Werner Herzog's intellectual curiosity compels him to investigate a diverse array of subjects, through both the narrative and documentary form. For Cave of Forgotten Dreams he took 3D cameras into the subterranean recesses of Chauvet, France to explore pristine cave paintings from the dawn of human culture. This piece, in which I asked Werner to speak directly to camera about his work, originally posted to CNN.com.
Buck Brannaman's ability to communicate with horses is a wonder to behold, a gift on fascinating display in the documentary Buck. If you haven't heard of him, he's the cowboy who inspired the book and movie The Horse Whisperer. And how he came to develop his empathy for animals -- after a childhood of physical and emotional brutality -- is deeply inspiring. Buck gave us a demonstration of how he calms a high-strung horse for this piece that aired on CNN in 2011. Kareen Wynter is the reporter.
For me, the story of Searching for Sugar Man will always be one of triumph and tragedy. The film won the 2013 Academy Award for Best Documentary, and rescued the artist Rodriguez from an unjust obscurity. That was the triumph. The tragedy came in losing the charming and talented director Malik Bendjelloul, who took his life in May 2014. I loved speaking with him for this piece which originally aired on CNN. It focused on Malik's use of an iPhone to complete his touching film. The reporter is Nischelle Turner.
Daniel Ellsberg's memoir became the basis for the 2009 Ocar-nominated documentary The Most Dangerous Man in America, directed by Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith. We spoke with the man famous for leaking the Pentagon Papers at the Oscar Luncheon a couple of weeks before the Academy Awards ceremony. This is the piece as it aired on CNN, on Wolf Blitzer's program "The Situation Room." The reporter is Brooke Anderson.
Roger Ebert called him a national treasure. Others called him something far less flattering -- various synonyms for jerk, pest, human irritant. Ron Galella, the original paparazzo who became famous for snapping the likes of Marlon Brando, Jackie Onassis, Robert Redford and other mega-celebrities, is the subject of the affectionate documentary Smash His Camera, from director Leon Gast. Galella flourished in the 60s and 70s, an era that seems almost quaint compared to the aggressive and hostile practices of today's paparazzi. This piece aired originally on CNN in 2010. The reporter is Brooke Anderson.
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AuthorMatthew Carey has covered documentary film for over 20 years for CNN, CNN.com, Documentary.org and other outlets Archives
June 2017
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