video documentaries about marxism

[bigmed]

I have just finished watching the 1980 Milton Friedman documentary "Freedom to Choose". I also listened The Teaching Company's college lectures on [capitalist] Economics (emphasis by me). I have also watched and listened to several documentaries on Adam Smith's theories of economics. I have had no problem finding this type of content on the internet, but i can't say the same about finding the marxist views presented in this format (video and audio).

I was wondering if anyone could suggest video or audio documentaries about the economic and/or political theories of Karl Marx, communism, socialism, etc..

I am looking preferably for general/comprehensive content that explains the key concepts, big ideas and defenses of communism. The more objective it is, the better, please do not send propaganda-type content unless it is something historically relevant.

Names of the documentary to buy or links are ok.

Thanks in advance!

[amandevsingh]

Perhaps this should be moved to Lit and Films?

Anyways, try these? http://cmkp.wordpress.com/category/documentaries/

[bigmed]

I didnt notice there was a Lit and Films forum. If the moderator can move the post that would be great. Otherwise i'll just repost the message there. thanks..

[Q]

Moved from Learning to Literature & Films by request.

[bellyscratch]

Searched on youtube for some stuff

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=marxism&search_type=&aq=f

There are loads of stuff on there with speakers from various events, but not sure about documentaries

[Trystan]

http://www.youtube.com/user/brendanmcooney

That's the best Marxism stuff on YouTube.

[bigmed]

That's the best Marxism stuff on YouTube.


thanks Trystan. this youtube page seems to have very good content although it lacks a sort of outline to follow and I'm not sure if it covers all of the big concepts on marxsim. I did find an external link from the page you mentioned that is very good and closer to what i'm looking for. So i'll share it here:

[http] davidharvey [dot] org [slash] reading-capital

(PS. I just noticed that newbies to the forum can't post links. That's odd....)

Its a college profesor giving his lecture of 30 years so I can rely on authorative insight, which is something lacking on most youtube-type content on marxism.

I am surprised though that there are no "landmark" works on marxism in the genre (documentary/video/audio). I have found documentaries such as "The Corporation" which I'm sure everyone in this forum have watched. I would've have thought there might be such widely known works covering the big picture on marx's theories.

I'll start with what I have and keep looking for more. Any other suggestions are welcome. thanks.

[bigmed]

Anyone cares to comment on the documentary "Age of Uncertainty" (1977) by John Kenneth Galbraith.

Although it is not really about marxism per se but it seems to be a good reference to the opposing side of Friedman's theories as seen in "Freedom to Choose"..

any comments??

[ZeroNowhere]

Why and how would one make a documentary of, say, 'Capital'? Even the suggested channel is basically just somebody saying stuff, and would not lose anything important if put in book form.

[bigmed]

Why and how would one make a documentary of, say, 'Capital'? Even the suggested channel is basically just somebody saying stuff, and would not lose anything important if put in book form.


Not sure which channel you are referring to. But if it's the lectures on Capital, you're right that they can be put in book form and not loose any information. And I'm sure there are probably better and more insightful books.

As to your question... Why? there are many many reasons why video documentaries (about anything) are created. Listing reasons for it would produce a very very long list. Different types of media permit different kinds of things and are digested by the mind in very different ways.

As to the How? well that's what filmmakers and intellectuals have to figure out right? it's exactly the challenge of the brilliant ones. But I am sure of one thing... even if one can't conceive how a dense academic work such as Capital could be made into a good documentary, it can. I would even say the same thing about any of the heavy philosophical texts ever written, no matter how dense.

I'm not a physicist but I have a pretty good grasp of Einstein's big ideas or concepts as abstract as string theory or quantum physics thanks to the many documentaries about the subject. The same can be said about Capital. Why not just read the book?? many practical reasons and off course preference and how you choose to distribute your time and energy into the things you would like to learn.

[Post-Something]

A good documentary about consumerism and it's marriage with psychoanalysis is "the century of the self", if you're interested. However, on Marxist theory, http://kapitalism101.wordpress.com/ is really helpful.