Are there any decent documantaries still available about world history, e.g. the Russian Revolution, which don't rely on really cringeworthy reconstructions by actors in Netflix style?
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The World at War, whilst several decades old, is still amazing. Apparently you can stream on UKTV Play for free.
There’s a brilliant French three parter on the Soviet Gulags available for free on YouTube.
not that I've found, but The Rest is History is most excellent - just done excellent 8-parter on the French Revolution, and WW1. Huge archive of past pods as well.
Thanks will have a look. Looking for something a bit more engaging than the grainy stuff from when I was at school, but something less untethered to reality than eg Netflix.
despite the plummy Oxbridge tones and the questionable social attitudes, when you look at Night Mail, We are the Lambeth Boys etc, they are wonderful works.
I think the whole art of the documentary has nearly died, it has been replaced by 24 hours in Casualty/Police Custody/Cosmetic Surgery Clinic, which is cheap, flashy, and, generally tells you nothing you don't know already. There is the odd good one on Netflix - Seaspiracy, Icarus ...
I second this. The multi-parter one General Custer and the indigenous tribes was amazing, too. #trih I'm still working my way through the archive. Another great podcast is "Living with the Gods" on the history of religion as told by 100 sacred objects by Neil MacGregor. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09c1mhy
Try the Ken Burns documentaries - I started with the one about the American Civil war, then the Roosevelts, Country Music etc. I'm not a country fan, but it was great to find out about the history of it. The documentaires are told slowly, some interviews where they apply, good music, and no cringy
re-enactments. For instance: https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-civil-war Some of the documentaries might be a bit dated by now, there are newer research results, bit I still find them informative. The European versions of the documentaries are shortened by half, though. So I recommend the original versions.
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There’s a brilliant French three parter on the Soviet Gulags available for free on YouTube.
The Ascent of Man, 1. Lower than the Angels: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001p2xc via @bbciplayer