{"id":27040,"date":"2016-03-27T16:19:11","date_gmt":"2016-03-27T16:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.furiouscinema.com\/?p=27040"},"modified":"2016-11-14T19:39:22","modified_gmt":"2016-11-14T19:39:22","slug":"documentary-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.furiouscinema.com\/documentary-now\/","title":{"rendered":"DOCUMENTARY NOW! blends a love of filmmaking and comedy together with brilliance"},"content":{"rendered":"
Now playing on Netflix Instant is a comedy series produced by IFC in 2015 and created by SNL alumni Bill Hader, Fred Armisen and Seth Myers called DOCUMENTARY NOW!<\/strong> It was inspired by a sketch Hader and Armisen first appeared in on SNL entitled “Ian Rubbish and the Bizzaros: History of Punk”<\/a> which was made in the style of the 1984 cult classic mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap”. The fictional series is hosted by Helen Mirren who introduces each episode following a PBS style opening credits sequence.<\/p>\n SEASON ONE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sandy Passage:<\/strong> Inspired by the 1975 documentary “Grey Gardens”<\/a><\/strong> by The Maysles Brothers, Hader and Armisen co-star as a reclusive, eccentric mother and daughter named Big Vivvy and Little Vivvy who live in a rundown estate. Two nerdy documentarians, The Fines, film their odd daily lives which consist of Little Vivvy feeding bologna and corn flakes to the cats, dancing and screeching insults at Big Vivvy. Little Vivvy is a jerky jabberbox who’s fashion sense is truly hilarious as she makes custom clothing out of sweatpants and other items. Big Vivvy is a cranky old loudmouth that does things like lay in bed and peel corncobs to keep herself occupied. What begins as an innocent, up close look at some old women in a house takes a dark turn as we discover that there may be more sinister things going on.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kunuk Uncovered:<\/strong> A homage to Nanook of the North<\/a><\/strong> a 1922 silent documentary by Robert J. Flaherty and Nanook Revisited (1990)<\/strong> a follow up that goes back to the areas Flaherty filmed in the Arctic. Set in the early 20th century, Fred Armisen plays Pipilok, an Eskimo that is the subject of a film by William H. Sebastian (John Slattery) who renames him “Kunuk”. A cameraman (Hader) now a cantankerous old man, comedically recalls what it was like working on the film. While Kunuk was described as being a terrible Eskimo and not all there, during the troubled production he finds his talent as a filmmaker, elevating the straight forward documentary into something even more artistic.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n DRONEZ: The Hunt For El Chingon<\/strong> – Based on HBO’s VICE documentaries<\/a><\/strong>. Jack Black is Jamison Friend, founder of DRONEZ and host of a their ongoing investigative journalism series. Bill Hader and Fred Armisen take on multiple roles as goony journalists who are trying to find the elusive Mexican drug cartel leader “El Chingon”. The first few reporters meet with tragic ends during their trips (they do things like shout El Chingon’s name on crowded Mexican streets to find him)\u00a0 but finally the last two guys are granted an interview with the feared chieftain. What transpires is a coke snorting, gun blasting party at El Chingon’s compound that goes from rowdy to deadly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n