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"The Thin Blue Line" (1988), Terrific Crime Documentary Directed by Errol Morris, Produced by Mark Lipson


DonRocks

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I suspect some of our younger members have never heard of "The Thin Blue Line" (1988), but due to a Facebook post by Sweth, I was inspired to watch it again last night - the only other time I'd seen it was when it was released in theaters 27 years ago. I was raving about the film when it came out, and I think every bit as highly of it now, even though I knew exactly how the story ended.

This is a non-fiction exposé of a murder conviction that might have been incorrectly decided. The two principal suspects, Randall Adams and David Harris (I'm purposely not linking to them so you don't peak at their fates since 1988) play a central role in this crime-re-creation (*) documentary which is about as *exciting* as any documentary I've ever seen.

"The Thin Blue Line" is an incredibly important film, yet is only the 95th-highest grossing documentary produced since 1982, grossing a mere $1.2 million - unbelievably, this great film lost money; nevertheless, it is timeless, and will be just as great in 2042 as it is in 2015 as it was in 1988.

One thing I never knew is that the music is by Philip Glass (see "Koyaanisqatsi"), but I was jolted into noticing the opening theme song, and when Glass's name came on the screen, I just smiled - he really is a terrific composer for the medium.

Watch this movie on Amazon Prime ($3.99), and if you don't like it, I'll pay you back.

(*) I originally didn't hyphenate crime-re-creation, but it came out as crime-recreation. :unsure:

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Thanks for the recommendation! I heard about this movie, back in the day, but never saw it. I assumed it was your standard Hollywood cop film, and had no interest in it.

Boy, was I wrong. It is the most riveting documentary I have seen, filled with drama, emotion, suspense and intrigue. I did not feel like I was watching a documentary. I was glued to the screen.

I want to watch more Errol Morris films now. Have you seen anything else he's directed? I am going to start with "Gates of Heaven," his first, which Roger Ebert put on his list of the 10 best films ever made. The premise sounds quirky (it is about moving dead animals from a pet cemetery in San Francisco to another one in Napa).

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I want to watch more Errol Morris films now. Have you seen anything else he's directed? I am going to start with "Gates of Heaven," his first, which Roger Ebert put on his list of the 10 best films ever made. The premise sounds quirky (it is about moving dead animals from a pet cemetery in San Francisco to another one in Napa).

I haven't, and I didn't know about "Gates of Heaven" either, so that's going to be coming up on my list - thanks!

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