Documentary from the world's archives

385–432 of 6,384 films, free to watch, from the world's open archives.

Where these films come from, and who sees what

Every film here plays from the archive that keeps it: the Internet Archive, Wikimedia Commons, the NASA Image and Video Library, the Library of Congress and Open Images (the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision). Nothing is copied to this site. Each film's page names its archive, links to its page there, and states its licence or status as the archive does.

Archive films carry no age ratings, so each is placed from the collections it sits in and the subjects the archive gives it, cautiously. Sexual content and nudity are left out altogether.

Little OnesFilms for young children by name: nursery rhymes, lullabies, preschool.
KidsCartoons and animation, children's and family films, and educational films, unless they deal with war, propaganda, crime, horror or drugs, or carry racial caricature.
TweensDocumentaries, science, nature and space, classic comedies, newsreels, commercials and lectures.
TeensEverything else, including anything we cannot tell about; war, crime, horror and westerns go no lower.
AdultSexual themes (such as the old "sex hygiene" films), gore, surgery, slaughter, atrocity footage.
Internet Archive The Wild Ones Shark Harbour 2012 · Feature Shark Harbour follows a specialist 'Shark Research Team' - commissioned by the NSW government in response to the surge in attacks - as they conduct the most… Internet Archive Inside Fighting China (1941) 1941 · Short Inside Fighting China is a 1941 22-minute Canadian short documentary film produced by the National Film Board of Canada for distribution by United Artists ,… Internet Archive The Heart of the Dragon: 5 -- Correcting 1984 · Educational · 53 min Documentary Anthony Quayle Title from container This shows the legal system at work, explores the social pressures at work in the new consumer society and… Internet Archive " 50 YEARS BEFORE YOUR EYES " 1900-1950 DOCUMENTARY FILM PART 2 90284 Documentary This 1950 Warner Brothers film documents major American and international events during the first half of the 20th Century. Japanese forces invade Manchuria.… Internet Archive The Heart of the Dragon: 6 -- Working 1984 · Educational · 57 min Documentary Anthony Quayle This examines the workers life in Datong's two main industries, coal mining and railways. The railway is run with military style… Internet Archive BloodSpell: Preproduction - Documentary 2008 · Short · 7 min This is the first of a series of documentaries about the making of BloodSpell, the hit Machinima series of 2006, now also available as a feature film This… Internet Archive National Geographic Earthquake Glasshouse 2008 · Feature Built in the middle of the desert, the new Meydan racecourse will define raceday luxury. But will it be finished in time for the Dubai World Cup? Internet Archive Swingin' The Blues- Goin' To Kansas City documentary (1981) 2021 · TV Billy Taylor hosts the first installment of this four-part PBS documentary on the jazz and blues, which aired in early 1982 in most markets. Mary Lou Williams… Internet Archive " MAN IN SPACE TODAY TOMORROW AND TITAN III " NASA LIFTING BODY DOCUMENTARY Part 1 of 2 30482 Documentary This rare and informative NASA documentary "Today, Tomorrow and Titan III" shows the Titan III program as well as manned space flight and aeronautic advances… Internet Archive They Are Their Own Gifts 1978 · Educational Uses documentary photographs and interviews to present the lives and contributions of poetess Muriel Rukeyser, portrait artist Alice Neel, and choreographer… Internet Archive Pete Townsend Videos Spittin' Image The 1987 Movie Awards (March 25, 1987) woc USA For Africa Documentary John Paar Videos 1987 · TV From the Betamax project! What a tape! 1. A block of videos from The Who's Pete Townsend. 2. One Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks video off a old 80s video show… Internet Archive The Heart of the Dragon: 8 -- Marrying 1984 · Educational · 54 min Documentary Anthony Quayle This examines the central role of the family, the changing status of women and the reactions of the rural Maoping village to the… Internet Archive “THE SECRET LIFE OF HITLER” 1958 DOCUMENTARY FILM ADOLPH HITLER BIOGRAPHY NAZI GERMANY PART 1 31254 Documentary This film depicts the secret life of Adolph Hitler as adapted from the original film called "Will it Happen Again" originally released in 1948. As compared to… Internet Archive Finding His Voice 1929 · Feature Internet Archive BloodSpell: Series to Feature - Making Of documentary 2008 · Short This is the fifth of a series of documentaries about the making of BloodSpell, the hit Machinima series of 2006, now also available as a feature film. In this… Internet Archive Charles Bragg (1984 PBS documentary) 2023 · TV Here is a vintage documentary produced for PBS stations that provides a glimpse into the life of this artist. Internet Archive Wildlife On One - S09E02 - The Great Hedgehog Mystery - x264 1982 · TV This episode of Wildlife on One did not seem to be available anywhere online until I found that it was part of an obscure DVD compilation of David… Internet Archive Objective Security 1945 · Short · 20 min This Documentary short shows the work of the Army Civil Affairs units during the Battle of Okinawa Internet Archive The Recyclergy Documentary For decades the San Francisco Bay Area has been a hub for the recycling movement. Despite the lack of surviving community recycling centers, the Bay Area is… Internet Archive A Welcome to Britain. Short · 38 min A curious little film meant to introduce US Army personnel to life in the Untied Kingdom. It is presented by Burgess Meredith with appearances by Felix… Internet Archive (Repaired) Blue Planet II ★ Complete BBC Series with Subtitles and MKV 2017 · Talk (Repaired) The Blue Planet II is [ NOW ] a complete BBC Earth Series: with English Subtitles and MKV Versions - Converted from a 3 DVD set for your viewing… Internet Archive What Johnny Can't Read 1980 · Educational Title from data sheet Also issued as videorecording Producer, Norman Gorin A segment from television's 60 minutes, which brings to light an influential… Internet Archive Blue Collar Green Water Collective 2018 · Documentary The Blue Collar Green Water Art & Culture Collective , made up of workers of the Inlandboatmen's Union who work the Blue and Gold Ferry to Tiburon and… Internet Archive RUSSIAN WORLD WAR II DOCUMENTARY TANK BATTLES EASTERN FRONT 77534 Documentary Presented in Ukrainian, this Soviet-era documentary film shows battles on the Eastern Front in WWII. It begins with combat in and near Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine… Internet Archive Japanese Bride in America Short · 30 min A US Army informational film which shows a fictional (?) Japanese war bride adapting to life in the United States. Directed by unknown. Military release circa… Internet Archive "THAT WAR IN KOREA " KOREAN WAR DOCUMENTARY EVENTS OF 1950-53 COMBAT & ARMISTICE PART 2 63444 Documentary This is part 2 of "That War in Korea", an epic documentary about the Korean Conflict. The war was fought from 1950 to 1953 as North Korea invaded southern… Internet Archive " LIFE IN THE THIRTIES " 1930s DOCUMENTARY FILM GREAT DEPRESSION, NEW DEAL, DUST BOWL, FDR 91964 Documentary This black & white educational film is about what occurred in the United States in the 1930s. It was released in 1959. This film is part 1 of 2. Opening… Internet Archive " GERMANY AWAKES " 1933 NAZI GERMANY DOCUMENTARY ADOLPH HITLER REEL 1 73702 Documentary Created in 1933 by the newly-ascendant Adolph Hitler, "Deutschland Erwacht!" is a recounting of life in Germany after WWI and up until the handover of power… Internet Archive " THE TRUE GLORY " 1945 ACADEMY AWARD WINNING WWII DOCUMENTARY D-DAY TO V-E DAY PART 2 22374 Documentary Released in 1945, when it won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, The True Glory was a co-production of the US Office of War Information and the… Internet Archive Ageless Iraq ( 1954 Travelogue) 1954 · TV Old archive Internet Archive 1965 HISTORY OF THE KKK KU KLUX KLAN DOCUMENTARY "THE INVISIBLE EMPIRE" 94744 Documentary This black & white educational film is about the Ku Klux Klan an American white supremacist hate group, its main targets are minority groups. It dates to… Internet Archive Combat Bulletin No.101 (Battle for Time) 1950 · Short · 29 min Logistics and combat operations of air sea, and ground forces of the United Nations in Korea From 10 july through 10 August 1950 Internet Archive BloodSpell: What Next - Making Of documentary 2008 · Short This is the sixth and final of a series of documentaries about the making of BloodSpell, the hit Machinima series of 2006, now also available as a feature… Internet Archive Snowballs and Sand Castles 1989 · Educational Summer and winter hold different joys for kids. The seasonal opposites of winter and summer create very different worlds to be explored and enjoyed by people… Internet Archive The Story of a Transport 1944 · Short · 21 min This documentary short follow the troop transport USS Wakefield (peacetime luxury liner Manhattan) on her voyage from America to England and back Internet Archive THE HOAXSTERS COLD WAR ANTI-COMMUNIST DOCUMENTARY 88294 Documentary Made in 1952 and produced by the legendary Dore Shary, THE HOAXSTERS is an American documentary film written by Herman Hoffman, about the threat posed by… Internet Archive The Heart of the Dragon: 12 -- Trading 1984 · Educational Documentary Anthony Quayle This examines the changing attitudes to business today by looking at individual enterprises in China Title from container Internet Archive Wildlife On One - S08E02 - The Mouse's Tale - x264 1981 · TV Another Wildlife On One episode from 1981. While this is not as exciting as some of the other episode I recently uploaded that were not available online… Internet Archive Dance of the Hands 1930 · Feature Internet Archive National Geographic Penguins Under Siege 2004 · Feature This is one penguin's story of life and death set against the backdrop of one of the harshest coastlines in the world, the Skeleton Coast of South Western… Internet Archive Men and the Sea 1943 · Short · 10 min The short documentary shows how U.S. merchant seamen were trained in seamanship, signaling, gunnery and radio operation Internet Archive Know Your Ally: Britain Short · 42 min A US government short feature meant to introduce American military personnel to our fighting ally Great Britain. Directed by Robert Stevenson (uncredited). US… Internet Archive “ EMPEROR HIROHITO ” 1963 BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENTARY EMPEROR OF JAPAN WWII 57044 Documentary Created by the famed producer David Wolper and narrated by Mike Wallace, this episode of the long-running TV show ‘Biography’ dates to 1963 and profiles… Internet Archive Stramilano 1929 · Feature Internet Archive THE RIVER MISSISSIPPI RIVER 1938 DOCUMENTARY FILM PARE LORENTZ 79074 Documentary THE RIVER is a 1938 short documentary film which shows the importance of the Mississippi River to the United States, and how farming and timber practices had… Internet Archive Television (1988 PBS documentary, ep. 2, Comedy) TV Here is the second installment of the weekly PBS documentary series about the history of television from 1988. From "I Love Lucy" to "Your Show of Shows" to… Internet Archive CÓMO MANIPULAR A UNA SOCIEDAD | Data Brokers y Microtargeting 2021 · Short La descripción decia: Segundo vídeo de la serie Capitalismo de los Datos. Una serie de vídeos en el que intentaré sacar a la luz los los tejemanejes más… Internet Archive 1945 WWII MARIANAS ISLANDS DOCUMENTARY "PACIFIC FIREPOWER" SAIPAN PACIFIC CAMPAIGN 23614b Documentary This black & white educational/propaganda film is about the battle of Saipan during World War 2 in the Pacific between the USA and Japanese forces. The…