Before you know it, the holidays will be here. There will be trees to decorate, candles to light, and maybe even a Festivus pole to stand unobtrusively in the corner of your living room.
Do you know what else there will be? Dozens of new releases on MagellanTV, that’s what. Do you want some great new true crime stories? We’ve got you covered. How about some War & Military debuts? Ditto. Week to week, month to month, we’re adding compelling new documentaries to all of our genres. There’s something for everyone.
So, get ready for a little down time and the opportunity to watch the best, most informative documentaries available anywhere. Highlights and a full list of new releases appears below.
Happy Holidays from MagellanTV!
Damilola: Death of a Ten Year Old – Coming December 7
Damilola Taylor, his parents, and his sister moved from Lagos, Nigeria, to London to seek treatment for his sister’s epilepsy. In November 2000, only three months after the Taylor family had arrived, Damilola was stabbed to death. He was only ten years old.
Damilola’s murder was a grim sensation in the U.K. at the time, with the press covering all the many twists and turns of the investigation. Bringing his murderers to justice took six years – and three trials. In the first trial at the Old Bailey, the first set of suspects was acquitted (and ultimately exonerated altogether). In the second trial, the jury acquitted one suspect but couldn’t reach a verdict on the other two, a pair of brothers who were well known to the police. Finally, the third trial resulted in manslaughter convictions of the brothers. They were sentenced to eight years in a facility for young offenders.
In this riveting documentary, TV presenter and former Metropolitan Police officer Rav Wilding revisits the case that remains his most vivid memory of his years in British law enforcement. The story he tells is heartbreaking, exasperating, and unforgettable.
Also, check out "Detectives: My Killer Case" - Available now!
The Not So Secret Life of the Manic Depressive: 10 Years On – Coming December 14
Stephen Fry has been described on IMDb as a “writer, actor, comedian, doer of good works” and an “excellent good friend to the famous and not.” In a long career, the multi-talented, intellectually omnivorous Briton has published numerous books, produced or been the subject of dozens of documentaries, and appeared in scores of films and television shows.
In 2007, Fry was awarded the International Emmy Award for Best Documentary for his documentary series Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive, which focused on the experiences of celebrities and other public figures – including himself – who have suffered from bipolar disorder. The show was credited with helping start a constructive national conversation about the illness in the U.K.
Fry now returns to the subject to understand where he and thousands of others with manic depression are now. As a society, he asks, do we need to do more for those with the disorder? Has treatment improved? And has the stigma that so many have faced been reduced? The story Fry tells is full of hope, inspiration, and good humor. Don’t miss it.
Also, check out "Mind over Marathon: Overcoming Depression" - Available now!
The Tea Master – Coming December 21
Tea was first imported into Japan from China in the 8th century, but it didn’t gain broad popularity until several hundred years later, during the Muromachi Period (1333–1573). The tradition of the tea ceremony originated during this time as a way of bringing a Zen-inspired spiritual component into what had been largely just a social practice.
Since then, the tea ceremony has become increasingly refined. Formal ceremonies can last for hours, with elaborate rituals and movements incorporated into the events. But typical modern tea ceremonies tend to be less rigid and, like the originals of the Muromachi Period, more social in nature.
This fascinating documentary focuses on Moheil Honda, one of Japan’s most innovative tea masters of our time. He experiments, purifies, and reinvents the ancient art of the tea ceremony, which he presents as a perfect antidote to the frenzy of today’s world. His quest is to contribute to a modern, distinctive Japanese society that can reconcile ancestral values and the contemporary world. Enjoy a cup of your favorite tea as you learn about Honda’s journey.
Also, check out "Japan from Above" - Available now!
Invisible Threads: From Wireless to War – Coming December 28
On the eve of an imminent global conflict, spies, subterfuge, and sabotage emerge as the birth of new technologies change the world forever. It sounds like the synopsis of the next big Hollywood movie, but it’s actually a description of a shadowy technological competition that was picking up momentum as the world teetered on the precipice of the Great War.
In this two-part documentary, Nikola Tesla and Guglielmo Marconi lock horns to determine whose plans for wireless radio transmission will prevail. At the same time, a mysterious German wireless company called Telefunken erects a mysterious radio station in West Sayville, New York, but leads residents of the area to believe that the facility is for making chocolates.
Through dramatic recreations, incisive interviews, and archival footage, what unfolds is a mostly unknown story of World War I that’s as engrossing as any theatrical film. What was that Telefunken tower’s real purpose? Watch Invisible Threads to find out.
Also, check out "Power" - Available now!
