Movies like Such Was the S.O. 36 (1984)
The best movies like Such Was the S.O. 36 (1984) are The Decline of Western Civilization (1981), The Decline of Western Civilization Part III (1998) and Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022). If Such Was the S.O. 36 hooked you with its documentary and music, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedSelena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)8.4/10 from 623 votes
- NewestOasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)Released 2026
- In GermanRammstein in Amerika (2015)Also in German
The Decline of Western Civilization (1981)
The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Decline of Western Civilization Part III (1998)
A musical study of Los Angeles in the late 90s, where homeless teens roam the streets and profess to live a punk lifestyle of music, drugs, and flouting authority.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSelena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)
After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisOasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)
Experience the meteoric rise of Oasis through rare footage and untold stories as the band reunites for Oasis Live '25, chronicling their journey from Manchester streets to global rock stardom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)
An exploration of the heavy metal scene in Los Angeles, with particular emphasis on glam metal. It features concert footage and interviews of legendary heavy metal and hard rock bands and artists such as Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Megadeth, Motörhead, Ozzy Osbourne and W.A.S.P..
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisJustin Bieber's Believe (2013)
A backstage and on-stage look at Justin Bieber during his rise to super stardom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBad Reputation (2018)
The life and career of rock n' roll icon Joan Jett from her early years ripping it up onstage as the founder and backbone of hard-rock legends The Runaways, to her long time collaboration with Kenny Laguna as Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, and her enduring presence in pop culture as a rock pioneer and mentor. With her inimitable singles "I Love Rock n Roll," and "Bad Reputation" Joan Jett inspired a generation of young women to rock.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisB-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989 (2015)
The wild West Berlin of the 1980s became the creative melting pot of pop subcultures: music, art and chaos. Before the Iron Curtain fell, anything and everything seemed possible.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisA Band Called Death (2013)
Before Bad Brains, the Sex Pistols or even the Ramones, there was Death. Formed in the early '70s by three teenage brothers from Detroit, Death is credited as being the first black punk band, and the Hackney brothers, David, Bobby, and Dannis, are now considered pioneers in their field. But it wasn’t until recently — when a dusty 1974 demo tape made its way out of Bobby’s attic nearly 30 years after Death’s heyday — that anyone outside a small group of punk enthusiasts had even heard of them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Who: The Kids Are Alright (1979)
Through concert performances and interviews, this film offers us a comprehensive look at the British pioneer rock group, The Who. It captures their zany craziness and outrageous antics from the initial formation of the group in 1964 to 1978. It notably features the band's last performance with long-term drummer Keith Moon, filmed at Shepperton Studios in May 1978, three months before his death.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Beach Boys (2024)
A celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Stone Roses: Made of Stone (2013)
A documentary about the English alternative rock band, The Stone Roses. Meadows interweaves archive film, intimate behind-the-scenes footage and never-before-seen material, delivering the definitive account of the band and their music. He was also granted unprecedented access to their rehearsals for the summer 2012 Manchester concerts. A momentous occasion in modern music, these were the first gigs performed by The Stone Roses in 16 years.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisIron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026)
With unprecedented access to the official archives and intimate recollections from the band, both current and past, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition invites fans to experience one of the most iconic journeys in music history. Spanning five decades, this electrifying documentary charts the band’s rise from the pubs of East London to the world’s biggest stadiums. Featuring exclusive interviews with band members and contributors such as Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Chuck D, as well as all-new animated sequences of the band's legendary mascot, Eddie, the film offers a rare and intimate look at Iron Maiden’s uncompromising vision and unwavering connection with their truly global army of fans.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisStop Making Sense (1984)
A concert film documenting Talking Heads at the height of their popularity, on tour for their 1983 album "Speaking in Tongues." The band takes the stage one by one and is joined by a cadre of guest musicians for a career-spanning and cinematic performance that features creative choreography and visuals.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisDaft Punk Unchained (2015)
Daft Punk Unchained is the first film about the pop culture phenomenon that is Daft Punk, the duo with 12 million albums sold worldwide and seven Grammy Awards. Throughout their career Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo have always resisted compromise and the established codes of show business. They have remained determined to maintain control of every link in the chain of their creative process. In the era of globalisation and social networks, they rarely speak in public and neither do they show their faces on TV. This documentary explores this unprecedented cultural revolution revealing a duo of artists on a permanent quest for creativity, independence and freedom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHated: GG Allin and The Murder Junkies (1993)
An overview of the life of the most shocking, vile, and notorious of punk rock legends.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRammstein in Amerika (2015)
The concert film celebrates the band’s legendary show in New York’s Madison Square Garden – Rammstein’s return to the US after a ten-year absence. In HD and 5.1 surround sound. For the documentary, Rammstein provided extensive, previously unreleased footage and photos from the band archive. In numerous interviews from various periods in the band’s history, the band members speak about their experiences across the Atlantic.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisRoger Waters: The Wall - Live in Berlin (1990)
A global television broadcast of the event in which former Pink Floyd leader singer and composer Roger Waters led an all-star cast in a mammoth benefit performance of his acclaimed concept album, The Wall. Set in Berlin, Germany less than a year after the destruction of the hated Berlin Wall, Waters was accompanied by disparate talents such as Cyndi Lauper, James Galway, Joni Mitchell and Albert Finney in the classic dark musical tale of a rock star's descent into madness and back.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisLive Aid (1985)
Live Aid was held on 13 July 1985, simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, and the John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, United States. It was one of the largest scale satellite link-ups and television broadcasts of all time: watched live by an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion, across 150 nations. "It's twelve noon in London, seven AM in Philadelphia, and around the world it's time for Live Aid...!"
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisGimme Danger (2016)
No other band in rock'n'roll history has rivaled The Stooges' combination of heavy primal throb, spiked psychedelia, blues-a-billy grind, complete with succinct angst-ridden lyrics, and a snarling, preening leopard of a frontman who somehow embodies Nijinsky, Bruce Lee, Harpo Marx, and Arthur Rimbaud all rolled into one. There is no precedent for The Stooges, while those inspired by them are now legion. The film will present the context of their emergence musically, culturally, politically, historically, and relate their adventures and misadventures while charting their inspirations and the reasons behind their initial commercial challenges, as well as their long-lasting legacy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisInvisible Nation (2006)
A documentary about vivid punk and alternative rock scene of Subotica, the northernmost Serbian city, through the periods of communism, tyranny of the 1990s regime, and economic transition at the beginning of XXI century. Seen through the eyes of its witnesses, these musicians and creative artists deliberately refused the imposed way of behavior, hence staying "invisible" to everyday people.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Ian Dury and the Blockheads: Live at Luton (1999)
In one of his last gigs, Ian Dury performs in concert with The Blockheads at Venue 27 in Luton. Hits include Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3, Mash It Up Harry and Bus Drivers' Prayer. First broadcast 28 March 2004
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Punk: Attitude (2005)
From London's 1970 mod scene to Sonic Youth, punk music has always been about attitude and anarchy. This comprehensive rockumentary traces the roots of punk, from The Velvet Underground and the New York Dolls to the Sex Pistols and The Clash.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Green Day: Bullet in a Bible (2005)
Bullet in a Bible documents one of the two biggest shows that Green Day have performed in their career. They played in front of a crowd of over 130,000 people at the Milton Keynes National Bowl in United Kingdom on June 18–19, 2005. The band was supported by Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, and Hard-Fi during their American Idiot world tour. Fourteen of the twenty songs performed at these shows were included on the disc; missing out "Jaded", "Knowledge", "She", "Maria", "Homecoming" and "We Are The Champions". Bullet in a Bible was released as a double-LP set on November 10, 2009, as part of the band's 2009 vinyl re-release campaign.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Urgh! A Music War (1981)
Urgh! A Music War is a British film released in 1982 featuring performances by punk rock, new wave, and post-punk acts, filmed in 1980. Among the artists featured in the movie are Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Magazine, The Go-Go's, Toyah Willcox, The Fleshtones, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, X, XTC, Devo, The Cramps, Oingo Boingo, Dead Kennedys, Gary Numan, Klaus Nomi, Wall of Voodoo, Pere Ubu, Steel Pulse, Surf Punks, 999, UB40, Echo & the Bunnymen and The Police. These were many of the most popular groups on the New Wave scene; in keeping with the spirit of the scene, the film also features several less famous acts, and one completely obscure group, Invisible Sex, in what appears to be their only public performance.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music & documentary
Dead Kennedys: DMPO's on Broadway (1985)
This 58 minute DVD video is one of the Dead Kennedy's last ever live concerts, captured on film just months before their breakup in 1984. This 14-song performance at San Francisco's On Broadway catches Jello and company at the height of their punk powers.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music & documentary
Dead Kennedys: The Early Years Live (1987)
An overview of the early years--late 1970s, early 1980s--of San Francisco punk band Dead Kennedys, with clips from some of their live concerts and footage of landmark San Francisco locations of the punk music scene. Jello Biafra and The Dead Kennedys show why they're the kings of satire in 9 live early performances.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
The Fall: The Wonderful and Frightening World of Mark E. Smith (2005)
A 1-hour Documentary looking at the Manchester post-punk group and its infamous leader Mark E Smith. The Film follows the current band recording their final Session for the John Peel Show (they were his favourite group and recorded more sessions than any other band) as well as chronicling the chaotic history of the band & its numerous line-up changes.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Instrument (1999)
The band Fugazi is documented over a period of more than ten years (1987-1998) through performance footage and interviews with the band and their fans. Director Jem Cohen's relationship with band member Ian MacKaye extends back to the 1970s when the two met in high school in Washington, D.C.. The film takes its title from the Fugazi song of the same name, from their 1993 album, In on the Kill Taker. Editing of the film was done by both Cohen and the members of the band over the course of five years. It was shot from 1987 through 1998 on super 8, 16mm and video and is composed mainly of footage of concerts, interviews with the band members, practices, tours and time spent in the studio recording their 1995 album, Red Medicine. The film also includes portraits of fans as well as interviews with them at various Fugazi shows around the United States throughout the years.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
The Godfathers of Hardcore (2018)
Documentary following Roger Miret and Vinnie Stigma of the band, Agnostic Front who played a key role in defining, shaping and establishing the sound and cultural code of conduct for the still-thriving movement. Unlike the dozens of bands that have come and gone, Agnostic Front is still going strong.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Such Was the S.O. 36?
The closest matches to Such Was the S.O. 36 are The Decline of Western Civilization (1981), The Decline of Western Civilization Part III (1998) and Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Such Was the S.O. 36?
Start with The Decline of Western Civilization (1981), the closest match to Such Was the S.O. 36.
What is the highest-rated movie like Such Was the S.O. 36?
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022), rated 8.4/10 by 623 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Such Was the S.O. 36?
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there German movies like Such Was the S.O. 36?
Yes: Rammstein in Amerika (2015).
How are movies similar to Such Was the S.O. 36 chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Such Was the S.O. 36, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.