The Beatles went from garage band (before garage bands existed) to the world's biggest act, and invented stadium concerts while doing so. But were they any good as a live act?
Ron Howard's documentary cobbles together excerpts from most of the surviving sources of live Beatles performances and, accordingly, doesn't contain many surprises for anyone who has followed their story in any great detail. But for younger viewers, who may well be familiar with the music but not necessarily with the hysteria which surrounded it, this film is likely to be something of an eye-opener.
In the early stages, as it becomes clear that The Beatles are gaining a following beyond their local fans in Liverpool, they are delighted. When they go to America to be greeted with screaming hysteria on a vast scale, they are pleased, but shell-shocked. And when, less than 4 years later, they finally stop performing to live audiences, they clearly hate the whole thing. This film shows that transition happening.
But even now, and even to someone who knows the story inside out, there is something jaw-dropping about the spectacle of seeing the four of them step on stage in front of 56,000 young girls who are delivering sound beyond the volume of a jet engine.
The cinema was full. This was personal history for much of the audience, fascinating documentary material for the younger members. The sound and images have been remastered, though much of it still reflects the limitations of 405-line TV and standard 8 home movies etc.
The music still works, though, yeah. Yeah yeah.
Ron Howard's documentary cobbles together excerpts from most of the surviving sources of live Beatles performances and, accordingly, doesn't contain many surprises for anyone who has followed their story in any great detail. But for younger viewers, who may well be familiar with the music but not necessarily with the hysteria which surrounded it, this film is likely to be something of an eye-opener.
In the early stages, as it becomes clear that The Beatles are gaining a following beyond their local fans in Liverpool, they are delighted. When they go to America to be greeted with screaming hysteria on a vast scale, they are pleased, but shell-shocked. And when, less than 4 years later, they finally stop performing to live audiences, they clearly hate the whole thing. This film shows that transition happening.
But even now, and even to someone who knows the story inside out, there is something jaw-dropping about the spectacle of seeing the four of them step on stage in front of 56,000 young girls who are delivering sound beyond the volume of a jet engine.
The cinema was full. This was personal history for much of the audience, fascinating documentary material for the younger members. The sound and images have been remastered, though much of it still reflects the limitations of 405-line TV and standard 8 home movies etc.
The music still works, though, yeah. Yeah yeah.