The Donner Party

Oct 28, 1992

1h 30m

★ 6.8

Overview

Doomed attempt to get to California in 1846. More than just a riveting tale of death, endurance and survival. The Donner Party's nightmarish journey penetrated to the very heart of the American Dream at a crucial phase of the nation's "manifest destiny." Touching some of the most powerful social, economic and political currents of the time, this extraordinary narrative remains one of the most compelling and enduring episodes to come out of the West.

Genres

Documentary

History

The Donner Party Trailers

No Trailers found.

Cast

Narrator (voice)

David McCullough

voice

J.D. Cannon

voice

Timothy Hutton

voice

Gene Jones

voice

Amy Madigan

voice

Donal McCann

voice

George Plimpton

voice

Paul Roebling

voice

Lois Smith

voice

Frances Sternhagen

voice

Eli Wallach

Over the period of 25 years the director met General Võ Nguyên Giáp, a legendary hero of Vietnam’s independence wars, a number of times. She was the first American who entered the home of the “Red Napoleon”. The fruit of this friendship is a film, personal and politically involved at the same time. Travelling across the country and talking to important figures as well as ordinary people, the director finds out more about her roots and offers the audience a unique perspective on Vietnam’s present and past.

5.0

La Plata Yvyguy - Enterros e Guardados

Jul 1, 2016

The Legend of the Paraguay War Legend tells that during the Paraguay War (1864-1870), families that lived near the border and soldiers who were leaving for battle used to hide their valuable belongings by burying them in secret spots, in order to safely recover them after the war. In several cases, though, the only people who knew about the secret spots of those personal treasures died before they could go back to recover them. According to inhabitants of that region, the spirits of those tormented men would reveal the location of those "buried and hidden" treasures to chosen people in their dreams, visions or by haunting them. "The Legend of the Paraguay War" approaches local legends in a historic and literary way. Those legends were born from within the biggest conflict in South America, and were developed and influenced by the local imaginary view of the world and which can be considered a relevant part of those people's identity up to this day

5.9

The Rising Hawk

Oct 10, 2019

During the 13th century, a small village fights for freedom in the frontier landscape of the Carpathian Mountains against Mongolian invaders.

2.3

The Vasulka Effect

Oct 1, 2020

The opening of The Vasulka Effect couldn’t be more apt: Steina Vasulka addresses her husband Woody through various TV screens. He does the same and replies. A perfect image of the relationship between the free-spirited, groundbreaking pioneers of video art. After meeting in Prague in the early 1960s, they relocated from Czechoslovakia to New York, where they later founded The Kitchen, their legendary art and performance gallery.

3.5

Faces of Death III

Mar 10, 1985

The third installment of the infamous "is it real or fake?" mondo series sets its sights primarily on serial killers, with lengthy reenactments of police investigations of bodies being found in dumpsters, and a staged courtroom sequence.

8.0

The Dollhouse

Oct 13, 2017

Kyra Gardner's loving tribute to growing up in the world of the psycho killer doll, Chucky.

6.4

Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway

May 9, 2017

It’s the hit musical that changed Broadway forever and brought the genius of Lin Manuel Miranda to the attention of legions of fans across the world. A story of how a group of mavericks made an unlikely marriage of hip-hop and history to create the biggest show in America…and are getting ready to conquer the world. Featuring interviews with Miranda, as well as the cast and crew of Hamilton.

7.7

The Butcher

Jan 19, 1981

A politically naive Viennese butcher manages to survive the Nazi occupation of Austria and the second world war.

7.8

For All Mankind

Nov 1, 1989

A testament to NASA's Apollo program of the 1960s and '70s. Composed of actual NASA footage of the missions and astronaut interviews, the documentary offers the viewpoint of the individuals who braved the remarkable journey to the moon and back.

6.4

Chaplin Today: The Great Dictator

Dec 30, 2003

A short documentary about the making of "The Great Dictator."

6.7

Paris 1919: Un traité pour la paix

Apr 1, 2009

The last shots had been fired in the First World War — but peace had yet to be made. Inspired by Margaret MacMillan’s acclaimed work of popular history, Paris 1919 takes us inside the most ambitious peace talks in history, revisiting the event with a vivid sense of narrative. Evoking a pivotal moment when peace seemed possible, director Paul Cowan reflects upon the hard-learned lessons of history.

7.0

Revolution OS

Mar 9, 2001

REVOLUTION OS tells the inside story of the hackers who rebelled against the proprietary software model and Microsoft to create GNU/Linux and the Open Source movement.

6.1

Salem Witch Trials

Dec 24, 2002

Salem, Massachusetts. A small town—with no clear governing body—became embroiled in a scandal that forever stands as one of the darkest chapters in American history. For those accused of witchcraft by their neighbors and friends, there was little chance of clearing their names; the mass paranoia that ravaged through the community took the lives of 19 innocent men and women.

0.0

Naked Cinema

Apr 8, 2010

In the early 70s Greek cinema entered in a period of crisis. One of its aspects was said "crisis of issues" and one of the exits heard in the name "erotic cinema". The genre was already acquaintance from the abundance of foreigner films, that was distributed in the grindhouses under the "adults only" motto and its Greek version had a lot of variants.

0.0

Panama Canal

Jan 24, 2011

On August 15th, 1914, the Panama Canal opened, connecting the world's two largest oceans and signaling America's emergence as a global superpower.

4.7

La conjura de El Escorial

Sep 5, 2008

16th century ruler King Philip II of Spain maneuvers within a court of deceit and betrayal

0.0

The Plastic People of the Universe

Mar 1, 2001

Meet The Plastic People of the Universe, the avant-garde, jazz-rock, Sun Ra meets Velvet Underground, Czech revolutionaries. A tribute to the band that against all odds used the power of their music to help topple their oppressive government.

6.0

The Pride and the Passion

Jul 10, 1957

During the Napoleonic Wars, when the French have occupied Spain, some Spanish guerrilla soldiers are going to move a big cannon across Spain in order to help the British defeat the French. A British officer is there to accompany the Spanish and along the way, he falls in love with the leader's girl.

0.0

Madwoman of God

Jan 1, 2008

This feature-length film tells the story of the passion between Marie de l’Incarnation, a mid-seventeenth-century nun and God, her "divine spouse." Fusing documentary and acting by Marie Tifo, whom we follow as she rehearses for this demanding role, the film paints an astonishing portrait of this mystic who abandoned her son and left France to build a convent in Canada, where she became the first female writer in New France.

0.0

Paris Story

Sep 20, 2014

Who has not dreamed of embracing the city of Paris from the sky? Fly and explore the exceptional places that have shaped and are shaping the history of Paris: Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame de Paris, the Louvre, the Bastille, Invalides, the Opera ... Far from the clichés of postcards out of marked routes by travel guides, this new film invites viewers to an exceptional private tour of the city of Paris. Travel through the centuries and be witnesses of the birth of the City Lights. This new production reveals one of the most influential capitals in the world as you've never seen.