Movies like A Private Collection (1972)
The best movies like A Private Collection (1972) are As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000), Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017) and Drew: The Man Behind the Poster (2013). If A Private Collection hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedI Am Heath Ledger (2017)7.4/10 from 233 votes
- NewestCome See Me in the Good Light (2025)Released 2025
- In FrenchThe Hairdresser (1905)Also in French
As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000)
A compilation of over 30 years of private home movie footage shot by Lithuanian-American avant-garde director Jonas Mekas, assembled by Mekas "purely by chance", without concern for chronological order.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEx Libris: The New York Public Library (2017)
A documentary about how a dominant cultural and demographic institution both sustains their traditional activities and adapts to the digital revolution.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDrew: The Man Behind the Poster (2013)
A documentary on legendary movie-poster artist Drew Struzan.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNaqoyqatsi (2002)
A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMemories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes (2021)
Serial killer Dennis Nilsen narrates his life and horrific crimes via a series of chilling audiotapes recorded from his jail cell.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCome See Me in the Good Light (2025)
In an intimate and joyful story of love in the face of loss, celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley find strength—and unexpected hilarity—in what might be their final year together.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBeing James Bond (2021)
Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15 year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the upcoming 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMy Mom Jayne (2025)
Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and complex woman.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisAvatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20 (2022)
An inside look at one of the most anticipated movie sequels ever with James Cameron and cast.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Curious Birth of Benjamin Button (2009)
A documentary about the making of David Fincher's 2008 film THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON. Virtually every element in the evolution of the Fincher's film is documented here, from the project's attachment to numerous other directors during the 1990s, to its shoot in 2006 and 2007 in New Orleans, to its complex, CGI-intensive postproduction process.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMcQueen (2018)
Alexander McQueen's rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale, laced with the gothic. Mirroring the savage beauty, boldness and vivacity of his design, this documentary is an intimate revelation of McQueen's own world, both tortured and inspired, which celebrates a radical and mesmerizing genius of profound influence.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisI Am Heath Ledger (2017)
The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAbove Majestic (2018)
A look at the origins, history and conspiracies behind the "Majestic 12", a clandestine group of military and corporate figureheads charged with reverse-engineering extraterrestrial technology.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (2012)
Alex Gibney explores the charged issue of pedophilia in the Catholic Church, following a trail from the first known protest against clerical sexual abuse in the United States and all way to the Vatican.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisExtremis (2016)
A purely observational non-fiction film that takes viewers into the ethically murky world of end-of-life decision making in a public hospital.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAnna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me (2023)
From the heights of her modeling fame to her tragic death, this documentary reveals Anna Nicole Smith through the eyes of the people closest to her.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFuck (2006)
A documentary on the expletive's origin, why it offends some people so deeply, and what can be gained from its use.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMaria by Callas (2017)
Told through performances, TV interviews, home movies, family photographs, private letters and unpublished memoirs, the film reveals the essence of an extraordinary woman who rose from humble beginnings in New York City to become a glamorous international superstar and one of the greatest artists of all time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSeduced and Abandoned (2013)
SEDUCED AND ABANDONED combines acting legend Alec Baldwin with director James Toback as they lead us on a troublesome and often hilarious journey of raising financing for their next feature film. Moving from director to financier to star actor, the two players provide us with a unique look behind the curtain at the world's biggest and most glamourous film festival, shining a light on the bitter-sweet relationship filmmakers have with Cannes and the film business. Featuring insights from directors Martin Scorsese, 'Bernando Bertolucci' and Roman Polanski; actors Ryan Gosling and Jessica Chastain and a host of film distribution luminaries.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisX-Rated: The Greatest Adult Movies of All Time (2015)
The evolution of adult cinema through the most influential films in history, a journey that begins in the 1970s and ends nowadays. An in-depth analysis of the success of the most prestigious erotic films, their impact on industry and society, and their influence on cinema and contemporary culture.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPrincely Toys: One Man's Private Kingdom (1976)
A made for TV BBC documentary exploring Jack Donovan's antique automaton collection. The documentary focuses on the toys themselves, displaying their range of movements in plain settings while the narrator weaves stories and comments about them to the synth sounds of library music.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Bad Boys Ball (1995)
This spectacular presentation of the legendary British live sex show (The Bad Boys Ball) features legendary American superstar Kris Lord, the ever-popular muscle-God Tom Katt, Falcon fave Jeff Hammond, and bodybuilder Rev Sutton strutting their stuff live onstage at London’s Love Muscle gay nightclub. Bad Boy's Ball mixes the live show with rare, behind the scenes interviews that create a revealing expose of these gorgeous talents. The highlight of the show is the unprecedented Kris Lord, whose fantasy finale is set in a Roman Orgy, featuring stunning toga clad gods!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Europe in the Raw (1963)
Russ Meyer's documentary about the underground vice world of Europe.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Tents (2012)
Each year, tents in Bryant Park herald New York Fashion Week, whose back story is as fascinating as the couture on the catwalk. Fashion's biggest names share the sometimes shocking, often funny rags-to-riches evolution of the iconic event.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Hairdresser (1905)
A partially nude woman fixes and brushes her hair.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Chères vieilles choses (1957)
Georges Delerue (composer). Commentary written by Boris Vian (under his pseudonym Michel Arras) and spoken by Jacques Mauclair. Jacques Rivette: …Chères vieilles choses, de Raymond Vogel, film imparfait, zigzagant, inégal, mais qui, dans les marges d'un essai sans imprévu sur le monde des collectionneurs, sait esquisser en mineur une sorte de phénoménologie amusante du décor et de la possession. (Arts n° 646) (auto-translation:) Jacques Rivette: ...Chères vieilles choses, by Raymond Vogel, an imperfect, zigzagging, uneven film, which, in the margins of an unexpected essay on the world of collectors, sketches out a kind of amusing phenomenology of decoration and possession. (Arts n° 646)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Shed Seven - Universal Masters Collection (1994)
The discography of Shed Seven, English indie rock band from York, consists of four studio albums, three live albums, four compilations, three videos, one extended plays and seventeen singles.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Venus on the Half-Shell (1975)
Borowczyk’s portrait of the painter Bona Tibertelli de Pisis and her erotic fusions of men, women and molluscs.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
People's Stuff (1992)
People's Stuff is a document of six collectors of unusual objects. Creating an environment for storytelling, the subjects reveal inner dreams and motivations as they share both their collections and their lives with the viewer. Charmaine Burrell collects Purple Cows. Fred Crane, Professor Emeritus of Musicology at the University of Iowa, collects jaw harps (he calls the instrument a trump). George Preston collected commercial signs. Ruth Rasmussen is in the Guinness Book of World Records for her salt and pepper shaker collection. Irene Redfearn collects sea shells and Craig Starr, spark plugs. Ruth Rasmussen is in the Guinness Book of World Records for her salt and pepper shaker collection. Irene Redfearn collects sea shells and Craig Starr, spark plugs.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Flesh Gordon (1974)
Emperor Wang (the Perverted) is leader of the planet Porno and sends his mighty "Sex Ray" towards Earth, turning everyone into sex-mad fiends. Only one man can save the Earth, football player Flesh Gordon. Along with his girlfriend Dale Ardor and Professor Flexi-Jerkoff, they set off towards the source of the Sex Ray, unaware of the perils that face them!
Why it matches: Similar story and style
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like A Private Collection?
The closest matches to A Private Collection are As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000), Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017) and Drew: The Man Behind the Poster (2013). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after A Private Collection?
Start with As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000), the closest match to A Private Collection.
What is the highest-rated movie like A Private Collection?
I Am Heath Ledger (2017), rated 7.4/10 by 233 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like A Private Collection?
Come See Me in the Good Light (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there French movies like A Private Collection?
Yes: The Hairdresser (1905), Chères vieilles choses (1957) and Venus on the Half-Shell (1975).
How are movies similar to A Private Collection chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside A Private Collection, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.