February 10, 1999 -- The topics for the five 1998 Oscar Nominees for Feature Documentary include a brilliant choreographer, a tragic and controversial comedian, an infamous Louisiana prison, Hitler's genocide of Hungarian Jews, and American and Vietnamese widows of soldiers in the Vietnam War.

"Dancemaker" is the story of "the world's greatest living choreographer," Paul Taylor. The film is a partial biography of Taylor, a look at the technical and business end of a dance company, and a fascinating on stage, back stage peek at Taylor's creative process as he choreographs his extraordinary dance performances. Director Matthew Diamond offers you a great seat, as his camera gives you angles and close-up views you don't normally have when sitting in the theater. Before our eyes, Taylor creates his dances. Diamond interlaces rehearsals, archival footage of earlier performances, comments from dancers and old friends, as well as the live performances. Towards the end of the film, Taylor creates his stunning season masterpiece, the "Piazzolla Caldera." Taylor's forty years of creating dances is a remarkable body of work.

"Lenny Bruce: Swear To Tell The Truth" is directed by Robert Weide and softly narrated by Robert De Niro. This is the story of a N. Y. Comedian who became the nation's most unconventional social commentator and sharpest satirist during the early 1960's. He would "take on anyone, anything." His targets were sexual hypocrisy, race discrimination, and the Catholic Church. The latter would contribute greatly to his downfall. With tender care and keen timing, Weide presents both a personal life story and, indirectly, an intriguing report on a constitutional issue of obscenity involving conspiracy. Sensuous musical scores are woven into precious old home movies and family snapshots, intertwined with his storytellers, Lenny's mother, his wife, and several of his fellow comedians. Bruce fought his First Amendment battles alone. While viewing this film, I asked myself, where were the reporters and news executives, the traditional defenders of the First Amendment during this period of time?

"The Farm: Angola, USA," concerns stories of hope and salvation. "The farm," is a Louisiana State maximum-security penitentiary, a place with a "time zone" unlike any other we know. Over 85% of the 5,000 inmates will die here. As we follow six inmates' stories, the filmmakers do not reveal physical violence or escape plans. Despite dismal odds, what we observe is a human struggle to hold onto hope for freedom, hope for life instead of death. "The Farm" is already a winner of several prestigious awards including the 1998 Sundance's Grand Jury Prize. The film is produced and directed by Liz Garbus and Jonathan Stack, along with Co-Director, Wilbert Rideau, who is a "lifer". The cameras have unprecedented and incredible access to the prison. We seem to be everywhere. This prison is huge. There are 1800 civilian workers, a small employee-town, six large complexes, and 18,000 acres of working farmland. Life for the inmates is held together by the deep belief for a better day, whether tomorrow or twenty years from tomorrow.

Even though losing the war to the Allies, Hitler's Nazi forces invaded Hungary in March 1944, beginning a calculated effort of to deport and murder hundreds of thousands of Hungarian Jews. "The Last Days" tells the very personal stories of five Hungarian Jews who survived this sickening German agenda. The film is the first feature of Executive Producer Steven Spielberg's Shoah Foundation " and is directed by James Moll. With remarkable details the five recall their horrible ordeal.

Moll's focus on five real faces rather than dealing with the masses is the key to humanizing the Holocaust. You feel their fear, their helplessness. Moll's cinematography is technically stunning. More than 50-years later and with their children or grandchildren, the five survivors are shown individually visiting various places of their suffering and torment. There are a few elements that weakened this documentary, but films about the Holocaust have one central purpose, to remind us to never forget.

"Regret To Inform," directed by Barbara Sonneborn, concerns fifteen American and Vietnamese widows, who meet and share memories and reflect on the impact of the Vietnam War on their lives. Happily remarried, Sonneborn lost her husband in Vietnam and realized she had never gotten over it. She seeks out other widows to learn how they have coped with their loss. This film was not screened, but the documentary has already won awards, including Best Directing at the Sundance Film Festival.

The past two winners in this category have dealt with the Holocaust. I favor "Lenny," just because of the theme of freedom of expression. But the sheer power of the "The Farm" should make it the winner.

Mike McElreath teaches documentary film history and TV production at the University of Wyoming. He has produced several national documentary programs in his 30-year broadcast career.

Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Mike McElreath can be reached via e-mail as MikeM@uwyo.edu