The Beatles Anthology
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Movie Reviews of The Beatles Anthology
Movie Review: And the Beatles Go On
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm slightly puzzled by the negative reviews of this DVD set, which largely consists of the eight shows from 1995 reworked from the previously released videos. For "Anthology" read "Collage". The torn paper pictures which make up the box and sleeve graphics give a very good idea of the eclectic approach. It's not always clear who's talking or what the video footage is from. As has been pointed out, this is sort of a set for completists. Sort of. Other than some of the History of Rock shows from VH1, most of the popular culture shows I've seen have been done this way and some of them were very bad indeed. PBS is full of boring documentaries on everything under the sun which they get from a variety of sources, some as reliable as the rumor mill that is the Internet.
That said, this is one of the few series that gets anywhere like behind the scenes. A friend of mine who is a guitarist can't get enough of it and kept checking it out from the library and watching it over and over until we finally went half and got it (at a great price) from Amazon. Even given the atmospheric, amateur film school style, this set puts Beatlemania into context. You can't understand the music at all without knowing the part George Martin played, who is often interviewed here. The reflections of George Harrison and Ringo also prove invaluable. This series gives one of the few looks at the early Beatles, pre- Ed Sullivan, why they played the Cavern Club, why and when they were in Germany. It's the only footage I've ever seen of Richard Starkey AKA Ringo that shows his popularity before he met the other Fab Three.
About the only angle this series doesn't touch on is that explored by Steve Turner in the recent book, The Gospel According to the Beatles. And there are, of course, bits of the puzzle yet to be put in place. For one thing, where is the Beatles cartoon show on DVD? Where is Let it Be on DVD? Don't you people have enough money that you don't have to fight over the rights to put these things out? Please please me and let it be.
Movie Review: AT LAST, THE ANTHOLOGY ON DVD
Summary: 5 Stars
I've got this set on VHS but for some reason, after only a couple of plays, the tapes have developed a tracking fault making them annoying to watch. Anybody else got the same problem? Thus I have been awaiting this DVD release for ages. It's amazing to think that here in Australia it's release wasn't anywhere as heavily promoted as a cheaper rivalling 5 DVD set called "The Long And Winding Road". It just snuck out. I only found out by chance on a news radio item about the extra '95 footage. I had to come to Amazon just to get some basic details. That said, it's beeen worth the wait. You haven't heard "Penny Lane" and "A Day in the Life" until you've heard them in glorious 5.1 sound. just crank it up. If you want the DEFINITIVE Beatles story, go straight to the horse's mouth. All the little insights, legends, myths and other annecdotes are told here. The performances bring a tear to the eye on occasion. I was a child growing up with the Beatles and they had a major influence on my life. Paul & John met on July 6 1957, 2 days after I was born. Exactly 10 years later to the day, they were performing "All You Need Is Love" for the world to see. The Beatles certainly came along brilliantly from those early scratchy recordings in their youth. The extra features are great to watch. The making of the "Free As A Bird" clip is wonderful. Did anybody out there realise that George played the ukelele bit at the end of that same track. I applaud the inclusion of the "Real Love" clip as well though it's probably not as innovative as "Free As A Bird". Abbey Road revisited reminded me of an episode of the "Classic Albums" series. Methinks it's time to do A Beatle album for that series too (Revolver/Rubber Soul/"White Album"/Abbey Road - take your pick - Pepper was done in "The Making Of Sgt. Pepper" documentary). I digress. If you're a fan or even if you're not it's worth the price. You will laugh and cry and marvel at the music, especially the stuff that WASN'T released. (Listen to the end credits of each episode.) Buy It!!
Movie Review: only the Beatles you can wacth for 8 hours and not be bored
Summary: 5 Stars
How many bands have such a history that they can create a 8 hour documentry and have it fun and entertianing? Not many! Can you imagine a 8 hour film on Jounry or REO Speewagon? Not me.
This film actually stems from a 1971 film Neil from Apple corp made called "The Long and Winding Road" and was placed on fold and was actually be end with a filmed re-union of the 4 Bealtes doing a few songs, but Lennon died and the film was on hold until 1994 when they decided to complete it.
The only gripes...2 gripes out of 8 hours.....on some of the songs, one example is Revolution 9, the song jams to a pristine video clip....then they fade the song down and have John talk about how it came into being then the music comes back up. I'd rather have the song play out then have Johns audio talk about the song.
Gripe #2 is the bonus features, there are 2 segments were the surviing 3 are playing songs, one is sitting on the ground by a stream and George has a ukilalie, they play 1 song, another section is the 3 are actually back in the studio doing an acoustic jam...I wish they just showed all that footage..or edit it down to shwoing all the songs and some chit-chat...I mean what a historic happening, the 3 surviing Beatles back and actully performing songs! It mighta been a but lack-luster, but just the historical context of that alone merits it worthiness........or maybe Apple will package it as a DVD someday.....make some bucks that way.
The Anthology series flows and is never dull, you can watch the whole series then a week later go through it all agian and have it seem just as fresh. It's a true work of art from hours and hours of hard work collection various news reels, interviews, tv clips, promos and hours of new interviews edited down to be inserted in the film. I really like the fact you dont see the wives and friends of the Beatles, but you see and hear the Bealtes, Sir George Martin and staff of Apple, corp back then narrate this series, its a classic and is their coda.
Movie Review: Essential in every way for music AND history buffs
Summary: 5 Stars
Having recently read Bob Spitz's massive but delightful book "The Beatles: The Biography", I wanted to check out the Beatles Anthology again, not having watched it in many years.
"The Beatles Anthology" (5 DVDs; approx. 645 min.) does an absolutely superb job in bringing the visual history of the Beatles to the screen. Here some of my personal highlights of this set: (1) the Swedish TV appearance from late '63, where the band gets asked to do an impromptu additional song, and Paul tears into a rousing "Have Some Fun Tonight"; (2) the madness that was Beatlemania in mid-1964, such as the visit to Amsterdam and the premiere of "A Hard Day's Night" movie in London; (3) the Shea Stadium concert in August 65, with a cleaver pre-concert montage (I also had forgotten this was the first stadium show in rock history); (4) the first intentional video in 1966 for "Paperback Writer"; (5) the montage for "A Day in the Life"; (6) the utter boredom of the guys, but in particular George, in the video for "Hello Goodbye"; and (7) the whole commotion around the opening of the Apple store in December, 1967 (capping off an unbelievable 6 months, started with the "Pepper" album release).
The "Special Features" DVD is actually quite good. The best bits are of course George, Paul and Ringo reminiscing and playing/strumming some songs (such as a great "Blue Moon of Kentucky") in various sessions in 94 and 95 (George's story of his second--and last--meeting with Elvis in the early seventies is hilarious). The guys also spend time in the studio with producer George Martin going through various takes of some songs; the disection of "I'm Only Sleeping" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" will be fascinating for true Beatles fans.
In all, this is a massive DVD set, but enjoyable from beginning to end, and that's an understatement. As the years go by, this now also becomes a nice time piece for historians looking back at the 1960s culture and society. Essential and highly recommended!
Movie Review: Disc 5 contains the saddest part of all
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a follow up review, as I just finished my review of Ringorama, and it reminded me of the saddest part of the anthology collection, in which there are many obviously sad parts....When you watch disc 5, when the boys are together, and you can see Sir Paul still can't prevent himself from dominating everyone, (not because he's bad, but because he never realized it was happening) there is a short comment by Ring when he says he likes hanging out with them.....
Ringo was always the base upon which the Beatles rotated, although I'm sure they never realized it, especially with all their talent, it would be hard to see how this simple, beautiful man could be the center of the Beatle Universe, but it was always the simple and willing Ringo that allowed the others to shine so brightly...
Well, watch that short comment someday with this in mind:
Here was the one person in the whole universe who was allowed into the greatest ride in musical history, who was enjoying it as much as the audience...Ringo was a fan of the Beatles as much as we were, and much more than John, Paul and George, who WERE the Beatles...who provided the songs and the personalities and lived in that horrible spotlight, and eventually suffered from it....
Steady old Ringo, he was like us, watching what was happening to his friends, powerless to help them, but sheilded from the creative demands and ego that accompanies it....no less than any of the others, and just as important because he was the base from which the others sprang...in some ways an impossible job of ducking the fights and the siding with one or the other, but loving this gift given him by the Good Lord.....to be a Beatle....
So watch Ring tell them, for all of us, that he liked hanging out with them, and then dry your eyes, and know that at least one Beatle knows your saddness, and carries it much deeper, and much harder than any of us......
God Bless you Ring, you were one of us, too