October Films

First major English-language documentary profile of the cult Japanese actor/director, Takeshi Kitano. Featuring interviews with many of his regular contributors and colleagues, the film explores Kitano's rise from working-class poverty to superstar of Japanese radio, TV, comedy and journalism, and follows the making of his US-Japanese gangster film, 'Brother'.

In 1972 the tranquility of a coastal town in California is broken as hitch-hiking girls begin to go missing and corpses start showing up. Welcome to Murder City.

The disappearance and death of several young females is gradually being linked to an infamous serial killer in the 1970s.

British intelligence undertook an audacious operation to listen in on the private conversations of 10,000 German prisoners of war without their ever knowing they were being overheard. The prisoners' unguarded reminiscences and unintentional confessions have only just come to light, and prove how closely the German army were involved in the atrocities of the Holocaust. British intelligence requisitioned three stately homes for this epic task, and converted each into an elaborate trap. The 100,000 hours of conversation they captured provided crucial intelligence that changed the course of the war, and revealed some of its worst horrors, from rape to mass executions to one of the earliest bulletins from the concentration camps. But when the fighting ended, the recordings were destroyed and the transcripts locked away for half a century. Only now have they been declassified, researched and cross-referenced.

WWII from Space delivers World War II in a way you've never experienced it before. This HISTORY special uses an all-seeing CGI eye that offers a satellite view of the conflict, allowing you to experience it in a way that puts key events and tipping points in a global perspective. By re-creating groundbreaking moments that could never have been captured on camera, and by illustrating the importance of simultaneity and the hidden effects of crucial incidents, HISTORY presents the war's monumental moments in a never-before-seen context. And with new information brought to the forefront, you'll better understand how a nation ranked 19th in the world's militaries in 1939 emerged six years later as the planet's only atomic superpower.

Documentary discussing the casting and making of "Some Like It Hot", the film voted as the Best Comedy ever made by the American Film Institute.

Throughout history, Pontius Pilate has been portrayed as a weak ruler-the man who allowed Jesus Christ to be crucified at the demand of the Jews. But this documentary portrays a very different Pilate, one who had his own motives for allowing Jesus' fate.

This documentary follows the election campaigns of a journalist, a local crime boss, a formerly exiled oligarch, and a local access TV host as they compete for a spot in the Moscow Central Constituency, in Russia's first free elections since 1917

The documentary recounts Alan Conway's deception as Stanley Kubrick, exploiting misconceptions about Kubrick's appearance and people's desire for contact with a celebrity. It features an interview with Conway from 1996 and Alexander Walker's insights, aiming for objectivity. The narrator also addresses Conway's criminal past and allegations of sexual misconduct, linked to Kubrick's name. Conway died shortly before Kubrick. Cook and Frewin later made "Colour Me Kubrick," a comedy starring John Malkovich, inspired by Conway's story.

Deep in the Ugandan bush, an Italian nun tries to get back 30 of her convent school girls who have been abducted for sex by an army of children led by a mystic claiming to be the son of God.

Anatomist Alice Roberts embarks on a quest to rebuild her own body from scratch, taking inspiration from the very best designs the natural world has to offer.

'They Think It's All Over' presenter Nick Hancock teams together with Andy Smart of the Vicious Boys to follow the progress of the Iranian squad as they prepare for, and play through, the 1998 World Cup Finals. With only one, goalless, Finals appearance behind them, the team were 500/1 outsiders to win the competition, but they weren't about to exit the contest without putting up a fight

As Russian tanks advance over the plains of Chechnya, a group of Russian mothers search for the sons, conscripts from the ill-fated 131st Brigade, they believe have been captured by the Chechens. They place their trust in Colonel Kosov, a Russian liaison officer responsible for organising prisoner exchanges across the front line.

A documentary film about the wonderful world of intimate videos of celebrities. The program is replete with interesting interviews, traces the history of this phenomenon and reveals the obvious fakes and hoaxes diffrent mistifications of disputed origins.

This film about the life of Billie Holiday is as mesmerising and exquisite as her legendary singing voice, featuring interviews with the legendary jazz singer reveal the story behind her songs.

The adventures of Snooky the pimp on the mean streets of Milwaukee

Up to one million gladiators are thought to have died in arenas across the Roman Empire. And, although fascination with gladiators has been high, the details of their lives and deaths remain fragmentary. Now, with the discovery of an ancient Roman burial site containing 80 skeletons thought to be gladiator warriors, National Geographic recreates the world of the Roman arena and how six gladiators lived, fought and died.

A short documentary on Linda Blair's controversial role in The Exorcist and the problems she encountered when the public seemed unable to separate fact from fiction. Originally aired 19 October, 1996, as part of Channel 4's Fame Factor series.

A character portrait of the enigmatic comedian Barry Humphries on his most recent Australian tour and an examination of the connections to his two most famous alter egos, Dame Edna and Sir Les Patterson. Interviews include Bruce Beresford and Geoffrey Rush.