22 Movies Unveiling Historical Figures and Events from 2004 to Ancient Times

Olga

2004 • 141 min

Drama, History, War

This is based on the true story of Olga Benário, the German-born wife of Brazilian communist leader Luís Carlos Prestes. During the dictatorship of Getúlio Vargas (1930-1945), she was arrested and deported to Nazi Germany, where she was killed in…

7.1

6.5

13+

Working Slowly (Radio Alice)

2004 • 111 min

Drama, Comedy, History

Bologna, 1976. Two directionless young friends become involved with Radio Alice, a pirate radio station that supports the leftist student movement.

6.3

6.7

Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

2004 • 121 min

History, Documentary

This documentary explores the Z Channel, a pioneering pay cable station in the United States, and the influential programming chief, Jerry Harvey. Launched in Los Angeles in 1974, the channel’s diverse selection of films demonstrated the significant potential of cable…

7.1

7.6

17+

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+13

The President's Barber

2004 • 116 min

History, Drama, Comedy

A kind but politically unaware barber becomes involved with South Korean dictator Park Chung-Hee, leading to serious trouble for his family. The film follows roughly twenty years of South Korean political history through the eyes of the barber's son.

7.1

6.9

17+

Stream on

Operation Valkyrie

2004 • 92 min

Drama, History

In 1944, a group of high-ranking German officers plot to assassinate Hitler. Colonel Stauffenberg is among the leaders, tasked with planting a bomb during a meeting with the Führer. The explosion fails to kill Hitler, and the conspirators are subsequently…

5.9

6.7

13+

Stream on

Ike: Countdown to D-Day

2004 • 89 min

Drama, War, History

This film chronicles the high-stakes planning that led to the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. It follows the preparations from the moment Dwight D. Eisenhower became Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, through to the successful establishment of a beachhead…

6.4

7.1

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Demetrius and the Gladiators

1954 • 101 min • Budget $1M • Box office $26M

Adventure, History, Drama

In a small clinic on the edge of a busy city, "Naša mala klinika" presents a humorous and dramatic look at the lives of its staff and patients. Dr. Leopold Krota, a compassionate and witty family doctor, is central to…

6.4

6.6

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H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer

2004 • 64 min

Crime, Documentary, History

H.H. Holmes constructed a terrifying castle filled with devices of death: torture chambers, acid vats, greased chutes, and gassing rooms. The film chronicles Holmes' life as a criminal mastermind, detailing his creation of this horrific place.

6.1

6.3

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Wolf

2004 • 125 min

Thriller, History

Based on a true story. In 1970s Spain, during the final years of Franco's dictatorship, Txema, a Basque construction worker, is arrested due to his alleged ties to a group recently involved in a murder. The secret service identifies him…

6.4

6.9

17+

Stream on

The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing

2004 • 98 min

Documentary, History

This documentary explores the craft of film editing. It features excerpts from numerous influential movies showcasing distinctive and inventive editing techniques.

7.0

7.7

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Cazuza: Time Doesn't Stop

2004 • 98 min

Drama, Music, History

Based on Lucinha Araújo's memoir, "Só as Mães São Felizes," the film chronicles Cazuza's intense and short life over a decade. It follows his journey from early success at the Circo Voador in 1981 through his rise to fame with…

7.1

6.9

BBC Horizon

2004 • 176 min • Budget $155M • Box office $167M

War, History, Action

Alexander, King of Macedonia, commands his army in a campaign against the vast Persian Empire. Following victory over the Persians, he leads his forces on a journey across the known world, pushing eastward into India further than any Westerner had…

6.0

5.6

17+

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The Weeping Meadow

2004 • 169 min • Box office $64K

Drama, History

This is the first installment in an ongoing story about the Greek people. The film opens in 1919, as Greek immigrants from Odessa arrive near Thessaloniki. Under the leadership of the compelling Spyros, they found a new community in a…

7.5

7.8

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Alone in the Wilderness

2004 • 57 min

Documentary, History

In 1967, Dick Proenneke, at 50, retired to build a cabin in the remote wilderness of what is now Lake Clark National Park, Alaska. Using color footage he filmed himself, the documentary follows his journey to this isolated location and…

7.9

8.6

The Assassination of Richard Nixon

2004 • 95 min • Box office $4M

Drama, History, Thriller

In 1974, Sam Bicke is devastated. His wife leaves him with their three children, he's fired from his job, his brother abandons him, and he's denied a loan to rebuild his life. Consumed by a desire for someone to blame,…

6.5

6.9

17+

The Alamo

2004 • 137 min • Budget $107M • Box office $25M

History, War, Drama

The film depicts the 1836 siege of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. It focuses on the battle between a group of Texan and Tejano men, commanded by Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, and the army of Mexican dictator Santa…

5.8

6.1

13+

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R-Point

2004 • 107 min

Action, History, Horror

On January 7, 1972, a South Korean base in Nha-Trang, Vietnam, receives a radio message from a platoon that was previously reported missing and presumed dead.

6.6

6.2

17+

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Miracle

2004 • 135 min • Budget $28M • Box office $64M

Drama, History

College coach Herb Brooks takes charge of the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic hockey team, introducing an unconventional and demanding approach. Following an initial defeat, Brooks motivates his talented but undisciplined players to focus on a single goal: defeating the seemingly…

7.1

7.5

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Downfall

2004 • 155 min • Budget $16M • Box office $92M

Drama, History, War

April 1945. With the Soviet Army advancing from the east and the Allied forces attacking from the west, Germany faces imminent defeat. In Berlin, Adolf Hitler declares Germany will still win and orders his generals to fight to the death.…

7.9

8.2

17+

Stream on

+14

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War

2004 • 148 min • Budget $1M

Action, Adventure, Drama

During the Korean War, two brothers find themselves fighting on opposite sides. The older brother consistently volunteers for the most dangerous assignments, hoping to keep his younger sibling safe from combat.

8.0

17+

Hotel Rwanda

2004 • 122 min • Budget $17M • Box office $38M

Drama, History, War

Based on true events, the film is set in Rwanda during the 1990s, a time when over a million Tutsis were murdered in a genocide largely ignored internationally. Hotel owner Paul Rusesabagina uses his hotel to shelter over a thousand…

7.7

8.1

13+

Stream on

+11

King Arthur

2004 • 126 min • Budget $120M • Box office $203M

Adventure, War, History

This film explores the Arthurian legend through the lens of the "Sarmatian hypothesis." It proposes that the story has roots in the Sarmatian cavalry troops stationed in Britain, and that the Roman-British commander, Lucius Artorius Castus, is the historical figure…

6.3

13+

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