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From: edc@evolution.bchs.uh.edu (edward s. chen)
Newsgroups: rec.music.beatles
Subject: Re: Beatles video list
Date: 1 Jan 1993 18:50:59 GMT
Organization: Little to none, or maybe not......
Message-ID: <1i23qjINN4a9@menudo.uh.edu>
Lines: 787
===============================================================================
A summary of the Beatles on video
by Ed Chen
January, 1993
===============================================================================
While it has long been acknowledged that the Beatles were the progenitors of
today's "music video", there is much more to the band's music video oeuveure
then simply the feature films that generally gather all the accolades. Other
then my "wish list" at the end, everything I will be discussing is (or was)
released legitimately on video in the US and / or UK.
At the dawn of the video age, much Beatles product such as "Around the
Beatles", or "The Beatles in Tokyo" was commonly available from legitimate
companies. However, in 1980 ATV music (and later the RIAA) began suing
companies selling tapes that included protected music. This drove most
of the companies out of business, with the only real challenge coming
from a company in the mid-eighties selling "The Beatles at the Washington
Coliseum", "The Beatles at Shea Stadium", "The Beatles in Japan", and a
poor-quality "Magical Mystery Tour". That New Jersey Company was not taken
to court, but most of their stock was seized, forcing them out of business.
However, with the passing of time, much of the Beatles video material is
making its way to legitimate video releases. This is ultimately the best
for both the Beatles (since they obtain the royalties they are due), and
the fans (since they get the material in the best available quality)
Now, on to the videos themselves:
A Hard Day's Night -- The Beatles first feature film. A very clever look
at the 1964 stereotypes of the Beatles, and the madness surrounding them.
Very nice transfer, with the soundtrack remixed to Dolby stereo. The CAV
laser disc (still p&s) is particularly worth seeking out as it includes an
interview with Richard Lester, the Peter Sellers short "Running, Jumping &
Standing Still" (which inspired much of AHDN), and the original theatrical
trailer.
Help! -- The Beatles second feature film. Suffers in comparison to AHDN,
but still a clever, parody of the James Bond genre of action-adventure films
that were popular at the time. Very nice transfer, much cleaner then the
version aired on television throughout the seventies. The CAV laser disc
includes the original theatrical trailer, footage from the film's premiere,
original radio spots, and several hundred stills from "The making of..."
Magical Mystery Tour -- The Beatles attempt to make a television film, with
absolutely no limits placed on them. The result makes little narrative sense,
but still has quite a few high points. Notable among them is the famous "I
Am The Walrus" sequence (with the Beatles in full costume), and Paul's "Fool
on the Hill" bit filmed in France. Something every Beatles fan should see,
but of lesser priority on the "must own" list, particularly if you can tape
it (albeit, somewhat edited) from television. (The Disney Channel in the USA)
Yellow Submarine -- An animated feature, with the live action Beatles making
an appearance briefly at the very end. Probably the best way to describe the
feature is "Disney was never like this". The plot involves the Beatles
helping to stop a group of baddies (Blue Meanies) from invading a land of joy
and happiness (Pepperland). The visuals along the way are absolutely
stunning, and the Dolby soundtrack is marvelous. The transfer is very clean,
and the only thing that would make this tape better is if a letterbox edition
were made available. Recently went out of print.
Let It Be (1981) -- Long out of print, but worth seeking out when it
gets reissued. A nice look at the break-up of the Beatles. The transfer on
the original tape is somewhat muddy, and the sound is mono, but hopefully both
problems will be fixed in the re-release.
The Compleat Beatles (1982) -- A reasonable enough documentary covering the
Beatles from 1960 through 1970, but ultimately a bit unfulfilling. On the
plus side is some excellent narration (by Malcolm McDowell [of "A Clockwork
Orange" fame]), and some very nice interview pieces (George Martin, Gerry
Marsden, Billy Preston, and others). On the down side is the appallingly
poor video quality of those new interviews, the lack of rare or unique film
clips, and the general deceptive nature of the way some of the audio / video
is used (eg: The Granada Cavern footage is used twice, once cut to the Hamburg
recording of "Hippy Hippy Shake" [making it appear that the four are performing
that song]. A clip of the Beatles in Manchester is implied to be the Royal
Variety Command Performance, a 1964 airport landing in a downpour is passed
off as being from 1966, etc.).
The Beatles: Their First US Visit (1992) -- As the title implies, a look at
the Beatles first US visit. Included in the tape is excerpts from the Ed
Sullivan shows, a handful of songs from the Washington DC concert, and a lot
of footage from the short film "What's Happening in the U.S.A" (which covers
the plane trips, train trips, hotels and nightclubs inbetween). All of this
footage was taken directly from the masters, and some of it has been restored
rather extensively. As such, the material all looks and sounds much better
than it ever had previously. The result is an essential tape, covering every
aspect of the Beatles first appearance on US shores.
The Long and Winding Road -- In the works, this will become *the*
definitive video look at the Beatles. Expected to
end up being 8-10 tapes, covering every era of the
Beatles career.
An Orchestral Tribute to the Beatles -- A video recording of the Royal
Philharmonic performing 20 Beatles songs. Paul is in the audience. Good
enough for fans who like "classical" renderings of Beatle material, but no
real reason to own.
The Beatles Live -- A nice look at the Beatles circa 1964. Originally
part of a British television program called "Around the Beatles." Only the
"performance" pieces are presented here. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
as the four are miming to a pre-recorded soundtrack. (Particularly evident at
the beginning of "I Wanna be Your Man"
Goodtimes ("Fun With the Fab Four") -- One of many tapes produced without
permission from Apple or EMI. This is easily the best(the quality is
excellent, marred only by a small white "GT" in the corner of the screen)
Pieces included are: the Beatles comedy skit from "Around the Beatles" (John
and Paul as a jokey version of Shakespeare's Pyramus and Thisabee), and
an appearance by Pete Best on the American game show "I've Got a Secret", and
several others. Long out of print.
The Rutles -- Worth mentioning as the film is supposedly very strongly based
on the unreleased in-house (Apple) Beatles documentary. Fan reaction at
places like Che stadium are actual footage of fans at Beatles concerts.
Well loved, and not only because George Harrison appears in a cameo.
Misc -- Most notable are two short films which are best labeled "home movies",
one tape contains miscellaneous footage of McCartney trips taken in the years
1967 & 1968 ("The Mystery Trip"), and the other contains some footage from the
making of "Help!" There are several fictional films available, but two
particularly worth seeking out are "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" (Zemeckis / Gale),
and "Twist and Shout" (foreign). Of no use at all is a tape (out of print,
and probably illegal after Apple's lawsuit) of a concert by the quasi-legendary
fake-Beatles "Beatlemania".
===============================================================================
Paul McCartney
===============================================================================
Rockshow (1982) -- Six years after the concert tour, this film was released
to video. Most of the footage comes from Seattle, but other clips are also
included without being obtrusive. The resulting footage is a bit sterile,
missing the energy evident on the "Wings Over America" CD -- but that problem
aside, the result is worth viewing. It should be noted that the entire concert
is not included on the tape ("Lady Madonna", "Blackbird", "The Long and
Winding Road", and "My Love" are missing). All of this material was included
in the theatrical release of this film. This tape is long out of print, with
re-release unlikely in the near future.
Give My Regards to Broad Street -- Paul McCartney's 1984 attempt at making
a feature film. It was horribly panned by reviewers and the media at the
time of release. In my opinion, the result is a bit haphazard, but not
nearly as bad as others would have you believe. The supporting cast is
excellent, and there are some entertaining gags. However, even if you
hate the paper-thin plot, with judicious use of the fast forward button,
the result is a series of well produced, high quality music videos -- many
including Paul and Ringo onscreen at the same time.
The Paul McCartney Special (1986) -- A program originally produced for the
BBC, and aired on television several times in 1986. Originally conceived
as a long-form promotional piece for "Press to Play", the BBC staffer (Richard
Skinner) persuades Macca to talk about much more, including one of the more
in-depth interviews about Wings. All of the interview bits were done at
Abbey Road studio #2, leading to some reminiscing on Paul's part. Scattered
among the interview are some nice McCartney film rarities (including rarely
seen promo clips / videos, concert footage from both the 1973 and 1976 tours,
and even a bit of the never released "One Hand Clapping" film). A very nice
package, and an absolute must for McCartney fans.
The Real Buddy Holly Story (1987) -- Subtitled "Paul McCartney's film of the
life and music of Buddy Holly". The story is mostly told by Buddy's friends,
relatives, and colleagues; with Paul adding occasional narration to clarify
pieces of the story. Probably the best, most factual look at Holly's life.
In addition to the narration, Paul provides a short introduction to the film
(Paul in a television studio), and also did an interview (in a barn / hay loft)
where he discussed Buddy's influence on the Beatles. During this segment Paul
plays a portion of the Beatles 1958 recording of "That'll Be The Day".
Essential if you have any interest in Holly, but still worthwhile to others
because of the presence of the Beatles first recording.
Rupert the Bear and the Frog Song (1987) -- Paul's cartoon, originally
distributed theatrically with "Give My Regards to Broad Street". Rupert is a
beloved British children's character that Paul now owns. The short is great
for young and old alike, comparable to some of Disney's work. Paul's
soundtrack to this short was a top ten hit in Europe, but never released on
these shores. Also on the tape are animated shorts for "Seaside Woman" (Suzy
and the Red Stripes, aka Linda McCartney and Wings), and "Oriental Nightfish".
Once Upon a Video (1988) -- A Japanese tape which contains 4 McCartney
videos: "Once Upon a Long Ago", "Stranglehold", "Pretty Little Head", and
"We All Stand Together". Expensive for what you get, but neither the song,
nor the video for "Once Upon a Long Ago" was ever released in the US.
Put It There (1989) -- A program produced specifically for the purpose of
promoting "Flowers in the Dirt." This time the production actually achieves
it's purpose. The interview pieces are nice, but contain no revelations. The
real strength of this production lies in the performance pieces. What we are
shown is Macca and band in studio, actually working on the recording of some
of the "Flowers" tracks. Additionally, rehearsals of Beatles songs (such as
"Fool On the Hill", "Hello, Goodbye", and "Let It Be") for the then-upcoming
world tour make this production a "must-own".
Get Back (1991) -- Richard Lester's look at Paul's 1989-90 World Tour. Rather
then going with a straight concert film, Lester has chosen to cut quickly
between scenes at different shows, and other, relatively unrelated footage.
This effect can and does become distracting rather easily. The other major
problem this tape has is that less then 75% of the actual concert is presented
Despite the low retail price, this is a tape to rent rather then to own.
There is also a Japanese videodisc which is called "Get Back Prologue", which
contains an otherwise unreleased interview with Paul, and four songs from the
film. The interview is not worth the cost of the videodisc.
Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio (1992) -- The video version of the
"Liverpool Oratorio", originally produced for the PBS series "Great
Performances". A fairly straightforward look at McCartney and Carl Davis'
work, as it debuted in Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. A visual counterpart
to the CD's, and worth owning because the cast (Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Willard
White, Jerry Hadley, and Sally Burgess) and stronger vocally then the cast
which has been appearing with the work across the US. McCartney shows
up to take a bow after the Oratorio is finished, just before the closing
credits roll.
Misc -- Among the things to be on the lookout for is the first "Princes's
Trust" tape, which features Paul and a cast of rock's elite performing
favorite Beatles chestnuts like "I Saw Her Standing There", and "Get Back".
Additionally, an appearance by Paul and Wings at "The Concerts for the People
of Kampuchea" (which Laurence Juber has called "his favorite moment during
his time in Wings") has been out on video, but is sadly out of print.
Paul also provided a theme song (played over the closing credits) for the
film "Twice In a Lifetime".
===============================================================================
John Lennon
===============================================================================
Interview with a Legend (1981) -- A videotape of an interview John Lennon
and his lawyer (Leon Wildes) did for the "Tommorow" show (4/28/75). As would
be expected, the main topic of conversation was the legal troubles John was
having at the time concerning his American residency status. Out of print.
Imagine (aka "John and Yoko's Imagine") -- The first "video LP", this is
actually a slightly edited version of the original film. (A brief shot
of a woman's breasts, and some footage of Yoko has been deleted). A nice
look at "scenes" of John and Yoko, their home in London, some marvelous
surrealism, and the "budget line" price make this a tape to own.
Imagine: John Lennon (aka "Andrew Solt's Imagine") -- The best documentary
available covering the life of John Lennon. The film is stunning, showing
us John Lennon as he saw himself. This presentation is accomplished via
quotes from interviews, and much rare and previously unreleased footage. (The
footage of John recording the "Imagine" LP, and his discussion with George
over "Beatle Ed" [Paul] are worth the price of the tape by themselves.) There
are only a few minor negative points. The most annoying is that the producers
have chosen to pan-and-scan over footage which was filmed at the proper ratio
for television, but artifically extended for the widescreen release. (Rather
then making a "television master" using the original, unaltered footage)
Another minor annoyance is that some of George Martin's remixes (particularly
the Dolby surround sound "Love Me Do" and "Help!") are so poor as to actually
distract from the scenes. Additionally, two crucial pieces of John's life (his
friendship with Stuart Sutcliffe, and his 1972 "Lost Weekend") have been edited
to an absolute minimum for time constraints. However, these are minor
quibbles, and this tape remains the single most important video for Lennon fans
and admirers.
How I Won the War (1986) -- John's one (and only) solo acting outing. The
film carries a strong anti-war message, and features John as "Private Gripweed"
Gripweed is a soldier in the second world war, and is killed at the very end
of the film. The film marks the first time John wore his "granny glasses"
to any great extent. Directed and Produced by Richard Lester, written by
Patrick Ryan. A bit expensive, so probably a film to rent rather then to own.
Yoko Ono: Then and Now -- An hourlong look at John Lennon's "Better Half"
The results are decidedly pro-Yoko, but a good portion of the tape is devoted
to John and Yoko as a couple. Much interesting footage is used, including
a very effective piece where John (on "The Mike Douglas Show") and Yoko (in
a late sixties black and white interview) describe their first meeting at
the Indica gallery. Not for everyone, but a nice look at the dynamics of
one of the most famous couples in show-biz history.
Live Peace in Toronto -- The video equivalent of the "Live Peace in Toronto"
album. Filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker originally filmed all of the acts on the
bill that day, but the footage was not released for legal reasons. This
tape includes a handful of songs from other artists (Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck
Berry), and the entire set from the Lennons and the Plastic Ono Band (here
consisting of such notables as Klaus Voorman on bass, and Eric Clapton on
Guitar).
John Lennon Live in New York City -- The afternoon concert for Geraldo Rivera's
"One to One" foundation, at New York's Madison Square Garden on August 30, 1972
The video really doesn't do Lennon justice. Mediocre material from the
"Sometime in NYC" album, and a rather sloppy band (Elephant's Memory) make for
poor viewing and listening. However, the show does pick up a bit when Lennon
moves to other material such as "Instant Karma", "Cold Turkey", and the only
Beatles number of the afternoon, "Come Together". The cinematography is
average, and the lighting often puts shadows on John's face. However, the
tape is still interesting as a historical document, and at the discount prices
it is currently being offered for (in most places, the video is cheaper then
the CD) worth owning.
Lennon (A Tribute to John Lennon) -- A filmed version of the 1990 Liverpool
concert celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of John Lennon's birth. The
results are decidedly mixed. Michael Douglas' introductions are innocuous
enough, but very forgettable. The acts who played live that day and are
represented on the tape range from good to mediocre to poor (eg: Kylie
Minoughe abhorrent version of "Help!"). Worth seeing for Paul McCartney's
"P.S. Love Me Do", and Ringo Starr's "I Call Your Name" (with two of the
Traveling Wilburys on guitar), but not worth purchasing.
John & Yoko: The Bed-In -- Only available as an import. A video version
of a television special from 1969 named "John and Yoko have a message".
A good documentary-type look at the couple's stay in Montreal's Queen
Elizabeth hotel. Among the highlights are Al Capp's visit to the couple's
bedroom, the telephone call to Berkeley, and a fairly lengthy look at the
recording of "Give Peace a Chance". For anyone interested in the era, or
intrigued by the excerpt's in Andrew Solt's film, worth looking for.
The John Lennon Video Collection (1992) -- it has yet to be released in the
US on tape either. However, the tape was released in Canada and Japan, so
import copies in NTSC are available.
The line-up:
Give Peace a Chance - Bed In Footage.
Cold Turkey - John and Yoko's original promo
Instant Karma - John Live on "Top of the Pops"
Power To the People - John and Yoko at a Peace March, edited with
recent News footage a la "Get Back"
Happy Xmas / War Is Over - The Harlem Community Choir, 1992 version
with still photos of the billboard campaign.
Mind Games - Miscellaneous John and Yoko footage.
Whatever Gets You Through the Night - Animated versions of John's drawings
Number 9 Dream - More Stock Footage of J & Y
Stand By Me
Slippin' and a Slidin' - Both from the 1971 "Old Grey Whistle Test" show.
Imagine - Excerpt from J & Y's Imagine film.
(Just Like) Starting Over - New Clip
Woman, Nobody Told Me, I'm Steppin' Out, Borrowed Time, Grow Old With Me
-- The original posthumous clips Yoko produced to promote "Milk and Honey"
and "Double Fantasy" in the early 80's.
Jealous Guy - The clip as released to promote Andrew Solt's
"Imagine: John Lennon"
Imagine (Live) - From the 1975 special, "A Salute to Sir Lew Grade"
Watching the Wheels is played over the closing credits. Between the
video clips, short quotes from various Lennon interviews (mainly John
describing the song about to be seen), and other video goodies are sprinkled
throughout the tape.
John & Yoko: A Love Story -- Mark McGann and Kim Miyori recreate the life and
times of John and Yoko. About the only way to describe this production is
"adequate." You never really get the feeling that the actor is re-creating
Lennon, and the actors cast as the other three Beatles are very below par.
Particularly annoying is the fact that the soundtrack (which featured actual
Lennon / Beatles material when the film was aired on NBC) has been replaced
by a cheezy Lennon (sort of) sound-alike. Thankfully, this has been superceded
as the "official Lennon video biography" by Andrew Solt's documentary.
===============================================================================
George Harrison
===============================================================================
The Concert for BanglaDesh -- Recently reissued in true stereo, this tape
contains the complete film as released to theatres. The footage used were
highlights from the two shows, as personally chosen by George. A very nice
look at this precursor to "Live Aid", and a portion of the proceeds from the
sales of this tape still go to help the starving in Africa.
A Rockabilly Session: Carly Perkins and Friends -- George, Ringo and many
others were a big part of this special celebrating the life and times of
one of rock's pioneers. Unlike Paul's Buddy Holly tribute, Perkins' career
is celebrated by playing his music. Essential for both Perkins and Harrison
fans, because this special really marked George's return to public life after
several years spent gardening and nurturing a film company.
Handmade Films -- George's production company, which has produced many films,
some with direct involvement from Mr. Harrison. Two films particularly worth
seeking out are; "Water" (starring Michael Caine) which includes a concert
sequence with George, Ringo, Eric Clapton and Others; and "Shanghai Surprise"
(starring Madonna and Sean Penn), which includes some otherwise unreleased
music from George.
Misc -- The Second Annual Prince's Concert features George and Ringo, and
is definitely worth looking for. The Wonderful film "Time Bandits" features
a different version of the George Harrison song "Dream Away" then the one
which appears on "Gone Troppo". "Wonderwall" features a George Harrison
soundtrack, but is a very poor film. Save your money, and buy the CD.
===============================================================================
Ringo Starr
===============================================================================
The Magic Christian -- A 1969 film, with a cameo by John and Yoko, and a theme
song ("Come and Get It", performed by Badfinger) by Paul McCartney. Despite
the presence of members of the Goon Show (Ringo's co-star is Peter Sellers),
and members of Monty Python, the story is only moderately funny. Starr plays
an orphan adopted by Sir Guy Grand, the world's richest man (played by Sellers)
and they proceed to spend the rest of the film showing that money does indeed
make the world go 'round. Produced by Dennis O'Dell, and directed by Joseph
McGrath.
200 Motels -- A 1971 film where Ringo plays the dual roles of Larry the Dwarf,
and Frank Zappa (!). The film has no real plot, and was very much an exercise
in acid and self-indulgence (in that order) on the part of Frank Zappa. Written
by Zappa, directed by Tony Palmer, and co-produced by Jerry Good and Herb Cohen
Out of print, but has previously been released by several companies, and easily
rented from most better video stores.
Son of Dracula -- A 1974 rock / horror film starring Ringo's pal Harry Nillson.
Ringo appears as Merlin the Magician. The film disappeared from theatres quite
quickly. The video release was not by a major company (but was legitimate).
However, the run was rather limited and the tape is long out of print. Good
luck in finding a copy.
That'll Be the Day -- Arguably, Ringo's finest acting performance. He appears
with David Essex and Keith Moon in this story of a young man's induction into
the world of Rock and Roll in the late 1950's. It is worth noting that the
sequel featured the young man's band making it big, and was loosely based upon
Beatlemania. However, Starr does not appear in that film.
Caveman -- A bit of slapstick from our man Ringo. Probably the only film
which sustains a story using only a handful of real words. Amusing, but
not overtly funny. Notable for being the place where Ringo met his current
wife, Barbara Bach. Rent it if you want a no-brainer, and all the "Three
Stooges" films are out.
The Point (1986) -- A cute fable written, produced, and directed by Ringo's
pal Harry Nillson. The story involves a round-headed child who is banished
from his home (the land of "Point") because he does not have a point on his
head. Ringo plays much the same role here that Peter Falk did in "The
Princess Bride"; storyteller to an obstinate child. Be sure to check the tape
before you purchase it. A second video of the same story, (produced by a
different company) narrated by Alan Thicke is also available on video.
Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band (1990) -- The concert film of Ringo's
first tour with the All-Starr band in 1989. The show filmed was at the
Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, and Zak Starkey (member of the second RASB)
makes a special appearance as "guest drummer". The entire performance is
not presented, but much more is here then the box indicates. (The box copied
the song list from the severely truncated CD of the tour) Available on both
videodisc, and tape.
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (several tapes) -- Ringo has gained many
young fans as the jovial "Mr. Conductor" on the PBS program Shining Time
Station. An integral part of that program was Ringo reading stories about
a train named Thomas, and Thomas' magical world. These stories, complete with
"live-action animation" (stop motion photography), and Ringo's narration have
been released on a series of videotapes (5 tapes, 8-10 stories per tape).
Misc -- Elbert's Bad Word -- A part of Shelly Duvall's "Bedtime Stories"
series. Much like the Thomas series, the tape consists of Ringo
narrating a story. High production values, and worth seeing,
particularly if you have children about.
Curly Sue, King Ralph -- Neither of these are worth owning for the
films themselves. However, Ringo did record an otherwise unreleased
song (played over the closing credits) for "CS", and he plays drums
for Little Richard on a new version of "Good Golly, Miss Molly"
recorded for "KR"
===============================================================================
My personal video wish list
===============================================================================
Probably first on my wish list is a compilation of the promo films taken from
the masters. Although they may appear throughout the "Long and Winding Road"
video series, a single tape consisting of just the promos would be my biggest
wish for the moment. A fairly comprehensive tape was released in Japan under
the name "The Private Reel"
An astonishing fact found in Lewisohn's _Chronology_ is that the boys filmed