ALL PURPOSE DOCUMENTARY THREAD

[Curt McGirt]

I have a complicated history with GWAR. They were one of the first bands I ever liked as a kid, even though their music is terrible. I saw them live, and I left the show halfway through basically out of boredom (and how is a GWAR show BORING to anyone, really?). I even sold a tape that was signed by them. But, am I watching that movie? FUCK YES. 

We should get @DEAN in here to see what his opinion of them is, since he's as native (Richmond) as J.T. 

Edited July 21, 2022 by Curt McGirt

[DEAN]

Nice guys.  I met Beefcake when he was 16 and playing in a band in Hopewell.  I remember the day Brad got the drumming gig.  "Oh man, they are making my drums into TEETH!"  I wanted to like the music, but they weren't Celtic Frost or Mercyful Fate or anything.  I've seen them ONCE and I remember when it was Dave Brockie and the Alter-Natives.

[Curt McGirt]

Once, damn. Well, as you said, they weren't Celtic Frost or Mercyful Fate. I've seen more not-so-good or actively awful local bands more.

Edited July 21, 2022 by Curt McGirt

[J.T.]

I was a bouncer / security at the Canal Club back in the mid 90's and worked two or three of the New Year's Evil shows when GWAR double-billed with Lamb of God.  The guys were super nice but yeah, GWAR shows are more theater than concerts and they know how to keep their audiences in check.  LoG mosh pits were fights waiting to happen but as long as it didn't happen in the club, we were good.

I met Danielle Stampe / Slymenstra Hymen out of costume and make-up once at the Richmond Watermelon Festival in the Fan.  I think it was the year before she quit the band and moved to LA.  I remember her being really nice and being able to hold her tequila.

[RIPPA]

The Princess

August 13 (which is just a couple weeks short of the 25th Anniversary of her death)

[RIPPA]

Untold: The Rise and Fall of AND1

[Curt McGirt]

The 30 for 30 on them was interesting, but apparently I missed a lot of stuff by missing the end for whatever reason. 

[RIPPA]

I Just Killed My Dad

[J.T.]

Oh, for fuck's sake.

[Ace]

Watched the Simmons Woodstock '99 doc. Holy shit, you could not find a way to make the promoters look worse than they made themselves look in this.

 

[hammerva]

I assume this is the Showtime version of Woodstock 99 because the Netflix version I think comes out tomorrow   will be interesting to see if the Netflix is a little less preachy than the Showtime one.  Almost like they were trying to tell us that Woodstock 99 caused Trump in the White House.  I assume the promoters avoid this version given how horrible they came off slut shaming the fuck out of everyone 

Edited August 2, 2022 by hammerva

[HarryArchieGus]

4 minutes ago, hammerva said:

I assume this is the Showtime version of Woodstock 99 because the Netflix version I think comes out tomorrow   will be interesting to see if the Netflix is a little less preachy than the Showtime one.  Almost like they were trying to tell us that Woodstock 99 caused Trump in the White House.  I assume the promoters avoid this version given how horrible they came off slur shaming the fuck out of everyone 

That was an awful doc. So many of the talking heads were so unlikeable that I found myself wanting to believe the opposite of everything they were saying and embrace that horrible festival as some kind of positive landmark. I still find it interesting that ppl looked at that line-up and thought 'yeah, that'll be a good time'. Now I kinda wish I'd waited for whatever Netflix is releasing, but not sure I need to hear anything more about Woodstock 99. Tho, this does remind me that I've still never watched the full muddy Nine Inch Nails performance from 94 (tho, spun the bootleg CD a time or two).

[Ace]

This was the HBO version. 

[hammerva]

Okay I am fairly certain the Miz is on the Netflix Woodstock documentary.  Granted most white teens in 99 looked like him but still

This version is so much better than HBO one.  Just explain the situation and leave the opinion about future significance alone.   And yes the promoter is still a major asshole

[Mister TV]

The Netflix Woodstock 99 doc is ok, the HBO Woodstock doc is the better of the two by a mile. My biggest issue with the Netflix doc is the groping/sexual assaults/rapes that happened at Woodstock 99 only got talked about for five minutes near the end, the HBO doc covered it more but still not enough. Both docs overdid it on blaming Limp Bizkit and The Red Hot Chili Peppers for the crowd getting out of control, the promoters cut corners to make a few more bucks in every aspect of Woodstock 99, if there was actual security and not random dudes off the street pretending to be security they might have been able to control things. Just like the HBO doc promoters John Scher and Michael Lang came off really bad, the present day stuff has some "wow" they went there and the footage of them from Woodstock 99 comes off as "we got our money & don't give a shit". 

 

[J.T.]

The Anarchists has been pretty intriguing so far.  I absolutely hate all of those people.  They do not espouse personal governnce as much as they believe that government should simply leave them alone so that they can continue to be hedonists, engage in questionable business practices, and the like.   Their version of anarchy is very much class based.  Only people that can afford to govern themselves should be allowed to do it.  Everyone else needs to be closely controlled.

The best part of the series covers the time frame where Acapulco slowly transforms from the playground of the rich into a war zone.  Suddenly these government haters expect the Mexican government to move in and aggressively push back against the drug cartels because it interferes with their gathering.  So much for self-autonomy and governing yourself only.  Ironic?  Yes, very much so.

Edited August 8, 2022 by J.T.

[RIPPA]

I thought this was posted but now I don't see it so...

Running With the Devil: The Wild World of John McAfee

[odessasteps]

Football pods are being slammed by ads for Welcome to Wrexham. 

[Greggulator]

On 7/21/2022 at 3:59 PM, Curt McGirt said:

I have a complicated history with GWAR. They were one of the first bands I ever liked as a kid, even though their music is terrible. I saw them live, and I left the show halfway through basically out of boredom (and how is a GWAR show BORING to anyone, really?). I even sold a tape that was signed by them. But, am I watching that movie? FUCK YES. 

We should get @DEAN in here to see what his opinion of them is, since he's as native (Richmond) as J.T. 

I friggin' love GWAR. So funny. I saw them a few times. I always had a blast.

The best time I ever saw them was in Asbury Park in the late 90s at some point. A bunch of punks from that area hopped the stage and started to fight GWAR. Like hand-to-hand combat. It was insanity. 

One of my friends knew some of the dudes who were engaged in warfare with GWAR. We ran into them after the show and asked why they fought GWAR. The response?

"They're trying to conquer Earth!"

Absolute perfection. I also was on a comedy show with Sleazy P. Martini a few years ago and told him about this story and he could not believe it. Said it was one of the more memorable GWAR shows. 

[Mister TV]

There's a multi-episode Lakers/Buss Family doc directed by Antoine Fuqua on Hulu. The first episode and a half were ok, but it comes off like a WWE Doc since the Lakers/Buss family produced it, I'm guessing this was done to counter act Winning Time.

[RIPPA]

McEnroe

I am not sure this ever got posted when the trailer came out but it premieres on Friday

[RIPPA]

Sidney

Sept 23, 2022

[Tabe]

10 hours ago, RIPPA said:

McEnroe

I am not sure this ever got posted when the trailer came out but it premieres on Friday

Why can't this be on HBO? Argh. 

[hammerva]

I watched a few of the Dark Side of Comedy shows on Andrew Dice Clay and Chris Farley.   The Farley version is pretty much like all the other documentaries on him but tis he interesting part to me was them talking about the SNL where he hosted near the end of his life.  Basically saying that they created the show in thinking that a busy Chris Farley would keep him off the shit.  Which was obvious the case watching the show and the story before it.   What was really interesting is how they investigated on how while the intention might have been noble the execution was a disaster and maybe counter productive.   The opening segment which is the cast members talking about how unprofessional and untrustworthy he could be because of his issues is something.  Almost mean spirited without knowing it.    They didn't have the true stars on the show but I wonder if people like David spade and Chris Rock thought the show did more harm than good.  

I remember the Andrew Dice Clay period.  It was Sam Kinison on steroids.  The funny or sad thing is that if he did that stuff now he would probably be a huge star but on a smaller level.  But he would have never been even close to a spot on SNL though

[Curt McGirt]

I caught the second half of Farley and all of Dice. Farley was sad as fuck and his brother being on there almost made it worse; it's no wonder nobody big showed up. They've all been down that road on TV before anyway. 

Dice was very conflicting. I think he's a talented guy, good actor, and I understand that it's being a transgressive persona. But watching it with 2022 eyes it was AAAAAWWWWFUL. I disagree that he would have been a success, I don't think he'd have a career and would buried under the jail by people for his content. The success didn't even feel deserved in a way. At the same time I remember seeing him on his "comeback special" as a kid and remember liking it? Was it just because it was dirty talk in front of a young kid? I dunno.