In 1962, four talented lads from Liverpool collaborated together to form the most revolutionary rock group that ever performed. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr became icons over their immensely decorated career, producing 227 songs that have been enjoyed over multiple generations.
Unfortunately, the Fab Four won't be showing up to play any sold-out shows ever again. However, there is still a fine selection of films to help relive the sounds of the 60s.
The 60s were a trippy time full of psychedelic culture and tons of new and expressive art. The Beatles film Magical Mystery Tour, made to coincide with the album of the same name, was a dreamscape of a film that featured a phenomenal soundtrack by the band, strange and silly sequences worthy of a Monty Python sketch, and psychedelic visuals that would later inspire a young Steven Speilberg.
This made-for-television movie is supposedly inspired by a Beatles legend. Though the events of the film are fictionalized, its inspiration is based on truth. In 1976, years after the band's official breakup, Lorne Michaels of Saturday Night Live offered the band $3,000 to reunite and play on the show.
The film explores a brief reunion between Lennon and McCarney and speculates the interaction between the two Beatles. It's fun to think about what might have been.
John Lennon was without a doubt the most controversial member of the band, and he is certain to make frequent appearances on the list, but this docudrama about the artist's pre-Beatle days. The film explores the music that influenced Lennon, his interactions with a young Paul McCartney, and his relationship with his estranged mother Julia. It's an interesting dive into the rockstar's upbringing and the elements that shaped the man fans know today.
If one were to pin a moment in the Beatles' career where things started to venture down the strange path to psychedelia, it might possibly be this film from 1965.
In this somewhat sequel to 1964's Hard Days Night, the band goes from being chased by legions of screaming girls to a Kali cult when Ringo unwittingly wears a sacrificial ring. It's an out-there movie, to say the least, but it's definitely not shy of laughs.
While this beautiful musical by Julie Taymor doesn't feature the Beatles in the starring roles, it does use their music to drive the film's plot. This visual love letter to 60s culture and character is positively fueled by the music and lyrics of Lennon and McCartney. The film uses the Beatles soundtrack to bring its cast into the civil rights movement, the hippie counterculture, and the Vietnam War, all through a pair of psychedelic glasses.
There is perhaps no film more psychedelic and visually beautiful than the Beatles' Yellow Submarine. Take a ride with the Fab Four to Pepperland as the boys board a flying submarine and take a musical adventure.
With a beautiful blend of animation and photography to create the colorful pop-art inspired world and a soundtrack featuring the best and brightest of the Beatles late-60s work, it's perfect for those Beatles fans who want a wonderful and diverse sampling of the band's best.
One of the most recent films on the list, this found-footage documentary gives the viewer a behind-the-scenes look at the recording of John Lennon's "Imagine." Featuring interviews and never-before-seen footage of the collaboration in 1971, the film is as inspiring as it is haunting. Seeing Lennon in the studio through the home movies is like seeing a lion in the savannah, watching him in his natural habitat. It might only have a 7.4 rating, but it should be mandatory viewing for any Beatles fan.
Speaking of mandatory viewings, this list would be shamefully incomplete without mentioning A Hard Day's Night. This film not only provides a window into the early days of the Beatles career, but it gives first-timers a taste of their various personalities.
John is wild but witty, Paul is the charmer, George is quiet and complex, and Ringo is the comedian who does his own thing. It's one of those films that just needs to be experienced, along with the famous soundtrack.
The final film the Beatles ever collaborated on together, Let It Be is essentially a filmed recording session before the famous Rooftop Concert. Easily the most intriguing film on the list, the viewer sees nearly everything in this intimately shot film, putting them in the role of an on-the-wall observer. The film even showcases recordings of famous hits like "The Long and Winding Road" and a live performance featuring "Get Back," "I've Got a Feeling," and "Don't Let Me Down."
The top spot belongs to Eight Days a Week, a documentary film by Ron Howard centering around the Beatles touring years. The film also featured a collaboration between Howard and the surviving Beatles, along with Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison representing Lennon and Harrison. It's a peek into an often overlooked Beatles chapter, but it definitely stands with the likes of Let It Be.
