The best Yōko Ono’s music movies
If you love cinema, you will share this ranking of the best Yōko Ono’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 Yōko Ono.
Let It Be
7.7/10
Documentary film about The Beatles rehearsing and recording songs for the album Let It Be in January 1969. The film features an unannounced rooftop concert by the group, their last performance in public. Released just after the album, it was the final original Beatles release. This film has not been commercially available since the 1980s.
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
8.1/10
Director Martin Scorsese profiles former Beatle George Harrison in this reverent portrait that mixes interviews and archival footage, featuring commentary from the likes of Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and Yoko Ono.
Imagine: John Lennon
7.8/10
The biography of former Beatle, John Lennon—narrated by Lennon himself—with extensive material from Yoko Ono's personal collection, previously unseen footage from Lennon's private archives, and interviews with David Bowie, his first wife Cynthia, second wife Yoko Ono and sons Julian and Sean.
It Was Fifty Years Ago Today! The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper & Beyond
5.5/10
Featuring interviews with former employees, fellow musicians, family members and journalists, and supported by original and exclusive never-seen-before footage, this star-studded rockumentary offers a fascinating insight into the creation and recording of one of the most ground-breaking and influential albums in pop history.
How the Beatles Changed the World
6.8/10
The fascinating story of the cultural, social, spiritual, and musical revolution ignited by the coming of the Beatles. Tracing the impact that these four band members had, first in their native Britain and soon after worldwide, it reappraises the band and follows their path from young subversives to countercultural heroes. Featuring fresh, revealing interviews with key collaborators as well as a wealth of rarely-seen archival footage, this is a bold new take on the most significant band in the history of music and their enduring impact on popular culture.
Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer
7/10
In the winter of 2011, after a controversial election, Vladimir Putin was reinstalled as president of Russia. In response, hundreds of thousands of citizens rose up all over the country to challenge the legitimacy of Putin’s rule. Among them were a group of young, radical-feminist punk rockers, better known as Pussy Riot. Wearing colored balaclavas, tights, and summer dresses, they entered Moscow’s most venerated cathedral and dared to sing “Mother Mary, Banish Putin!” Now they have become victims of a “show” trial.
Imagine
7.3/10
A surreal, half-fiction, half real life footage of a day in the life of John lennon and Yoko Ono, composed to music from John's historic 'Imagine' album and Yoko's 'Fly'.
The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus
7.6/10
A 1968 event put together by The Rolling Stones. The film is comprised of two concerts on a circus stage and included such acts as The Who, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, and Jethro Tull. John Lennon and his fiancee Yoko Ono performed as part of a supergroup called The Dirty Mac, along with Eric Clapton, Mitch Mitchell, and Keith Richards.
Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?)
7.6/10
The documentary explores the enigmatic life and music of Harry Nilsson in an attempt to answer the question, "Who is Harry Nilsson?" The film includes new and archive audio and film including interviews with Robin Williams, Yoko Ono, Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman, Ray Cooper, the Smothers Brothers, and Micky Dolenz. "Who is Harry Nilsson?" uses promotional films, music videos, and home movies; segments from the unreleased documentary made during the recording of Son of Schmilsson (Did Somebody Drop His Mouse?); and excerpts from Nilsson's rare TV appearances in his BBC specials, the "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour", "Playboy After Dark", and in an episode of "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir".
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
7.9/10
Music documentary directed by Patrick T. Kelly.
John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky
7.4/10
Film telling the untold story of John Lennon's 1971 album Imagine, exploring the creative collaboration between Lennon and Yoko Ono and featuring interviews and never-seen-before footage.
John Lennon: Love is All You Need
This incredible documentary features in-depth contributions from wives Yoko Ono and Cynthia Lennon, son Julian Lennon and many previously unseen interviews with John himself. Through rare footage, we learn of his rise to fame with the Beatles, his divorce from Cynthia, his first meeting with Yoko, split-up of the band, and his decision to become a solo artist and advocate for world peace.
Beatles Biggest Secrets
4.4/10
Featuring new and exclusive interviews, Beatles' Biggest Secrets, reveals the inside story of the world's greatest pop group with explosive revelations about the extraordinary lives of Liverpool's favorite sons. From the band's formation and early exposure to the gritty world of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll in the dingy strip clubs of Hamburg, Germany, the program then travels forward through the Beatles' careers with shocking surprises about their relationships with each other, their women and their inner circle. Filled with interviews from friends, relatives, colleagues and former girlfriends as well as rare film footage and original artwork by artist Klaus Voormann, this is the first fully rounded Beatles portrait to appear on DVD. This is the Beatles at their best -- and their worst!
John Lennon: Live In New York City
7/10
August 30, 1972, John Lennon and Yoko Ono backed by The Plastic Ono Elephant's Memory Band, played a benefit concert to raise money for mentally handicapped children. It was their last concert together.
John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band: Sweet Toronto
Sweet Toronto is a documentary by D.A. Pennebaker of the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, a one day festival held September 13, 1969 at Varsity Stadium on the campus of the University of Toronto and attended by some 20,000 persons. John Lennon played as part of the Plastic Ono Band, whose members also included Yoko Ono, Klaus Voorman, Alan White, and Eric Clapton. The video also features a selection of other acts: Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Bo Diddley.
John Cage: I Have Nothing to Say and I Am Saying It
7.3/10
This 56-minute documentary on America's most controversial and unique composer manages to cover a great many aspects of Cage's work and thought. His love for mushrooms, his Zen beliefs and use of the I Ching, and basic bio details are all explained intelligently and dynamically. Black Mountain, Buckminster Fuller, Rauschenberg, Duchamp are mentioned. Yoko Ono, John Rockwell, Laurie Anderson, Richard Kostelanetz make appearances. Fascinating performance sequences include Margaret Leng-Tan performing on prepared piano, Merce Cunningham and company, and performances of Credo In Us, Water Music, and Third Construction. Demystifies the man who made music from silence, from all sounds, from life.
Lennon's Last Weekend
6.4/10
In December 1980, John Lennon and Yoko Ono had not spoken to the media for more than five years. With a new album to promote Lennon was prepared to speak in New York to Radio One D.J. Andy Peebles of the BBC. John surprised everyone by candidly discussing a variety of subjects he'd never spoken of before including The Beatles break-up, his relationship with Paul McCartney, his battles with addiction, political issues in the US and UK, his family and his homesickness for Liverpool. Lennon's heartfelt honesty and forthright revelations make this film all the more potent as he was brutally shot and murdered 48 hours later. John Lennon was just 40 years of age when he died. December 2020 is the 40th anniversary of his death. He would have been 80 years of age.
Pink Floyd London '66-'67
6.7/10
Shot by movie maestro Peter Whitehead, this film features rare full length performances from the classic late 60's Pink Floyd line-up at Sound Techniques London & material from the legendary '14 hour Technicolor Dream' extravaganza in April '67 at Alexandra Palace.
Yoko Ono: Then and Now
An in-depth look at one of the world's most controversial artists. This personal narrative features numerous songs by both Yoko and her late husband, John Lennon. These include "Imagine," "Give Peace a Chance," and "Walking on Thin Ice."
The One to One Concert
6.8/10
August 30, 1972 benefit concert at Madison Square Garden for the victims of Willowbrook. John Lennon, Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Elephant's Memory Band headliine along with opening acts Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack and Sha Na Na plus appearances by Geraldo Rivera, David Peel and Melanie Safka.
