Category:
Documentaries

The Saluda Grade



The Saluda Grade is the steepest section of railroad in the USA. There have been numerous horrific tragedies involving runaway trains here. But this propaganda-cum-safety video from Southern Railway makes the whole affair seem a candidate for our boredom contest.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Aug 09, 2014 - Comments (7)
Category: Boredom, Regionalism, Documentaries, 1980s, Trains

Operation Ranger and Operation Buster-Jangle



What a crazy old world that was. "Mutually Assured Destruction." But we just thought it was normal at the time.

Posted By: Paul - Thu May 22, 2014 - Comments (3)
Category: Death, Destruction, Dreams and Nightmares, Science, Technology, War, Armed Forces, Weapons, Documentaries, 1950s

Harmonium in California

Harmonium in California by Robert Fortier, National Film Board of Canada



A short documentary about earnest French-Canadian folk rockers from the 1970s? It's better than Spinal Tap, eh?

Posted By: Paul - Sat Jun 01, 2013 - Comments (1)
Category: Documentaries, Bohemians, Beatniks, Hippies and Slackers, 1970s, North America

Paris Syndrome

On occasion, Japanese citizens who travel to Paris suffer episodes of extreme depression. The depression can be so severe that it leads to hallucinations and psychosis. The Japanese psychiatrist Hiroaki Ota named this condition "Paris Syndrome." He speculated that it's caused by the difference between the idealized view of Paris that the travelers held and the reality that confronted them.

Recently, filmmaker John Menick created a short documentary about this syndrome. He describes it as:

a short, cinematic essay analyzing the cultural implications of travel-related mental illnesses. The project places the syndrome within an ongoing history of cross-cultural relations; the emergence of a global tourist industry; and the creation of psychiatric schools of thought devoted to inter-cultural relations. In addition to the Parisian illness, Paris Syndrome also looks at a number of related issues: Stendhal Syndrome, an ailment experienced by traveling viewers of art (identified in Florence, Italy); the history of psychiatric portraiture; 19th-century mad travelers; and the changes in travel-related mental illnesses throughout history.

Posted By: Alex - Mon Aug 13, 2012 - Comments (6)
Category: Travel, Psychology, Documentaries

Winnie Ruth Judd



Not sure if an infamous murder case benefits from the marionette approach, but it's certainly unique.

Posted By: Paul - Thu May 10, 2012 - Comments (3)
Category: Death, Puppets and Automatons, Documentaries, 1930s, Dismemberment

Cranberry Tour



Wooden bridge inspection. Arrow dipping. All pinnacles of monotony and boredom. Does the student-led cranberry tour measure up to these high standrards?

You decide!

Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 17, 2012 - Comments (2)
Category: Boredom, Education, Regionalism, Farming, Documentaries

Hendrik Coetzee

Kadoma_teaser from Ben Stookesberry on Vimeo.



Do African explorers still get eaten by crocodiles in the 21st century? It seems a highly Victorian fate.

But it happened to Hendrik Coetzee just a little over a year ago. And now there's a documentary about him, the trailer for which is above.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Apr 04, 2012 - Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Death, Eccentrics, Documentaries, Africa

A Missile Named Mac



Nuclear Armageddon has a reassuring voice!

Posted By: Paul - Fri Jan 20, 2012 - Comments (8)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Armageddon and Apocalypses, Death, Cartoons, Documentaries, 1960s, Weapons

The Bear Who Went to War





I've had this post queued up for weeks--then darn old Chuck goes and scoops me yesterday! But he didn't give you the visuals!

Full story here.

Posted By: Paul - Tue Jan 10, 2012 - Comments (1)
Category: Animals, War, Documentaries, 1940s

Peg Leg Sam





A nice little documentary in two parts about a true eccentric for your weekend viewing!

The hard facts here.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Nov 11, 2011 - Comments (1)
Category: Body Modifications, Eccentrics, Elderly and Seniors, Music, Regionalism, Documentaries, 1970s

Page 3 of 10 pages  < 1 2 3 4 5 >  Last ›




weird universe thumbnail
Who We Are
Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

Paul Di Filippo
Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

Contact Us
Monthly Archives
April 2024 •  March 2024 •  February 2024 •  January 2024

December 2023 •  November 2023 •  October 2023 •  September 2023 •  August 2023 •  July 2023 •  June 2023 •  May 2023 •  April 2023 •  March 2023 •  February 2023 •  January 2023

December 2022 •  November 2022 •  October 2022 •  September 2022 •  August 2022 •  July 2022 •  June 2022 •  May 2022 •  April 2022 •  March 2022 •  February 2022 •  January 2022

December 2021 •  November 2021 •  October 2021 •  September 2021 •  August 2021 •  July 2021 •  June 2021 •  May 2021 •  April 2021 •  March 2021 •  February 2021 •  January 2021

December 2020 •  November 2020 •  October 2020 •  September 2020 •  August 2020 •  July 2020 •  June 2020 •  May 2020 •  April 2020 •  March 2020 •  February 2020 •  January 2020

December 2019 •  November 2019 •  October 2019 •  September 2019 •  August 2019 •  July 2019 •  June 2019 •  May 2019 •  April 2019 •  March 2019 •  February 2019 •  January 2019

December 2018 •  November 2018 •  October 2018 •  September 2018 •  August 2018 •  July 2018 •  June 2018 •  May 2018 •  April 2018 •  March 2018 •  February 2018 •  January 2018

December 2017 •  November 2017 •  October 2017 •  September 2017 •  August 2017 •  July 2017 •  June 2017 •  May 2017 •  April 2017 •  March 2017 •  February 2017 •  January 2017

December 2016 •  November 2016 •  October 2016 •  September 2016 •  August 2016 •  July 2016 •  June 2016 •  May 2016 •  April 2016 •  March 2016 •  February 2016 •  January 2016

December 2015 •  November 2015 •  October 2015 •  September 2015 •  August 2015 •  July 2015 •  June 2015 •  May 2015 •  April 2015 •  March 2015 •  February 2015 •  January 2015

December 2014 •  November 2014 •  October 2014 •  September 2014 •  August 2014 •  July 2014 •  June 2014 •  May 2014 •  April 2014 •  March 2014 •  February 2014 •  January 2014

December 2013 •  November 2013 •  October 2013 •  September 2013 •  August 2013 •  July 2013 •  June 2013 •  May 2013 •  April 2013 •  March 2013 •  February 2013 •  January 2013

December 2012 •  November 2012 •  October 2012 •  September 2012 •  August 2012 •  July 2012 •  June 2012 •  May 2012 •  April 2012 •  March 2012 •  February 2012 •  January 2012

December 2011 •  November 2011 •  October 2011 •  September 2011 •  August 2011 •  July 2011 •  June 2011 •  May 2011 •  April 2011 •  March 2011 •  February 2011 •  January 2011

December 2010 •  November 2010 •  October 2010 •  September 2010 •  August 2010 •  July 2010 •  June 2010 •  May 2010 •  April 2010 •  March 2010 •  February 2010 •  January 2010

December 2009 •  November 2009 •  October 2009 •  September 2009 •  August 2009 •  July 2009 •  June 2009 •  May 2009 •  April 2009 •  March 2009 •  February 2009 •  January 2009

December 2008 •  November 2008 •  October 2008 •  September 2008 •  August 2008 •  July 2008 •