American Documentary Film Projecting the Nation

How has the US documentary changed over time? What has changed it and how? This text shows how the documentary has revealed the complexities and contradictions at the heart of American society. Using a detailed analyses of key documentary film texts and filmmakers including Robert Flaherty, Pare Lorentz, Barbara Kopple, Frederick Wiseman, Errol Morris, Michael Moore, and Marlon Riggs, American Documentary Filmdemonstrates how the documentary reflects narratives of American culture and history, while contributing to the debate on representations of reality. Including a historical account of the non-fiction film, it also provides contemporary coverage on everything from patriotic fervor to reality TV.

Jeffrey Geiger is a senior lecturer in film studies at the University of Essex. He has published widely on documentary film and American Studies, as well as having a background in film production. His books include Facing the Pacific: Polynesia and the U.S. Imperial Imagination and, the co-edited Film Analysis: A Norton Reader.