New to DocPlay in March

A 2020 PSB documentary about the power that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos wields is among next month’s premieres on DocPlay.

Amazon Empire: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos (March 29) screened as part of the public broadcaster’s Frontline strand this time last year. Reads the blurb:

Jeff Bezos is not only one of the richest men in the world, he has built a business empire that is without precedent in the history of American capitalism. His power to shape everything from the future of work to the future of commerce to the future of technology is unrivaled. As politicians and regulators around the world start to consider the global impact of Amazon—and how to reign in Bezos’ power—this documentary investigates how he executed a plan to build one of the most influential economic and cultural forces in the world. With interviews of current and former insiders as well as regulators and critics, this film raises important questions about Jeff Bezos and the empire he built.

Said the Wall Street Journal in its review: “In addition to interviewing journalists, analysts and others, the filmmakers talk to nine former employees and six current executives, all of whom are enormously informative.

“And all of whom provide insight into the phenomenon of Amazon. And six of whom seem very nervous.”

Quipped CNN reviewer Brian Lowry: “‘Alexa, should I watch Frontline’s documentary about Jeff Bezos and Amazon?’ The instant recognition that question evokes is a reminder of the company’s power and reach …

“What the filmmakers have effectively done is provide context in which to consider that meteoric rise — along with the ripple effects and potential costs of its impact — while leaving behind this lingering thought: When even the sky is no longer the limit, what does that mean for the rest of us?”

Also new will be:

• Power Trip: The Story of Energy (March 1), the story of how societies’ rise can be told by tracing the story of energy.
• Tea With Dames (March 8), a unique celebration of the lives and careers of Dame Eileen Atkins, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Joan Plowright and Dame Maggie Smith.
• Assassins (March 18), which investigates the puzzling murder of Kim Jong Un’s brother in a Malaysian airport and the two women who were trialled for it
• Australia in Colour (March 22), which The Guardian called “a rare example of a TV show befitting of that overused accolade, ‘landmark’. This engrossing production reaches far back into the past but has an air of timeliness if not urgency about it, pairing technical innovation with historical revisionism – marking a thrilling unity of themes and aesthetic.”