"WHITHER THE SHORT DOC? IN THE RISING TIDE OF NONFICTION FEATURES, IT IS EASY TO FORGET THAT DOCUMENTARY'S HISTORICAL CANON IS COMPLETELY DOMINATED BY SHORTS AND SO CALLED 'FEATURETTES' (LONGER THAN 34 MINUTES BUT LESS THAN AN HOUR). LEAVING ASIDE FULL-LENGTH CLASSICS BY FLAHERTY, VERTOV, AND RIEFENSTAHL, UNTIL THE SEVENTIES THE VAST MAJORITY OF AESTHETICALLY OR POLITICALLY SIGNIFICANT DOCS REQUIRED LESS SCREEN TIME THAN A TV SITCOM. OFTEN SHOWN IN NONTHEATRICAL SETTINGS -- CLUBS, UNION HALLS, GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED EVENTS -- OR SANDWICHED BETWEEN MORE FRIVOLOUS FARE IN COMMERCIAL MOVIEHOUSES, FILMS OF ACTUALITY FORGED A SEPARATE LANGUAGE IMMUNE TO THE SWEEPING DRAMATIC ARCS AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT OF FICTION FILMS" (Paul Arthur, Film Comment).