Documentary Films

Learning something new can be entertaining as well as enlightening with a documentary DVD from the Lititz Public Library.

Head Games
Athletes from professional to youth levels share their experiences and struggles with the long-term effects of concussions from contact sports.

The Race to Space: America’s Greatest Journey
After World War II drew to a close, the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States spurred an engineering and scientific competition focused on attaining firsts in space exploration.

Waiting for “Superman”
An inspiring look at public education focuses on the stories of five students including Emily, a Silicon Valley eighth-grader who is afraid of being labeled as unfit for college and Francisco, a Bronx first-grader whose mom will do anything to give him a better life.

Titanic: The Definitive Documentary Collection
Four programs present the legend of the Titanic, a luxury liner that set sail on April 10, 1912 on her maiden voyage and collided with an iceberg five days later.

Born to Be Wild
The story of the bond between humans and animals documents orphaned orangutans and elephants and the people who rescue and raise them.

Harvest of Empire: The Untold Story of Latinos in America
The film looks at the role that U.S. military actions and corporate interests played in triggering unprecedented waves of migration from Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.

Crisis at the Castle
Aristocratic inheritors of Britain’s stately homes such as Sudeley Castle, Burton Court and Kelburn Castle face the realities of costly renovations, constant repairs, fading public attention and crippling debt.

The Amish
The beliefs, lifestyles, traditions and history of the Amish are examined with commentary about their complex relationships with mainstream culture.

Frozen Planet
The Arctic and Antarctic are the greatest wildernesses on Earth, home to animals like the wandering albatross, the adelie penguin and the polar bear.

The Men Who Built America
Meet the titans who created the foundation of modern America: Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Morgan and Ford.

Fresh
Farmers, researchers and business people across America are investigating healthier and sustainable alternatives for a future of food and our planet.

Chautauqua: An American Narrative
A brief history and look at contemporary Chautauqua, New York, the artistic and spiritual community where thousands of people attend educational lectures in a large semi-outdoor amphitheater.

Wartorn 1861-2010
Beginning with the first documented cases from the Civil War, the film examines occurrences of post-traumatic stress disorder through two world wars, Viet Nam and soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Freedom Riders
In 1961, a band of courageous civil-rights activists rode busses into segregated parts of the South to protest the non-enforcement of the Supreme Court’s decision that public busses were not segregated.

The Last Play at Shea
A look at the intersecting stories of the landmark Shea Stadium and the legendary performer Billy Joel with footage of the goodbye performances in July 2008.

Hey, Boo: Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird
The film explores the To Kill a Mockingbird phenomenon and investigates some of the mysteries surrounding author Harper Lee, including why she never published again.

Babies
Four babies – Ponijao from Namibia, Bayarjargal from Mongolia, Hattie who lives in San Francisco and Mari from Tokyo – are followed through their first year of life.

Originally published on November 22, 2013 in the Lititz Record Express.