Led Zeppelin: What to Watch if You Love the Band
Led Zeppelin broke up in 1980, but there are many things to watch that feature the band. Whether a movie features their music, interviews with former band members, or a comprehensive look at their time as a group, there are a number of films for fans of the band. Here are five movies that fans of Led Zeppelin should watch.
‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’
The 2021 documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin follows Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, and Robert Plant from their early days as musicians, to forming a band in 1968, to their atmospheric rise to fame in 1970. It features interviews with Page, Jones, and Plant, as well as previously unseen archival interviews with Bonham. This was the first official documentary about the band.
“When I saw everything Bernard [MacMahon, the director] had done both visually and sonically on the remarkable achievement that is American Epic, I knew he would be qualified to tell our story,” Page said, per Deadline.
This film is not currently available to stream, but keep an eye out for its release as it’s one of the most comprehensive looks at the band.
‘It Might Get Loud’
The 2008 documentary It Might Get Loud does not specifically focus on Led Zeppelin, but it does explore Page’s career. The film follows the lives and careers of three prominent guitarists, Page, The Edge, and Jack White.
Not only does the film follow each musician’s life and career, but it also shows them meeting to discuss their technique and inspirations. They also play some of their songs, closing out with a cover of The Band’s “The Weight.”
‘Celebration Day’
In 2007, the remaining members of Led Zeppelin reunited for a show commemorating the life of music executive Ahmet Ertegun. Their performance, which was well-received at the time, was professionally filmed, but it took until 2012 for it to be publicly released as the film Celebration Day.
The concert film gives fans an opportunity to see a stellar and more recent reunion between the members of Led Zeppelin. While Bonham died in 1980, his son, Jason Bonham, stepped in as the drummer. The over two-hour set included their best-known songs and was their first time playing a headlining show since 1980.
‘Robert Plant: By Myself’
Since Led Zeppelin broke up, Plant has had an illustrious solo career. He has collaborated with a number of musicians and shifted from rock to bluesy Americana. The 2010 film Robert Plant: By Myself tracks Plant’s professional career from his days with Led Zeppelin to his work with Band of Joy and Alison Krauss.
While the movie, which has an hour runtime, is short, it provides valuable insight into Plant’s lengthy career. He has successfully continued to make well-loved music for decades, and the film shows how he did it.
‘School of Rock’
While none of the members of Led Zeppelin appear in School of Rock, “The Immigrant Song” appears in one of the movie’s key scenes. The members of Led Zeppelin are notoriously picky about the media they allow to use their music. Jack Black even had to make a direct appeal to the band to let them use the song.
The reason School of Rock is on this list is that Plant said he appreciates what the movie did for the song.
“I like the idea of taking the hammer to another time,” he told Vulture in 2023. “Jack Black made a magnificent meal of it. It’s a killer guitar riff. What a shame ‘Immigrant Song’ isn’t easy for kids to play, by the way. Everyone gets it, young and old. It’s a great song. Not only slightly ridiculous but ridiculous.”
