The U2 movie Rattle and Hum was released in 1988.
Directed by Phil Joanou, Rattle and Hum is a documentary and concert film following U2 during and around the band’s Joshua Tree era. It combines live performances with backstage footage, interviews, travel scenes, and reflections on the group’s growing relationship with American musical traditions, including blues, gospel, and rock and roll.
The film reached theaters on October 27, 1988. Its companion album was released earlier that month, on October 10, which creates a frequent source of confusion when people remember the project’s release date. Both releases used the Rattle and Hum title and were closely connected, but the question asks about the movie.
The film includes performances of songs such as “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Pride (In the Name of Love),” and “With or Without You,” along with appearances by B. B. King. Although critics were divided, the project became an important document of U2’s late-1980s success and their ambitious American tour.