Tropical Abyss

Oliver Stone charts the history of the United States from the Second World War to the present.

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.

The history of cinematic sound, told by legendary sound designers and visionary filmmakers.

A behind-the-scenes documentary about the Clinton for President campaign, focusing on the adventures of spin doctors James Carville and George Stephanopoulos.

Documentary about the art of film editing. Clips are shown from many groundbreaking films with innovative editing styles.

A documentary on the expletive's origin, why it offends some people so deeply, and what can be gained from its use.

A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.

A documentary on legendary movie-poster artist Drew Struzan.