1. Prater (Prater)
Vienna’s Prater is an amusement park and a desire machine. No mechanical invention, no novel idea or sensational innovation could escape incorporation into the Prater. The diverse story-telling in Ulrike Ottinger’s film “Prater” transforms this place of sensations into a modern cinema of attractions. The Prater’s history from the beginning to the present is told by its protagonists and those who have documented it, including contemporary cinematic images of the Prater, interviews with carnies, commentary by Austrians and visitors from abroad, film quotes, and photographic and written documentary materials. The meaning of the Prater, its status as a place of technological innovation, and its role as a cultural medium are reflected in texts by Elfriede Jelinek, Josef von Sternberg, Erich Kästner and Elias Canetti, as well as in music devoted to this amusement venue throughout the course of its history.
It has an average vote of 5.8 on TMDB.
2. Fast, Cheap & Out of Control
Errol Morris’s Fast, Cheap & Out of Control interweaves the stories of four men, each driven to create eccentric worlds from their unique obsessions, all of which involve animals. There’s a lion tamer who shares his theories on the mental processes of wild animals; a topiary gardener who has devoted a lifetime to shaping bears and giraffes out of hedges and trees; a man fascinated with hairless mole rats; and an MIT scientist who has designed complex, autonomous robots that can crawl like bugs.
It has an average vote of 6.8 on TMDB.
3. Calder's 1927 Great Circus (Le grand cirque Calder 1927)
Alexander Calder created and performed one of the most important and beloved works, his miniature circus . More than twenty years later Jean Painleve made Le Grande Cirque Calder 1927, begun in 1953 and completed in 1955.
It has an average vote of 7 on TMDB.
4. Who is Weary Willie?
"Who is Weary Willie?" explores the life of the once-famous circus character Weary Willie and his story tied to controversy and confusion over identity between his creator, Emmett Kelly Sr., and his son, Emmett Kelly Jr.
5. Savages: The Story of Human Zoos (Sauvages, au cœur des zoos humains)
For more than a century the great colonial powers put human beings, taken by force from their native lands, on show as entertainment, just like animals in zoos; a shameful, outrageous and savage treatment of people who were considered subhuman.
It has an average vote of 7.8 on TMDB.
6. Back To Africa
(Back To Africa)
7. Sunshine in Soho
1950s Soho beats with far more energy than its 21st century counterpart in this vivid time capsule.
8. A Cage for Two (Клітка для двох)
Documentary offers a look at the historical development, establishment and artistic transformations of the Ukrainian Circus as a cultural phenomenon of the 20 century.
9. Grazing the Sky (A ras del cielo)
Grazing the Sky is a compelling look at the lives of trapeze artists and other circus performers. The film was shot for over two years covering 11 countries, including the Americas, Europe and the Near East. It follows the nomadic lives of circus performers. The audience follows 10 protagonists as they try to reach perfection and meet their lofty goals. The documentary sheds light on the contemporary circus world, and focuses on performers who devote themselves to the greatest show on earth.
It has an average vote of 6.2 on TMDB.
10. Cirque du Soleil: Quidam
A young girl has already seen everything there is to see and her world has lost all meaning. Her anger shatters her world and she finds herself in the universe of QUIDAM, where she is joined by a playful companion, as well as another mysterious character who attempts to seduce her with the marvelous, the unsettling and the terrifying.
It has an average vote of 7.6 on TMDB.
11. Cirque du Soleil: Alegria
Alegría is a mood, a state of mind. The themes of the show, whose name means "jubilation" in Spanish, are many. Power and the handing down of power over time, the evolution from ancient monarchies to modern democracies, old age, youth - it is against this backdrop that the characters of Alegría play out their lives. Kings' fools, minstrels, beggars, old aristocrats and children make up its universe, along with the clowns, who alone are able to resist the passing of time and the social transformations that accompany it.
It has an average vote of 7.4 on TMDB.
12. Cirque du Soleil: Saltimbanco
From the Italian 'saltare in banco' – which literally means 'to jump on a bench' – Saltimbanco explores the urban experience in all its myriad forms. Between whirlwind and lull, prowess and poetry, it takes spectators on an allegorical and acrobatic journey into the heart and soul of the modern city.
It has an average vote of 7.2 on TMDB.
13. Cirque du Soleil: Varekai
Icarus is the main character of Varekai, who falls to the ground, breaking his legs as he does. He is suddenly in a strange, new world full of creatures he has never seen before. Parachuted into the shadows of a magical forest, a kaleidoscopic world populated by fantastical creatures, this young man sets off on an adventure both absurd and extraordinary.
It has an average vote of 7.9 on TMDB.
14. An Apology to Elephants
Elephants are among the most majestic and intelligent creatures on Earth--but for hundreds of years, they have suffered at the hands of humans. Narrated by Lily Tomlin, this documentary short traces our long history with elephants and explores the many problems that arise when they are brought to live in captivity in zoos and circuses.
It has an average vote of 8 on TMDB.
15. Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net
As Cirque du Soleil reboots its flagship production, O, more than a year after an abrupt shutdown, performers and crew members face uncertainty as they work to return to their world-class standards in time for the opening night in Las Vegas. With unfettered access, filmmaker Dawn Porter captures the dramatic journey of the world's most famous circus act on its way back from the brink.
16. Circus Day
A clown recalls the days when he first joined the Cole Brothers circus and discusses how the Greatest Show on Earth has changed. He reminisces about the circus train, pre-show preparations, the performers and the big show.
17. Carnaval (Carnaval)
Once a year, people from different marginalized communities meet together in the woods to delve into the art of circus and have this discipline become a common way to express themselves, away from the city.
18. Ich hätte am Kronleuchter hängen bleiben müssen (Ich hätte am Kronleuchter hängen bleiben müssen)
(Ich hätte am Kronleuchter hängen bleiben müssen)
19. Jonas and the Backyard Circus (Jonas e o Circo Sem Lona)
Jonas is 13 years old and his life's dream is to maintain the circus that he created in his backyard. While he faces this challenge, he will live the adventure of growing up.
It has an average vote of 8.1 on TMDB.
20. Fakir (Fakir)
The feature-length documentary Fakir portrays the success of fakirism in Brazil, Latin America and France. This circus art origin show is presented and analyzed through archives that reveals the success of these presentations with their pain resistance championships and the great public presence, including politicians and government officials. Fakir spans current footage from contemporary artists who keep this art alive in performances and shows.
