The saga of a handful of conquerors who built an empire in Central America and invented the methods of one of the very first multinationals. In 19th century Central America, a few entrepreneurial cowboys built an empire that enslaved populations and corrupted governments for over 100 years. The United Fruit Company thrived on unregulated capitalism; this film tells its story and that of its pioneers who feared neither God nor Man, and managed to get away with murder. Until the 1970s, that multinational set up a monopoly by combining violence, repression, corruption, environmental destruction and a formidable marketing machine. It turned an unknown fruit into an instrument of fortune and domination, and created a business model still largely used by today’s tech giants. Using a rich trove of archival footage and documents, including letters to and from lobbyists, telegrams, vintage ads and movie clips, and gorgeous, hand-tinted stills, 'When Banana Ruled' is a story of intrigue that touches on economics, international politics, the history of business and reveals how an array of forces conquered the world through a simple fruit.
Rockefeller, Carnegie and Morgan team up to help elect William McKinley to the U.S. presidency by paying for his 1896 campaign, to avoid a possible attack on monopolies. However, fate intervenes when McKinley is suddenly assassinated, and vice president Theodore Roosevelt assumes the presidency and promptly begins dissolving monopolies and trusts in America. Meanwhile, Morgan buys out Carnegie Steel to make Carnegie the richest man in the world, and Henry Ford designs an affordable automobile with his Model T and starts his own business, Ford Motor Company, which sets a new business model for companies to follow.
A chronological look at The Doors, focusing on lead singer, Jim Morrison (1943-1971), from the formation of the band in 1965, it's first gigs, and first album, to Morrison's death, after years of alcohol and drug use. Along the journey, we see rare exclusive footage, performances, and private moments including a Miami concert resulting in Morrison's arrest and trial for indecency. His love of the spotlight, his desire to be a poet, and his alcohol-fueled mood swings lead to a back and forth between public and private desires, successes, and failures. The band's music plays throughout.
From the age of 15, Whitney Houston began to enter the world of music. In 1983, she signed a contract with Clive David from Arista Records. From then on, she began a life of excess, luxury, fame, drugs, and many scandals. The documentary pays special attention to her relationships with her mother, father, husband and daughter, as well as her former best friend Robyn Crawford. It also addresses the singer's history of drug use, including overdose allegations in the 1990s, her early days as a gospel singer, her discovery by Arista Records boss Clive Davis, and key moments such as the releases of her debut album in 1985 and the film The Bodyguard in 1992. The film tells the story of the life and death of Whitney Houston, who marked a before and after in the history of music. It has been made with archival footage of the artist, from her concerts, interviews and home videos.
An inspiring celebration of the motorcycling community, this documentary film shares the passion of motorcycle riding and shows the camaraderie of the friends and families who ride together. As told by the many racers, riders, pioneers, and parents in the sport, the story weaves its way through generations of motorcyclists who live each day to the fullest on their two-wheeled machines. The refreshing message about the joys of motorcycling, coupled with state of the art photography, capture the imagination and set the soul in motion.
Each night, across the planet, our cities illuminate the darkness. Their lights burning brighter than ever before. And whilst we're asleep, animals are making the most of this new neon landscape. The sunset in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Toronto creates worlds of opportunities for the cleverest animals willing to take the risk.
Using a rich trove of archival footage and documents, including letters to and from lobbyists, telegrams, vintage ads and movie clips, and gorgeous, hand-tinted stills, 'When Banana Ruled' is a story of intrigue that touches on economics, international politics, the history of business and reveals how an array of forces conquered the world through a simple fruit.