Pinball 101 (2009)

Special When Lit

What made more money than the entire American movie industry through the 50s and 60s? Pinball. Special When Lit rediscovers the lure of a lost pop icon. A product of the mechanical and electrical age, the American invention swept the world and defined cool. Now it is relegated to a nostalgic footnote deserving a better fate. Joining the fans, collectors, designers and champion players from across the globe who share a world many of us didn't know still existed.

Still Standing

Discover the untold story of Pinball and Arcade in Australia in this heart-warming, and at times heart-breaking, nostalgic journey through the golden era of gaming.

Arcadia National Bar: From One Year to the Next

Arcadia opened in 2014 serving local southern Maine brews, classic pinball, arcade games, game consoles and tabletop gaming. As the owners renovate to offer more games with expanded space for the community to come together and play, Arcadia is also preserving and saving the person-to-person social element of gameplay.

A World Under Glass

A married couple working together at a pinball museum explore the state of pinball and what it means to them.

Tommy

After a series of traumatic childhood events, a psychosomatically deaf, dumb and blind boy becomes a master pinball player and the object of a religious cult.

Tilt

Tilt is the story of a precocious young girl who is a pinball wizard. Because she does not get on with her parents, Tilt is contemplating running away from home. Skipping school one day, she decides to go to to Mickey's Bar. Mickey, who is Tilt's good friend, helps her set up a gambler for a pinball game. Because the gambler is unaware of Tilt's pinball wizardry, he is easily hustled out of his money. While watching the confrontation, a young man named Neil Gallagher, who is an aspiring musician, is impressed with Tilt's ability, congratulating her after the win. Neil invites Tilt to watch him sing at a rock concert, and after his performance she believes he can become a great singer. Because Neil needs money for a demo tape of his songs, he has an idea of taking Tilt with him and having her hustle would-be gamblers.

The Verdict

Frank Galvin is a down-on-his-luck lawyer and reduced to drinking and ambulance chasing, when a former associate reminds him of his obligations in a medical malpractice suit by serving it to Galvin on a silver platter—all parties are willing to settle out of court. Blundering his way through the preliminaries, Galvin suddenly realizes that the case should actually go to court—to punish the guilty, to get a decent settlement for his clients... and to restore his standing as a lawyer.

Vivre Sa Vie

Twelve episodic tales in the life of a Parisian woman and her slow descent into prostitution.

Big

When a young boy makes a wish at a carnival machine to be big—he wakes up the following morning to find that it has been granted and his body has grown older overnight. But he is still the same 13-year-old boy inside. Now he must learn how to cope with the unfamiliar world of grown-ups including getting a job and having his first romantic encounter with a woman.

Laserblast

Happy go-lucky teen Billy Duncan discovers an otherworldly laser gun in the southern California desert, making him the target of a pair of aliens who had recently executed its previous owner.

Heavy Traffic

An "underground" cartoonist contends with life in the inner city, where various unsavory characters serve as inspiration for his artwork.

Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game

The dramatic comedy is based on the true story of writer and pinball wizard Roger Sharpe, chronicling his journey to overturn New York City’s 35-year ban on pinball.

Van Nuys Blvd.

A small-town kid hears about the wild nights of cruising the boulevard in Van Nuys, California. He drives out there to check it out, and gets involved with drag racers, topless dancers and bikers.

Pinball Summer

It's a summer of fun for two teenaged boys who spend their time chasing two sisters, annoying a biker gang, and basically getting into typical sophomoric hijinks whenever they can.

Naked Over the Fence

Rick Lemming (Rijk de Goyer) lives in the heart of Amsterdam, where he holds a dovecote and a saloon with slot machines. His best friend Ed Svaan, the champion of karate in the Netherlands, is deeply in love with singer Lily (Sylvia Christelle). With the help of Ed, Lilly concludes a contract with a television director who assures everyone that he will make a high-profile film. Rijk wants to check where his boyfriend and girlfriend are being drawn in and secretly watches the shootings. In fact, a pornographic film is being shot.

Dangerous Dan McFoo

An arctic saloon. The tiny dog, Dan McFoo, is playing a pinball-like marble game in the back. His girlfriend, Sue, sounding like Katharine Hepburn, stands by. A stranger comes in with eyes for Sue; he begins a boxing match with Dan. After Dan gets knocked down, he accuses the stranger of having something in the glove; the ref finds four horseshoes and a horse. After the fight goes on a while with no conclusion, the narrator tosses a couple of guns, the lights go out, and Dan is shot or is he?

The King of Oakes and Commerce

A night in the life of a pinball wizard.

Licorice Pizza

The story of Gary Valentine and Alana Kane growing up, running around and going through the treacherous navigation of first love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973.

THE COCKPIT

In a small cockpit-like room, we see two young hip hop musicians from Tokyo giving birth to a beat: precision, patience and camaraderie hold sway, midway between an installation and sitcom.

Queer Japan

Trailblazing artists, activists, and everyday people from across the spectrum of gender and sexuality defy social norms and dare to live unconventional lives in this kaleidoscopic view of LGBTQ+ culture in contemporary Japan.

Beyond the Headlines: The Elizabeth Thomas Story with Elizabeth Smart

Five years after she was groomed and abducted by the most popular teacher in school, Elizabeth Thomas shares new revelations about her ordeal, with famed kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart.

The Making of Spring

Electronic Press Kit of the movie Spring. A collection of behind-the-scenes, videos, photos, interviews etc.

Iron Maiden: Rock in Rio 2013

Iron Maiden at Cidade do Rock, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on September 22, 2013. Setlist: 1. Moonchild 2. Can I Play with Madness 3. The Prisoner 4. 2 Minutes to Midnight 5. Afraid to Shoot Strangers 6. The Trooper 7. The Number of the Beast 8. Phantom of the Opera 9. Run to the Hills 10. Wasted Years 11. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 12. The Clairvoyant 13. Fear of the Dark 14. Iron Maiden Encore: 15. Churchill's Speech 16. Aces High 17. The Evil That Men Do 18. Running Free

Besa: The Promise

A documentary exploring how Albanians, including many Muslims, helped and sheltered Jewish refugees during WWII at their own risk, and trying to help the son of an Albanian baker that housed a Jewish family for a year return some Hebrew books that the family had to leave behind.

Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.

A short documentary about the classic Universal Monster actor, Lon Chaney, Jr.

Bald: The Making of 'THX 1138'

The film features a conversation between Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, producer of THX 1138. They discuss Lucas' vision for the film, including his ideas about science fiction in general and in particular his concept of the "used future" which would famously feature in his film Star Wars. Intercut with this discussion is footage shot prior to the start of production of THX 1138 showing several of its actors having their heads shaved, a requirement for appearing in the film. In several cases the actors are shown being shaved in a public location. For example, Maggie McOmie is shaved outside the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, while Robert Duvall watches a sporting event as his hair is cut off. Another actor, Marshall Efron, who would later play an insane man in the film, cut off his own hair and was filmed doing so in a bathtub.

Tutankhamun: The Truth Uncovered

What killed King Tutankhamun? Ever since his spectacular tomb was discovered, the boy king has been the most famous pharaoh of all ancient Egypt. But his mysterious death, at just 19 years old, has never been explained. In this BBC One special, presenter Dallas Campbell reveals new scientific research and carries out unique experiments to get to the truth. For the first time, a virtual autopsy of Tut's mummified body reveals astonishing secrets about the pharaoh. Using CT scan data, the programme creates the first ever full size, scientifically accurate image of the real Tutankhamun. Brand new DNA analysis uncovers a shocking secret about Tut's family background, and the genetic trail of clues leads to a radical and revolutionary new theory to explain Tut's sudden and unexpected death. This is an epic detective story that uncovers the extraordinary truth of the boy behind the golden mask.

Blue

From space, our planet appears as a tiny blue dot in the vastness of space. Blue, because 99% of all living space on Earth occurs in the Ocean. But the seas are under threat. The industrialization that has occurred in the oceans over the last century mirrors the events that triggered mass extinctions on land. As we learn of the ecological crimes occurring worldwide, we also uncover the shocking truths happening on our own shorelines.

Adele: Homecoming

The eagerly anticipated wait is over, after 5 years since the release of her last album, Adele is back! Fans have applauded her return, by breaking the record for most viewed video in a single day, reaching an astounding 28.7M views in the first 24 hours. The British singer has knocked Taylor Swift off the record, previously holding most viewed video in a single day for her Bad Blood video which reached 20 million views. “Hello” has now been viewed nearly 89 million times on Vevo alone since the day of its release, and has already topped the iTunes charts in 85 countries. The success of this debut single has blown everyone away and the rest of her album will most likely follow suit. Through her own words, video and live performance this documentary takes an incredible look at the life and times of this truly amazing young artist.

Sam Fuller & the Big Red One

A documentary shot during the production of Samuel Fuller's film The Big Red One.

Music Inn

During a decade rife with paranoia, in the middle of the McCarthy era, Music Inn was a bold experiment. Halfway between the Second World War and The Civil Rights Movement, Phil and Stephanie Barber created an oasis in the Berkshire Hills in Western Massachusetts where aspiring musicians came to learn from the very best. Students and faculty, young and old, rich and poor, white, black, and brown convened together and learned from each other. Defying the surrounding environment, Music Inn harbored a racial and cultural harmony where music was all that mattered.

The Hamas System

The attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023 changed the world. It is the greatest crime against Jews since the Holocaust of the German National Socialists, committed by Palestinian terrorists led by Hamas. The documentary examines how a terrorist organization could become the strongest political force in the Gaza Strip. What are its goals and how could Hamas grow into a company with an annual turnover of several hundred million dollars? Terrorism researchers, ethnologists and contemporary witnesses analyze the history and present of Hamas, whose main goal is the destruction of the State of Israel. Documents show how children are manipulated with anti-Western and anti-Israeli propaganda through television programs and in school lessons. Images show how minors are trained to be terrorists in Hamas summer camps. In interviews, experts report how the ideology of the Hamas movement is also spilling over into Europe and bringing with it a whole new dimension of anti-Semitism.

Sketches of Frank Gehry

First and foremost, Frank Gehry is an artist. Described as a young child as having golden hands, Frank begins his creation through sketch. Forming thought into substantive sculpture, the marriage of art and architechure is brought to life. Join director Sydney Pollack on a journey into the world and work of the most important architect of our Age.

Hollywood Haunts

The thriving epicenter of American entertainment, Hollywood is the land of glitz and glamour - a place where stars are born, and dreams come to life. Yet, for every dream realized, another dies. The annals of Hollywood history are replete with stories of lives gone wrong, death, and tragic misfortune. Many believe that the spirits of these unfortunate souls still inhabit the "city of angels." In the "Land of Shadow and Light," perhaps restless souls still do wander the famed streets of Hollywood. In this stirring video, you can venture to the city's most popular locations - among both the living and the dead.

Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies

Anjelica Huston narrates this exploration of the spectacularly dreamlike world of Salvador Dali’s protégé, Steven Arnold, and his strikingly creative and influential body of work filled with occult rituals, Hollywood camp, and surrealist art nouveau whimsy. Taken from more than 70 hours of original and archival footage, including rare scenes of Holly Woodlawn, director Vishnu Dass digs deeply into the decadent countercultural and inspiring life of this unheralded multimedia artist of the queer community.

Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn

The 30-year legacy of the murder of black teenager Yusuf Hawkins by a group of young white men in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, as his family and friends reflect on the tragedy and the subsequent fight for justice that inspired and divided New York City.

From Bedrooms to Billions: The PlayStation Revolution

The PlayStation Revolution is an independent documentary feature film that uncovers the incredible story behind the creation of the Sony PlayStation. It is an essential watch for anyone interested in video games and the history of the biggest entertainment industry on earth. The film investigates why Sony decided to enter the video games business, when it was already dominated by both Nintendo and Sega, who not only produced their own hardware but made and published fantastic games. To compete, Sony would not only have to design and build a new piece of hardware, but they would have to find a way to persuade the game development industry to take a chance and develop games for it long before it even came out!

Art and Craft

For several decades, gifted and incredibly prolific forger Mark Landis compulsively created impeccable copies of works by a variety of major artists, donating them to institutions across the country and landing pieces on many of their walls. ART AND CRAFT brings us into the cluttered and insular life of an unforgettable character just as he finds his foil in an equally obsessive art registrar.

Louis, Martin & Michael

Louis Theroux sets out on a personal quest to meet the ultimate pop idol - Michael Jackson - and examine the often bizarre world that surrounded him and those that worshipped at his altar. The journey began in the summer of 2002 with a simple phone call to Uri Geller - a personal friend of Jackson's - to fix a meeting for Louis. What happened next resulted in a fantastical trek into a weird world of characters who orbited around the 'King of Pop'. Majestic Magnificent, Michael's personal magician, could be the gatekeeper to a meeting or just a fraud. Would Louis, a lifelong fan of Jackson, eventually meet his hero?

Max Frisch, Citoyen

Max Frisch was the last big Swiss intellectual widely respected as a “voice” in its own right – a character hardly found today. The film retells Frisch’s story as a witness of the unfolding 20th century, wondering if such “voices” are needed at all, or if we could do without them.

Own the Room

Follows five young star students on their journey to win one of the world’s most prestigious competitions for student entrepreneurs.

Ten Dollar Death Trip: Inside the Fentanyl Crisis

The growing crisis of opioid addiction in North America is examined in this documentary that focuses on the cheap but potent synthetic drug fentanyl.