Movies Like Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006)

Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple is a 2006 documentary, history, tv movie film from Stanley Nelson with a MovieMagicScore of 7.1/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Bad Dreams and Eaten Alive!.

Documentary History TV Movie

Bad Dreams

1988

Unity Field, a "free love" cult from the '70s, is mostly remembered for its notorious mass suicide led by Harris, its charismatic leader. While all members are supposed to burn in a fire together, young Cynthia is spared by chance. Years later, the nightmare of Unity Field remains buried in her mind. But when those around Cynthia start killing themselves, and she begins having visions of Harris, she may be forced to confront the past -- before it confronts her.

5.7

MagicScore

Eaten Alive!

1980

A woman's search for her missing sister leads her to the jungles of New Guinea, where she and an expatriate guide encounter a cult leader and flesh-hungry natives.

5.3

MagicScore

The Veil

2016

30 years ago, when members of a religious cult known as Heaven's Veil take their own lives. The truth behind what really happened remains buried deep in the memory of the sole survivor, a five-year-old girl. Now as an adult she returns to the compound with a documentary crew. They soon discover something that is far more terrifying than anything they could have imagined.

4.9

MagicScore

Jonestown: Paradise Lost

2007

Jonestown: Paradise Lost is a documentary on the final days of Jonestown, the Peoples Temple, and Jim Jones. From eyewitness and survivor accounts, it recreates the last week before the mass murder-suicide on November 18, 1978.

6.8

MagicScore

The Seventh Continent

1989

Chronicles three years of a middle-class family seemingly caught up in their daily routines, troubled only by minor incidents. Behind their apparent calm and repetitive existence, however, they're planning something much more sinister.

7.4

MagicScore

The General Died at Dawn

1936

China, 1930s, during the ravaging civil war. General Pen entrusts O'Hara, an intrepid American adventurer, with the mission of providing a large sum of money to Mr. Wu with the task of buying weapons in Shanghai to help end General Yang's tyranny that keeps an entire province under his ruthless iron boot.

6.3

MagicScore

From Within

2008

When the citizens of a small evangelical town systematically begin committing suicide, a young girl struggling to reconcile her Christian upbringing with her desire to experience the outside world finds her faith put to the ultimate test.

5.6

MagicScore

The District

2004

In an effort to end family feuding, a young gypsy travels back in time to kill mammoths to ensure Hungary becomes rich by killing mammoths in order to create a massive oil reservoir. Things don't go entirely according to plan...

4.8

MagicScore

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

2015

GOING CLEAR intimately profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, shining a light on how they attract true believers and the things they do in the name of religion.

7.6

MagicScore

#10

Waco: The Rules of Engagement

1997

In one of the most tragic face-offs in the history of law enforcement, the deadly debacle at Waco pitted the Branch Davidian sect against the FBI in an all-out war. This documentary makes the most of footage and recordings to examine how the events that led to the tragedy of April 19, 1993, unfolded, and how the FBI's unrelenting approach made what was already a bad situation much worse.

7.6

MagicScore

#11

Colonia

2015

A young woman's desperate search for her abducted boyfriend draws her into the infamous Colonia Dignidad, a sect nobody ever escaped from.

7.3

MagicScore

#12

Agora

2009

A historical drama set in Roman Egypt, concerning philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria and her relationship with her slave Davus, who is torn between his love for her and the possibility of gaining his freedom by joining the rising tide of Christianity.

7.0

MagicScore

#13

Hurricane of Fun: The Making of Wet Hot

2015

Exclusive behind-the-scenes footage offers a glimpse into the comic minds behind a "Wet Hot" summer-camp cult hit featuring many future stars.

6.4

MagicScore

#14

Spider-Man

1977

When an extortionist threatens to force a multi-suicide unless a huge ransom is paid, only Peter Parker can stop him with his new powers as Spider-Man.

6.3

MagicScore

#15

Chaos: The Manson Murders

2025

In August 1969, Charles Manson's followers killed seven people on his orders. Why? Explore a conspiracy of mind control, CIA experiments, and murder.

6.2

MagicScore

#16

Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste

2022

A sexual wellness company gains fame and followers, then members come forward with shocking allegations.

6.1

MagicScore

#17

The Source Family

2013

A feature documentary film set in Hollywood, examining a radical experiment in '70s utopian living. The Source Family were the darlings of the Sunset Strip until their communal living, outsider ideals and spiritual leader Father Yod's 13 wives became an issue with local authorities. They fled to Hawaii, leading to their dramatic demise.

6.0

MagicScore

#18

A

1998

Roughly chronological, from 3/96 to 11/96, with a coda in spring of 1997: inside compounds of Aum Shinrikyo, a Buddhist sect led by Shoko Asahara. (Members confessed to a murderous sarin attack in the Tokyo subway in 1995.) We see what they eat, where they sleep, and how they respond to media scrutiny, on-going trials, the shrinking of their fortunes, and the criticism of society. Central focus is placed on Hiroshi Araki, a young man who finds himself elevated to chief spokesman for Aum after its leaders are arrested. Araki faces extreme hostility from the Japanese public, who find it hard to believe that most followers of the cult had no idea of the attacks and even harder to understand why these followers remain devoted to the religion, if not the violence.

5.9

MagicScore

#19

One of Us

2017

A young journalist goes deep undercover within a mountain commune and becomes manipulated by a duplicitous cult leader.

5.7

MagicScore

#20

Teaserama

1955

A collection of numerous burlesque acts from the 1950s, including strippers, and cult character Betty Page introducing the acts.

5.0

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple?

The top films similar to Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple by MovieMagicScore are Bad Dreams (5.7), Eaten Alive! (5.3), The Veil (4.9). Each shares documentary/history/tv movie themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple worth watching?

Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.1/10 from 88 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple?

Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006) is a documentary, history, tv movie film directed by Stanley Nelson, starring Claire Janaro, Deborah Layton, Garrett Lambrev.

Where can I find more recommendations like Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more documentary recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Bad Dreams Movies like Eaten Alive!Movies like The Veil Movies like Jonestown: Paradise Lost Movies like The Seventh Continent Movies like The General Died at Dawn

About movies like Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple

This ranked list pairs Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006), a documentary and history and tv movie film from Stanley Nelson, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Claire Janaro take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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