It's hard to believe that a man who once stated he was so embarrassed by himself that he didn't even want his own speaking parts in his documentaries, would go on to become one of the most successful documentary directors of all time. Errol Morris has been nominated and won several prestigious awards throughout his 40 year career, including an Academy Award for Best Documentary.
Morris has directed a wide array of documentaries with subjects ranging from pet cemeteries to the death of a police officer to quirky folks in a small town in Florida. No matter what the film is about, fans are sure to walk away with knowledge they did not posses before. Here are Errol Morris's 10 best documentaries, ranked:
Standard Operating Procedure (2008)
Errol Morris never walks away from the truth, no matter how horrific the truth may be. Case in point, Standard Operating Procedure, where Morris exposes the torture of the prisoners in the Abu Ghraib scandal in Iraq. This documentary puts the disturbing truth about the flaws in the military system on display for the whole world to see.
Morris is the master of not demonizing his subjects in order to gain the truth or at least their side of the story. While it is upsetting to watch, many critics believe it is a film every American should see. The documentary was placed on several critics' 10 best film lists for 2008, where it belongs for making viewers question the system they blindly follow.
The Unknown Known (2013)
Errol Morris attempted to gain insight into the mind of Donald Rumsfeld, former U.S. Secretary of Defense and congressman, in the documentary The Unknown Known. According to Rumsfeld, the main objective of the Department of Defense is to determine what the "unknown knowns" are in order to anticipate threats against the country.
While for many critics the film was frustrating to watch since Rumsfeld dodged questions, they still praised Morris for his ability to objectively interview such a controversial subject. Morris never backed down from Rumsfeld, even if he refused to give straight answers most of the time. Perhaps, this was an answer in and of itself. For that reason, The Unknown Known is an irritating yet intriguing film.
Fast, Cheap, & Out of Control (1997)
Errol Morris has directed several beloved yet peculiar documentaries over the years including Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control. This film pairs four unlikely characters together to tell the world about their passions. The documentary focuses on Dave Hoover, a lion tamer; George Mendonca, a topiary gardener; Ray Mendez, a hairless mole-rat expert; and Rodney Brooks, a scientist who creates bug-like robots.
Not only is Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control intriguing due to the four men being interviewed, but this film is also unique thanks to Morris's own camera technique invention. This technique is called Interrotron, and it allows the person being interviewed to make eye contact with the camera and the interviewer at the same time which makes the interview subject appear to be talking straight to the audience.
The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography (2016)
The camera is a powerful tool in not only discovering the world, but also showing the world how you view it. No one understands this better than photographers such as Elsa Dorfman. In the 2016 documentary The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography, Morris explores the art of portrait photography, feminism in the 1970's, and finding passion in a societal-pressure filled world.
What makes this documentary special is Morris's personal connection to Dorfman, as the two have been friends for many years. Morris has sat in front of Dorfman's camera several times over the years and this time it was her turn to shine in front of the camera lens.
Gates of Heaven (1978)
The Gates of Heaven is an iconic Errol Morris documentary as it was his first feature and a man had to eat his own shoe after it was completed. Film director Werner Herzog famously followed through on cooking and eating his own shoe after telling Morris he would do so if the fillmmaker completed the documentary.
This documentary centers around the pet burial industry and includes interviews with pet morticians. Even though it's a rather kooky subject for a documentary, The Gates of Heaven put Errol Morris on the map, with Roger Ebert stating it is one of the best films ever made. Bonus: the rad 70's fashion is not missing at all from this film.
A Brief History of Time (1991)
In the 1991 documentary A Brief History of Time, not only does Morris show viewers Hawking's brilliant mind, but also his daily life as a man dealing with A.L.S. The film includes interviews from several people in Hawking's life including colleagues, members of his family, as well as his childhood nanny to gain a well-rounded perspective of the master mind physicist.
Morris was praised for his creative use of graphics to demonstrate Hawking's elaborate theories. Critics stated A Brief History of Time is inspirational, empathically made, and fascinating.
Mr. Death: The Rise & Fall of Fred A. Leuchter (1999)
Ever wondered what it would be like to create instruments of execution such as the electric chair? Errol Morris gives insight into what life is like for a capital punishment expert in his 2000 documentary Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. Life seemed to be going well for the execution expert until he traveled to Poland to help disprove the use of gas chambers in the Holocaust.
Mr. Death currently has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with critics stating it as comedy-horror as it is disturbing but humorous. High ranking critic, Roger Ebert stated the film does not provide users with a comfortable place to stand as once again, Morris is the master of not villainizing even the most controversial of subjects.
Vernon, Florida (1981)
Who knew a small town in Florida could be so intriguing? In 1981, Errol Morris traveled to the quirky town of Vernon, Florida to interview its eccentric occupants. Originally, Morris wanted to create the film due to the town's high rate of insurance fraud, but he soon became more interested in the townspeople's captivating personal stories.
Morris's second documentary earned high praises from critics who appreciated the genuine enjoyment Morris got out of interviewing the people of Vernon. To this day Vernon, Florida has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with recent critics stating the film is as strange as it is moving.
The Fog of War (2003)
Errol Morris finally won his first Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2004 for The Fog of War. Morris's award winning documentary tells the story of former Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, who made several controversial decisions during the Vietnam War.
In true Errol Morris fashion, Morris not only focuses on McNamara's time as the Secretary of Defense but also his childhood upbringing and his college years at Berkeley and Harvard, as well as his involvement in World War II. Critics praised the film as engrossing and mesmerizing. Another must see for any American hoping to understand the government's rationalization of war.
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
On a mysterious night in November of 1976, a Dallas police officer is shot down with only two main suspects. In 1988 Errol Morris dove into the investigation of the murder of officer Robert Wood who stopped a car to inspect its headlights. Randall Dale Adams, the passenger and an adult, was arrested and sentenced to the death penalty for the murder of officer Wood while David Harris, the driver and also a juvenile, was free to go.
While Morris earned several awards for Thin Blue Line, the greatest reward was the freedom of Randall Dale Adams who had served over 10 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Morris was able to bring the truth to light to help an innocent who was framed finally regain his life. One of the greatest lessons to be learned from Errol Morris is to never stop searching for the truth.