemporary sculptors, including Antony Gormley, Marc Quinn, James Turrell and the Chapman brothers.
Januszczak uses sculpture to explore attitudes to sex, power and the cosmos, to demonstrate why sculpture has been, and will continue to be, at the heart of our cultural lives.
Channel 4 series unreleased in DVD.
3- The art of Spain ( 3 episodes. 60 min each).
Critic and art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon travels from southern to northern Spain to tell the story of some of Europe's most exciting and vital art. In an exploration of Moorish Spain, he looks at Muslim political and cultural influence as he travels from Cordoba to Granada.
He journeys to the country's scorched centre to explore Spanish art of the 16th and 17th centuries, a period that became known as the Golden Age. In the final part, he reveals how the north of the country has produced some of the most dazzling and iconic art of the modern age. Spain's turbulent history has shaped artists from Francisco Goya to Pablo Picasso.
Unreleased in DVD.
Critic and art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon travels from southern to northern Spain to tell the story of some of Europe's most exciting and vital art. In an exploration of Moorish Spain, he looks at Muslim political and cultural influence as he travels from Cordoba to Granada.
He journeys to the country's scorched centre to explore Spanish art of the 16th and 17th centuries, a period that became known as the Golden Age. In the final part, he reveals how the north of the country has produced some of the most dazzling and iconic art of the modern age. Spain's turbulent history has shaped artists from Francisco Goya to Pablo Picasso.
Unreleased in DVD.
* how to get the "unreleased in DVD" items above : search youtube , vimeo and similar video online services. Search upload/download archives like rapidshare, torrents and the web until you find what you want. I do not provide copies thus do not post or e-mail any requests.
