Best Documentary Movies of the 1960s
The top 50 of 273 documentary movies released in the 1960s, ranked by smart score, updated October 24, 2026.
- 1
7.78.2 · 301 votes - 2
Bob Dylan – Don't Look Back 1967Directed by D. A. Pennebaker · Streaming on HBO Max, Shout! Factory TV, YouTube Free7.07.4 · 184 votes - 3
7.07.5 · 159 votes - 4
6.97.3 · 155 votes - 5
Monterey Pop 1968Directed by D. A. Pennebaker · Streaming on HBO Max, Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory TV6.87.4 · 101 votes - 6
The Endless Summer 1966Directed by Bruce Brown · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, The Roku Channel6.87.2 · 140 votes - 7
6.77.2 · 122 votes - 8
6.78.0 · 42 votes - 9
6.77.2 · 105 votes - 10
6.77.7 · 51 votes - 11
6.67.5 · 58 votes - 12
6.67.1 · 101 votes - 13
6.67.2 · 78 votes - 14
6.67.3 · 61 votes - 15
6.57.2 · 58 votes - 16
6.47.0 · 60 votes - 17
6.47.9 · 23 votes - 18
6.48.0 · 20 votes - 19
6.46.9 · 67 votes - 20
6.47.0 · 53 votes - 21
6.47.3 · 32 votes - 22
6.48.8 · 12 votes - 23
6.47.1 · 39 votes - 24
6.47.7 · 21 votes - 25
6.47.3 · 29 votes - 26
6.47.1 · 36 votes - 27
In the Year of the Pig 1969Directed by Emile de Antonio · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, Criterion Channel6.37.1 · 33 votes - 28
6.37.2 · 28 votes - 29
6.37.3 · 24 votes - 30
6.37.5 · 19 votes - 31
6.37.7 · 16 votes - 32
6.37.1 · 28 votes - 33
6.37.2 · 24 votes - 34
6.37.0 · 29 votes - 35
6.38.1 · 11 votes - 36
6.36.9 · 32 votes - 37
6.37.2 · 20 votes - 38
6.37.5 · 15 votes - 39
6.27.0 · 24 votes - 40
6.27.3 · 17 votes - 41
6.27.0 · 23 votes - 42
6.26.8 · 31 votes - 43
6.26.9 · 26 votes - 44
6.27.3 · 16 votes - 45
6.26.9 · 25 votes - 46
6.26.6 · 45 votes - 47
6.27.5 · 13 votes - 48
6.27.1 · 18 votes - 49
Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment 1963Directed by Robert Drew · Streaming on Criterion Channel, HBO Max6.26.9 · 23 votes - 50
6.27.0 · 20 votes
Smart score = (votes × rating + 82 × 6.03) ÷ (votes + 82): the TMDB rating, pulled toward the catalog average as if every film had 82 extra average votes.
Hidden gems
Highly rated but with 16 votes or fewer (the median for this list), ranked with a lighter prior of 11 votes so smaller films can show.
- 1
6.27.6 · 10 votes - 2
6.27.4 · 13 votes - 3
6.27.3 · 14 votes - 4
6.27.3 · 14 votes - 5
6.27.5 · 10 votes - 6
6.27.5 · 10 votes - 7
6.27.4 · 11 votes - 8
6.27.3 · 12 votes - 9
6.27.2 · 11 votes - 10
6.27.2 · 11 votes
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