Overview
It’s quite possible that The Beatles have more documentaries and features about their time as a band than most featured acts that triple or quadruple their tenure. There is something fascinating about The Beatles and their 10-years of greatness inspired many filmmakers to explore every album, song, and minute and mix them into a documentary.
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Best Beatles Documentaries
From primetime television specials to innovative streaming pictures, The Beatles have been covered by some of the best documentary filmmakers. There are also plenty of unauthorized dollar-bin DVDs that attempt to capture moments in time for The Beatles.
The Beatles Anthology (1995)
An autobiographical documentary of the greatest of the rock bands.
Nearly 30-years after The Beatles took over the music industry, we were served a three-volume documentary covering the start and end of the band. The highlight for many was the two new songs based on Lennon demo recordings.
The Beatles Anthology was a TV Mini Series airing in 1995 on ABC (US) and ITV (UK).
Video Metadata
- Release: 11/11/1995
- Length: 600 minutes
- Director: Geoff Wonfor
- Rating: 9.1 (iMDB)
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The Compleat Beatles (1982)
The history of the great British rock band.
Although it’s tough to compare against The Beatles Anthology, this 1982 documentary does a great job giving you a run-down of the success and shortcomings of the iconic band – all within 2-hours.
For many years, this documentary was regarded as the best and most thorough look into The Beatles history.
Video Metadata
- Release: 05/28/1982
- Length: 119 minutes
- Director: Patrick Montgomery
- Rating: 8.2 (iMDB)
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Get Back (2021)
Documentary about the music group The Beatles featuring in-studio footage that was shot in early 1969 for the 1970 feature film ‘Let It Be.’
This Disney+ release does a great job documenting the final Beatles album – Let It Be. Watch The Beatles perform on the rooftop or eavesdrop on John and Paul in the kitchen. This documentary captures The Beatles brilliantly.
This documentary gives you a close-up look at the making of many of the songs on Let It Be. It’s great to see how the lyrics of “Get Back” changed and how some songs “All Things Must Pass” never even make it on the album.
Video Metadata
- Release: 11/25/2021
- Length: 468 minutes
- Director: Peter Jackson
- Rating: 9.0 (iMDB)
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The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit (1991)
Maysles brothers documentary covering the first arrival of “Beatlemania” in the U.S., as well at the band’s historical appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
Video Metadata
- Release: 1991
- Length: 83 minutes
- Director: Albert/David Maysles
- Rating: 8.0 (iMDB)
All Together Now (2008)
The story behind the partnership between The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil that resulted in the Las Vegas stage production of “LOVE.”
Video Metadata
- Release: 06/16/2008
- Length: 84 minutes
- Director: Adrian Wills
- Rating: 7.5 (iMDB)
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The Beatles Explosion (2007)
See the early days of the Beatles with rare interviews, newsreels, press conferences, and television appearances.
Video Metadata
- Release: 2007
- Length: 102 minutes
- Director: Uncredited
- Rating: 6.0 (iMDB)
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The Beatles: Eight Days a Week (2016)
A compilation of found footage featuring music, interviews, and stories of The Beatles’ 250 concerts from 1963 to 1966.
Video Metadata
- Release: 09/15/2016
- Length: 106 minutes
- Director: Ron Howard
- Rating: 7.8 (iMDB)
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The Beatles and India (2021)
A unique historical chronicle of the enduring love affair between The Beatles and India that started more than half a century ago. Rare archival footage, photographs and eye-witness accounts, along with location shoots across India, bring alive the fascinating journey of George, John, Paul and Ringo from their high-octane celebrity lives in the West to a remote Himalayan ashram in search of spiritual bliss – a time that inspired an unprecedented burst of creative songwriting. This is the first serious exploration of how India helped shape the evolution of the iconic band, and how they helped bridge two vastly different cultures.
Video Metadata
- Release: 10/04/2021
- Length: 96 minutes
- Director: Bose/Compton
- Rating: 6.4 (iMDB)
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Additional Beatles Videos
Not all Beatles documentaries are made by famous directors or even professionals. Some of the most interesting facts and niche videos come online from some of the biggest fans and music enthusiasts. Whether someone is detailing conspiracy theories about “Paul is Dead” or reviewing individual songs, we love some of the videos we find on YouTube and the Internet.
A Brief History of The Beatles
YouTube Channel “The Beat Goes On” does a great job creating short videos, documenting many iconic bands. The Beatles are on the list.
George Martin Interviews
Featured in many of the historical documentaries, this unfiltered, unedited series of interviews with George Martin is a great watch for any Beatles fan.
The Beatles: Across the Universe
Created by 16-year-old Isabella Benbow, this YouTube video does a good job gathering clips from The Beatles’ career to create a documentary.
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Movies Inspired by The Beatles
The Beatles were featured in several films, but there were even several movies inspired by the band. Several biopics were released over the years, featuring John, Paul, George, and Ringo – many unauthorized stories about the band during different times in their career. There are even fictional movies with the plots completely derived from the Beatles.
Across the Universe
Though the film does not star The Beatles, this musical follows the exact timeframe of the band – while reimagining some of their most popular songs.
Yesterday
Another film filled with Beatle songs, Yesterday follows a struggling songwriter who wakes up one day being the only person who remembers The Beatles.
Nowhere Boy
John Lennon’s early years are explored in this biopic. The film reflects on his interesting relationships with his aunt and his mother Julia.
Beatles Podcasts
With modern bands, most podcasts are interviews with the members of the group. Beatles podcasts, on the other hand, mostly deal with documentarians or fans talking about the history of the group, their albums, and songs. There are plenty of Beatles podcasts that help you understand their history.
Music Ranked! The Beatles
Music Ranked! creator Eric talks about his number one band: The Beatles, whom Todd (surprisingly) only truly discovered in recent years. The Hersey brothers share their thoughts, memories, and some of Eric’s research.
Compleatly Beatles
Hosts Dave and Ian go deep into each album and “time-period” of The Beatles. If you are interested in the backstory and band drama, this podcast goes deep into the specifics.
Something About The Beatles
As the name implies, this podcast series covers everything Beatles. From facts, interviews, and everything in between, if you like podcasts and like the Beatles, well…
Beatles Books
The Beatles have entire books dedicated to specific aspects of their career. You will find individual biographies covering John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Many of the documentaries you watch today take information from these books – transforming the information to the screen.
You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Breakup
Acclaimed journalist Peter Doggett recounts the previously untold story of the dramatic final chapter in the lives, loves, and legal battles of John, Paul, George, and Ringo—aka The Beatles—from their breakup in 1969 to the present day.
Dreaming the Beatles: The Love Story of One Band and the Whole World
Dreaming the Beatles tells the story of how four lads from Liverpool became the world’s biggest pop group, then broke up—but then somehow just kept getting bigger. This book is a celebration of that music, showing why the Beatles remain the world’s favorite thing—and how they invented the future we’re all living in today.
The Beatles: The Authorized Biography
There’s only one book that ever truly got inside the Beatles and this is it. The landmark, worldwide bestseller that has grown with the Beatles ever since. During 1967 and 1968, Hunter Davies spent eighteen months with the Beatles at the peak of their powers as they defined a generation and rewrote popular music.
You Might Also Like these Related Documentaries
The Beatles have some of the best documentaries, especially with the 10-hour Anthology – but there are also some classic documentaries for other artists and bands. Be sure to check out some of these well-produced, quality documentaries featuring some of these rock legends.
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
Martin Scorsese directed a documentary about George Harrison – covering Harrison’s life from an early age, time with The Beatles, and travels to India.
The US vs. John Lennon
Want to learn more about John Lennon post-Beatles and his deportation from the US? The US vs. John Lennon documentary covers John’s activism and attempts to spread peace.
McCartney 3,2,1
This mini-series showcases Paul McCartney and producer Rick Rubin discussing and showcasing the why and how for many of Paul’s songs.