The Golden Era of Hollywood experienced a huge influx of classic Hollywood movies. Not only does mainstream cinemas were reigning supreme, but the new experimental genres started to crop up, focusing on several subjects such as love, war, sex, death, and a lot of other aspects of human life.
While the golden age ended in the 60s, the legacy continues to find its way into the industry. And it continues to make an impact amidst the hubbub of commercial flicks. From the reflection of sociopolitical strife to the accounts of historical flashbacks, here are the top five unforgettable documentaries you shouldn’t miss.
A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995)
Yes, as the title suggests, you’re going to hop in a time machine to deep dive into the Golden Age of Hollywood, where it all began. And when your guide is Martin Scorsese, this is going to be a journey of a lifetime. Martin Scorsese is a popular director who has managed to garner huge success in the American film industry. Some of his popular movies are Goodfellas, Casino, The Wolf of Wall Street, and several others.
Being a fascinating storyteller in this documentary, Scorsese will take you to the wonderland of Hollywood classics, some of his personal favorites. From musical to western classics or doomy crime sagas – the anecdotes will make you fall in love with Hollywood in a new way.
These Amazing Shadows (2011)
The massive film preservation center of the United States, which is popular as the National Film Registry, is where you can hear the whisper of history. The way they protect, archive old classics, and even bring an entire film out of an almost ruined reel is a matter of great wonder.
The 2011 documentary These Amazing Shadows manifests the story of these uphills tasks. And that experts of the National Film Registry go through to make the impossible possible. The documentary will take us to the temperature-controlled vaults where more than 100,000 film reels are being stored and preserved. Get yourself ready to visit the amazing shadows of the past.
Hollywood: A Celebration of the American Silent Film (1980)
Directed by the silent film historian Kevin Brownlow, this television documentaries bring out the true essence of a bygone era. The era of silent film is still a topic of much discussion amongst film critics. Even being silent, the earliest period of Hollywood produced some of the masterpieces that need to analyze things from different unique angles. When you’re about to make an in-depth examination of those silent classics, this series could be an ideal one to look up to.
The documentary features interviews of surviving stars, cast members, and stuntmen in that era. It brings out the flashbacks of a fascinating era of the entertainment industry.
Girl 27 (2007)
‘Girl 27’ is a shocking documentary that revolves around the life of a girl Patricia Douglas. She was a rape survivor in the 1930s and was working with the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production as an extra.
One day, she got a call with a promise of casting on a show. However, it led to a series of horrific events which traumatized her for life. The documentary reveals the accounts of that incident and her effort to get justice from the judiciary system.
And the Oscar Goes To… (2014)
Another unforgettable masterpiece of Hollywood has to be the documentary, ‘And the Oscar Goes To…’. This masterpiece will take you to the prestigious stage of Oscar, where every year celebs win the coveted golden sculpture. The Academy Awards, or Oscar, dates back to 1929. And it has since then, been the greatest ever trophy for any film enthusiast.
The Oscar ceremony itself is an event to remember. The film focuses on the history of the Academy Awards and its ceremony that still is equally relevant to people as it was back in the late 20s. Since its inception, the award has gone through many things, including a world war, but the glittering history never fades away. The film tells about the glory and emotional stories of the Academy Award throughout.
A documentary is a piece of art that might be a hard sell. Still, its unique storytelling ability represents a subject or era’s essence more accurately than any other visual arts. From critically acclaimed to not-so-popular ones, documentaries have always been the alternate lifeline of Hollywood. And that speaks volumes about the entertainment industry.