Tag Archives: Documentary

Flying Higher and Bolder with First to the Moon

5 Jun

Release Date: June 4,  2019
Available on VOD & DVD on Amazon

Space, the final frontier… The 60s was a time filled with uncertainty. The Vietnam War, civil unrest and a dream—Kennedy promised to put a man on the moon and Russia put a man in space. It was a race to be the First to the Moon.

Director Paul Hildebrandt explains why America had to take chances during the Cold War in order to boldly go where no man has gone before and the result was inspiring. His two-hour documentary covers a lot of ground and has to dwell on the socio-political problems of the time to explain what everyone was facing. Despite a few setbacks, the Apollo mission was still a go and the result is inspiring.

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Star Trek: Deep Space 9 Documentary Comes to Home Video!

3 Jun

Available to pre-order on Amazon

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

If you are a huge Deep Space Nine Fan like me, trying to find a local theatre playing this documentary about this show is difficult. Not every town will offer it. Thankfully, Shout! Factory is releasing this product to home video so those who are looking for that love letter from outer space can get it. In what I believe made this series work is that directors Ira Steven Behr (showrunner) and David Zappone (producer of For the Love of Spock, The Captains) were on board for all seven seasons. Their vision never waned!

They are two of the many names who look back at What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  It’s a fascinating in-depth look at the past, present, and future of a series whose dark, edgy take on Gene Roddenberry’s vision was often misunderstood when it premiered but has grown into a beloved mainstay in the Star Trek franchise, What We Left Behind will be available August 6, 2019 on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital, as well as a Shout! Factory exclusive two-disc Special Edition Blu-ray.

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Tracing the Blues with ReMastered: Devil at the Crossroads

30 May

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Documentaries or biopics about musicians have really taken off since the release of Bohemian Rhapsody. Whether that’s on the big screen or small, Netflix is ripe with ’em. They have Dirt and ReMastered: Devil at the Crossroads–to name a few–and I’m sure there’s more. Rocketman is due in theatres May 30th.

Fictionalized takes of these musicians are not always accurate, and I found the look at Robert Johnson‘s life not only the most concise in uncovering his legacy but also intoxicatingly beautiful with the style of artwork used. The drawings are sublime, using charcoal sketches and watercolours to convey a sense of mystery. The beauty in this work is comparable to the animated sequence in the movie, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows.

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A Portrait of the Never-Ending Man, Hayao Miyazaki

28 Apr

Image result for shout factory never-ending manBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Release Date: April 30, 2019
* Spoiler Alert

Hayao Miyazaki is the Never-Ending Man. This documentary about his attempt at retirement is finally arriving on home video, and it shows he’s not ready for that quieter life just yet. He loves art and he loves creating. In his spare time, he’s working on illustrations for display at the Ghibli Museum and his home life is not the focus. His relationship with the Studio is more important. This work directed by Kaku Arakawa simply follows the day-to-day life of this filmmaker and stays unobtrusive as we see him make magic.

This studio was formed to allow him to express all his creative visions. Whether that’s to explore spirituality and reveal the essence of being, to see the production process is a rare look in a world not often discussed. Without him, the little prefecture of Koganei in Tokyo, Japan would seem like another quiet neighbourhood.

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