The Beatles Anthology
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Movie Reviews of The Beatles Anthology
Movie Review: exelent
Summary: 5 Stars
I own the VHS set of this that came out about 7 years ago. That was well over 8 hours of Beatles Anthology material on those tapes. Now, the DVD set will be available with an additional hour and a half of unreleased bonus materials, 5.1 DTS sound, better picture, etc...For those who own the VHS, the DVD is worth picking up because of the special features listed above. Plus, they have everything in 5 discs as opposed to the bulky 8 tape VHS set. For those who only watched the 3 part TV Anthology series, remember that this set has an additional 3-4 hours of material not seen on television.
If anything get this set so you can hear the songs all over again in amazing 5.1 DTS surround sound. If you don't have a home theater system, it's time to get one for this great DVD set. Don't wait to read other reviews to pick up this DVD set. This is a no-brainer. Get it on April 1. As the bombs fell over England in 1940, John Winston Lennon was born and as war raged, Sir James Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Richard Starkey a.k.a. Ringo Starr began their young lives in a dirty port city called Liverpool. They were mostly poor boys who today are legends.
The most interesting thing from the TV special in 1995, the 3 albums that followed and the 8 VHS tapes that expanded the story was the fact that it was "The Beatles" in their own words and recollections.
There's so much packed inside this story and safe to say, so much more we don't know, that it is engrossing each time you watch it. The interweaving of outtakes, never before heard songs and footage is beautiful. George Martin's emotional talk and tears as he remembers John Lennon is heartwrenching. You see here the strength of the four lads from Liverpool, the closeness of their friendship and those involved with them.
The DVD version is jammed with more than the 8 VHS tapes and elevates the "Anthology" to a rounder story. At the time of its initial release, there were 3 surviving Beatles, sadly now there are 2. One sit through of this is not enough for you are sure to miss elements. As timeless as The Beatles themselves, so is their story and this anthology.
Robert Eldridge is a freelance writer for many publications and the author of: "Amber Spirit: Poems & Stories" (Hats Off Books, 2001) and the dark poetic book, "Offbeat" (Writers Club Press, 2002.)
Movie Review: A treasure-trove for any Beatles fan.
Summary: 5 Stars
This 8-part documentary, collected on 4 DVDs (plus an additional disc of bonus material), is truly a must-have for serious Beatles fans. If you are unfamiliar with the history of the band and its development, you will learn a tremendous amount about how they all came together, and eventually how and why they drifted apart. Over 600 minutes of footage will probably make for overkill for those only mildly interested in the band, but then again the story is so well put together you may find yourself with a renewed curiosity about and interest in the Beatles as well.
Candid interviews with Paul, George, Ringo, producer George Martin, and long-time associates such as Neil Aspinal point out both the highs and lows of the Beatles' days on tour, in the studio, and through some of their personal misadventures. The early episodes are full of terrific live footage of the band, whereas later episodes feature many of the proto-"music videos" the band produced when they no longer toured.
The bonus dvd, which includes material that was not broadcast on TV before, includes some great stuff as well. There are interviews with the production staff on how the Anthology was put together, more interviews and scenes with Paul, George, and Ringo, and my favorite part, which features them with George Martin playing back some old tapes at Abbey Road studio. It's fascinating to learn about how a track like "Tomorrow Never Knows" was put together, and the clips on the bonus dvd have a more relaxed and less formal feel than on the official "Anthology".
This production is definitely focused on the music of the band and their creative process. Very little is mentioned of their personal lives (wives, children, scandals, etc), no doubt a result of this being an "authorized" production. I found it interesting to read Peter Brown's "The Love You Make" at the same time I was watching this documentary, for Peter's book fills in a great many details only skimmed over here. Still, this is only a minor quibble, as there is only so much that can be covered in even this many hours about the Beatles, and in the end it is the music that matters most, not who married or divorved who and when.
All in all this is a terrific document on one of--if not THE--most important bands ever in pop/rock music.
Movie Review: It's A Magical History Tour!
Summary: 5 Stars
This DVD set is, by far, the definitive video document of the rise and fall of what is arguably the greatest band to ever crank out a tune. From their humble roots as children in Liverpool, through the early years as a quintet (without Ringo Starr, mind you) touring as naive teens in Hamburg, their rise to world superstardom, and what would eventually turn out to be one of the most devastating and painful breakups in rock history...it's all here. The entire story is told in the words of the Beatles themselves, offering not just a basic history lesson, but true insight into what was going on behind the scenes in terms of thoughts, reasons, and emotions. When I finished watching this incredible 10+ hours of video, I felt that I truly understood not only what the Fab Four were all about, but how they personally experienced the times as well.Having been born just late enough to have actually lived through the Beatlemania period, without being able to really appreciate what was going on around me, I found "Anthology" to be not only entertaining and informative, but very "memory intensive". Events that I only vaguely remember being on television finally come alive with all the details that my young mind couldn't quite comprehend at the time. I was, after all, only 6, when the Beatles played Candlestick Park, a mere 10 miles from my home. But once I became a fan, just about the time they broke up, I was pretty much absorbed into the legend.
Technically, this set is one of the best I own. The EXTENSIVE concert footage (covering the entire span of their group career) put me right there with the band for some of the most memorable live performances ever recorded. The overwhelming majority of footage is crystal clear, and edited very well, giving a true concert feel. And remixing all the cuts into 5.1 surround has brought out some of the incredible detail of The Beatles' music...some of which is sadly missing from the CD versions of the same songs!
I would have willingly paid twice what I did for this set, and still would have been ecstatic with the results. Superior story, fantastic footage, and awesome audio make this THE collection to own, whether you are a diehard Beatles fan, or just want to find out what all the fuss was about. This Magical History Tour WILL take you away...
Movie Review: As enjoyable as the Beatles Bootleg Videos -- Only Better
Summary: 5 Stars
I was beginning to wonder if this documentary would ever be released on DVD. Most recent reviews of this documentary by those who had seen it were beginning to wonder if the Beatles were planning to have The Beatles Anthology music albums released onto 8-Track. Since the death of the Laserdisc player, the only way one could purchase this wonderful documentary was only on VHS tape for many, many years.For those who are asking, "I saw the three part documentary on ABC in 1995. I wonder what the expanded version is like?" Answer: If you loved watching The Beatles Anthology on television, and taped it, and watched it many times over, you'll love this documentary which is longer than 11 hours, including the fifth disc with previously unreleased material. Most of what was cut from the ABC broadcast were musical collages similar to the "In My Life" footage that appeared at the beginning of both the Television and Commercial Free versions. Also cut were old TV appearances in part or in whole by the Beatles. And also cut were interview sequences with the Beatles where they went into greater detail about their history. And finally, also missing from the ABC broadcast were what the Beatles referred to as "Taped TV Promotional Films" of their music -- We Can Work It Out, Day Tripper, Paperback Writer, Rain. Watching all of the various perfomances reminded me of the first time I saw these about 15 years ago on a two hour VHS tape of various performances by the Beatles. The video was of very poor quality, looking like a copy of a copy of a copy. This DVD is like looking at those same performances, only in pristine, mint condition.
If you have to choose between the unwieldly hardcover coffee table book and this new DVD video, pick the one that comes alive with music and words by the greatest rock group of the 20th century.
As for the additional fifth disc, this was a lot of fun to watch too. The disc contains the "Real Love" video, which was not part of the earlier commercial versions available. Mostly, this disc is the behind the scenes for the behind the scenes documentary made in 1995. At the end of one of the segments, the surviving three Beatles announce that this is their "Candlestick Park". Like always, the Beatles knew how to go out with a bang and not a whimper.
Movie Review: Essential..
Summary: 5 Stars
It's really hard to quibble with this outstanding collection since it contains more archival and performance footage than any previous compilation. While there have been dozens of attempts to tell the Beatles'incredible story throughout the years, this anthology is the most complete. To call it a documentary would be an understatement, there is simply so much history and material here 5 discs almost seem skimpy. For us music lovers, this is a must, the bulk of the Shea Stadium Concert is here (is there a moment more magical than Ed Sullivan introducing the band and watching the kids go berserk when the boys come running out onto the field and take to the stage?), or watching a year later as they perform "Nowhere Man" live, very accurately but clearly very tired (just watch Ringo's face and posture)and one of my favorite sequences, the full clips of "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane" (check the matching red coats and the new longer hair and mustaches!), the recording sessions for "Get Back" (as a Black man, it's a trip to see my family friend Billy Preston hanging around Twikenham Studios chatting with The Fab Four, but he was there!)right down to the final, very moving clip of "Something" with the guys all cavorting with their wives in some beautiful pastoral settings, no longer a band, but 4 men who have grown up together, conquered the world and are now ready to go their separate ways. We all know that the end of the band wasn't happy or even civil, but this seems an appropriate way to close that particular chapter. The updated recollections by the surviving band members (George's are very poignant, especially now) are priceless since time, history and age have given them fresh perspective and Paul's in depth commentary on their creative process (LP covers, photography, musical direction etc.)is quite candid. The bonus material on disc 5 has become nearly as legendary as the music and film footage on the other discs since it was nearly a decade ago that the entire "Anthology...."project started. This is indespensible, for diehard fans like myself or for the casual admirer.