Best Documentary Movies of 1998

Five Jewish Hungarians, now U.S. citizens, tell their stories: before March, 1944, when Nazis began to exterminate Hungarian Jews, months in concentration camps, and visiting childhood homes more than 50 years later. An historian, a Sonderkommando, a doctor who experimented on Auschwitz prisoners, and US soldiers who were part of the liberation in April, 1945.

Bruno Monsaingeon wrote and directed this 144-minute French documentary about Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter, who died August 1, 1997. Black-and-white performance clips from the 1930s are combined with later Mosfilm color footage, while Richter's personal history is revealed in digital video interviews shot two years before his death.

Meeting People Is Easy takes place during the promotion of Radiohead's 1997 release OK Computer, containing a collage of video clips, sound bites, and dialogue going behind the scenes with the band on their world tour, showing the eventual burn-out of the group as the world tour progresses. The inaugural show of the OK Computer tour began on 22 May 1997 in Barcelona, Spain.

John Leguizamo's semi-falsified, one-man stand-up performance as...himself. This is his autobiographical story, about his life growing up, and his journey to try to be accepted by his father. We see this story through a bizarre myriad of characters and situations, which include the eccentric Uncle Sanny, the Fat Boy Called Bitch (John's little brother, Poochie), his mom, his evil grandmothers, and Lee Stratsberg, not to mention a brief appearance by Cantinflas as God.

This documentary was shown as part of the American Movie Classics (AMC) cable TV channel's celebration of the 30th anniversary of the release of Planet of the Apes (1968). We learn how the original French novel was transformed into the first film.

Portishead concert in the Roseland Ballroom, New York City, on the 24th July 1997 with tracks from the albums "Dummy" and "Portishead" played by the band and a 30 piece orchestra.

An international team of climbers ascends Mt. Everest in the spring of 1996. The film depicts their lengthy preparations for the climb, their trek to the summit, and their successful return to Base Camp. It also shows many of the challenges the group faced, including avalanches, lack of oxygen, treacherous ice walls, and a deadly blizzard.

Documentary commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 'Carry On' comedy film series. Archive clips and out-takes are mixed with interviews with the surviving 'Carry On' cast.

In 1948, Lenny Bruce was just another comic who couldn't get arrested. By 1961, all that would change.