The best Jimi Hendrix’s documentary movies

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix

27/11/1942- 18/09/1970
If you love cinema, you will share this ranking of the best Jimi Hendrix’s movies, although you may have ordered them differently. In any case, we hope you love it and with a little luck discovering a movie that you still don’t know about Jimi Hendrix.
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Woodstock

Woodstock
8.1/10
An intimate look at the Woodstock Music & Art Festival held in Bethel, NY in 1969, from preparation through cleanup, with historic access to insiders, blistering concert footage, and portraits of the concertgoers; negative and positive aspects are shown, from drug use by performers to naked fans sliding in the mud, from the collapse of the fences by the unexpected hordes to the surreal arrival of National Guard helicopters with food and medical assistance for the impromptu city of 500,000.

Monterey Pop

Monterey Pop
8/10
Featuring performances by popular artists of the 1960s, this concert film highlights the music of the 1967 California festival. Although not all musicians who performed at the Monterey Pop Festival are on film, some of the notable acts include the Mamas and the Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, Jefferson Airplane, the Who, Otis Redding, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Hendrix's post-performance antics -- lighting a guitar on fire, breaking it and tossing a part into the audience -- are captured.

The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts

The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts
8.5/10
  • Genre: DocumentaryMusic
  • Release: 29/11/2009
  • Character: Himself (archive footage)
On October 29th and 30th, 2009, rock 'n' roll royalty held court at Madison Square Garden for what have been called 'the best concerts ever,' and 'where rock 'n' roll history was made.' The concerts featured a who's who of rock 'n' roll from the '50s to the '90s and included artists performing together in unprecedented combinations that will most likely never be witnessed again. 'The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Anniversary Concerts' included sets by Crosby, Stills & Nash; Stevie Wonder; Paul Simon; Simon & Garfunkel; Aretha Franklin; Metallica; U2; Jeff Beck and Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band. Joining this iconic line up on stage were special guests including: Jerry Lee Lewis, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Smokey Robinson, B.B. King, Annie Lennox, Lou Reed, John Fogerty, Mick Jagger, Fergie and others. A 4-hour special of the concerts aired on HBO to high ratings, and was seen by tens of millions. Now this historic event is available on DVD.

27: Gone Too Soon

27: Gone Too Soon
4.9/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 26/03/2018
  • Character: Himself (archive footage)
Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison all died at the age of 27 between 1969 and 1971. At the time, the coincidence gave rise to some comment, but it was not until the death of Kurt Cobain, about two and a half decades later, that the idea of a "27 Club" began to catch on in public perception, reignited with the death of Amy Winehouse in 2011. Through interviews with people who knew them, such as music stars, critics, medical experts and unseen footage, the lives, music, and artistry of those who died at 27 are investigated with a bid to find answers.

Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train a Comin'

Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train a Comin'
7.6/10
  • Genre: DocumentaryMusic
  • Release: 05/11/2013
  • Character: Self - Musician (archive footage)
An account of the short life of genius musician Jimi Hendrix (1942-70), probably the most talented and influential guitarist of the twentieth century: his humble beginnings in Seattle, his time in New York, his rise to fame in swinging London… Live fast, love hard, die young.

Jimi Plays Monterey

Jimi Plays Monterey
8.1/10
It's no exaggeration to say this might be the most intense and groundbreaking 45-minute performance in the history of rock. Jimi Hendrix's debut American set at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival is generally considered one of the most radical and legendary live shows ever. Virtually unknown to American audiences at the time, even though he was already an established entity in the UK, Hendrix and his two-piece Experience explode on stage, ripping through blues classics "Rock Me Baby" and Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor," interpreting and electrifying Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," debuting songs from his yet-to-be-released first album and closing with the now historic sacrificing/burning of his guitar during an unhinged version of "Wild Thing" that even its writer Chip Taylor would never have imagined. Hendrix uses feedback and distortion to enhance the songs in whisper-to-scream intensity, blazing territory that had not been previously explored with as much soul-frazzled power.

Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child

Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child
7.1/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 18/09/2010
  • Character: Self
Seattle, WA EMP brings viewers inside the ground-breaking story of one man, his music and the world that embraced him with the two-hour documentary special "Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child,"

Sound of the City: London 1964-73

Sound of the City: London 1964-73
6.4/10
Vintage film footage from the hey-day of the London's rock and roll scene. Interviews with rock artists and London's hippies and flower children.

Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church

Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church
7.5/10
  • Genre: DocumentaryMusic
  • Release: 04/09/2015
  • Character: Himself (archive footage)
This documentary unveils previously unseen footage of Jimi Hendrix's seminal performance at the 1970 Atlanta Pop Festival playing his greatest hits in front of 300,000 people. With interviews from Hendrix and his fellow musicians, including Paul McCartney and Mitch Mitchell, the insight they provide casts a new light into the musician's personality and genius at the juncture of this important cultural gathering, hailed as the 'Southern Woodstock'.

John Mayer: Someday I'll Fly

John Mayer: Someday I'll Fly
John Mayer: Someday I'll Fly chronicles the musical evolution of one of the most influential solo artists of his generation. Featuring rare demos, interviews and live performances; it is told in it's entirety from Mayer's perspective. Centered mostly on his career and professional accomplishments, Someday I'll Fly strips away the typical gossip surrounding Mayer to provide an intimate look at the life and career of a lauded musician. Produced and edited by Eastwood Allen

The Last 24 Hours: Jimi Hendrix

The Last 24 Hours: Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix became an over night sensation during the late 60s, however his fame didn’t last long after he tragically passed aged just 27, this tragedy became subject to a lot of controversy and there were lots of theories and rumours surrounding his death. This documentary offers an in-depth look at the artist's last 24 hours and attempts to clear the air surrounding his tragic passing, including appearances and testimonials from some of the people that knew him best.

Dusty

Dusty
  • Genre: DocumentaryMusic
  • Release: 02/05/1994
  • Character: Himself (archive footage)
A career retrospective celebrating the timeless music of one of the world's greatest singer–Dusty Springfield. For the first time, Dusty contributes to her own intriguing story with plenty of outrageous assistance from hosts Jennifer Sanders and Dawn French.

Jimi Plays Berkeley

Jimi Plays Berkeley
7.7/10
This rousing world-famous concert is regarded by critics to be one of Jimi Hendrix's finest performances ever. Taking footage from two separate performances at the Berkeley Community Theater on May 30th, 1970, these incendiary shows help illustrate the student uprisings in Berkeley, by setting footage to the stunning backdrop of some awe-inspiring Hendrix material. Tracks include "Purple Haze," "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," "Star Spangled Banner," "Hey Joe," and many others. This is a never-to-be-forgotten musical experience you will enjoy over and over again.

Play It Loud: The Story of Marshall

Play It Loud: The Story of Marshall
6.9/10
A history and tribute to British Jim Marshall's amplifiers, which since then became the standard of rock'n'roll amplifiers ever since.

Music, Money, Madness... Jimi Hendrix in Maui

Music, Money, Madness... Jimi Hendrix in Maui
The film chronicles the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s storied visit to Maui, their performance on the dormant lower crater of Haleakala volcano on the island and how the band became ensnared with the ill-fated Rainbow Bridge movie produced by their controversial manager Michael Jeffery. Directed by John McDermott and produced by Janie Hendrix, George Scott and McDermott, the documentary incorporates never before released original footage and new interviews with firsthand participants and key players such as Billy Cox, Eddie Kramer, Warner Bros. executives and several Rainbow Bridge cast members, as well as its director Chuck Wein.

Rainbow Bridge

Rainbow Bridge
5.9/10
A documentary about various singers, musicians, artists, astrologers, etc., who attended a "New Age" gathering in Maui, Hawaii.

Jimi Hendrix: The Road to Woodstock

Jimi Hendrix: The Road to Woodstock
6.8/10
The definitive documentary record of one of Jimi Hendrix's most celebrated performances. It includes such signature songs as Purple Haze, Voodoo Child (Slight Return) and his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, as well as interviews with Woodstock promoter Michael Lang and Hendrix band members Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox, Larry Lee and Juma Sultan among others.

Jimi Hendrix: The Uncut Story

Jimi Hendrix: The Uncut Story
7.6/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 08/09/2004
  • Character: himself
With the blessings of Jimi's biological family and many of his closest friends, Passport brings the life of Jimi Hendrix to light as never before. From his upbringing in Seattle to his final days in London, JIMI HENDRIX: THE UNCUT STORY goes beyond all previously released documentaries to explore the complete life-story behind the legendary artist.

Jimi Hendrix at the Isle of Wight

Jimi Hendrix at the Isle of Wight
7.7/10
Live at The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970. This was Hendrix's final performance in England. He died a few weeks later.

Popcorn

Popcorn
6.7/10
Over two dozen top-name acts make this 'audio/visual rock thing' come to life in a rock and roll journey that moves all over, from Katmandu to London's Royal Albert Hall; an in-depth, backstage interview with The Rolling Stones' leader Mick Jagger, Plus Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, Joe Cocker and many others, along with other features including a Twiggy fashion show.

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