Documentary

A film following the lives of two African American boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional.

Noted Egyptologist Zahi Al-Hawass showcases the most up-to-date archaeological work going on in Egypt and reveals new discoveries that may shed light on some of the most enduring mysteries of the pyramids. You'll witness the opening of Egypt's oldest intact sarcophagus and follow a specially-designed robot as it reveals what lay beyond a blocking stone in the Great Pyramid's mysterious southern shaft. You'll learn more about how the Great Pyramids were built as a worker's city is unearthed and its clues revealed for the first time.

For three decades, National Geographic has set the standard for spellbinding television documentaries of exploration and discovery. From the first American expedition to summit Everest, to undersea worlds of danger and beauty with Jacques Ives Cousteau, to the historic discovery of fossils of our earliest ancestors with Louis and Mary Leakey, witness as National Geographic filmmakers capture the mystery and wonder of life around the world. From the delicate rhythms of the natural world to the many faces of human culture, 30 Years of National Geographic Specials chronicles a visual saga of humankind's quest for knowledge.

Join National Geographic on a quest to find out how the imaginary world of Middle-earth reflects life in our world. Journey through history, myth, language and lore and explore real life parallels between history and fantasy. Includes exclusive footage from the Fellowship of the Ring, insightful interviews with cast and filmmakers, and provocative perspectives of explorers, anthropologists and archaeologists.

This powerful program features amazing, never-before-seen photos and personal stories of North Vietnamese war photographers as they relive their unforgettable experiences in the war. This is the companion to the book Another Vietnam, an unprecedented view of the war in Vietnam from the perspective of Vietnamese photojournalists.

After decades of pursuing mobsters and drug kingpins, the FBI is struggling to broaden its mission in the aftermath of September 11 attacks. Now, enter the inner sanctum today's FBI with unprecedented access granted to National Geographic. Witness the Bureau's top-secret Strategic Information & Operations Center (SIOC) at work. See rare footage of the FBI in action around the world and hear from special agents as they share their personal struggles, hopes and fears in the face of danger. Explore the history of the FBI, from the early days of J. Edgar Hoover's legendary G-men, to the Robert Hanssen spy case and the unique challenges of our modern, high-tech era. Narrated by Dennis Haysbert, star of the TV show "24".

Cross the threshold of the final frontier as mankind embarks on the greatest adventure of all time: space travel. From heroic space pioneers to modern-day cliff-hanger missions, it's a thrilling look at humanity's quest to conquer space. From Sputnik to state-of-the-art computer-animated visions of the extraordinary spacecraft that may explore the nearest star system, go where no National Geographic program has gone before, in DESTINATION SPACE.

Rarely before has the drama of life on the wild plains of Africa been portrayed more intimately than in this remarkable film from renowned wildlife filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert. It's the gripping story of a growing lion pride in Botswana that begins as three outsiders - young and aggressive - invade the pride's territory and depose its aged leader. Their swift, merciless victory opens a new era for the pride.

With unprecedented access, National Geographic goes deep into the secret world of U.S. Special Operations and tells the story of this highly skilled, elite group of soldiers from the inside out. With roots traceable to the French and Indian War, the Special Forces military unit has evolved over several centuries to serve an integral role in the U.S. military campaign. Inside Special Forces follows these soldiers as they make their way from the training camp to the battlefield to face an unpredictable enemy in an unfamiliar land

National Geographic presents the wrenching story of the collapse of the Romanov dynasty. Nicholas II had absolute power over his vast realm, yet he was helpless in the face of his son's hemophilia. Enter Rasputin, a wild-living Siberian "holy man" whose apparent ability to heal the heir won him the loyalty of Empress Alexandra...to the dismay of almost everyone else. The backdrop for this family melodrama was a nation under stress: military disasters, poverty, political unrest, and the spread of Bolshevism. Russia erupted in 1917, and the fierce revolution cost the lives of many...including Nicholas and his family. For decades no one knew where the royal family lay buried. A few determined souls searched doggedly—and discreetly. Only after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s could they reveal the resting place of Russia's last tsar.

In this episode, the scene is switched to North Africa, following the continuous battle between the British 8th Army, the Desert Rats, under General Montgomery, and the Deutsche Afrika Korps, led by the Desert Fox, General Erwin Rommel. Meanwhile, the Germans were launching a massive attack at Kursk, which was to become the biggest tank battle in history, involving over 6,000 tanks, 2 million troops and some 4,000 aircraft. The new anti-tank gun of the Soviets was a significant factor on the ultimate German defeat.

In this trilogy, the preparations for, and the events of World War II are seen through the eyes of the German nation. Taken from a wealth of newsreel footage and private sources, this is an invaluable resource for understanding the Second World War through the perspective of Germany.

The third secret of Fatima was purportedly known by only two people: the Pope and Lucia, the Portuguese visionary who in an apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1917 was given dire prophecies of the future of the planet. Within 7 weeks of each other these two key players have died. This extraordinary story examines the original Fatima visions and how Pope John Paul II believed he was himself the fulfilment of the third secret and that through his obsession with this obscure message saved the world from a thermo nuclear holocaust.

National Geographic was given unprecedented access for this project, and in this film, their team provides a rare glimpse inside the secret archives and private chapels of the Vatican. Privileged accounts from Vatican officials, historians, and devoted individuals who work closely with Pope John Paul II provide insight into the remarkable history of this holy city and its unique traditions, some of which have survived for nearly 2000 years. Narrated by Martin Sheen.

Step inside the imposing gates of the White House for a revealing visit to the most famous, yet mysterious building in America. Discover the human side of this legendary house in candid interviews with Presidents and First Ladies, and peek inside the families' rarely-seen private living quarters. With National Geographic's exclusive access, follow along as a small army of employees whirls behind the scenes in a frenzy of activity surrounding a major state dinner.

This award-winning, highly successful film investigates the allegations of links between devil worship and heavy rock music. Should heavy metal music in particular carry a government health warning? Recommended by Time Out magazine as ‘compulsive viewing’.Winner of Prix de la Critique & Mention D’Honneur, Jury International des Journalistes. Critics Prize, Prix Danube

Explore the fascinating true story of Alexander the Great, the most extraordinary warrior of all time whose military conquests remain unrivaled to this day. Leading his armies through 22,000 miles of sieges in 8 short years, Alexander brought east and west together in the mightiest clash of cultures the world has ever known. Join National Geographic on a quest to uncover the mystery surrounding Alexander's life and examine what inspired him to push onward. Stunning recreations and insights from historians shed light on the question: Did Alexander, fearing no mortal, become his own most dangerous enemy?

God himself could not sink this ship. Titanic crewman

The unsinkable ship sank at 2:20 a.m. on April 14, 1912. Approximately 1,500 people perished with her, a loss that stunned the world. For seven decades the fabled liner lay hidden 13,000 feet below the North Atlantic surface. Various expeditions tried to find her, but they were defeated by wild weather, the extreme depth, and conflicting accounts of the ship's last moments.

Finally, in 1985, explorer Bob Ballard and a French-American team located the Titanic. Years of painstaking research paid off as they became the first humans to see the great ship since that awful night to remember in 1912. You can join Ballard on the search and see what his team saw through this acclaimed film.

Explore the Hawaiian Islands, an archipelago born of volcanic eruptions tens of millions of years ago. Fertile for evolution and protected by the immense Pacific Ocean, this isolated tropical haven produced an explosion of wildlife found nowhere else on earth. Once able to flourish, exquisite creatures such as the ancient green sea turtle, the playful monk seal, and the Hawaiian honeycreeper now exist in fragile habitats. Since the arrival of man 2,000 years ago, 70% of all native species have disappeared. Watch as conservation heroes dangle from the cliffs of Moloka'i, risking their lives to hand-pollinate endangered flowers. Ironically, Hawaii's plants and animals must now rely on man's intervention in order to survive. Join National Geographic and discover a land of precious and threatened life forms in HAWAII: STRANGERS IN PARADISE.

National Geographic gives you ''Top Secret'' access to the nerve center of the U.S. Military. From its frenzied construction during the height of World War II to the terrorist attacks of September 11 and the ensuing war on terrorism, get an intimate view of the history and intrigue of the headquarters for the United States Military. Inside the Pentagon is a fascinating, intimate view of the Pentagon's triumphs, defeats, and challenges.