BEATLES ’64 (2024, doc)

November 28, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been 60 years since ‘Beatlemania’ hit the United States. As impressive as Taylor Swift’s ascendance has been, it pales in comparison to the cultural impact of the Fab Four those many years ago. Documentarian David Tedeschi, working with raw footage shot by brothers and renowned documentary collaborators, Albert Maysles and David Maysles, takes us back to those frenzied 14 days of The Beatles’ first U.S. trip, including the infamous appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show”.

The footage is fascinating not just because it includes the band performing live on Sullivan, at the Washington Coliseum, and at Carnegie Hall, but rather because it puts us in the Plaza Hotel room where they stayed, and in the backseat of the cars as they are transported. We hear interviews and conversations, and gain some perspective on what these young men went through physically and emotionally and musically on their first trip across the pond. Girls were hyped for this group of four lads who certainly didn’t fit the mold of traditional masculinity, while parents were caught off-guard.

What I found most thought-provoking of all was Tedeschi’s presentation as history intertwined with one of the most impactful moments in U.S. history. President John F Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. The plane carrying The Beatles touched down on February 7, 1964. In plain language, Beatlemania struck as a nation mourned. You may view these as unrelated, but music is known to heal. Perhaps the frenzied young fan reactions to “I Want to Hold Your Hand” that caused the rift with parents and older Americans was just the diversion needed to help a country move forward. That first appearance on the Sullivan show took place on February 9.

Tedeschi supplements the video with a multitude of interviews. We hear from fans, other musicians, and the band members themselves … even Marshal McLuhan. Surviving members Paul and Ringo were involved in the film’s production, as were the estates of John and George. Archival interviews are included here – George from his own lawn, and John on a couple of TV talk shows. Paul is shown at the museum that featured Beatles photography. Yet, the interview that packs the biggest punch is likely that of Ronald Isley of The Isley Brothers. He acknowledges the impact of sales when The Beatles recorded “Twist and Shout”, and he punctuates this with the fact that it did not lead to an invitation for The Isley Brothers to perform on the Sullivan show.

It’s clear how much respect these four young lads had for black musicians and how much their music influenced The Beatles. They were excited to meet with and learn more about the key black musicians such as Little Richard or the Ronettes. Ronnie Spector is interviewed here and offers her recollection of the band, the music, and the times. Tedeschi’s (and the Maysles’) work offers an inside glance at what was happening at the time, and when we hear the wisecracking and see the raw energy of the boys, it helps to know that George (the youngest) would not turn 21 until the band returned to England. We get the feeling they believed this happened to them, not that they caused it. Perhaps they were at least partially right … as the times, they were achangin’.

Streaming exclusively on Disney+ beginning November 29, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

LET IT BE: A CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES

March 10, 2017

Dallas Summer Musicals at Fair Park

March 8, 2017

This is one of my rare forays from the big screen to the big stage. The touring production of this world famous musical came to Dallas, and will soon play Ft Worth before heading off to the next stop.

 The Beatles’ first big UK hit was in 1962 (“Love Me Do”) and their first U.S. tour occurred in 1964. The band’s final live performance was in 1969 on a rooftop in London, and they officially broke up in 1970. During this unprecedented run (and since), The Beatles sold more records than any band in history, and changed the face and sound of popular music at least a couple of times. Because of this unparalleled success and popularity, it’s not surprising that the band and its music have now generated THREE stage productions – Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles, Beatlemania, and most recently, Let it Be: A Celebration of the Music of The Beatles.

Revamped after successful runs in London’s West End and on Broadway, this touring version is split into two parts: Act 1 hits some of the highlights of the band’s career, while Act 2 provides a look at what might have been – a reunion of the band in 1980. One could describe this as ‘What was’ versus ‘What if?’.

Kicking off with the first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show”, the familiar music immediately lights the warm fire of nostalgia in the audience. The other segments in this first Act include the Shea Stadium concert, the Sgt Pepper era, and finally Abbey Road – replete with a barefoot Paul. What is immediately apparent is that the four lads on stage may not closely resemble the original band in looks, but they certainly are talented musicians and singers. The banter with the audience is not especially a highlight as the exaggerated speaking voices meant to mimic Paul and John are at times cringe-inducing, but this in no way impacts the enjoyment and expert versions of the songs that are permanently imbedded in our DNA.

The difference maker in this show is the ‘What if?’ second Act, as the ultimate fan fantasy occurs – the four lads from Liverpool reunite for a concert on John’s 40th birthday, October 9, 1980. This is ten years after they disbanded, and there are some musical chills as they play a blend of their hits from “the good old days” and meld their talents on songs from their individual projects. Selections include George’s “What is Life”, John’s “Starting Over”, Ringo’s “It Don’t Come Easy”, and Paul’s “Band on the Run”. There is also “Blackbird” in the stage style of Crosby, Stills and Nash; while John’s “Imagine” truly hits the right note. Though the encore is predictable and necessary and crowd-pleasing, the musical highlight of the show is George’s searing version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”.

With an emphasis on the music, the stage props were minimal. Either side featured a retro dial radio and television. While the band played, the familiar clips of actual Beatles audiences were shown; during the costume changes, we were treated to music from the era, news clips, and the always good-for-a-laugh Carnation Instant Breakfast commercial. Complementing the fine music were the spot on costumes. Evolving from the early suits, mop-tops and Beatle boots to the spectacular Sgt Pepper psychedelic colors, and culminating in Lennon’s iconic New York City t-shirt, the clothes and facial hair leave no doubt as to the era. Neil Candelora plays Paul with the perfect amount of fake stage pep and constant need for audience feedback, and JT Curtis as George gets to flash his prolific musical expertise periodically while struggling to maintain the mostly still nature of the quiet one. Chris McBurney handles Ringo’s drums with relative ease, and Michael Gagliano adds the Lennon edge necessary to capture the band’s stage presence. It may not be a true “Revolution” but everything does “Come Together” for an extremely fun and crowd-pleasing time.

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Posted by David Ferguson