The Corner Penthouse

Mill Creek Entertainment will soon release the Documentary Now!: The Complete Collection (2015-2022) Blu-ray. Read on to find out more about it...

[ SYNOPSIS ]

A faux documentary series, with each episode parodying a different real documentary, presented by Helen Mirren. Created and written by Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, and Seth Meyers.

[ EPISODES ]

Each season is on its own disc. Some of the original documentaries are available on Blu-ray or DVD, and those are linked to the titles below. Each season contains one two-part episode, which are the episodes that are listed with dual runtimes.

DISC 1 (SEASON 1):
• Sandy Passage (21:36) - A spoof of Grey Gardens.
• DRONEZ: The Hunt for El Chingon (21:36) - A spoof of Vice News documentaries.
• Kunuk Uncovered (21:36) - A spoof of Nanook of the North and Nanook Revisited.
• The Eye Doesn't Lie (21:36) - A spoof of The Thin Blue Line.
• A Town, a Gangster, a Festival (21:36) - No known subject of parody.
• Gentle & Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee (21:36/21:36) - A spoof of History of the Eagles.

DISC 2 (SEASON 2):
• The Bunker (21:36) - A spoof of The War Room.
• Juan Likes Rice & Chicken (21:36) - A spoof of Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
• Parker Gail's Location Is Everything (21:06) - A spoof of Swimming to Cambodia.
• Globesman (24:51) - A spoof of Salesman.
• Final Transmission (25:06) - A spoof of Stop Making Sense, The Last Waltz, and Big Time.
• Mr. Runner Up: My Life as an Oscar Bridesmaid (20:06/22:05) - A spoof of The Kid Stays in the Picture.

DISC 3 (SEASON 3)
• Batsh*t Valley (21:38/21:37) - A spoof of Wild Wild Country and The Source Family.
• Original Cast Album: Co-Op (24:37) - A spoof of Original Cast Album: Company.
• Waiting for the Artist (26:07) - A spoof of Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present.
• Searching for Mr. Larson: A Love Letter from the Far Side (21:37) - A spoof of Dear Mr. Watterson.
• Long Gone (21:37) - A spoof of Let's Get Lost.
• Any Given Saturday Afternoon (24:37) - A spoof of A League of Ordinary Gentlemen.

DISC 4 (SEASON 4)
• Soldier of Illusion (23:07/23:07) - A spoof of Burden of Dreams, Grizzly Man, Into the Abyss, Little Dieter Needs to Fly, and My Best Fiend.
• Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport (22:32) - A spoof of Three Salons at the Seaside and The September Issue.
• How They Threw Rocks (23:05) - A spoof of When We Were Kings.
• My Monkey Grifter (22:05) - A spoof of My Octopus Teacher and Koko: A Talking Gorilla.
• Trouver Frisson (22:53) - A spoof of The Gleaners and I and The Beaches of Agnes.

[ SPECIFICATIONS ]

The show has not been rated. Audio languages include English. Subtitle languages English SDH.

[ SPECIAL FEATURES ]

All of the content listed below can be found on Disc 4.

• IFC Emmy Panel Discussion (59:20) - Join Seth Meyers, Fred Armisen, and Bill Hader for an in-depth discussion about Season 1 and the origins of Documentary Now!. Filmed in 2016 before the premiere of Season 2.
• Behind the Scenes Featurettes (18:24) - Go backstage for a special look at the production and preparation of Season 2 episodes "Final Transmission" and "Juan Likes Rice & Chicken"; and five other episodes.
• Deleted Scenes (29:47) - Deleted and extended scenes from select episodes across all four seasons featuring more coverage and laughs. A total of 12 scenes from various episodes.
• Trailers and Promos: Season 1 (2:21) - Four different promos.
• Trailers and Promos: Season 2 (2:03) - Two different promos.
• Trailers and Promos: Season 3 (3:18) - Five different promos.
• Trailers and Promos: Season 4 (0:48) - Two different promos.

[ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ]

The four discs are stored layered over each other in fold-out Digipack packaging. In addition to the discs, inside is a pocket containing 8 mini poster cards. The Digipack is stored inside a side-loading box, featuring a Criterion-like front cover, along with a 28-page episode guide book with an introduction written by Fred Armisen.


[ NOTES ]

Documentary Now!: The Complete Collection is available on Blu-ray. Although you would get the most enjoyment out of the parodies presented here if you saw the original documentaries first, it isn't a requirement to enjoy them. I was only familiar with a couple of the originals, and yet I fully enjoyed all 23 episodes. What I am most impressed with here is the packaging and in-box extras. It is not like Mill Creek to use Digipack packing, much less include an episode guide book and mini poster cards. Could this be a sign that Mill Creek is transitioning from a budget-minded company to a boutique label?

This item has been provided by Mill Creek Entertainment for review on this site.