I thought I’d use this post to discuss some of my favourite films in the documentary realm and what I feel sets them apart from other works while also pushing the boundaries of the documentary title itself.

Time Indefinite is a 1993 self-reflexive documentary directed by and starring Ross McElwee. The film is made up of handheld footage recorded by McElwee that documents a period of his life, in which he experiences marriage, deaths within the family and the birth of his son. He achieves this documentation by essentially filming everything for an extended period of time, almost obsessed with viewing the world through a lens. He narrates the material throughout, and incorporates conversations with friends and family.

What all of this ultimately produces is a modest musing on mortality, a chunk of life that contains many of the ups and downs that we can all relate to. What makes this film unique, however, is the honesty in the creation and aesthetic of the film. All shots, all conversations, everything in the film comes across as a genuine experience, genuine enough even to acknowledge the presence of the camera but without seeming to be hammed up for the camera.

The presence of the camera and McElwee’s insistence on filming as much material as he does is perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the film, in several ways: we adopt the viewpoint of McElwee which allows us to briefly view the world through someone else’s eyes; we are aware that the camera is always present as do those involved, which sometimes provokes interesting behaviour and discussion; we experience a strange disconnect with what’s happening, which McElwee also experiences. This all makes for a commentary that is all too relevant in the age of smartphones and social media: that no matter how much you document your life and put it on show for everyone else, you will run the risk of missing out on a great deal yourself.

Another film that I love and that many would argue does not belong within the documentary genre is 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap. In my opinion, this is the greatest mockumentary made to date, and simultaneously set the bar high and deomnstrated what was possible in the field of documentary for similar films to follow.

To me, this film is undoubtedly a documentary, even if none of the specific content within the film is “real” and is performed by actors. What the film portrays is a dangerously accurate insight into the ridiculousness of the misogynistic, embarrassingly masculine era of hard rock bands a la Mötley Crüe & Def Leppard in the 1980s. The fictional band in the film is Spinal Tap, and through their hilarious performances and script Christopher Guest, Rob Reiner, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer so perfectly and painfully represent what many bands in that genre of music were all about.

The success of this film is largely dependent on the fact that it is humorous, and the message is possibly a lot clearer because it is satirical.