Best 18 Documentary Movies Fan Favorite Released in 1991

Documentary that chronicles how Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979) was plagued by extraordinary script, shooting, budget, and casting problems - nearly destroying the life and career of the celebrated director. Details on Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse / IMDB / YouTube

A chronicle of New York's drag scene in the 1980s, focusing on balls, voguing and the ambitions and dreams of those who gave the era its warmth and vitality. Read about Paris Is Burning / IMDB / YouTube

Documentary following singer Madonna on her controversial Blonde Ambition tour in 1990. See more about Madonna: Truth or Dare / IMDB / YouTube

A film about the life and work of the cosmologist, Stephen Hawking, who despite his near total paralysis, was one of the great minds of all time. Learn about A Brief History of Time / IMDB / YouTube

A documentary that exposes the rich growing subculture of hip-hop that was developing in New York City in the late '70s and early '80s, specifically focusing on graffiti art and breakdancing. Read about Style Wars / IMDB / YouTube

Atmospheric soundtrack follows this compilation of nature footage that focuses on the ocean and various life forms that live, mate and die in it. Explore Atlantis / IMDB / YouTube

Image and music are intertwined in this third collaboration between director Godfrey Reggio and composer Philip Glass. The film was produced to celebrate the World Wildlife Fund's Biological Diversity Campaign. The film combines images of nature with pulsing rhythms in a Microcosmos (1997) meets Koyaanisqatsi (1983) spectacle. See more about Anima Mundi / IMDB / YouTube

A unique record of the life and work of eminent Australian photographer, Olive Cotton. Info on Light Years / IMDB / YouTube

A collection of profiles of people dead from AIDS who are remembered in the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Get info on Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt / IMDB / YouTube

A documentary, commissioned by RTE, to mark Dublin's year of as European City of Culture in 1991, compiled entirely from archive material. Look into In Flags or Flitters: Pictures of Dublin / IMDB / YouTube

Shows the classic lineup of the Red Hot Chili Peppers recording their 1991 breakthrough album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Explore Red Hot Chili Peppers: Funky Monks / IMDB / YouTube

Maysles brothers documentary covering the first arrival of Beatlemania in the U.S., as well at the band's historical appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Info on The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit / IMDB / YouTube

A documentary about militant student political activity in the University of California-Berkely in the 1960's. Check out Berkeley in the Sixties / IMDB / YouTube

Outrageous, misogynistic and vulgar-to-the-max comedian Andrew Dice Clay does his stuff in this combination of a stand-up concert video, in a filled-to-capacity performance at Madison Square Gardens, and a series of comedy sketches. Explore Dice Rules / IMDB / YouTube

For 50 years, radio dominated the airwaves as the first mass medium. Ken Burns examines the lives of three men who shared the responsibility for its invention and early success. Look into Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio / IMDB / YouTube

A documentary focusing on Playboy model, Lisa Matthews. Look into Playboy Video Centerfold: Playmate of the Year Lisa Matthews / IMDB / YouTube

Tom of Finland is one of the gay world's few authentic icons. His drawings have had an enormous influence on gay identity. Tom's ultimate leather men are known and seen everywhere. They are symbols of gay pride and friendship. The documentary includes some titillating 'enactments' inspired by Tom's art work. Find out about Daddy and the Muscle Academy / IMDB / YouTube

In 1971, author and film scholar Donald Richie published a poetic travelogue about his explorations of the islands of Japan's Inland Sea, recording his search for traces of a traditional way of life as well as his own journey of self-discovery. Twenty years later, filmmaker Lucille Carra undertook a parallel trip inspired by Richie's by-then-classic book, capturing im. Find out about The Inland Sea / IMDB / YouTube