There are a couple of surprises in store for amateur historians of Beatlemania on The Unseen Beatles , particularly home-movie footage by a fan who attended the band's famously final concert in San Francisco's Candlestick Park, 1966. The images seen here don't show the Beatles playing so much as they underscore how primitive the group's concert preparations were for such a sizable performance space. Received wisdom throughout many decades since the Beatles played live is that the disgruntled group couldn't hear itself over the screaming masses. The Unseen Beatles suggests, alternatively, that the band's management and general touring operation were well behind the demands of shows held in large arenas and stadiums. Anyone with a passing knowledge of Beatles lore will recall that the group decided in 1966 to stop its many years of relentless touring with a final swing through America, focusing thereafter on increasingly experimental and accomplished work in the studio. The Unseen Beatles revisits the trail of life-threatening disasters that led them to give up the road for good, drawing on interviews with the Fab Four's associates (road manager Tony Bramwell, press officer Tony Barrow) and gathering a wealth of archival and personal film material. Various and familiar harrowing incidents--including stifling security measures in Japan to protect the Beatles from assassins and the group's nightmarish experience in the Philippines after enraging Imelda Marcos--are impressionistically recounted here. Perhaps more unique to Beatles fans is this BBC documentary's assertion that manager Brian Epstein could have handled touring resources better and been more creative about putting on safe, musically satisfying concerts attended by tens of thousands of people. At times, the 50-minute The Unseen Beatles is too ambitious for its own good. Inadequate profiles of the personalities of John, Paul, George, and Ringo suggest how the Beatles grew apart as men. But in a show focused on the end of the band as a live act, The Unseen Beatles doesn't say enough about how the group's decision to end touring was fueled in part by individual needs for domestic life and to privately engage in intellectual, artistic, and religious pursuits. The program's musical score, including some of the most funereal sounds of Chopin and Mozart, is truly bizarre (occasional snatches of a generic Merseybeat sound are more appropriate). Famous faces from the Beatles' career--such as A Hard Day's Night director Richard Lester--linger on screen without even brief identification or acknowledgement. But despite these minor problems, The Unseen Beatles has a significant contribution to make toward understanding why the Beatles altered their priorities mid-career and freed themselves to make the likes of Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. --Tom Keogh Unseen Beatles (DVD) By 1966 the Beatles had played over 1400 gigs, released 15 Number 1 singles, made 7 albums, toured the world 4 times and sold the equivalent of 200 million records. At the height of their popularity, without warning, they pulled the plug. They would never tour again. Previously unseen archive footage, photographs, personal home movies and interviews with those who accompanied the Beatles on tour tell the inside story of Beatlemania, its rise and fall. Touching and intimate, it's a story of chaos and comedy, of death threats, plane crashes, diplomatic wrangles, and ultimately disillusionment. Review: a good get to know them dvd - it is part of my collection of beatles' info on who they really were/are. very informative. sometimes a little shocking. Review: The Unseen Beatles - This is a good DVD for all Beatle fans. It really gave a closer look of what they were going through back then.
| Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 90 Reviews |
W**5
a good get to know them dvd
it is part of my collection of beatles' info on who they really were/are. very informative. sometimes a little shocking.
P**E
The Unseen Beatles
This is a good DVD for all Beatle fans. It really gave a closer look of what they were going through back then.
E**S
Five Stars
a just have for any beatle fan
J**G
love the beatles.
I have so many beatles stuff. it was the magical time of my life. brings me back to such happy days.
A**H
Get The *Anthology DVD Set* Instead!
Although there isn't anything really bad about THE UNSEEN BEATLES DVD, I have to give a three-star (it's OK) rating. I was under the impression that this DVD was going to show the amateur footage from the last Beatles concert at San Francisco's Candle Stick Park that was filmed by a kid who was there all day long. It does show some of that footage, but the BBC documentary really explains the entire 1966 Beatles tour and how it was full of disasters. There are present day (2007) interviews with people who were actually there including journalist Maureen Cleave who wrote the article that kicked off the whole Lennon "Beatles are bigger than Jesus" controversy back then. It does show ample amateur footage, including interviews with the Beatles themselves from back then, and really explains why the Beatles finally decided to stop touring and playing concerts. They went through Hell in Japan and the Philippines, which is really the straw that broke the camel's back. It makes you wonder why so many corners were cut because they really had inadequate security, transportation, and the whole Tokyo debacle could've been avoided had Brian Epstein booked them at a different location. Anyway, once you watch this documentary you'll understand why Candle Stick Park was the last Beatle concert (until the very last one on top of the Apple building but that wasn't really a concert per se). The footage isn't the best quality, which is to be expected, but it's OK and won't interfere with viewing pleasure. Again, the DVD is really interesting but I think if you're really looking for more quality stuff go with the The Beatles Anthology instead. That also shows footage from the last concert, but it's really cleaned up, and the set goes through the entire Beatles career. It costs more money but you get 5-DVDs, plus over 600-minutes of viewing time. I also thought that some of the footage would show the opening acts, too, because I would've loved to see the Ronettes, without Ronnie, with Nedra singing lead, but it didn't. Get it if you're a big Beatles fan and you like watching documentaries and news shows, but don't expect it to be earth shattering. ***** BONUS STUFF ***** Beatles In Jersey - 02:50 Color footage of the group, no sound, just some classical type music playing in the background. This is pretty cool because it shows them by the pool, relaxing and going to the airport and stuff. Extended Interviews - 53:00-minutes with "Play All" feature" Interviews with Larry Kane (Journalist who flew around with the Beatles), Maureen Cleave, Andi Lothian, Allan Williams, Tony Barrow, and Tony Bramwell. These are just the extended clips of the interviews that are featured in the documentary.
A**R
This Is A Beautiful Movie Called Unseen Beatles
I like the beautiful music in this beautiful movie called Unseen Beatles. I watched the movie with my family and friends.
P**D
Five Stars
Excellent review on the Fab Four. Love the history behind the greatest band ever.
K**Y
Don't work.
DVD was a disappointment-Started n went to menu n then stopped n wouldn't go an more. Tried different selections could hear music at times then nothing-last part of it of people talking came on. Was a X-mas gift---person very upset over it. Don't know what to do-the other dvds played fine. What can we do about this...
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