IMAX Documentaries
by WalkerFilms | created - 29 Jan 2017 | updated - 31 Jan 2017 | PublicTrying for a complete list. Work in progress.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. The Eruption of Mount St. Helens! (1980)
25 min | Documentary, Short
Marvel at the awesome power of nature as photography displays the change evoked by a massive volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens and the renewal process which followed when the entire ... See full summary »
Director: George Casey | Star: Robert Foxworth
Votes: 175
2. Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets (1984)
59 min | Documentary
Follow the scientific expedition of John Wesley Powell who mapped the canyon and boated the Colorado River rapids into modern times.
Director: Kieth Merrill | Stars: Daniel T. Majetich, Coby Jordan, Bruce Simballa, Stuart Reeder
Votes: 271 | Gross: $52.80M
3. Speed (1984)
Not Rated | 30 min | Documentary, Short, History
A documentary on the history on mankind's attempts to reach high speeds. Starting with the invention of the bicycle, going on to sports cars, cars with jet engines, rocket-powered cars, ... See full summary »
Director: Greg MacGillivray | Stars: James Burke, Monty Cox, Shane McCamey, Linda Hoy
Votes: 133
4. The Dream Is Alive (1985)
Not Rated | 37 min | Documentary, Short
Traveling on the Space Shuttle, covers training, launch, flight, deployment of LDEF from Challenger in April 1984 (STS-41C).
Director: Graeme Ferguson | Stars: Walter Cronkite, David Leestma, George Nelson, Sally Ride
Votes: 513
5. Blue Planet (1990)
42 min | Short, Documentary
On several Shuttle missions, Earth has been portrayed from places that nobody else could reach. We also are shown the different locations and environmental problems mankind created there ... See full summary »
Director: Ben Burtt | Stars: James Buchli, Toni Myers
Votes: 819 | Gross: $22.80M
6. Antarctica (1991)
Not Rated | 40 min | Documentary, Short
This large format film explores the last great wilderness on earth. It takes you to the coldest, driest, windiest continent, Antarctica. The film explores life in Antarctica, both for the ... See full summary »
Director: John Weiley | Star: Alex Scott
Votes: 433 | Gross: $100.00M
7. Ring of Fire (II) (1991)
40 min | Documentary, Short
This spectacular presentation explores the volcano belt known as the Ring of Fire. Breathtaking cinematography displays close up shots of past and present Pacific Rim volcanoes from Chile, the USA, Japan, and the Philippines.
Director: George Casey | Stars: Robert Foxworth, Norman Banks, Lawrence Blair, Gary Rosenquist
Votes: 238
8. Momentum (1992)
20 min | Documentary, Short
A sweeping, moving tribute to Canada's stunning geography and rich cultural heritage, Momentum leaps off your screen; and touches your heart.
Directors: Tony Ianzelo, Colin Low
Votes: 31
9. Africa: The Serengeti (1994)
Not Rated | 39 min | Documentary, Short
The Serengeti is a huge area of grassland in Tanzania, Africa. Once a year, in the time of drought, about two million herd animals like antelopes travel north to feed and mate before moving south again, when plants there begin to blossom.
Director: George Casey | Star: James Earl Jones
Votes: 707
10. Destiny in Space (1994)
40 min | Documentary, Short
Travel up close astronauts as they repair the Hubble Space Telescope and soar above Venus and Mars whilst finding proof of new planets and the possibility of other life forming around distant stars.
Directors: Ben Burtt, Phyllis Ferguson, James Neihouse, Gail Singer | Stars: Leonard Nimoy, Roberta L. Bondar, Eric DeJong, Ronald J. Grabe
Votes: 370
11. Titanica (1992)
Not Rated | 95 min | Documentary, History
Titanica reveals the clearest motion pictures ever captured of the Titanic. Witness startling images of the long-lost ruin contrasted with never-before-seen 1912 archival photos showing her... See full summary »
Director: Stephen Low | Stars: Leonard Nimoy, Steven Biel, Steve Blasco, Daniel Allen Butler
Votes: 406
12. The Living Sea (1995)
Not Rated | 40 min | Documentary, Short
Filmmaker Greg MacGillivray examines the world's oceans and their importance to life on Earth.
Director: Greg MacGillivray | Stars: Steven K. Katona, Meryl Streep, Judith Connor, William Hamner
Votes: 621
13. The Great American West (1995)
41 min | Documentary, Short, History
THE GREAT AMERICAN WEST tells the story of the settlement of the United States' western frontier. Using the stories and words taken from diaries and letters of real people, this film not ... See full summary »
Directors: Reed Smoot, Sterling Van Wagenen | Stars: Jason Robards, Sagiri Arima, Preston Cheung, Christopher Ivins
Votes: 58
14. Cosmic Voyage (1996)
36 min | Documentary, Short
Where do we fit in with the universe? This film seeks to explore our place among the ever-expanding universe.
Director: Bayley Silleck | Star: Morgan Freeman
Votes: 766
15. Amazon (1997)
Not Rated | 38 min | Documentary, Short
Both Indian shaman Julio Mamani and ethnobotanist Dr. Mark Plotkin seek medicinal plants in the basin of the Amazon River.
Director: Kieth Merrill | Stars: Linda Hunt, Jesse Corti, Mark Plotkin, Sydney Possuelo
Votes: 345
16. The Hidden Dimension (1997)
39 min | Documentary, Short
11 year old Elly unravels the clues found in letters from her grandfather...and discovers a normally unseen world of beauty and amazement that staggers the imagine.
Director: Paul Cox | Stars: James Garner, Charlotte Sullivan, C. David Johnson, Gosia Dobrowolska
Votes: 59
17. Mission to Mir (1997)
40 min | Documentary, Short
Mission to Mir is an unique tour of the Russian Space Station Mir. Filmed in space by American astronauts, the film examines their relationships with Mir's cosmonauts as they live, work, and entertain in a zero-gravity environment.
Director: Ivan Galin | Star: August Schellenberg
Votes: 276
18. Everest (1998)
Unrated | 44 min | Documentary, Short
An international team of climbers ascends Mt. Everest in the spring of 1996. The film depicts their lengthy preparations for the climb, their trek to the summit, and their successful return... See full summary »
Directors: David Breashears, Stephen Judson, Greg MacGillivray | Stars: Liam Neeson, Lhakpa Dorji, Dorje Sherpa, Ed Viesturs
Votes: 3,395 | Gross: $87.18M
19. Mysteries of Egypt (1998)
38 min | Documentary, Short, Drama
Egypt is and ever was a place of mystery. Many rumors spread around the great Pyramids of Gizeh. Here, an old Egyptian is asked by his granddaughter about those mysteries of which we all heard in one way or the other.
Director: Bruce Neibaur | Stars: Omar Sharif, Kate Maberly, Timothy Davies, Julian Curry
Votes: 540 | Gross: $40.59M
20. Alaska: Spirit of the Wild (1997)
41 min | Documentary, Short
A look at the Alaskan wilderness throughout the year, from the harsh winters to the rejuvenating spring, and the animals (including its human residents) who learn to adapt to the extremes of Alaskan weather.
Director: George Casey | Star: Charlton Heston
Votes: 588 | Gross: $100.00M
21. T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous (1998)
45 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
A youth who finds a dinosaur egg accidentally breaks it. Soon after, she begins to have surreal visions of dinosaurs, including the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Director: Brett Leonard | Stars: Peter Horton, Liz Stauber, Kari Coleman, Charlene Sashuk
Votes: 793 | Gross: $53.35M
22. Wolves (1999)
40 min | Documentary, Short
Wolves tells the remarkable story of one of the world's most tenacious species and our closest fellow predator. The film follows these elusive subjects across remote landscapes in an effort... See full summary »
Director: David Douglas | Star: Robbie Robertson
Votes: 258 | Gross: $5.47M
23. Adventures in Wild California (2000)
41 min | Documentary, Short
A visit to many of the places and people that give California its reputation as a place of extremes. Among the major segments: Sky surfing in the San Diego area; the movies, including a ... See full summary »
Director: Greg MacGillivray | Stars: Troy Hartman, Stephen C. Sillett, Jimmy Smits, Susan Campbell
Votes: 167
24. Dolphins (2000)
Not Rated | 39 min | Documentary, Short
Experience how dolphins live and play, and unravel the mysteries of dolphin communication in this Academy Award-nominated IMAX film which takes you into the complex lives of these fascinating animals.
Director: Greg MacGillivray | Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Alejandro Acevedo-Gutiérrez, Dean Bernal, Kathleen Dudzinski
Votes: 542 | Gross: $84.40M
25. Michael Jordan to the Max (2000)
Not Rated | 46 min | Documentary, Sport
A documentary that follows Michael Jordan's basketball career, stint in baseball, and his last championship season with the Chicago Bulls in 1998.
Directors: Don Kempf, James D. Stern | Stars: Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson, Doug Collins, Bob Greene
Votes: 2,365 | Gross: $18.64M
26. Super Speedway (1997)
Not Rated | 50 min | Documentary, Action, Sport
Follow the Newman-Haas (Andretti) racing team through the process of building, testing, and racing for a season.
Director: Stephen Low | Stars: Paul Newman, Richard Garneau, Jim Paulson, Jeff Andretti
Votes: 498 | Gross: $40.00M
27. China: The Panda Adventure (2001)
48 min | Drama
Follows the narrative of the book "The Lady and the Panda, An Adventure" by Ruth Harkness, published in New York, in 1938, as the author learns the true nature of a shy, fit and docile animal by observing the rare and unstudied panda bear.
Director: Robert M. Young | Stars: Maria Bello, Yu Xia, Xander Berkeley, Bill Hayes
Votes: 227 | Gross: $3.71M
28. Great North (2001)
Documentary
Martin J. Dignard and William Reeve examine the landscape of the Arctic and long-standing Inuit traditions.
Directors: Martin J. Dignard, William Reeve | Stars: Adamie Quasiak Inukpuk, Shelagh Rogers
Votes: 120
29. Haunted Castle (2001)
PG | 38 min | Animation, Short, Horror
This IMAX 3D film follows a young musician, Johnny, as he explores his mysterious new home bequeathed to him by his deceased mother. Johnny quickly finds that something is amiss as ghosts and the devil himself welcome him home.
Director: Ben Stassen | Stars: Jasper Steverlinck, Kyoko Baertsoen, Harry Shearer
Votes: 487 | Gross: $13.65M
30. The Human Body (2001)
40 min | Documentary, Short
We follow a family from dawn to dusk as they go about their daily routines. But this is no ordinary story. This is the tale of what takes place beneath the skin-a tale that allows us to see the accomplishments of our everyday lives.
Director: Peter Georgi | Stars: Heather Pike, Buster Pike, Zannah Lawrence, Luke Brinkers
Votes: 124
31. Journey Into Amazing Caves (2001)
Not Rated | 39 min | Documentary, Short
Meet Dr. Hazel Barton and Nancy Aulenbach. These women are compelled to push their limits in hostile environments. They are cavers who risk fatal danger for the thrill of discovery. Barton ... See full summary »
Director: Stephen Judson | Stars: Liam Neeson, Steve Atteberry, Nancy Holler Aulenbach, Hazel Barton
Votes: 537 | Gross: $30.00M
32. Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure (2001)
40 min | Documentary, Short
Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure is a giant-screen film that tells the dramatic true story of explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton's now-legendary 1914-1916 British Imperial Trans-Antarctic ... See full summary »
Director: George Butler | Stars: Kevin Spacey, Conrad Anker, Iain Fraser, Michael Gambon
Votes: 486 | Gross: $0.16M
33. Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk (2002)
Not Rated | 40 min | Documentary, Short
Adrenaline Rush: the Science of Risk takes a look at the world of skydiving and base jumping - parachuting from a building, a bridge or a cliff. While providing breathtaking views of ... See full summary »
Director: Marc Fafard | Stars: Charles Bryan, Jon Devore, Cameron Monaghan, George Morris
Votes: 261 | Gross: $10.99M
34. India: Kingdom of the Tiger (2002)
42 min | Documentary, Short
Follow in the footsteps of Jim Corbett, the famed English hunter-naturalist, as he races to save an Indian village from the terror of a man-eating tiger. Along his journey he expresses his ... See full summary »
Director: Bruce Neibaur | Stars: Colin Vint, Christopher Heyerdahl, Smriti Mishra, Hema Bisht
Votes: 234
35. Space Station 3D (2002)
Not Rated | 47 min | Documentary
From outer space countries don't exist.
Director: Toni Myers | Stars: Tom Cruise, James Arnold, Michael J. Bloomfield, Robert D. Cabana
Votes: 1,749 | Gross: $93.37M
36. Ultimate X: The Movie (2002)
PG | 47 min | Documentary, Sport
Made-for-IMAX documentary about the athletes of ESPN's Summer X games, including skateboarders, BMX riders, motocrossers, and street lugers.
Director: Bruce Hendricks | Stars: Bob Burnquist, Brian Deegan, Tony Hawk, Carey Hart
Votes: 296 | Gross: $4.20M
37. Bugs! (2003)
Not Rated | 40 min | Short, Documentary
A film about the various insects in Borneo's rainforest.
Director: Mike Slee | Star: Judi Dench
Votes: 368 | Gross: $13.63M
38. Coral Reef Adventure (2003)
Not Rated | 45 min | Documentary
Take a once in a lifetime journey across the South Pacific for a spectacular IMAX adventure. Joy, ecstasy, a spiritual high: these words describe the exhilaration of diving a pristine coral... See full summary »
Director: Greg MacGillivray | Stars: Liam Neeson, Howard Hall, Michele Hall, Jean-Michel Cousteau
Votes: 603 | Gross: $24.60M
39. Volcanoes of the Deep Sea (2003)
Not Rated | 47 min | Documentary
Alvin, a deep-sea mechanized probe, makes a voyage some 12,000 feet underwater to explore the Azores, a constantly-erupting volcanic rift between Europe and North America.
Director: Stephen Low | Stars: Ed Harris, Richard Lutz, Bruce Strickrott
Votes: 356
40. Sacred Planet (2004)
G | 40 min | Documentary, Short
State-of-the-art technology delivers stunning images of indigenous people, unique animals and spectacular landscapes that most of us will never see.
Director: Jon Long | Stars: Robert Redford, Arapata McKay, Tsaan Ciqae, Mae Tui
Votes: 357
Tell Your Friends