The Beatles' films, ranked

Elvis Presley was one of The Beatles' biggest influences, and the King of Rock 'n' Roll sometimes made films. Shortly after the Fab Four took the world by storm, appearing to the largest TV audience on The Ed Sullivan Show and single-handedly starting the British Invasion, they decided to follow in their idol's footsteps and make a movie.

'Let It Be' (1970)

Many Beatles fans would put Magical Mystery Tour last on this list, but there's a pretty important reason why Let It Be takes its place. The 1970 film does not paint The Beatles in the best light. Michael Lindsay-Hogg filmed the band for hours as they recorded Let It Be but chose to include their tenser moments.

The band was on the brink of splitting up and was constantly fighting. George Harrison even quit the band briefly. If it wasn't for Peter Jackson's recent relook at Lindsay-Hogg's footage in his three-part documentary, The Beatles: Get Back, fans wouldn't know that the band's time in the studio wasn't as horrible as they thought.

'Magical Mystery Tour' (1967)

Magical Mystery Tour is one of The Beatles' most forgotten films. The movie reeks of 1960s psychedelia but is downright strange in most scenes. None of the band looks terribly interested. The film didn't even get a theatrical release, and when it did hit television, it was broadcast in black and white, so many of the colorful scenes were lost on audiences.

'Yellow Submarine' (1968)

Yellow Submarine is primarily a children's film but is nostalgic for adults too. Unlike Magical Mystery Tour, the cartoon hit the big screen in color. It played an essential part in the 1960's psychedelic culture. The Beatles didn't play a huge part in the making of the movie, but it's memorable nonetheless.

'Help!' (1965)

The Beatles' second film, Help!, is one of their best. Their acting is a bit better than in A Hard Day's Night, and the story is even stronger. The movie is like The Beatles' version of a James Bond film. It's silly but highly entertaining, especially when they take the time to sing some tunes.

'A Hard Day's Night'

A Hard Day's Night is a quintessential Beatles film. The scriptwriter and director shadowed The Beatles to better understand who they were and how they operated as a band. However, they took some creative licenses. The film exaggerates The Beatles' lives as they navigated Beatlemania, but it perfectly showcases the group's music and real-life wittiness.

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