Funky Documentaries

[LuckyKip]

I’ve tried to track down as many documentaries about funk and soul as I can over the years, especially ones that touch on Parliament Funkadelic. What docs are missing from this list?

Parliament-Funkadelic focused or adjacent docs:

• We Want the Funk! (2025)
• Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus (2018, season 2)
• Tear the Roof Off: The Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic (2016)
• The Story of Funk: One Nation Under a Groove (2014)
• Finding the Funk (2013)
• George Clinton: Tales of Dr. Funkenstein (2006)
• Parliament Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove (2005)
• Soul Deep (2005) – Episode 5: Aint it Funky!
• Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth (2005)

Other funk / soul documentaries

• Sly Lives! (2025)
• James Brown: Say It Loud (2024)
• Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James (2021)
• Summer of Soul (2021)
• Hitsville: The Making of Motown (2019)
• Betty: They Say I’m Different (2017)
• On the Sly: In Search of the Family Stone (2017)
• 50 Years of Funk: the Bar-Kays (2015)
• Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown (2014)
• Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America (2010)
• Thunder Soul (2010)
• Soul Power (2008)
• Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002)

[OooBooBeeDoop]

VH1 Legends too. I sat up in here and watched the latest We Want The Funk today. I enjoyed this one. Really alive culturally.

[silentboatman]

Great list. Thanks!

[timmyfunk1]

Also include the segment “Make It Funky” from the 10-part documentary series Rock and Roll (PBS/BBC) and the South Bank Show’s (UK) episode called Lenny Henry Hunts The Funk. There is also a Funk segment on the BBC documentary called Soul Deep.

[OooBooBeeDoop]

Yeah I forgot about the Make It Funky segment. I recall it being really good. It’s on an old VHS in the basement I think.