I loved The Beatles' Disney + epic 'Get Back' and was delighted to finally watch the latest resurgence of archive Beatles films, 'Beatles 64,' directed by Martin Scorsese.
The film tells the story of the 'Fab Four' arriving in the States for a 2-week cultural tour (between 19th August and 20th September 1964) with a selection of talking heads who lived it, including archive gig footage. The real gem for any true hardcore Beatles fan is the 1964 backstage film of the band relaxing in a USA hotel ( it looks like a hotel scene from 'A Hard Day's Night) that has remained unseen until now. This 1964 footage (although directed by Scorsese) was filmed by two brothers who followed the band around America on their first stateside trip, capturing this magnificent music history for prosperity and Disney+ subscribers!!
Modern-day accounts of The Beatles hey-days come from an ageing Paul McCartney (who also shows off his 1964 photo collection) and Ringo Starr, interspersed with archive John Lennon and George Harrison interviews. The film also features an impressive collection of famous fans as Scorsese films chat with Smokey Robinson, Ronnie Spector, and David Lynch. Following the band to Washington, we get to see them debut on the Ed Sullivan Show with some live footage of that gig and watch John Lennon in a 1970s interview, one which I'd never seen before. It's a fantastic collection of footage - the film also tells the story of America's cultural resurgence, following the assassination of JFK at the end of '63. The Beatle's arrival in New York is seen as the awakening of a country coming out of collective mourning.
As someone who's watched countless 'The Beatles' interviews, books and cinema, I was incredibly impressed by this film and felt I'd learned more about my favourite band. I've also discovered that Scorses' directed a George Harrison film called 'Living In The Material World' -that's my next watch!
Words by @rybazoxo
www.ryanoxleywriter.blogspot.com