While some people just want to hear the music and don’t really care about what goes on behind the scenes, there are plenty of fans who want to know how the song sausage gets made, so to speak. That’s why music documentaries never seem to go out of style. While some docs take a different approach, the most common method of making such movies is for the filmmakers to try to provide some sort of backstage look at the artist or artists in question. Let’s take a look at five documentaries that have been released through the years that have managed to do this exceedingly well.
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1. Don’t Look Back (1967)
Bob Dylan tended to blaze trails in a lot of ways, so leave it to him to be among the first to give audiences a look beyond the stage and into his day-to-day activity.
The timing of that activity is what makes this movie so special, as director D.A. Pennebaker was given access to Dylan while he was touring the United Kingdom in 1965. Those were the famous (or infamous, depending on how you view it) shows where Dylan would perform the first half of his set acoustically and then bring out the guitars and his backing group (The Hawks, who would later morph into The Band) for an electric second set.
In other words, Don’t Look Back captures an important piece of rock and roll history, when Dylan essentially told audiences what they needed to hear rather than have them dictate what they wanted to hear. The doc also features Dylan managing to be cryptic and elusive even as he’s granting full access; it’s worth the price of admission just for the way he spars with reporters and fans. If that doesn’t clinch it, there’s also the famous sign-turning video for “Subterranean Homesick Blues” included as a kicker.
2. The Last Waltz (1978)
If The Last Waltz were just a concert film, it still would have been one of the best rock docs of all time. After all, where else can you see luminaries like Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, and so many more on the same stage? Not to mention the mesmerizing performances by The Band in their farewell concert.
[RELATED: Bob Dylan Pays Tribute to “Lifelong Friend” Robbie Robertson]
But what really sells the film are the interview segments conducted by director Martin Scorsese with The Band as they reminisce about their time together—from their hardscrabble beginnings as a Canadian outfit barnstorming through the American South, to their time with Dylan, to their final act as headliners.
In a way, The Last Waltz provides an education for anyone wanting to know what the ‘70s rock scene was all about, and how it came to be that way. As much as the performances sizzle, perhaps the most indelible moment of the movie comes when The Band’s Robbie Robertson sums up the music business as an “impossible way of life.”
3. Truth or Dare (1991)
Madonna was at the absolute peak of her powers when she decided to bring a documentary crew, led by director Alex Keshishian, along on her Blonde Ambition Tour in 1990. As has been the case with just about every aspect of her career, she wasn’t about to do this production halfway. Hence, Truth or Dare took the backstage music doc to another level, with Madonna fearlessly depicting her life away from the arenas, as well as inside it.
It was a different side to the performer, who many only knew at the time through her videos. After watching the film, it’s easy to understand why she became such a superstar, so electrifying and indefatigable is her spirit. But Truth or Dare also shines because it shows the humanity behind a woman who’s usually characterized as a world-conquering juggernaut.
4. 20 Feet from Stardom (2013)
In some ways, this might be the ultimate behind-the-scenes music documentary, because the performers profiled do their work well out of the spotlight—a shame because of how extremely talented they are.
20 Feet from Stardom, directed by Morgan Neville, tells the story of some of the most respected backup singers in the history of rock and soul. Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, and the others who are interviewed here often made definitive contributions to classic songs—without the listening public knowing about it (save for those truest of fans who sought out credit information on album sleeves). They tell stories about those songs, but it’s the tales of their efforts to strike out on their own that lend this documentary such power.
In most cases, the music they made as featured artists failed to break through, often for reasons as mundane as discrimination or lack of industry support. Their resilience and determination to make it to the top leaves an impact just as great as their indelible vocals.
5. The Beatles: Get Back (2021)
Just when we thought there was nothing new under the sun to learn about the Fab Four, along came director Peter Jackson with a treasure trove of unseen footage shot during the making of the 1970 documentary Let It Be.
That original doc was infamous for showing the group at their wits’ end as they tried to complete a new album and film at the same time (and with seemingly little enthusiasm shown for either project). Jackson’s doc changes the storyline somewhat.
The strain of it all is still made evident by the famous row between Paul McCartney and George Harrison, as well as by the amazing audio of John Lennon dressing down Macca in a conversation caught by a hidden microphone.
But Jackson’s doc also puts a finer point on the camaraderie between the quartet. There’s a lot of laughter in between jamming on those then-new songs. Maybe Lennon was putting on a good face for the camera, but his mugging provides engaging counterbalance to McCartney’s sharp focus. And don’t forget about the exciting music taking place; the band’s last-ever live performance (the “rooftop concert”) is shown in its entirety; and there’s an incredible moment depicted where McCartney seems to will the song “Get Back” into existence while Harrison and Ringo Starr stand back in awe.
Photo by Dave Hogan/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
