Quirky Documentary Series

One of the things that fascinates me about these documentaries is that they're all part of the same official canon; reality. Every single documentary film is a sequel, prequel, or spin-off. The exception would be the first ever documentary, but I probably won't ever know that film's identity, much less see it. I suppose the last ever documentary would be an exception as well. Unless the earth ends sometime soon I won't see it either.

It's pretty amazing that the wildly varying characters you find in quirky documentaries exist in the same world. We're all born with the same genome and at the same level of evolution. An alien race may have a tough time believing that Blowfly, a vulgar old rapper from Florida, and Bill Cunningham, a celibate fashion photographer from New York, are the same species. One of the documentaries in the series is about people who are obsessed with owning exotic animals. Another one is about people obsessed with impersonating comic-book superheroes.

Artists of all types talk about capturing the human condition. I've learned from these documentaries that the human condition is a spectrum that gets wider with each film I see. As my knowledge of these people broadens, I gradually learn more about where my own condition lies on this spectrum. It may seem silly to be so reflective about films with such odd subjects. Is it a stretch to equate existentialism with a film about arm-wrestling? I don't think so. I think this series has caused me to reflect on the nature of humanity and consequently made me a more tolerant individual. I may not have found life's meaning, but at least I'm searching. 


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