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Fortean Documentaries

Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide Documentary ... for anyone interested in this sort of thing

 
Very interesting, and a thoughtful examination of a cultural phenomenom that I somehow missed out on at the time. Thanks!
 
A Wire Through The Heart

1862
This is the story of two unsung South Australians - John McDouall Stuart and Charles Todd. I'm fascinated by the story and personality of Stuart. I think he's worthy of the same level of respect in some ways as Neil Armstrong, yet he was rejected socially and financially by the SA establishment because he was an alky and probably quite mentally unwell after attempting to cross an uncharted Australian inland from south to north no less than six times. He was almost certainly suffering from PTSD throughout his life. Upon each return to Adelaide he binged on rum and had to be nursed by the wife of his employer until it was time to set out again. He mapped the inland territory precisely, succeeding to be the first to cross the continent from south to north in 1862/3 enabling the first telegraph link with Darwin and Indonesia and thence the world. His is the most endearing tale of survival in some of the most extreme geographical conditions imagineable. People die within days and within mere miles of their vehicles in these parts every year still, yet he was 6-12 months on these journeys and seemed to experience some form of physical transformation into a different level of existence requiring the tiniest nutrition and sustenance to keep on living.

I highly recommend the book Mr Stuart's Track by John Bailey. I've read it four times so far. It is an astonishing life. Very sad that still today he isn't adequately recognised for his accomplishments and his ordeals. His appeal for a pension on the back of his final triumph was rejected by the temperence bastards in political power in Victorian Adelaide and he slummed it in Glenelg for a year or two before his pay expired, returning to Britain to die a friendless broken pauper within two years.
 
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A Wire Through The Heart

1862
This is the story of two unsung South Australians - John McDouall Stuart and Charles Todd. I'm fascinated by the story and personality of Stuart. I think he's worthy of the same level of respect in some ways as Neil Armstrong, yet he was rejected socially and financially by the SA establishment because he was an alky and probably quite mentally unwell after attempting to cross an uncharted Australian inland from south to north no less than six times. He was almost certainly suffering from PTSD throughout his life. Upon each return to Adelaide he binged on rum and had to be nursed by the wife of his employer until it was time to set out again. He mapped the inland territory precisely, succeeding to be the first to cross the continent from south to north in 1862/3 enabling the first telegraph link with Darwin and Indonesia and thence the world. His is the most endearing tale of survival in some of the most extreme geographical conditions imagineable. People die within days and within mere miles of their vehicles in these parts every year still, yet he was 6-12 months on these journeys and seemed to experience some form of physical transformation into a different level of existence requiring the tiniest nutrition and sustenance to keep on living.

I highly recommend the book Mr Stuart's Track by John Bailey. I've read it four times so far. It is an astonishing life. Very sad that still today he isn't adequately recognised for his accomplishments and his ordeals. His appeal for a pension on the back of his final triumph was rejected by the temperence bastards in political power in Victorian Adelaide and he slummed it in Glenelg for a year or two before his pay expired, returning to Britain to die a friendless broken pauper within two years.

Saved for later viewing.
 
The Mutter museum - A museum of medical horrors full documentary:

 
Good find, Swifty. Postponing it for Easter weekend viewing.

.. enjoy mate ... and I haven't watched this one yet but it might be a good double bill? ..

 
Ripley really was a talented cartoonist. Thanks for that!
 
Good series of three docos on psychic spies here: The Crazy Rulers of the World, by British journalist Jon Ronson. Thanks to Yithian for mentioning this series on another thread - I wasn't aware of these before. Fascinating stories from the beginning of the century and beyond.
 
Watch: Terrifying 'The Nightmare' Trailer from 'Room 237' Director Will Keep You Awake For Days

Rodney Ascher takes on sleep paralysis in what many critics are calling one of the most terrifying documentaries ever made.

Between directing "The Shining" conspiracy documentary "Room 237" and a segment for the horror anthology sequel "The ABCs of Death 2," it's clear director Rodney Ascher has a special place in his heart for all things terror. The director's latest project, "The Nightmare," is his scariest effort yet as he explores the real-life nightmares of subjects who suffer from sleep paralysis. The film had a successful premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.

Interviewing eight adults who suffer from sleep paralysis and resulting night terrors, Ascher explores his subjects' terrifying semi-conscious states while also recreating their horrific dreamscapes for the viewer to witness. The result is a unique non-fiction experience that holds its own against the hits of the horror fiction genre. If the debut trailer for "The Nightmare" makes anything clear, it's to definitely avoid seeing it alone.

http://www.indiewire.com/article/wa...irector-will-keep-you-awake-for-days-20150501
 
.. enjoy mate ... and I haven't watched this one yet but it might be a good double bill? ..


My son saw this one at school, on one of those days when they watched a film after testing was finished. it gives me hope that the local public education system is a little more open-minded than they used to be. (In my day, we were treated to films about nutrition and school-bus safety on those days.)

We both agreed that Ripley's business partner, whose job it was to scour the library for reports of weirdness, had a dream job. :)
 
I went to Ripley's while i was in Niagara Falls, quite a small place, there was a big mirror and in front was some facts about what people can do, with their tongues and such, so of course you stand there pulling various faces trying them out, unbeknownst to us, until we got round to the other side, it was a two way mirror, and they were recording it, as we could see others from past visits on a telly :eek:
http://www.niagarafallstourism.com/play/attractions/ripleys-believe-it-or-not/
I cant remember half of that :eek: Must have missed a floor or two :p
 
Got a real gem here. Last night there was a story about Slab City (long-term US desert locale with quite a large community of squatters living rent free) on the news saying the bureaucrats were going to cut off their water supply. As I was seeking the video (thought someone had posted it here - maybe its in Human Condition) I found this in the search.

Vagrants? Itinerants? Squatters? Drifters? Homeless? Those who've chosen to roam have often been derided by the sedentary community. I think it looks very tasty. If I were single again ...

Without bounds: Perspectives on a Mobile Lifestyle

Get it while its hot, folks. These good free docos have a habit of disappearing from freeview.
 
Here's the older vid I was seeking. It is definitely on a thread on FT somewhere. I hope the pigs don't shut down their water supply. It is a very edgy community, but they're way out away from the bourgeoisie, so leave 'em the hell alone I reckon.

 
Got a real gem here. Last night there was a story about Slab City (long-term US desert locale with quite a large community of squatters living rent free) on the news saying the bureaucrats were going to cut off their water supply. As I was seeking the video (thought someone had posted it here - maybe its in Human Condition) I found this in the search.

Vagrants? Itinerants? Squatters? Drifters? Homeless? Those who've chosen to roam have often been derided by the sedentary community. I think it looks very tasty. If I were single again ...

Without bounds: Perspectives on a Mobile Lifestyle

Get it while its hot, folks. These good free docos have a habit of disappearing from freeview.
After watching this I'm wondering, is it just me or are these people even more self-centred than the residential folks they decry? No responsibilities to anybody but themselves, and good luck to them, but their attitudes don't sit too comfortably for some reason. The people here represent the generation that promoted the goddamn consumerist ethic in the western world and now they just wanna leave the mess for everybody else. Something about that irks me.
 
Slab City is a fascinating place. I remember it featuring prominently in Into the Wild, which was a thought-provoking film.
 
Last night on BBC4 there was a documentary about James Randi - I thought it was really good. It got a bit soppy at the end (owing to the documentary makers trying to make some feeble connection between him basing his career on Revealing Truth when his partner had been concealing his original identity and was actually an illegal immigrant) but apart from that.. Although it did have me ranting at the television over that self-serving twerp Uri Geller and also some disgraceful 'faith healer' in America. As one man against the forces of willful stupidity he's done pretty well. Well worth a watch and will be on the iplayer for a while.
 
Last night on BBC4 there was a documentary about James Randi - I thought it was really good. It got a bit soppy at the end (owing to the documentary makers trying to make some feeble connection between him basing his career on Revealing Truth when his partner had been concealing his original identity and was actually an illegal immigrant) but apart from that.. Although it did have me ranting at the television over that self-serving twerp Uri Geller and also some disgraceful 'faith healer' in America. As one man against the forces of willful stupidity he's done pretty well. Well worth a watch and will be on the iplayer for a while.

It was also discussed on the Randi thread when it was first shown. From this post on wards:
http://forum.forteantimes.com/index.php?threads/randi-discuss.13216/page-4#post-1469821
 
I first read about Tim Page in Michael Herr's excellent Vietnam expose, Dispatches. Page has gradually upped some of his images onto his website over the years, and they really take you inside the American experience. WARNING: this documentary is extremely graphic at times with images of horrific death from the first frames.

I got here through looking for follow ups on his fellow photo-journalist Sean Flynn. That's an interesting mystery too.

I've always had an inexplicable fascination/obsession with the American Vietnam war experience since listening to the Clash song Sean Flynn in 1983 and then watching Platoon 30 years ago. My wife (Buddhist by family tradition) reckons I was most likely there, but I'm skeptical as always. Born in '71, so she supposes I reincarnated out of that conflict or something. I don't hold to that philosophy, but who knows.
 
I remember the passage in Dispatches about Sean Flynn heading into the jungle on a motorbike, never to be seen again.
 
I remember the passage in Dispatches about Sean Flynn heading into the jungle on a motorbike, never to be seen again.
Into Cambodia, IIRC. Straight To Hell on a moped. Was Dana Stone with him? I must read it again. I love the way Herr describes the borderlands the correspondents straddled between the lunacy and the light. What a writer.
 
Sorry, the Page doco part 1 is all there is. The actress who uploaded it has a hundred videos of herself but no Part 2 of the Page doco. I'll keep tracking and maybe it'll show up on Vimeo or somewhere.
 
Sorry, the Page doco part 1 is all there is. The actress who uploaded it has a hundred videos of herself but no Part 2 of the Page doco. I'll keep tracking and maybe it'll show up on Vimeo or somewhere.


 
Yeah thanks. The Flynn doco also goes nowhere. Most disappointing. Surely this story would make a great feature documentary. Most of those guys are still kicking but won't be around long. Someone needs to get it done.
 
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