Okay so today I got totally sucked into digging up documentaries about Bill Shankly. Man, finding the good ones was a real mission! Felt like I needed a proper treasure map.
Starting the Hunt
Right, first thing I did was fire up the streaming sites and just type in “Bill Shankly”. Simple, right? Wrong. Got loads of results popping up, but man, most were rubbish. Short clips, fan-made things kinda slapped together, stuff focusing on Liverpool FC after he left… not what I wanted. I wanted the real stories about him. His life, what made him tick, that passion. Got frustrating real fast.
Sorting Through the Mess
Had to get smart. Switched my searches to stuff like “Bill Shankly biography documentary” and “Best Shankly films”. Started checking reviews on movie sites and football forums too, see what other fans reckoned. Had my notepad open and scribbled down anything that looked promising. Filtered out loads this way, thank god. Was wasting hours otherwise.
The Gold Starts Appearing
Finally started hitting the better ones. Like that one from a few years back… big, proper documentary feel, got interviews with family, players from back then, old footage I’d never seen before. That one felt definitive, you know? Like the official story. Watched the trailer first obviously, wouldn’t just dive in blind!
Then stumbled onto another one, maybe lesser known? More focused just on his life before Liverpool even – in Scotland, working down the mines, playing footie part-time. Blew my mind. Totally different angle, showed where that fire in his belly came from. Totally worth finding.
Narrowing it Down Properly
Kept digging. Found another gem, bit older this time, made like 20 years ago maybe? Interviews with people long gone now, like his own brother! That felt special, hearing stories straight from family. Some of the quality wasn’t HD obviously, but the content? Pure gold.
Watched a few bits here and there, skipped through others, getting a feel. Some were way too short to be worthwhile, others were just repeating the same old stories everyone knows.
My Top Picks
After all that, here’s what I think are truly worth your time if you wanna get under Shankly’s skin:
- The Definitive One: That big, recent-ish one. Covers everything properly. If you only watch one, make it this.
- The Origin Story: The one about his early years, life in Scotland. Makes you understand the man.
- The Family Tales: The older one with his brother, Bob. Raw, personal, gives you a different perspective.
- The Passion Show: One that really focuses on his quotes, his speeches, that incredible presence. Feels like he’s in the room.
Honestly? Sorting the wheat from the chaff took way longer than I thought it would. Loads of stuff out there just repackages the same 5 stories everyone knows. But the ones I listed? They give you the real Shankly. The man, not just the myth. Worth the effort. Now, excuse me while I watch them again!