I would like to see the special * ”Squeaky” Fromme: Lone Gunwoman or Conspiritor?* about the theory that she was working under smuggled orders from Manson when she assassinated Ford in 1975.
Another one I want to see is March to Baghdad. It tells about how the coalition forces in 1991, with UN approval (including the support of Saudi Arabia), drove the Iraqi forces out of Kuwait and, by March of that year, had removed Saddam Hussein from power. The UN forces worked with the interim government to stabilize the country, provide democratic elections and turn Iraq into a great ally for the West. It also recounts the frightening discovery of the WMD programs and the brutality of Hussein’s regime.
How about a documentary on the Second United States Civil War?
You know, the one that began in 1996, after the second assassination attempt on General Tupac Shakur? The horrible, bloody war that pitted East Coast against West Coast, brother against sista, General Tupac against Admiral Biggie Smalls?
I remember those dark days well. When chrome-plated Hummers patrolled every hood, looking to blast any Impala that dared to sit on switches. Indeed, it was a good day when I didn’t even have to use my AK.
I’m looking to see, again, that chestnut: Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Emperor, detailing how the wastrel son of Austria-Hungary’s Franz-Josef started to take his responsibilities much more seriously after his young lover committed suicide at his Meyerling Palace.
In many ways he was a weak man - more concerned with his fate in the afterlife than any single thing in this life. What was remarkable was that he managed, through good fortune, to find for himself a confessor who was courageous enough to tell a crown prince when he was being an asshole.
It was he, on the suggestion of his confessor, who convinced his father to begin the negotiations which lead to the 1908 Austro-Serbian Treaty of Reconciliation, renouncing the long-held territorial claims the Hapsburgs had over the Balkans. He used his influence as Crown Prince to sponsor a new movement in religious art, including fostering the mentor of the founder of the later New Wave movement: Adolph Hitler.
His biggest triumphs, of course, came after he ascended the throne in 1919. The continuing autocratic excesses of Germany to the north, and the growing desperation of his cousins, the Romanovs, to the east, forced him to consider that simply suppressing the populist movements of the time was untenable as a long-term solution. He spent the next fifteen years slowly working with the nobility and magnates of his empire to get them to see what he could see so clearly, and transformed the Empire to the Constitutional Monarchy it is, today.
Though I do wish they’d avoided ending the docu-drama with the repetition of the story that Rudolph’s obsession with his afterlife began after he sobered up, and found he had murdered his young lover. I realize that it makes for better drama to give great heroes feet of clay, but it gets a bit annoying when they take so great a man and smear him that way.
There’s a good documentary about the discovery of ancient texts about a nascent religious sect in the middle east that had a lot of potential until the Romans wiped it out 1900 years ago. What’s it called…oh yeah, “Jesus, the forgotten Messiah.” Very interesting take on history. Rome supposedly almost became a monotheistic culture. Apollo knows where we’d be now.
Any interest in Oom Paul’s Volkscommandos? It’s a detailed history of the British Army’s failure to adapt to the tactics of the Boer Commandos in the veldt, and the subsequent treaty guaranteeing the independence of the Boers. Lord Roberts’ belief that the Boers would fight a stand-up war, and his failure to cut them off from their support amongst the populace showed Mao Tse-Tung and Ho Chi Mihn how to wage guerilla war, leading to the eviction of France from SE Asia and the Japanese from China in the 30’s, laying the foundation for that region’s economic dominance it enjoys today.
I’d like to see the original movie about the British women in a Nazi labor camp, after the fall of Britain in 1941, who made a daring escape in a homemade airplane with the help of a downed Yank airman they hid. You know, the one that they later made a parody version of with claymation chickens.
I think a retrospective of JFK’s second term would be in order.
Certainly, we need another documentary exploring the mysterious death of Fidel Castro in 1970, and the rise of Cuba as Hawaii of the Atlantic.
Perhaps a focus on Sept 12, 2001, the day Gary Condit was arrested for the murder of Chandra Levy, would be interesting. Remember how the networks covered that story for nearly two weeks?
I’m always fascinated by biographies, and I’d like to see something about how Howard Hughes managed to overcome his mental illness to become the world’s leading philanthropist and charismatic political leader.
Patton survives his auto accident and rises to the top of American politics. The world is shocked when hordes of GIs launch an unprovoked assault on North Korea leading to a land grab in Eastern Siberia. Uncle Joe Stalin (with UN backing) launches a counter offensive leading to ultimate ousting of US forces from both Korea and Japan. The world breathes a sigh of relief as the Soviet Union brings a fifty year peace (and several five year plans) to the world.
Eddie Condon’s Jam Session featuring Bix Beiderbecke, from the original Kinescopes broadcast over CBS-TV in 1939-'41. Especially the New Year’s Eve, 1941, show where Bix plays a three-way chorus with Louis Armstrong and King Oliver, and all of them are then interviewed by Edward R. Murrow.
[ul]
[li]Comrade Patrick: Irish Catholic Communism: Inspired by failed revolutionaries from Imperial Russia and the newly-born German Republic, plus a grassroots movement opposed to the new social regime of the post-War era, Ireland revolted against the UK in the 1920s and 1930s. Cousin Murphy regiments recruited from the jobless ethnic Irish as far afield as Perth and Butte braved British blockades to fight in the war and lead the Irish People’s Republican Army to victory. Includes commentary by modern Marxist/Leninist thinkers on the doctrines of Ethnic Revolution, One-Country Communism, and the use of religion in organizing mass proletariat revolt. Often played in tandem with The Red Popes.[/li][li]The Wild Dragon: China Before the Co-Prosperity Sphere: The story of China from the end of the last dynasty to the War of Ethnic Salvation and the modern state. Focuses on the Father-Son Government formed by Confucian forces after the expulsion of the Communists to Formosa. Ends with the Imperial Japanese liberation of Korea and successful March to Beijing, the discovery of concentration camps in formerly Chinese Korea, the war crimes trial held in Kyoto that convicted and executed all of the Chinese government, and the Treaty of Tokyo that created the modern Chinese state and brought much of eastern Asia and the Pacific islands into the Greater Japanese Co-Prosperity Sphere.[/li][li]Austria, Flower of the Alps: Explores Hitler’s Austria, from his Neo-Representational paintings to his “Peace and Purity” lectures on how Austria could find a new role in the world after the dissolution of the Dual Monarchy. Includes a performance of Edelweiss by the Vienna Boys’ Choir and tours of the Salzkammergut and his childhood home in Linz. 15% of proceeds go to the Adi Foundation for abandoned and abused dogs.[/li][li]The Black Man’s Burden: Liberia and the Rebirth of Africa: The story of how former slaves, newly liberated after the American Civil War and the revolutions in Haiti, Cuba, and across South America, went to a small country on the western coast of Africa called Liberia to create an African Promised Land free of tribal warfare. This success story inspired other Africans to fight for independence, often with help from Liberian Special Forces trained in armed revolt, beginning with the Congolese ousting Belgium in the early 20th Century and continuing until, in 1918, a post-War Britain left South Africa and an African government was installed in Victoria.[/li][/ul]
How about the Sunday morning show The Hour of Power with your host, Reverend Richard Dawkins. The most touching part is his monologue during the opening credits where he talks about how he was saved by the spirit of the Lord and decided to devote his life to spreading the word.
This can be counterprogrammed with Facts and Logic: The Rational Universe, hosted by Professor Pat Robertson.
How about Cosmos with your host Pauly Shore or Monday Night Football with Super Bowl winning QB Stephen Hawking?
I’d like to see the documentary about the devastating battles fought during Operation Downfall and the horrendous loss of life on all sides. If only that atom bomb had worked.
Also the story of the great Republican legacy, 1980 to 2008. The triumphs of the political party that ended the Cold War, wiped out terrorism, balanced the economy and lead the world to a better life. How could things go wrong when you had the following presidents:
• Ronald Reagan – 1980 – 1988. He rescued us from the malaise of the Carter administration and revitalized our economy and national pride.
• George H. W. Bush – 1988 – 1996. Nicknamed “The Hammer” for his work in ending the Cold War and tearing down the Berlin Wall as well as leading the coalition to remove Hussein from power in Iraq. All of this while shepherding our continuing economic growth to unprecedented levels. He followed up by beginning actions against Iran in 1996 which lead to…
• James Danforth Quayle – 1996 – 2004. His decisive, insightful leadership, quick wit and piercing intellect were critical in the military actions that turned Iran into the freedom loving country it is today. His championing of science issues lead to the largest funding increases for medicine (the HIV vaccine program that culminated in a successful serum in 2000), environment (the creation of the “Ozone Patch” to fix the hole over the Arctic as well as the CO2 stabilizer that eliminated the threat of Global Warming) and, last but not least, the space program. If it wasn’t for his work , the lunar colony at Armstrong Base wouldn’t have been completed on time for the new millennium and the Mars mission wouldn’t have taken off in ‘04
• George W. Bush – 2004 – present. Confident, intelligent and compassionate, he has shown strength in the way he has worked with other countries to hunt down and eliminate the straggling remains of the terrorist groups around the world. His swift work at cutting through the bureaucracy prevented the devastation of Hurricane Katrina from leading to any loss of life and had it rebuilt, better than ever, by this year. The new levees and safety features will prevent anything like this from ever happening again.
This should put a lot of Dopers into a cold sweat.
They’ve only shown clips of the coverage of Election Nights 1956 (Warren defeats Kefauver), 1960 (Warren defeats Kefauver again), and 1968 (Wallace wins a four-way race) recently, but I know that all three exist (the last two on color videotape) in complete form.
Likewise, the same clips of Live from Minton’s are played over and over, but much of the run still exists, and a collection of great episodes was released on DVD a while back.
Sports broadcasting has a very poor survival rate, but Game 4 of the 1963 World Series (the Giants win their third straight World Series) is still around in complete form, as well as fragments of the Giants victories in 1961, 1962, and 1964.
