Having professed his love for the Rolling Stones with numerous documentaries and concert films, Martin Scorsese switches his attention to their one-time fiercest rivals as the producer of Beatles '64.

Out. Nov. 29, the Disney+ original centers on the year when the Beatles replicated their UK success on the other side of the Atlantic, with their iconic performance in front of 73 million "The Ed Sullivan Show" viewers the undisputed catalyst.

Of course, Beatles '64  is far from the first doc on the Fab Four to boast such an Oscar-winning pedigree. Both Peter Jackson and Ron Howard have essentially bowed down and declared “We're not worthy” with screen displays of fandom in recent years. In fact, since the group dramatically went their separate ways in 1970, countless documentarians — some who lived through it, others who had to learn it — have tried to place the success of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Star in a wider context while finding new and interesting ways to tell their remarkable story.

So which are the documentary equivalents of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road (or whichever entry in the Liverpudlian' unrivaled back catalog is your ultimate)? From behind-the-scenes snapshots and musical deep dives, to intimate character portraits and star-studded retrospectives, here's a look at 10 documentaries any Beatles obsessive should have on their must-watch list. 

'Let It Be' (1970)

Eschewing the usual pop documentary conventions, the Oscar and GRAMMY-winnning Let It Be simply points the camera at the Beatles during the recording of their same-named final studio effort and lets the action naturally unfold. There are occasional glimpses of the tensions you'd expect from a band about to distintegrate; a fraught discussion about the guitar line on "Two of Us," for example, in which Harrison has to reassure McCartney that he's not being annoying (the guitarist's brief mid-sessions departure, however, is entirely omitted), and the moment which director Michael Lindsay-Hogg pithily described as Lennon dying of boredom. 

But the mood in the camp improved tenfold when the sessions moved from the decidedly frosty Twickenham Studios to the more inviting Apple HQ. Those studios became the site of an iconic rooftop concert in which the band delivered a triumphant, if resolutely windy, live farewell. Released just seven months before their official split, this was the Beatles at their rawest. 

Read more: 5 Lesser Known Facts About The Beatles' 'Let It Be' Era: Watch The Restored 1970 Film

'The Compleat Beatles' (1982)

What this two-hour ABC documentary lacks in correct grammar, it makes up for in fascinating behind-the-scenes footage and insightful commentaries from talking heads who experienced Beatlemania first-hand. Fellow Scouser Gerry Marsden, loyal Merseybeat journalist Bill Harry, and Cavern Club DJ Bob Wooler all have great stories to tell in the Malcolm McDowell-narrated special. But it's their first manager Allan Williams who steals the show with refreshingly unfiltered reminisces about their early Hamburg years. 

Viewers will also come away with a new-found respect for Harrison’s encouraging mother, an appreciation for the Beatles’ studio craft (producer George Martin comments how their abundance of creativity often left him exhausted), and a greater understanding of the sheer chaos that awaited the Fab Four faced whenever they took to the stage. And after seeing the trippy visuals created by director Patrick Montgomery, you'll never listen to "Tomorrow Never Knows" in quite the same way again.

'It Was Twenty Years Ago Today' (1987)

Named after the famous opening line from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, this 105-minute documentary explores how the historic concept album helped to usher in the second Summer of Love. First screened on ITV in the UK and then PBS on the other side of the Atlanic, It Was Twenty Years Ago Today invites some of the counterculture movement's most prominent names (including LSD advocate Timothy Leary, Yippie activist Abbie Hoffman, and poet Allan Ginsberg) to provide evidence. Ginsberg even puts his own unique spin on each of its 13 songs.

In contrast, McCartney and Harrison remain humble about their apparent ability to unify their generation — although both admit subscribing to the theory that "All You Need Is Love." A live performance of said track at the Monterey Pop Festival it was specially penned for only adds to the life-affirming vibes of this engaging alternative history lesson.  

'Imagine John Lennon' (1988)

Narrated from beyond the grave by the late Beatle, this all-encompassing doc was commissioned by his widower Yoko Ono, explaining why it delves into Lennon the man just as much as Lennon the musician. Candid interviews with his first wife Cynthia and his first-born Julian suggests the former wasn't always the ideal family guy. But unlike Albert Goldman’s hit-job biography which also emerged in late 1988, every facet of Lennon's complex personality is explored. Little-seen footage of an encounter with an inquisitive drifter, for example, proves he had a remarkable spirit of generosity.

Other Fab Four obsessives, meanwhile, will be most interested in holy grail moments such as an early rehearsal of "Imagine" and acoustic demo of then-unreleased "Real Love." The surviving Beatles, who didn't contribute to the film but gave their blessing, appeared to be just as wowed with what director Robert Solt constructed from over 100 hours of archive material. "A good lad he was," McCartney remarked about his ex-bandmate after one particularly emotional screening. 

"The Beatles Anthology" (1995)

First conceived in the 1970s as a feature film which would conclude with all four Beatles reunited on stage, this documentary project was revived in the mid-1990s as a TV series where all three surviving members reflected on their remarkable career. Interviewed by pianist Jools Holland over the course of three months, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr — then all in their fifties — provide a more subjective outlook on their remarkably impactful decade together, but their differing perspectives make for fascinating viewing.  Lennon, who was arguably the project's keenest voice, still gets his say in archival form.

Elsewhere, Martin, road manager Neil Aspinall, and press agent Derek Taylor help paint a more definitive picture. Of course, it was the two previously unfinished songs, "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love," that helped kickstart a new wave of Beatlemania which perfectly aligned with the movement known as Cool Britannia.  

'The Beatles Revolution' (2000)

Coinciding with the release of the Beatles' chart-topping #1s compilation, this turn-of-the-century ABC doc highlighted how the Fab Four's impact extended far beyond sales figures and Billboard positions. Anoushka Shankar argues that their Indian sojourn helped to popularize Middle Eastern mysticism. Bill Clinton claims their iconic appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" helped the nation recover from the assassination of JFK. Director and screenwriter Milos Forman even credits them with bringing down the fall of communism! 

Whether you agree with such bold statements or not, this two-hour televisual love letter — hosted by "The View's" Meredith Vieira — provides a fascinating insight into the Liverpudlians' cultural stranglehold. And it would take the hardest of hearts to not be moved by Mike Myers' recollections of crying at A Hard Day's Night, "Because I liked these guys so much and I wanted to go have fun with them."

'George Harrison: Living in the Material World' (2011)

Before producing the latest Beatles' doc, Scorsese dipped his toes into Merseyside waters for this engaging biopic of the band's unsung hero. Named after his 1973 solo album, Living in the Material World celebrates Harrison's contributions to the Beatles' lore — whether penning standards such as "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun" or steering their magical mystery tour to India.

The filmmaker is equally interested in the guitarist's life outside the quartet, from pioneering the all-star benefit gig with The Concert for Bangladesh to his pivotal role in producing films such as Withnail & I and The Life of Brian. Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and Jeff Lynne are just a few of the iconic talking heads who queue up to sing Harrison's praises, but it’s the interviews with his wife Olivia and son Dhani Harrison that lend Living in the Material World its heartfelt emotional core. 

'Eight Days A Week: The Touring Years' (2016)

Ron Howard's labor of love only spans from the Beatles' early Cavern Club beginnings to their deafening final live show at Shea Stadium. But the Fab Four crammed more touring into those four years than most of their peers would in four lifetimes. Indeed, the Best Music Film GRAMMY winner, which also raked in an impressive $12.3 million at the global box office, documents the Liverpudlians at their busiest and indeed their most public.

Alongside all the footage of their airport-hotel-stage repeat ad nauseam existence, Eight Days a Week also reflects on all the controversies they caused along the way, from their ill-fated trip to the Philippines to Lennon's claims they were "bigger than Jesus."

It certainly explains why the quartet decided to get off the treadmill at the peak of their powers. But thanks to electrifying live performances of "She Loves You," "Twist and Shout," and "Please Please Me," it also explains why they became such a phenomenon in the first place. 

"Get Back" (2021)

Adopting the restoration techniques of his wartime doc They Shall Not Grow Old and the mammoth running times of his Tolkien epics, Peter Jackson gave the Beatles' Let It Be sessions a new lease of life with this eight-hour treasure trove of archival footage. Unlike Lindsay-Hogg's 1970 effort, Get Back shows the origins and the aftermath of Harrison's short-lived exit from the group.

However, the tone of the three-part series — which has the support of all surviving Beatles and Beatles' widows — is more joyous and jovial. McCartney magically conjures up the title track on a whim, while Starr casually offers Ono some chewing gum, contradicting the accepted narrative that Lennon's other half was the bane of the band's later years. The five–time Emmy winner, which also presents the rooftop farewell in all its 42-minute glory, is that rare companion piece which proves to be just as vital as the original.

Read more: There's Not Much Left To Reveal About The Beatles' End. Let's Use The 'Get Back' Doc As A Manual For Moving Forward. 

"McCartney 3,2,1" (2021)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAkqy5QntGQ

"Dear Prudence" was written about Mia Farrow’s younger sister. "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" was recorded in front of the creator of the Moog. The piccolo trumpet on "Penny Lane" was inspired by a televised performance of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. These are just a few of the fascinating nuggets of information disclosed in Apple TV+'s joyously nerdy deep dive into McCartney's back catalog. 

In conversation with longtime fan Rick Rubin, the bassist makes for hugely engaging company across six half-hour episodes which shine new light on countless songs that have become part of the popcultural fabric. It's not just all talk, either. When the producer strips back  "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," exposing its bassline in all its surprisingly sludgy glory, even McCartney is taken aback at the sound that emanates. But perhaps the biggest surprise is the pitch-perfect impression that Macca delivers while recollecting a memorable backstage encounter with Little Richard.