Are These the 25 Best Documentaries of All Time?

by Eric D. Snider Oct 8th 2007 // 11:02AM

Filed under: Documentary, Lists, Cinematical Indie

In honor of its 25th anniversary, the International Documentary Association has released its list of the 25 best documentaries of all time, as determined by voting among its 2,800 members. They had an original ballot of 700 titles to choose from, and they were allowed up to five write-in votes. There was no limit in scope, in other words: There were plenty of eligible titles.

And yet ... this is the list they came up with?

1. Hoop Dreams (1994), Steve James
2. The Thin Blue Line (1988), Errol Morris
3. Bowling for Columbine (2002), Michael Moore
4. Spellbound (2002), Jeffrey Blitz
5. Harlan County U.S.A. (1976), Barbara Kopple
6. An Inconvenient Truth (2006), Davis Guggenheim
7. Crumb (1994), Terry Zwigoff
8. Gimme Shelter (1970), Albert Maysles, David Maysles, and Charlotte Zwerin
9. The Fog of War (2003), Errol Morris
10. Roger & Me (1989), Michael Moore
11. Super Size Me (2004), Morgan Spurlock
12. Don't Look Back (1967) D.A. Pennebaker
13. Salesman (1968), Albert Maysles, David Maysles, and Charlotte Zwerin
14. Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance (1982), Godfrey Reggio
15. Sherman's March (1986), Ross McElwee
16. Grey Gardens (1976), Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Ellen Hovde, and Muffie Meyer
17. Capturing the Friedmans (2003), Andrew Jarecki
18. Born into Brothels, (2004), Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski
19. Titicut Follies (1967), Frederick Wiseman
20. Buena Vista Social Club (1999), Wim Wenders
21. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004), Michael Moore
22. Winged Migration (2002), Jacques Perrin
23. Grizzly Man (2005), Werner Herzog
24. Night and Fog (1955), Alain Resnais
25. Woodstock (1970), Michael Wadleigh

(Discussion and ranting after the jump....)
For an "international" organization, there sure are a lot of American films on that list. The directors are overwhelmingly white and male, too. And three appearances by Michael Moore? You'd get the impression from reading that list that Moore is the greatest documentarian of all time, something I don't think even his most ardent supporters would argue. (Most popular? Most financially successful? Sure. Best? Come on....)

But what's even more alarming, in my opinion, is how recent most of those films are. The oldest film on the list is from 1955. Then there are three from the '60s, four from the '70s, four from the '80s, three from the '90s -- and TEN from the 2000s. Ten of the top 25 docs of all time were made within the last seven years? And NONE were made before 1955? That seems unlikely.

IndieWire's Anthony Kaufman has already ranted quite capably on the subject, so I won't repeat too much of it. A lot of the films on that list really are extraordinary. I'm not sure I'd argue with the #1 choice at all. To be honest, there are several there that I've never seen, and my knowledge of older documentaries is woefully inadequate.

But, see: I didn't vote, either. You'd think the people voting would be better versed in doc history than an idiot like me.

A final point. Some commenters have made issue of the fact that the list is presented in partnership with Netflix, which boasts that all but two of the 25 are available through its service. (Titicut Follies is only available to schools; Salesman is available commercially, so I don't know why Netflix doesn't have it.) What a coincidence! All the "best" docs on a list sponsored by Netflix ... are available from Netflix! But let's be fair: Most of the films on the original ballot of 700 are on Netflix, too. Most films of any kind are on Netflix, if they're available anywhere. The huge selection is kind of the point. Complaining that too many entries are on Netflix is like complaining that all the books on a library-sponsored list are available at the library.

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