The Strange and the Dangerous

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Culture, Sociopolitical Documentary hosted by Louis Theroux and published by BBC in 2009 - English narration

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Louis Theroux - The Strange and the Dangerous Release date: 19/01/2009 Through his many fascinating and compelling documentaries, Louis Theroux has made the off-beat, the unsavoury and the less-visited aspects of life his own domain. Through his unique intimate, un-confrontational interviewing style, Louis is able to present intense and surprisingly revealing portraits of the most disparate of subjects.

Extra… One off compilation of extracts from "Louis Theroux Meets...” and "Weird Weekend" programmes. Collection of memorable moments from earlier programmes featuring Louis Theroux and his inimitable style of interview, featuring various well- known figures and some unusual situations.

[edit] Gambling in Las Vagas

Louis Theroux heads to the bright lights of Las Vegas to meet the high rollers (and not-so-high rollers), and the casino managers (who're actually pulling in the dosh) in the city of sin.
Basing himself at the Hilton, one of the biggest hotels on the strip, Louis immerses himself in the glittering world of casino life to find out what makes the industry tick. From the smooth talking casino "super host" Richard Wilk to big-spending pensioner Martha Ogman (who has lost a whopping $4 million in her seven-year gambling career), it's a journey of giddy highs and depressing lows.

Despite the fact that lucky Louis manages to turn $500 of his own money into $700 on his virgin flutter at Blackjack table, he leaves with one predictable conclusion: the banker really is the only winner.

[edit] The Most Hated Family in America

They call themselves the most hated family in the US and they picket funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq. So what did Louis Theroux make of the Phelpses after three weeks? In any country, let alone one as patriotic as the US, few actions are as provocative as protesting at a soldier's funeral.
The Phelps family pickets mourners across the country, to mark what it describes as God's revenge on the US for tolerating homosexuality.
Their actions are in the name of the Westboro Baptist Church, which numbers 71 and is headed by "Gramps", preacher Fred Phelps. The church, which is based in Topeka, Kansas, mostly comprises his extended family. Louis Theroux, himself no stranger to people with unconventional views, says the Phelpses are the most extreme people he has ever met. But in the following interview, he reveals how three weeks with them left him perplexed by their motivation.

[edit] Under the Knife

An overwhelming fixation on beauty and self-image is heading quickly in our direction straight from the west coast of the United States. Louis Theroux travels to California, the birthplace of plastic surgery, to observe this trend first hand.

Louis meets an astonishing cast of characters. Eve is performing a complete makeover of Laura: boob job, brow lift, and liposuction. But does Laura fully understand the permanence - and is she even in control of this transformation? Next we meet, Kris - no he's not a movie star, he's just the pool guy. He is certain his life will change for the better if he has the perfect stomach. He doesn't have the time to get one naturally so he is paying to get a six pack sculpted onto him in double quick time. Finally, Louis meets Dr. Linder, the boob man of Beverly Hills, who points out all the breasts he's enlarged on a trip down Rodeo Drive. In his search, Louis discovers a complex arena of cosmetic surgery where you can be anything you want, as long as you look good enough. Will Louis succumb to the easy promises of plastic surgery and put down the cash for a procedure himself?

[edit] African Hunting Holiday

Louis Theroux journeys to the centre of the controversial South African hunting industry. It's big business, attracting thousands of holiday hunters annually. Keeping wild animals fenced in on farms has made it cheaper and easier to hunt than ever before, but Louis discovers that this industry, instead of endangering species, has actually increased animal numbers. Staying at a safari-hunting lodge, Louis hears that each kill has a price. The potential shopping list is endless, ranging from $250 for a porcupine to $100,000 for a rhino. It's a hunter's paradise.

[edit] Behind Bars ,

When Louis Theroux went to San Quentin prison he found a bizarre self-contained society where "straight" men fall in love, gangs are divided along strict racial lines and an inmate can be assaulted for the most minor mistake.
On a sunny day last summer I passed through a metal detector, entered a portcullis-like gate (called a "sally port") and walked into one of America's oldest and most notorious prisons, San Quentin, in California. I was chaperoned by one of the guards - for security purposes - not to mention a three-person camera crew - for documentary purposes. But I still had butterflies in my stomach. I'd be doing a 10-day "hitch" for my programme. The idea was to get a glimpse inside the strange, secret world of hardened offenders and the lives they lead "inside". I'd been warned about the risks involved: we were to stay together as a group at all times; no wandering off. If one of the team had to use a toilet, we would all wait.