We had the good fortune to be able to watch an advance screening of the new Disney+ documentary "Beatles '64" over the weekend. The film OFFICIALLY premiers this Friday, the 29th, The Day After Thanksgiving, EXCLUSIVELY on Disney+ ... but we were sent a special screener copy for review purposes ... so that's EXACTLY what we're going to do here today. (The strict rules governing the allowable window to publish a review of the film is the reason for today's late post ... after being invited to see it, I certainly wasn't about to break any rules regarding helping to promote it!!!)
In light of the fact that Apple has just released the first six US / American Beatles albums on vinyl (in mono no less!) in a special collectors' box set (also titled "Beatles '64"), the title of this film can be a little deceiving. (The box set also comes with the 2-LP documentary set, "The Beatles Story." The other commercial albums are also available for individual purchase.)
Rather than covering the whole year and the incredible impact and effect they had on America when they first landed on these shores to do The Ed Sullivan Show in February of 1964, the film is pretty well confined to that first visit and that first visit only.
Much of this has already been documented in the Albert and David Maysles film "The Beatles' First US Visit," which has been available for decades now. The Maysles Brothers were given unlimited access to travel with and film The Fab Four throughout their first trip here to The States. This included their appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and their concerts in Washington, D.C. and at Carnegie Hall. (Of course you also get Murray The K hangin' out with the guys ... and Ronnie Spector acting as their personal tour guide, taking the group to a soul club ... and out for BBQ ... in Harlem!) Paul and Ringo chime in from time to time, reflecting back on what this trip meant to the group at the time ... and we also hear from George and John through old videos and sound recordings ... so on the one hand, the presentation has an "all in" vibe to it.
The film and sound quality is excellent and although the excitement of the audience is captured at every appearance, whether it be on the stage or just waiting outside their hotel hoping to catch a glimpse of their idols, I feel that the film itself lacks that excitement factor ... it just seems to be presented as more of a monotone series of facts. I guess I was just expecting more "sparkle," as the world had never seen anything quite like this at the time ... or since. (Purely by coincidence, this weekend we also watched the new Elvis Presley documentary "Return Of The King: The Fall And Rise Of Elvis Presley" airing on Netflix. It's a lengthy recap of Elvis' career and its trajectory leading up to the 1968 Singer Comeback Special. At least half a dozen times I was emotionally moved by how much this opportunity meant to him ... to the point of actually being choked up on more than one occasion. The new Beatles doc SHOULD have had that same kind of impact on me as I lived thru BOTH of these incredible events ... and yet it felt more like watching a newsreel than a celebration. Some upbeat narration may have helped its cause.)
We DO get to see some great footage of the Fabs performing on television and in concert ... and several of their earliest hits are presented in some fashion. ("I Want To Hold Your Hand," "I Saw Her Standing There," "She Loves You," "Twist And Shout," "This Boy'," where John flubs the first word of the lyrics and then shares a quick smile with Paul about his goof, "All My Lovin'," "Till There Was You" and a few others) are all presented, although sometimes in very truncated form.
The Beatles hit the US Pop Singles Chart an incredible 34 times that year alone ... 21 of these releases made The National Top 40 ... 11 of those made The Top Ten and SEVEN of them went all the way to #1. In fact, for one week, they held the Top Five Spots on Billboard's Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart ... an unprecedented feat. They also had the #1 Album in America for THIRTY WEEKS ... and by summer, their first film, "A Hard Day's Night," was opening in theaters across the country ...
But you won't see or hear ANY of that in the new Disney+ film ... because all of the focus is on their first visit and their first visit only ... this despite the landmark importance of all of these other events that also happened that same year. (There is mention of "the film" in an ironic sequence filmed on a train ride to another publicity stop ... John mentions that he imagines this will be much like what filming the train sequence will feel like when they make their first film. "A Hard Day's Night" would go on to be considered an iconic achievement as well ... but it's never even mentioned by name.)
Don't get me wrong ... the film as a whole is entertaining to watch ... as ANYTHING having to do with this era is exciting to watch, especially for those of us who lived through it. I just think that if you're going to call the documentary "Beatles '64," it should have encompassed ALL of the events of 1964 and not just the 14 days the Maysles Brothers were allowed to film them. There is just SO much more story to tell. (kk)
Kent Kotal
Forgotten Hits
