Best movies & TV Shows like Jonathan Meades - Magnetic North

A gripping tale of WWII naval warfare in the Baltics, starring John Mills as Lt. Freddie Taylor, a British submarine Captain. The crew of the Sea Tiger are summoned from leave on shore with their families, and sent on a secret mission to intercept the Nazi battleship Brandenburg. In the ensuing battle the British submarine is damaged by a German destroyer. The submarine is leaking fuel so badly that the crew won't be able to make it back to Britain before running out somewhere along the Danish coast. When it seems that their only option may be to blow up the submarine and try to escape to Denmark, seaman James Hobson hatches a plan...

A discontented New York family woman is unexpectedly called to Tuscany to execute her estranged mother's will. There, she must decipher visions of her forgotten childhood and confront a spectral "Lady in Red," whose dark secret unlocks a terrifying destiny.

Set on an island off the coast, a techno rave party attracts a diverse group of college coeds and a Coast Guard officer. Soon, they discover that their X-laced escapades are to be interrupted by zombies and monsters that attack them on the ground, from the air, and in the sea, ruled by an evil entity in the House of the Dead... Prequel to the House of the Dead video games.

After deciphering a message found in a satellite, genius cryptographer Alex Jacobs finds himself being stalked by government agents and otherworldly beings.

Shy and reserved, Claire Decker, 30ish, is a part-time investigator for Social Services. Typically, she solves cases where senior citizens have died alone, leaving no indication of who must handle their estate. This time however, Claire is reluctantly drawn into a puzzling murder case. The local police have been unable to solve the horrific crime, or even decipher the victim's true identity. A beautiful and enigmatic young blond, known only as "The White Orchid," has been brutally murdered. As Claire is drawn deeper and more intimately into the dead woman's life, she finds herself taking dangerous chances and pushing personal and professional boundaries. As she gets closer to the truth, Claire must effectively become the charismatic "White Orchid" in order to solve the mysterious crime.

In the early years of the 20th Century, two British yachtsmen (Michael York and Simon MacCorkindale) stumble upon a German plot to invade the east coast of England in a flotilla of specially designed barges. They set out to thwart this terrible scheme, but must outwit not only the cream of the German Navy, but the feared Kaiser Wilhelm himself.

Writer and broadcaster Jonathan Meades turns his gaze onto Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.

Comedy icon Joanna Lumley pursues a life-long dream to track down the elusive and beautiful Northern Lights. She travels North across the Arctic Circle, up through Norway and finally to Svalbard, the most northerly permanently inhabited place on Earth, where she has to cope with temperatures approaching minus 30° C. Joanna’s journey takes her from train to boat and huskysled to snowmobile as she is pulled ever northwards and finally, in a breathtaking climax to the film, Joanna gets to see with her own eyes the spectacular beauty of the Northern Lights. As seen on ABC1.

Over Beautiful British Columbia is a spectacular scenic tour of Canada's Pacific province. Savor the grandeur of British Columbia as you join a helicopter adventure from elegant Victoria to rugged Fort Nelson, from the ski slopes of Whistler to the sun-drenched Okanagan shores, from the razor spine of Mount Robson to the primeval coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands.

Dr James Fox takes a journey through six different landscapes across Britain, meeting artists whose work explores our relationship to the natural world. From Andy Goldsworthy's beautiful stone sculptures to James Turrell's extraordinary sky spaces, this is a film about art made out of nature itself. Featuring spectacular images of landscape and art, James travels from the furthest reaches of the Scottish coast and the farmlands of Cumbria to woods of north Wales. In each location he marvels at how artists' interactions with the landscape have created a very different kind of modern art - and make us look again at the world around us.

Having previously investigated the architecture of Hitler and Stalin's regimes, Jonathan Meades turns his attention to another notorious 20th-century European dictator, Mussolini. His travels take him to Rome, Milan, Genoa, the new town of Sabaudia and the vast military memorials of Redipuglia and Monte Grappa. When it comes to the buildings of the fascist era, Meades discovers a dictator who couldn't dictate, with Mussolini caught between the contending forces of modernism and a revivalism that harked back to ancient Rome. The result was a variety of styles that still influence architecture today. Along the way, Meades ponders on the nature of fascism, the influence of the Futurists, and Mussolini's love of a fancy uniform.

Jonathan Meades examines the cult of Stalinism through its buildings and monuments.

Jonathan Meades explores the architecture of Nazi Germany, from its holiday camps to its concentration camps.

In an absorbing study, Andrew Graham-Dixon tells the story of a national art that conveys passion, precision, hope and renewal. He juxtaposes escapism with control and a deep affinity with nature against love for the machine. The fascinating story takes us from the towering cathedral of Cologne, the woodcuts of Albrecht Dürer and paintings of Grünewald to the gothic fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle, the Baltic landscapes of Caspar David Friedrich and the industrialisation lent expression of Adolph Menzel and Käthe Kollwitz. As the series progresses, it presents a rare focus on the cultural impact of Hitler's obsession with visual art, reveals how art became an arena for the Cold War and examines the redemptive work of the "visionary" Joseph Beuys – the most influential artist of modern times.

Jonathan Meades takes a quixotic tour of Scotland, a country which has intrigued him since he first encountered lists of towns only known from football coupons

Jonathan Meades scrutinises the 95 per cent of France that Brits drive through and don't notice en route to the 5 per cent that conforms to their expectation

The best known and most notorious PoW camp in history is Colditz, an 18th century castle in eastern Germany. With its imposing walls, steep cliffs, and rigorous policing, it was seen as the ultimate prison, home to the worst troublemakers from allied PoW camps all over Europe. Using archive material and dramatic reconstruction, and the personal testimony of Colditz veterans, this series documents the creative and often spectacular attempts to go over, under, around or through the walls. A specially commissioned archaeologist, working with the veterans, also uncovers the secret rooms, hidden tunnels and concealed doors that were so important in securing each precious escape from Colditz. At the start of 1942, British prisoners were lagging behind the French and Dutch in terms of "home runs" but the British success rate was about to improve, as they were getting help from a new source.

A true nature lover, Dominic with his courageous cameraman Frank, travel across four continents to far-flung countries in search of the largest, weirdest and most intense creatures alive – all in an attempt to ease fears of these often misunderstood animals. Crawling through dark caves, sailing the Amazon River, surfing the Costa Rican coast, and immersing himself in local culture, customs and cuisine makes for an adrenaline pumping, wildly adventurous season. He will also be joined by his buddy Billy Boyd on a quest to New Zealand where they’ll search for the giant wetapunga and return to where it all began for the duo, Hobbiton, home of the Lord of the Rings world for a traditional Hangi feast.

Following the success of his previous two expeditions across Canada and South Africa, Charley is back on his bike and this time he is taking on one of the most spectacular countries in the world, The United States of America. Travelling alongside fellow adventurer and director Russ Malkin, this series follows the pair from the volcanic infernos of Hawaii to the icy peaks of Alaska, and then from east to west as they venture off the beaten track to go in search of extreme adventures in the wilderness. This is a journey that tests Charley to the max as he is confronted with some of the most spine tingling challenges he has ever faced. The high risks and low margins for error bring out Charley s humour and the camaraderie he has with those who often hold his life in their hands.

Two-part documentary in which Jonathan Meades makes the case for 20th-century concrete Brutalist architecture in an homage to a style that he sees a brave, bold and bloodyminded. Tracing its precursors to the once-hated Victorian edifices described as Modern Gothic and before that to the unapologetic baroque visions created by John Vanbrugh, as well as the martial architecture of World War II, Meades celebrates the emergence of the Brutalist spirit in his usual provocative and incisive style. Never pulling his punches, Meades praises a moment in architecture he considers sublime and decries its detractors.

It might be one of the most famous continents on the planet, but the story of Australia hasn't been told quite like this before. In a four-part world premiere blue-chip wildlife series, come face-to-face with Australia’s most iconic – and most mysterious – animals including the cassowary, tree-kangaroo, dingo, echidna and platypus as they soar, swim and stalk through the unspoiled and spectacular environment.

Celebrities travel Britain's coastline accompanied by their dogs

Paul Murton sets out to explore the lochs of Scotland, travelling from the wilds of the west coast to the Grampian Mountains, discovering the secrets of these iconic features of the Scottish landscape.

Actor Julie Walters rides upon the UK's most beautiful coastal railways.

In this provocative television essay, writer and broadcaster Jonathan Meades turns his forensic gaze on that modern phenomenon that drives us all up the wall - jargon. In a wide-ranging programme he dissects politics, the law, football commentary, business, the arts, tabloid-speak and management consultancy to show how jargon is used to cover up, confuse and generally keep us in the dark. He contrasts this with the world of slang, which unlike jargon actually gets to the heart of whatever it's talking about even if it does offend along the way. With plenty of what is called 'strong language', Meades pulls no punches in slaying the dragon of jargon.

Shaun Greenhalgh and Dr Janina Ramirez research and remake a selection of precious objects from the past using traditional materials and methods.

From extravagant underground bunkers to cabins on remote islands. Homeowners discuss what attracted them to such unusual and secluded properties. A round the world tour of some spectacular homes, using drone photography to explore the natural surroundings of each home and 'fly-through' tours of their interiors and secret passages, to reveal what makes them unique. The owners explain why they wanted to live in such an unusual property, and how they found their secluded plots.

Malcolm Jamieson travels through Scotland's most breathtaking landscapes as he uncovers the spectacular North Coast 500.

This spectacular documentary series invites us to visit Chile. Traveling behind the tracks of its great animal diversity, Chile also offers impressive geographical variations, from the cold coasts of the south to the Andes mountain range and its fantastic landscapes. Chile, a magical and captivating country where the sky embraces the sea while it unites with the earth.

Bettany Hughes follows in the footsteps of 18th century aristocrats going on a Grand Tour as she travels through France and Italy to see how travel, the arts and culture and the finest foods can enrich and inspire our lives.

January 1943: Admiral Karl Dönitz, head of the Nazis’ U-boat fleet, has brought Britain to the brink of starvation by ruthlessly destroying close to a thousand of their merchant ships. If the transatlantic shipping route is cut off, the Allies will lose their last foothold in Western Europe. The Royal Navy turns to retired war gamer Gilbert Roberts. Roberts is to use war gaming to try to decipher and combat Dönitz’s tactics. To do this, he needs a team, but the Navy can’t spare any men. Instead, he risks the ridicule of high command by turning to the Women’s Royal Navy Service (WRNS) to war game the U-boats’ tactics. In partnership with Jean Laidlaw, one of Britain’s first female chartered accountants, and a small team of resourceful female mathematicians, Roberts acts out naval battles and games the U-boats’ moves on a linoleum floor, using chalk and wooden model ships.

Jonathan Meades Explores architecture and the British psyche once again in this series.

Alan Cumming travels to spectacular properties as he seeks inspiration for his own dream home. He meets the visionaries who challenge conventional home building practices to build the world's most imaginative dwellings.

Horror about three journalists who travel from Vancouver to Transylvania to uncover the true story of Dracula. As they visit the area's historical sites and libraries to decipher the various clues behind the famed vampire's existence, the trio's determination to get their article may end up costing them their lives.