The 14 Best Beatles Documentaries, Ranked

What’s It About: Peter Jackson’sIt follows the making of what would be the Beatles’ final released album, 1970’s "Let It Be".follows the making of the Beatles’ final released album, 1970’sLet It BeThough the sessions were for "Get Back", the album was originally planned as "Let It Be".These sessions occurred before the 1969's "Abbey Road".took place before the sessions for 1969'sAbbey Road). The footage captured for a 1970 documentary also calledLet It BeJackson combed through hours of unreleased footage to expand and rework material for a new generation.

Key Elements: This docuseries runs over three episodes, nearly eight hours long. It examines the strained band member ties and underlying tension. Apple and the surviving band members co-produced this expansive doc, giving super-fans deep content. Jackson used new audio technology to reveal previously "lost" conversations between the members.new audio technologyThe series teases out previously "lost" conversations between the band members.

Standout Moment: Like the "Let It Be" doc, this series highlights the Beatles' unannounced rooftop concert. This series shows the concert fully, uncut, and in its entirety.Let It Be This doc comes before it. This series's highlight shows the Beatles' unannounced concert on their studio's rooftop. The first film covers the concert; this series shows it whole, uncut, and complete.

What’s It About: Anthology is themotherlode of Beatles contentIt clocks in at eight episodes with over 11 hours of runtime. This is the most expansive and comprehensive documentary available.documentary available, The Beatles Anthology This series gives detailed coverage of the band’s entire recording career, including new songs and never-released demo tapes. It aired for over a month in November and December 1995 on ITV in the UK and ABC in the US.

Key Elements: This series offers everything Beatlemaniacs want to know about their favorite band. It is long, it is expansive, and it might be a bit intense. Its value to Beatles fans is undeniable.

Standout Moment: The series features a reunion of the three living Beatles in 1994. They seem awkward, and George even jokes, "Now I don’t have to see you for another 40 years." Seeing the band together is truly delightful for anyone who followed the Beatles' long journey.even jokes, “Now I don’t have to see you for another 40 years,” seeing the band back together is truly delightful for anyone who followed the Beatles' long journey. Ringo expresses this best: ”It’s been a beautiful and moving day - I like hanging out with you guys."

What’s It About: Martin Scorsese, a famous director and documentarian, examines the life of the "quiet Beatle" in this 2011 film.This 2011 filmWith almost four hours of runtime, Scorsese covers Harrison’s life and legacy. He starts with his Liverpool childhood and moves through his time with the band, his spiritual awakening, and his later family life. The often-misunderstood George gets his day in this bio-doc.

Key Elements: With previous music documentary juggernauts like "The Last Waltz" and "No Direction Home" The Last Waltz and No Direction HomeScorsese made the perfect film to cover Harrison’s cultural legacy. The movie shows new footage of Harrison and offers fresh interviews with his widow and estate head Olivia, plus his son Dhani.

Standout Moment: The most captivating moments come from archival footage Harrison shot at his home in Friar Park, where he lived from 1970, built Dark Horse Records, and recorded many solo albums. Harrison spoke about the estate’s garden.once said, “Sometimes I feel like I’m actually on the wrong planet. I like being in my garden. But leaving the gate, I think, what am I doing here?”

What’s It About: When the Beatles gathered in early 1969 to record their next album, Get Back (later released as Let It Be in 1970), they hired filmmaker Michael Lindsay-Hogg to film the sessions. The film came out after the band split, showing the sessions as a story of trouble and falling apart. (This is just an oversimplification: the Beatles got together a few months after Get Backrecord one of their greatest albums, Abbey Road.)

Key Elements: The documentary shows the writing, rehearsing, and recording of a Beatles album. The band works on the record, but we see the tension and unrest among members. Their strong bonds show signs of fraying. The film uses a “fly-on-the-wall” style, showing the band acting without narration, titles, or interviews.

Standout Moment: The film includes the famous surprise rooftop concert in January 1969 from the Apple Records headquarters roof. This marked their final performance together. The sound, songs, outfits, and the police waiting to stop the show show music history happening live.

What’s It About: Ron Howard directed this 2016 documentary about the Beatles’ tours, 1962 to 1966. It covers their start at the Cavern Club in Liverpool up to their last show in San Francisco in May 1966. Using old film, interviews, and new live performances, Eight Days a Week is great for any fan interested in how a hugely famous band toured.

Key Elements: This doc features new, never-before-seen footage of live shows from the band. It includes their Shea Stadium concert in New York City in 1965. It also shows the band growing tired of their fame as it wears on their personal lives and sanity, especially after John Lennon’s comment about “more popular than Jesus”.

Standout Moment: The film includes the infamous Shea Stadium concert that started the end of the band’s touring life.

What’s It About: Released in 1982 and narrated by famed British actor Malcolm McDowell, this two-hour docThis film covers the band's history using interviews, archival footage, and commentators' views on the band's history. Even though it is old, this movie remains one of the most complete Beatles history docs available. Paul McCartney bought the film rights and shelved it so it would not compete with the 1995 Beatles-produced one.Anthologydocuseries.

Key Elements:The filmIts behind-the-scenes and archival footage show many clips fans rarely see elsewhere. The Beatlemania craze shows up from almost two decades later.

Standout Moment:Though the documentary is old, it offered fans an early chance to see live Beatles shows. The live footage let a 1982 audience feel the Beatles’ charisma, just like their parents had a generation before.

What’s It About:Thisintimate documentaryFamed documentarians the Maysles Brothers film the band's first trip to the US in February 1964. They taped the footage for a CBS variety show, but they reworked it into this full-length doc in 1991. The film shows the Beatles from their arrival at JFK airport to their performance onThe Ed Sullivan Showand all the laughs in between.

Key Elements:The film shows the band performing, radio interviews, photoshoots, and professional appearances. It also includes fun, frolicking, and hanging out in hotel rooms, clubs, and between locations. The film captures the band as they gained fame in the US but still obsessed with their stardom. It makes for a fun watch.

Standout Moment:Fans will love much of this, but watching the band behind the scenes is the most gripping part. Miami offers the best example. The boys yell from their hotel rooms to the mob below: “Which one are you?” They mock the media and reporters who cannot learn their names, showing the strange feeling of their sudden super-stardom.

What’s It About:This 2017documentaryThis film examines pop culture and its link to the Beatles. It focuses more on the impact they had on music, art, fashion, politics, and culture. This offers an interesting view since the band created lasting cultural shifts that affect today.

Key Elements:Using interviews, archival footage, and the Beatles’ music, this film gives a new look at Beatles documentaries. It is less a biopic and more a cultural study and history essay.How the Beatles Changed the WorldHistory classes will likely show this for many years.

Standout Moment:The Beatles affect pop culture widely, not just music. Look at their haircuts; they changed popular styles and challenged 1960s gender norms. This offers a sociological view.

Imagine: John LennonAThis is a fairly standard bio-doc.This film covers John Lennon's life and legacy, inside and outside the band. Yoko Ono commissioned the 1988 documentary. It used over 240 hours of film and video, mostly shot by Lennon. It offers an intimate look at Lennon’s personal life and daily routine. This makes it a fitting tribute to a complex genius. The film premiered October 7, 1988, two days before Lennon's 48th birthday and nearly eight years after he died in New York City.

Key Elements:The mostly home-video format makes this watch interesting. We see much of the action through Lennon's or Ono's eyes. Lennon narrates from archival footage, giving it a personal, real feel. Viewers see Lennon's tough childhood, his first meeting with Paul McCartney, tender moments with sons Julian and Sean, and his career with The Beatles and beyond.

Standout Moment:This film shows new footage and coverage of Lennon’s infamous "lost weekendthe 18 months John Lennon separated from Ono and dated her personal assistant May Pang.

Good Ol’ FredaFreda Kelly was the Beatles’secretary for 11 years, from her teenage years in Liverpool to their time at Apple Records. This 2013 documentary tells her story for the first time, using her own words. The owner of what was once called a "newspaper headlineas “The Most Coveted Secretarial Job in the World,” Kelly made a lasting mark on the band and their legacy. She remains one of the few employees to survive the Fab Four’s entire time together.

Key Elements:Kelly’s loyalty to the band deserves admiration. She never wrote a book, never shared secrets, and never named people. This is rare in an era of celebrity memoirs and behind-the-scenes exposes. Kelly's daughter Rachel finally convinced her to share her story in this documentary, and fans appreciate that.

Standout Moment:The band split in 1970, and Kelly stopped working for them in 1972. Still, Kelly kept answering fan mail as the fan club president until every letter was handled. Her dedication to the band is unmatched; that love shows clearly in the film.

John & Yoko: Above Us Only SkyThe2018 documentarytells the story of John Lennon and Yoko Ono meeting and their work on the 1971 classic album,Imagine. Using unreleased footage, interviews, and music,the filmshows the early days of Lennon and Ono's relationship and how they merged culturally.

Key Elements:Much of the film happens at the home Lennon and Ono shared at Tittenhurst Park in Ascot, England. They lived there from 1969 to 1971. They wrote and recorded the album. Watch these two fall in love and merge their different world views.

Standout Moment: The film features the audio archivist found the first demo of “Imagine” in an unmarked eight-track box.Lennon and Ono’s audio archivist found the first demo of “Imagine” in an unmarked eight-track box.

What’s It About: In 2008, the Beatles teamed up with Cirque du Soleil for a new show and album project called LOVE. This included remixes of Beatles songs and a dazzling stage show from the famous circus. This The documentary covers making this collaboration., from early rehearsals to the final show staging.

Key Elements: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, producer George Martin, and Apple Records head Neil Aspinall appear. The film shows viewers the first ideas, the making, and the final result of the LOVE project. Fans can watch for Cirque du Soleil’s wild visuals and complex stage show or the reworked Beatles songs. This doc is interesting for music fans.

Standout Moment: The film shows the teamwork between Cirque du Soleil and the Beatles. It also highlights original Beatles producer George Martin teamed up with his son and protégé Giles. Fans get to see George Martin behind the soundboard again, making new Beatles sounds.George Martin creates new Beatles soundscapes; he is seen behind the soundboard with his son and protege Giles. Fans see this.

What’s It About: In the mid-1960s, the band explored experimental sounds and cultural ideas. George Harrison led the Beatles on a three-year dive into Indian culture, including The film visits India., adopting Transcendental Meditation, and He learns under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.This film goes beyond their trip.explores the Beatles' connection to Indian culture

Key Elements: The film looks at how the Beatles related to Indian culture and how the band affected Indian youth. The doc interviews Indian pop musicians and includes news reports about the political scandal involving Maharishi.

Standout Moment: George Harrison meets the sitar, an instrument he later used on the Rubber Soul.Rubber Soul track “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” appears in the film, plus his first meeting with lifelong friend and collaborator Ravi Shankar.

What’s It About: This 34-minute 2014 documentaryThe film asks the question music fans debated since the early 1960s: Lennon or McCartney? The film features 550 famous musicians, actors, and cultural figures answering the question.

Key Elements: Director Matt Schichter interviewed celebrities over ten years. The final tally showed 282 for Lennon, 196 for McCartney, 15 for George Harrison, four for Ringo Starr, one for Jimi Hendrix, one for Lou Reed, one for Keith Richards, and one for Oasis (from Lars Ulrich of Metallica). Fifty interviewees did not pick a winner.Lars Ulrich of Metallica.Fifty interviewees did not choose a winner.

Standout Moment: This short documentary depends on your favorite celebrities. Interviewees include Morgan Freeman, Sylvester Stallone, Steve-O, Miss Piggy, and others.