03 Jun 2008
The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn't
On the 35th anniversary of the release of the landmark film "The Godfather," (March 15, 1972) we look back at the time and place of the film's conception and shooting.
Portrait: Werner Herzog
An autobiographical short film by Werner Herzog made in 1986. Herzog tells stories about his life and career. The film contains excerpts and commentary on several Herzog films, including Signs of Life, Heart of Glass, Fata Morgana, Aguirre, the Wrath of God, The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner, Fitzcarraldo, and the Les Blank documentary Burden of Dreams. Notable is footage of a conversation between Herzog and his mentor Lotte Eisner, a photographer. In another section, he talks with mountaineer Reinhold Messner, in which they discuss a potential film project in the Himalayas to star Klaus Kinski.
Top Billed Cast
Reinhold Messner Self
Lotte Eisner Self
Mick Jagger Self (archive footage)
Jason Robards Self (archive footage)
Klaus Kinski Self (archive footage)
Paul Hittscher Self (archive footage)
Franz Josef Strauß Self - Oktoberfest
Similar movies
The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn't The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn't Werner Herzog - Radikaler Träumer 
Werner Herzog - Radikaler Träumer 27 Oct 2022
Werner Herzog - Radikaler Träumer
With exclusive behind-the-scenes access into Herzog’s everyday life, rare archive material and in-depth interviews with celebrated collaborators – including Christian Bale, Nicole Kidman, and Robert Pattinson, we are given an exciting glimpse into the work and personal life of the iconic artist.
Orson Welles in Spain Orson Welles in Spain 01 Jun 1966
Orson Welles in Spain
Orson Welles pitches to potential investors his vision of a largely improvised bullfighter movie about an existential, James Dean type troubadour who sets himself apart from other matadors. In front of an audience of wealthy arts patrons, Welles pontificates on the state of cinema, the filmmaking process, and the art of bullfighting.
Visions of Light 
Visions of Light 17 Sep 1992
Visions of Light
Cameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography and of the "DP" (the director of photography), illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from Birth of a Nation to Do the Right Thing. Themes: the DP tells people where to look; changes in movies (the arrival of sound, color, and wide screens) required creative responses from DPs; and, these artisans constantly invent new equipment and try new things, with wonderful results. The narration takes us through the identifiable studio styles of the 30s, the emergence of noir, the New York look, and the impact of Europeans. Citizen Kane, The Conformist, and Gordon Willis get special attention.
Portrait: Jane Campion and The Portrait of a Lady 
Portrait: Jane Campion and The Portrait of a Lady 01 Jan 1997
Portrait: Jane Campion and The Portrait of a Lady
A documentary about the making of Jane Campion's 'The Portrait of a Lady'.
Perspectives on Othello: Joseph McBride on Orson Welles 
Perspectives on Othello: Joseph McBride on Orson Welles 05 Nov 2014
Perspectives on Othello: Joseph McBride on Orson Welles
Welles scholar Joseph McBride discusses the 1952 film adaptation of William Shakespeare's play. (A 32-minute edit of this documentary was presented by the Criterion Collection in their edition of Othello.)
Walt: The Man Behind the Myth 
Walt: The Man Behind the Myth 16 Sep 2001
Walt: The Man Behind the Myth
From Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdom, he turned his dreams into entertainment for the ages. Now, learn his real story. Through exclusive footage and interviews with friends and family, this documentary traces the complicated life of legendary animator Walt Disney.
Nightmares in Red, White and Blue 
Nightmares in Red, White and Blue 06 Aug 2009
Nightmares in Red, White and Blue
An exploration of the appeal of horror films, with interviews of many legendary directors in the genre.
Salaam Cinema 
Salaam Cinema 14 Apr 1995
Salaam Cinema
Makhmalbaf puts an advertisement in the papers calling for an open casting for his next movie. However when hundreds of people show up, he decides to make a movie about the casting and the screen tests of the would-be actors.
Burden of Dreams 
Burden of Dreams 01 Oct 1982
Burden of Dreams
The Amazon rain forest, 1979. The crew of Fitzcarraldo (1982), a film directed by German director Werner Herzog, soon finds itself with problems related to casting, tribal struggles and accidents, among many other setbacks; but nothing compared to dragging a huge steamboat up a mountain, while Herzog embraces the path of a certain madness to make his vision come true.
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno 
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno 01 Oct 2009
Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno
In 1964, Henri-Georges Clouzot's production of L'Enfer came to a halt. Despite huge expectations, major studio backing and an unlimited budget, after three weeks the production collapsed. This documentary presents Inferno's incredible expressionistic original rushes, screen tests, and on-location footage, whilst also reconstructing Clouzot's original vision, and shedding light on the ill-fated endeavor through interviews, dramatizations of unfilmed scenes, and Clouzot's own notes.
Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The 'Plan 9' Companion 
Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The 'Plan 9' Companion 01 Jan 1992
Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The 'Plan 9' Companion
A documentary detailing the making of the cult favorite "Plan 9 from Outer Space," featuring interviews with cast members and prominent filmmakers about the film, its lasting legacy, and its creator, Edward D. Wood Jr.
Flowers of Taipei: Taiwan New Cinema 
Flowers of Taipei: Taiwan New Cinema 01 Oct 2014
Flowers of Taipei: Taiwan New Cinema
With Taiwan remaining in the grip of martial law in 1982, a group of filmmakers from that country set out to establish a cultural identity through cinema and to share it with the world. This engaging documentary looks at the movement's legacy.
Bruce Lee: Tracking the Dragon 
Bruce Lee: Tracking the Dragon 25 Oct 2016
Bruce Lee: Tracking the Dragon
Bruce Lee expert John Little tracks down the actual locations of some of Bruce Lee's most iconic action scenes. Many of these sites remain largely unchanged nearly half a century later. At monasteries, ice factories, and on urban streets, Little explores the real life settings of Lee's legendary career. This film builds on Little's earlier film, Pursuit of the Dragon, to present a comprehensive view of Lee's work that will change the way you see the films.
Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light 
Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light 18 Jul 2006
Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light
Film Noir burrows into the mind; it's disorienting, intriguing and enthralling. Noir brings us into a gritty underworld of lush morbidity, providing intimate peeks at its tough, scheming dames, mischievous misfits and flawed men - all caught in the wicked web of a twisted fate.
Olive Thomas: The Most Beautiful Girl in the World 
Olive Thomas: The Most Beautiful Girl in the World 01 Sep 2003
Olive Thomas: The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
Explores the life and death of one of the first onscreen flappers. By the time she appeared in The Flapper, she had completed more than seventeen films, but beneath the glitter of success Olive had her share of tragedy. Her death under mysterious circumstances just before her 26th birthday shocked the world.
Major Grom: Plague Doctor. Behind the Scenes 
Major Grom: Plague Doctor. Behind the Scenes 03 Nov 2022
Major Grom: Plague Doctor. Behind the Scenes
Additional materials for "Major Grom: Plague Doctor" (2021).
Tales from the Lumber Yard: The Making of Galaxy of Terror 
Tales from the Lumber Yard: The Making of Galaxy of Terror 26 Dec 2010
Tales from the Lumber Yard: The Making of Galaxy of Terror
Behind the scenes of Roger Corman's Galaxy of Terror.
The Making of Anna and the Apocalypse The Making of Anna and the Apocalypse 02 Dec 2019
The Making of Anna and the Apocalypse
A brand new feature-length documentary featuring new interviews with the cast and crew of Anna and the Apocalypse, produced exclusively by Second SIght Films for their 2-disc Blu-ray release of the movie.
The Big Chill: A Reunion 
The Big Chill: A Reunion 26 Jan 1999
The Big Chill: A Reunion
A look back at the making of the film "The Big Chill" (1983) with cast and crew.