Outside of boomers people rarely talk about The Beatles already. Seriously do you think gen Z kids give a damn about The Beatles and their dated, campy lyrics?
@ I would be surprised if anything that happened in the last century musically will be getting discussed much outside of history classes in 60 years. A lot of music from the 1980s and earlier already sounds quaint and not very relatable. In 60 years The Beatles will be no more relatable or relevant to people than the once incredibly popular marching band music of Souza is to us.
I was 7 years old when a girl in my neighborhood nagged me for nearly a week to “watch Ed Sullivan Sunday night because The Beatles are going to be on”. I finally gave in and told her “OK, I’ll watch the dag gone thing”. The main thing I remember was that it felt like a switch going off and I was changed. Can’t really explain it any different than that. They were and still are a complete phenomenon.
My aunt, Kathleen, my mother's sister committed suicide in late 1963. My mother was devastated, all she did was cry. Then on that fateful February 9th, 1964, we watched The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. As incredible as it sounds, The Beatles were such a happy, positive force that they literally brought my mom back to life. She told me, if I ever saw her sad, just remind her of Ringo, because he just seemed so full of joy. I was 11 then, and I'll never forget this. The Beatles are so important and even more so if you were alive and aware in 1964. Every other song on the radio was a Beatles song. There were Beatle dolls, wigs, coloring books, trading cards, magazines. You name it! It was a phenomenon like no other!
Please accept my condolences on the loss of your Aunt Kathleen. I am grateful that the Beatles entered our lives during your mom's time of sorrow, and brought her back to life with their wonderful, positive music. I was 12 years old when the Beatles played on the Ed Sullivan show, and I remember it all so clearly. I was overjoyed watching them, and I truly think it did help America recover somewhat from the loss of our beloved president. I remember all the Beatles memorabilia, and yes, I still have some of my Beatles trading cards from 1964! :)
You had to be there to believe it. I experienced it as a 7 year-old and man did it hit me! Apart from the people in my life, their music is right up there in the list of things that have brought me the most pleasure. Can't imagine life without their music.
I'm a witness to this testimony, was 12 at the time they appeared on Sullivan and they took over am radio and the Top songs of the week that whole year and years after!! So sorry about your Aunt Kathleen but the Beatles had that kind of raw power to bring happiness where there was sadness. Once the Beatles hit the air waves my interest if any was not in school work, but music. They 'really had a hold on me" and my friends:-) thanks for posting.
I think that is a beautiful story you shared. I would never say it had no effect but stories like yours, regradless of how common this effect was, remians a very endearing and joyful one. I like the fact it gives us some understanding why Ringo was so integral to the group. Aside from his drumming his persona was invaluable in bringing humour and mirth to the band. Again thanyou for sharing your family story. Your aunt's suicide was tragic but your mum's outlook is wonderful.
Fun fact: I’ve actually seen that entire episode of the Ed Sullivan show. The musical act in the episode prior to the Beatles was a song from “ Oliver.” The stage musical, starring Davy Jones as Oliver. I just always thought it was funny that one of the monkeys was on Ed Sullivan 15 minutes before the Beatles were. It’s completely insignificant, but it makes me smile.
@@basskick666 Doubtful. Davey never mentions talking to them at THAT point when he talks of the Ed Sullivan show. Couple years later Beatles befriended Monkees and partied at Peter Torks Laurel Cyn house with David Crosby and other elite hippies and John was seen talking to Nesmith - Davy was the dork, not there - not one of the hip musicians so he got left out of the serious Beatle partying. But who nose 👃🏼
I had been in the audience for "Oliver" on Broadway a couple of days before the Sullivan appearance. I wanted to see The Beatles on Sullivan, but my Mom couldn't get tickets. But know what? She took me to see them at Shea the very next year!
@@foreverpinkf.7603 It is going to take another one in five billion chance, or even a one in 50 billion chance (a perfect storm if you like)to arrange a group of individuals as good as or better than the Beatles. Let's look at the last 100 years and the best songwriters (without naming them all) except we'll leave out Lennon-McCartney (and Harrison) for now. Most of them, like Lieber-Stoller or George Gershwin or Buddy Holly or Bacharach/David had no more than 50 classic songs each I think it's fair to say. Now getting on to Lennon and McCartney, they had at least 100 classic songs , (probably closer to 150) and then you had George, the late bloomer, who had the best love song of all time according to Frank Sinatra. On top of that, these scouse upstarts could play their own instruments and on top of that again , they could harmonise like freaking angels. How are you going to beat that for the next 100 years?
As far a sheer numbers Michael Jackson and others have surpassed what the Beatles did since, but not in any other way such as impact and influence. As Brian Epstein told anyone who would hear him, "They are going to be bigger than Elvis".
There's nothing wrong, about another Beatles film. I love them, always have always will. My musical taste are many, personally I love classical music and groups like Genesis and yes, even a bit of Alice Cooper. But too me The Beatles are everything and their music kept on evolving, and that really is the point. Brilliant video excellently persented.
Connecting the Beatles' 1964 tour with Kennedy's assassination was insightful. The band's Sullivan Show appearance followed the Kennedy funeral by only two months. Those were heady days and I'm forever grateful for having lived through them. Great video. Thank you.
@@MissAstorDancer It depends on the individual kids as some her were ids there at this time in history claim JFK's assination had little genuine impact on them as they were simply to young to understand. There is no 'completely' in anything - there are alwats exceptions and nuances. Blanket statements are pointless.
With respect I believe that was a massive overreach in the doco. Many have rightly said thet The Beatles were of course a phenomenon with great talent but not across generations at this point. How many peoplem in the audiences do you see over 30/40 years of age? The truth is at this time in history the older generations mostly hated The Beatles - that would later change. As for young children under ten, they were too young to have felt a strong impact from either events. The young kids (as a generalisation) were not walking around skulking but yes the teen-adult youth were exuberant to say the very least. The Beatles music is what matters in the end and the legacy it has left us to enjoy. But claims like they helped a country heal over the death of JFK, or helped break down Russian authoritarian are 'silly' loose statements that genuine historians would never suggest in their texts.
I saw the Beatles on Sept 7 1964 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Canada. My tickets were for a 4 pm matinee but the Beatles didn't actually get on until about 530, which got me in trouble with my parents for getting home late. They did 10 or 12 songs, but in the days before monitor screens and decent sound systems you couldn't actually see or hear them - especially given the jet stream generated by the screamers. But, we got to say we saw them in person and at age 15 in 1964 that was a very big deal! Looking forward to watching this indeed.
i saw Stones in 1965 at Liverpool and similar experience never heard a single note because of the screaming ..I was very dissa pointed as I was only 15 and cost me all my pocket money for the ticket
I'm in your age range. I can always say that I SAW The Beatles. Can't say I heard them. Shea Stadium '65 was just a wall of screams, but to a 15 year-old kid (and male, at that), it was a wonderful never to be forgotten sound. Cheers! -MJ
@@milliewilkie1969 Where in Liverpool? My late wife (I lost her a little over a year ago) saw The Beatles twice. I think one was at Wembly and the second was in Liverpool, but I can't remember where. She and her family moved here to the States in 1972 and she and I married in '86. We BOTH had live Beatles stories, as I saw them at Shea in '65. The Stones I saw in a smaller theater a year or so earlier in Albany, NY. They were the opening act for The Ronettes. No screaming. -MJ
Beatles 4 E-V-E-R!!!! I only wish they had included the edit, that was on the pre release trailer film, showing an excited fan being asked "What do you like about The Beatles?" and she screams back "EVERYTHING!!!" followed fast by a cut to 'She Loves You' played live by the boys. Wow! To me, that about summed it all up. The heady, overwhelming excitement they created. Absolutely FAB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I met George Harrison‘s older sister one time. She was married to American and living in Indiana somewhere, and George decided to visit her in that very brief window between them becoming huge in England and then becoming huge in the US. She told a pretty funny story about him, sitting in with a local band of World War II veterans at a.VFW dance, and how happy he was that he was the only one of them that got to see the ‘States prior to anyone over here knowing who he was.
I was 9 years old when I saw them on the Sullivan show. I'd heard the songs and seen pictures of them, but watching that night, I knew nothing was ever going to be the same again. Going back to school on Monday morning, I knew it for sure. The world had changed overnight.
I was 10.5 years old. You described what my experience was like, except that I don't remember anything about school the next day. But my world changed completely as well. The Summer after the Sullivan appearance, I turned 11, and my parents said they would start giving me an allowance to do chores. The timing was great, and every cent I earned went to Beatles records and related merch!!!
My uncle played me the first Beatles record in 1963, which was Thank You Girl/Please Please Me, and I bought every album until they split up. In the '64 doco, there's a lot of emphasis on what they changed, but they'll be the first to tell you that they didn't change much at the time (maybe hair styles). Just like Mohammad Ali didn't change boxing and Pavorotti didn't change operatic singing. Actually, The Beatles first album featured six cover songs. The fact is that even though the world was saturated with bands that played popular music, most successful acts in those days were solo artists or vocal-only artists. When the Bee Gees saw the success of the Beatles, which was a band featuring the vocalists, they formed a band instead of being a vocal trio. You can also credit George Martin because, while he was trying to work out which of the Beatles to feature as the lead singer and focal point, he decided to make the whole band the focal point.
Thank you for an honest and balanced appraisal from your personal family history. This is the same point I am tryying to make whilst also accepting the many exceptions to the rule. Afterall when Boy George came to Melbourne Australia he got the same reaction and I don't think a single individual would claim that Boy George had a lasting impact on the world due to that event. No single event create the brilliance of the Beatles. It evolved like most things do from a seris of events and a growth of massive creativity and experimentation in their music. Without the latter they would not have been the juggernaut they became.
I too found the Kennedy connection to be exactly as it was meant to be, we all shared this planet together and this documentary does a great job of reminding us of that❤☮️
A think that is a very justifiable point even if I differ on some other perpsectives, I agree the Beatles overall career did remind and teach us of such huge and essential lessons on humanity.
This was great love this documentary on The Beatles '64 The Beatles were so awesome and funny thanks Disney plus for bringing us this Special Beatles movie documentary well made loved all the interviews in the streets of New York during there visit! I'll be watching this over and over on Disney plus so fun loved the music too give us more of Washington DC concert and Ed Sullivan and Miami Beach TV show! Thanks great review!
An excellent film. Many reviews here on RUclips are complaining about songs being cut off, current comments, quick edits, etc.. They are people younger than me but older than the target audience. I'm in my 70s. I saw The Beatles at Shea Stadium. I have copies of "First U.S. Visit" and the Colosseum show. I prefer to watch those, but can acknowledge the excellent value of "Beatles '64." People seem to be missing the fact that it wasn't made for old guys like me, but is a wonderful film for people relatively new to the Beatles game. I especially hate those quick edits, but that just the way it is right now. The filmmakers know that and went with it, much to their credit. Nice review, my friend. -MJ
I had a ticket in my hand for Comiskey Park from my friend, but my dad wouldn’t give me the $6 for the ticket. Needless to say, I didn’t go. Years later, my dad became a fan and I never let him forget that I missed a once in a lifetime experience. To be fair, my friend that offered me the ticket said he couldn’t hear the band for all the screaming and the band was so distant that you really couldn’t feel like you were part of the experience.
Well, I saw them at Shea in '65. No, I couldn't actually hear them, but that wall of screams was a sound that I have a very fond memory of. It was, indeed, an experience. A once-in-a-lifetime experience! Cheers! -MJ
Just a rough count of albums: 1970’s - 9 platinum, 2 gold 1980’s - 4 platinum, 1 gold 1990’s - 4 platinum, 1 gold 2000’s - 7 platinum, 1 gold Not bad for a group that recorded just over 200 songs from 1962 to 1969.
Their songs were infectious, daring, with tremendous melodies and great harmonies. They had a unique look and special charm. They had an undeniable affect on audiences everywhere.
Yes folks, Beatlemania existed before 1964 in America, but as Steve Van Zandt correctly states elsewhere, the Ed Sullivan Show was the “Big Bang” for rock and roll which led to an astonishingly huge number of bands that all took up guitars as teens once they decided what the Beatles did was exactly what they would do after seeing them on TV. And we still listen to so many of the bands that the Beatles begat.
There was not a hint of Beatlemania in my town or school prior to the Beatles appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show. After the show it was like the dam broke and a great deluge of Beatles songs and many bands inspired by and emulating them to some degree burst upon the radio.
Oh wait, no it does read how I meant it. I meant Beatlemania existed before it happened in 1964 America. Meaning, it didn’t come to the US til 64 when it was already massive in Britain. I hope I was clear! :)
I agree it was a big bang but I also think that without the subsequent events and mammoth growth in their musical skills and exploration they would not have become the giants of popular culture they became. When Boy George came to Melbourne Australia he got the same reaction and I don't think a single individual would claim that Boy George had a lasting impact on the world due to that event. No single event created the brilliance of the Beatles. It evolved from a big bang effect like '64 however like most things it took a seris of events and a growth of massive creativity and experimentation in their music. Without the latter they would not have been the juggernaut they became.
Fine comments. Doesn't sound like a wellspring of new material, but tying it up in a good retrospective piece might be what we need. Have a great holiday season!
...as a 5 yr old in 1963 and hearing my first Beatles song...that I remember...'from me to you' and seeing them on the news running from excited fans, I knew even then as a 5yr old but not being old enough to express it in these terms that this was was magnificent and culturally significant!
I was 8 in 1964 & went to the same junior school as John Lennon (Dovedale primary) . The day they arrived home from the USA tour they were driven from Liverpool airport to the city centre I left school & joined the throng of people waiting for them to drive past . Was not disappointed drove past us slowly & saw them in the flesh for the first time 👍
its a great doc! love the way events of the time were weaved into the narrative and the interviews with young people were amazing the beatles were huge in the 60s and still carry alot of charm and popularity the music is timeless
I first heard them in 1963, on the radio when I was 5. I was impressed.Their early singles were extraordinary. I went off them a bit around ‘68, when they seemed to be drifting towards their own splintering. Something was changing. The music was still brilliant, but the optimism of the era was fading fast.
@elzuzo and there's billions of Christians in the world. Definitely not even more popular. JESUS will always be the greatest in the past and forever, no matter what any God hating athiest or Satanist says ..💪😆
He did not actually said: "we are bigger than Jesus", Lennon said that "young people were going more to the Beatles concerts than going to the church" nothing else
I remember hearing The Beatles 'From Me To You" on a small transistor radio in my back yard in Seattle in the summer of '63. It only got played twice as I understand it.
Really great documentary, with a very interesting perspective of the reaction to The Beatles, in the eye of the storm. Highlights were: Smokey Robinson's take, and his version of Yesterday; the kids energy and quite knowing views on the generation split (the teenage hispanic family watching and reacting to the Ed Sullivan performances was simple wonderful!) and just seeing new (to me) footage of The Beatles in the moment and reflecting on the phenomena.
This story never gets old, but one thing that always strikes me when I see 1964 footage of the Beatles is what great performers they were, a fact that is often lost in all the girls' screaming. The documentary did not capture the power of their performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. It was always interesting to me that they chose not to introduce themselves to America with one of their mega-hits. The first song they played was not "I Want to Hold Your Hand" or "She Loves You," it was "All My Loving" which has such an upbeat start you could not help but be hooked in the first 10 seconds of their performance. It also features excellent harmonies and a flawlessly played solo by George with the whole world watching. This magnificent performance showed America exactly why the Beatles were so great. They followed this up with "Til There Was You" in the first Ed Sullivan set, which was an odd but very smart choice made to appeal to the parents of their core fan base. The documentary would have done well to spend more time on these subtleties.
There's a resurgence in interest in the Beatles amongst all ages. 1. They were so popular and unique for the time and have remained that way and 2. Today's artists are bland and boring whose songs will be forgotten about in a few years time
I'm 64 years old and The Beatles are far and away my favorite band of all time. But you lose me when you feel the need to drag down current music. There's been a lot of outstanding music created in 2024. Even some that have managed to slip into the upper reaches of the charts like Hozier's "Too Sweet". It may not be as plentiful as in 1969 but there's still plenty of quality music out there.
I'm sure it's a fine documentary. It's just that nothing I've seen from it appears to be new footage. Between stuff seen in Anthology and various other documentaries, there are precious few surprises to be had here. Better audio, perhaps? I suppose that's something.
There is some never before seen footage but what I’m hoping for is the Sullivan and DC Shows released in their entirety with the remastered and remixed Video/Audio.
This is for a more casual audience or younger people who have not seen these footages or are not familiar with this time period of the beatles. This is not for superfans. Its still a good documentary tho
it was a very shallow documentary, it didn't dive deep into anything.just the basics and for new fans.even the audio wasn't improved. i thought they would at least improve the audio on the washington d.c. concert, but they didn't. even the video quality of the wash concert clips looked very poor.
Saw it last night it was ok. This film is for the uninitiated which is a Fab thing. For the real deal watch the film the first US visit. I wish someone would ask Paul why he “wasn’t in a laughing mood” on the train.
One could lose count of the interviews of Rock and more, musicians I've heard that state, they saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show and they knew from then what they wanted to do in life. Influential indeed.
Some said Paul died in a car accident in 1966 and was replaced so I have spent decades looking into it, comparing photos, analyzing videos and comparing styles and have concluded without a doubt that Paul did indeed die in 1966. RIP James Paul McCartney.
As i closed in on my 6th birthday, i found myself on the boardwalk with my mother as my 14 yr old sister witnessed the Beatles only performance in NJ. AUGUST 1964
Another great and informative review! But I can't help focusing on the in-progress paintings in your videos. Maybe you could start a second channel where we can watch you paint in real time, like a British Bob Ross, lol.
Boy George came to Melbourne Australia in the eighties, and he got the same reaction, and I don't think a single individual would claim that Boy George had a lasting impact on the world due to that event. Nor Justin Beiber of the dozens of other examples one could give. No single event created the brilliance of the Beatles. They evolved like most things do from a series of events and a growth of massive creativity and experimentation in their music. Without the latter they would not have been the juggernaut they became. The Beatles '64 tour may or may not have created a big bang effect that made the Beatles last as long as they did but we will never know if it was an essential moment or catalyst for change nor does it really matter. What matters is the incredible journey and growth in their musical and creative genius. As the Boy George event shows, as well as other countless times in history when teenage girls (and some boys) would go berserk as their beloved musical/movie idol entered their world, it didn't always lead to longevity and massive fame and success. What matters is the music, and they amazed us with what was to come, and I personally would argue that Rubber Soul and Revolver were the kick-starters to their amazing musical legacy. Big Bangs need to be backed with innate talent and continual growth. Abba also had a huge moment in Australia upon their first arrival and they went on to last many years producing great music, not to Beatles quality and diversity but nevertheless of quality (this was never truly appreciated till years later when their output was seriously analysed by experts). Could John have written Strawberry Fields or McCartney Penny Lane in ’64. I doubt it very much. The Beatles in that early period were a force of energy, excitement and a whirlwind of newly expressed freedom. The musical genius that followed showed some early signs on that tour but their real magnificence was still to come.
What I think is missing from all of the hysteria surrounding the phenomena is the fact that the Beatles weren't trying to be a rock n roll sensation. They were just trying to break into 'Show Business". and now it's all this....
I've often thought the connection between the JFK assassination and the arrival of The Beatles were the beginning of what we call "The Sixties". Nice to hear that reinforced.
"1964" is a re-edited version of the 1964 16mm documentary What's Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A. by Albert and David Maysles. The original film premiered on 13 November 1964 as a special episode of the CBS variety series The Entertainers. It is still shown at various festivals, such as Silverdocs in 2008, and was shown at a special screening at the Maysles Cinema in New York on 18 November 2011 in honor of Albert Maysles' 85th birthday. While I like your review, I think it would be improved with a more involved discussion about the Maysles.
Although I'm sure this recent release used some of their footage, I really doubt it's "the same film". Really doubting Martin, Olivia, and Sean would be involved.
I watched this myself, really enjoyed it and really interesting to see what was going on 8 years before I was born. At one point they get their suits criticised but compared to 2024 twenty somethings they are so smart. You just can't stop thinking how nice they are even with cameras stuffed into the faces...
Hi Micheal. I hope you are well! Being in Australia we got the u.k version albums but the 3 USA albums I like are Meet the Beatles,the Beatles second album and the fantastic magical mystery tour! I just ordered the new meet the Beatles blue vinyl which by all accounts sound superb and the mix is outstanding! Cheers Glenn Sydney 🍺🙏
Not every country caught Beatlemania the same time the UK did. When it did hit America it was a chaotic ,crazy experience. The Ed Sullivan Show appearance garnered the most viewers of any TV program.More than 60 million tuned in out of a US population then of about 150 million ,3,000 miles worth of concerts from NY to California,Beatles souvenirs selling out from pajamas to pencils. The best selling Halloween costumes that year were the Beatles masks
@@c.7610 Spotty success before Beatles. Dusty Springfield had her first US hit late 1963 just before they arrived Two #1 instrumentals by Brit artists - Stranger On The Shore by Ackerbilk and Telstar by Tornadoes in 1962
Capitol records refused to release the Beatles’ records in America (even though EMI owned them) so “From Me To You” was released on Vee-Jay, where it charted in Billboard just below the Hot 100. Then “She Loves You” was released on Swan, and it received some positive notices from critics but also failed to chart. Then CBS started to run stories about Beatlemania in the UK and also it became a Top Ten hit in Canada, so Capitol finally decided to release “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and launched a proper promotion and the rest is history.
I look at Taylor Swift and i realize that she is extremely popular but all one has to do is watch this doc and its immediately apparent how much hysterial there was whe the fab 4 hit the US. It was so sublime!
The Beatles were no doubt a musical and a cultural revolution, unmatched by anything else in the 20. Century. Otherwise charming & talented as H…! Can’t believe these guys’ knack for keeping up with a pressure that no one had been exposed to before, not least in the long run. But - aren’t we finally scraping the barrel here? Seems like it’s just a matter on finding a thematic theme for using every obscure TV clip or bit of an interview. What’s next? The Beatles’ toilet habits? Well okay - I’m an idiot as most fans, swallowing it all raw😆
They were very young, they had spent years trying to see just how successful they could be, and now they had exceeded any expectations they may have had. Being young as that, it would all still be kind of cool, even if a bit of a drag at times. In a year or two, you can see that their enthusiasm for the fame and popularity was beginning to wane. They were not as innocent as most people think. They had cut their teeth in the seediest bars in the seediest part of Hamburg, a bombed out seaport in the now post-war Germany.
you are correct about the fabs getting folks back to life after JFK. i was 10, i didn't understand completely. i first heard 'from me to you' by Del Shannon on local radio here in '63, Louisville, KY....dunno if that was released here before the fabs' version.
No offence meant BUT hasn't the story been told to death in a lot of ways I am a Huge Beatle Fan and have all the LP Records plus 2 CD Sets Movies on Video Tape - same on DVD, Books etc. etc. Cheers
Yep, as others have said (elsewhere), utter pants. I downloaded the OST the other week, and that put me off before I even saw it. Half of it isn't the Beatles, and the tracks that are appear to be from the UK 2009 and 2023 remasters. If it's an American documentary, you'd expect the US Capital tracks (even though, they are bl00dy awful mixes)
I thought the footage of the young fans was great. The young black girls who were so into them and the two girls in the hotel trying to blag their way in was great.
@@triplejazzmusicisall1883 yeah, but the BBC had f*cked that beyond all belief beginning with David Tennant long before it got to Disney. Jon Pertwee is the only *real* Dr Who!
A bit tired of Beatles worship, so I'll probably skip this one. I enjoyed the Peter Jackson doc because it showed them as people and working artists practicing their craft, without additional commentary. I'm not that interested in more talking heads telling us how revolutionary the Ed Sullivan appearance was. Thanks for the review, though!
I still think it's funny the yanks act like The Beatles' career started when they came to the US when by then they had released two albums and had been playing since 1960.
I saw Hard Day's Night and Help in the theater when they were released. I was 8 and 9 years old. Even at a young age I, like everyone else, was enamored by the Beatles. I was always a Lennon fan, even though Yoko and the "Lost Weekend" tarnished him. I was watching American football on TV when I heard he was murdered.
I was 7 when I saw AHDN in a theater from the front row. As the girls in the theater in the movie were screaming at The Beatles I turned around to witness the packed theater of girls screaming at the movie. It was mayhem.
It seems to me that something amazing is often missed. We all know that The Beatles changed the world and society to a level that cannot be overestimated. It is very difficult to comprehend what things would be like today had they not happened. At the age of five, John Lennon was asked to choose between his parents. At first he chose his father, but then ran after his mother as she was walking away. Had he stuck with his initial choice, he would have been taken to Scotland. In other words, all of that history, the effects of which are still being felt, rested on the pressured decision of an infant child. It all depended on that brief moment. Surely that is worthy of exploration. Instead we got that silly and fluffy romantic comedy 'Yesterday', which did nothing to educate people on the unending impact of The Beatles.
Having watched this I feel that it’s a mixed experience. Good to see the reaction of American fans then and now, but there was too much distraction from the Beatles, their shows and the excitement they generated. The Maysles brothers film is much better.
The problem was the stories were all heard before. Pauls father saying dont say heah, yeah, Yeah say yes yes yes. From me to you , She loves you, all my loving. Of you are a Beatle fan you know all this already
I listen to many different artists and bands.
But, I always come back to The Beatles.
This band not only changed music, they changed the world. People will be still talking about The Beatles one hundred years from now.
Outside of boomers people rarely talk about The Beatles already. Seriously do you think gen Z kids give a damn about The Beatles and their dated, campy lyrics?
@@jesseredden7123
I’m generation X and I talk about the Beatles every day.
What from today do you think will be talked about 60 years on?
@@jesseredden7123 Go complain about it with the other kids. I'm sure they'll get bored with you as quickly as those in here.
@ I would be surprised if anything that happened in the last century musically will be getting discussed much outside of history classes in 60 years. A lot of music from the 1980s and earlier already sounds quaint and not very relatable. In 60 years The Beatles will be no more relatable or relevant to people than the once incredibly popular marching band music of Souza is to us.
@ I am 55. I don’t even know what you are trying to say. There was no complaint.
I was 7 years old when a girl in my neighborhood nagged me for nearly a week to “watch Ed Sullivan Sunday night because The Beatles are going to be on”. I finally gave in and told her “OK, I’ll watch the dag gone thing”. The main thing I remember was that it felt like a switch going off and I was changed. Can’t really explain it any different than that. They were and still are a complete phenomenon.
"The main thing I remember was that it felt like a switch going off and I was changed." Me too, changed forever.
Oh, I can so relate to your reaction!
My aunt, Kathleen, my mother's sister committed suicide in late 1963. My mother was devastated, all she did was cry. Then on that fateful February 9th, 1964, we watched The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. As incredible as it sounds, The Beatles were such a happy, positive force that they literally brought my mom back to life. She told me, if I ever saw her sad, just remind her of Ringo, because he just seemed so full of joy. I was 11 then, and I'll never forget this. The Beatles are so important and even more so if you were alive and aware in 1964.
Every other song on the radio was a Beatles song. There were Beatle dolls, wigs, coloring books, trading cards, magazines. You name it! It was a phenomenon like no other!
Please accept my condolences on the loss of your Aunt Kathleen. I am grateful that the Beatles entered our lives during your mom's time of sorrow, and brought her back to life with their wonderful, positive music. I was 12 years old when the Beatles played on the Ed Sullivan show, and I remember it all so clearly. I was overjoyed watching them, and I truly think it did help America recover somewhat from the loss of our beloved president. I remember all the Beatles memorabilia, and yes, I still have some of my Beatles trading cards from 1964! :)
You had to be there to believe it. I experienced it as a 7 year-old and man did it hit me! Apart from the people in my life, their music is right up there in the list of things that have brought me the most pleasure. Can't imagine life without their music.
I'm a witness to this testimony, was 12 at the time they appeared on Sullivan and they took over am radio and the Top songs of the week that whole year and years after!! So sorry about your Aunt Kathleen but the Beatles had that kind of raw power to bring happiness where there was sadness. Once the Beatles hit the air waves my interest if any was not in school work, but music. They 'really had a hold on me" and my friends:-) thanks for posting.
I think that is a beautiful story you shared. I would never say it had no effect but stories like yours, regradless of how common this effect was, remians a very endearing and joyful one. I like the fact it gives us some understanding why Ringo was so integral to the group. Aside from his drumming his persona was invaluable in bringing humour and mirth to the band. Again thanyou for sharing your family story. Your aunt's suicide was tragic but your mum's outlook is wonderful.
Fun fact: I’ve actually seen that entire episode of the Ed Sullivan show. The musical act in the episode prior to the Beatles was a song from “ Oliver.” The stage musical, starring Davy Jones as Oliver. I just always thought it was funny that one of the monkeys was on Ed Sullivan 15 minutes before the Beatles were. It’s completely insignificant, but it makes me smile.
gotta check that out, one of historys mysterys
Monkees
I wonder if they spoke.
@@basskick666 Doubtful. Davey never mentions talking to them at THAT point when he talks of the Ed Sullivan show. Couple years later Beatles befriended Monkees and partied at Peter Torks Laurel Cyn house with David Crosby and other elite hippies and John was seen talking to Nesmith - Davy was the dork, not there - not one of the hip musicians so he got left out of the serious Beatle partying. But who nose 👃🏼
I had been in the audience for "Oliver" on Broadway a couple of days before the Sullivan appearance. I wanted to see The Beatles on Sullivan, but my Mom couldn't get tickets. But know what? She took me to see them at Shea the very next year!
No one will ever be as big as the Beatles...
At least not in these times, when people have trouble concentrating on one thing for more than thirty seconds.
Not even Billy Shears
Or as musically talented and creative.
@@foreverpinkf.7603 It is going to take another one in five billion chance, or even a one in 50 billion chance (a perfect storm if you like)to arrange a group of individuals as good as or better than the Beatles. Let's look at the last 100 years and the best songwriters (without naming them all) except we'll leave out Lennon-McCartney (and Harrison) for now. Most of them, like Lieber-Stoller or George Gershwin or Buddy Holly or Bacharach/David had no more than 50 classic songs each I think it's fair to say. Now getting on to Lennon and McCartney, they had at least 100 classic songs , (probably closer to 150) and then you had George, the late bloomer, who had the best love song of all time according to Frank Sinatra. On top of that, these scouse upstarts could play their own instruments and on top of that again , they could harmonise like freaking angels. How are you going to beat that for the next 100 years?
As far a sheer numbers Michael Jackson and others have surpassed what the Beatles did since, but not in any other way such as impact and influence. As Brian Epstein told anyone who would hear him, "They are going to be bigger than Elvis".
An outstanding dissection of The Beatles 1964! I had not heard about this until now, and am very anxious to see it!
There's nothing wrong, about another Beatles film. I love them, always have always will. My musical taste are many, personally I love classical music and groups like Genesis and yes, even a bit of Alice Cooper. But too me The Beatles are everything and their music kept on evolving, and that really is the point. Brilliant video excellently persented.
I always find watching the early Beatles very emotional…probably because of what they went on to be.
Connecting the Beatles' 1964 tour with Kennedy's assassination was insightful. The band's Sullivan Show appearance followed the Kennedy funeral by only two months. Those were heady days and I'm forever grateful for having lived through them. Great video. Thank you.
I don’t get it most teenage kids forgot about it after a month
@@kthevsamig4958 Hardly. The music charts were dominated by The Beatles after the Ed Sullivan Show. The kids had forgotten nothing. .
@@kthevsamig4958 If you are saying that kids had forgotten about Kennedy's assassination, you are completely wrong.
@@MissAstorDancer It depends on the individual kids as some her were ids there at this time in history claim JFK's assination had little genuine impact on them as they were simply to young to understand. There is no 'completely' in anything - there are alwats exceptions and nuances. Blanket statements are pointless.
With respect I believe that was a massive overreach in the doco. Many have rightly said thet The Beatles were of course a phenomenon with great talent but not across generations at this point. How many peoplem in the audiences do you see over 30/40 years of age? The truth is at this time in history the older generations mostly hated The Beatles - that would later change. As for young children under ten, they were too young to have felt a strong impact from either events. The young kids (as a generalisation) were not walking around skulking but yes the teen-adult youth were exuberant to say the very least.
The Beatles music is what matters in the end and the legacy it has left us to enjoy. But claims like they helped a country heal over the death of JFK, or helped break down Russian authoritarian are 'silly' loose statements that genuine historians would never suggest in their texts.
I saw the Beatles on Sept 7 1964 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Canada. My tickets were for a 4 pm matinee but the Beatles didn't actually get on until about 530, which got me in trouble with my parents for getting home late. They did 10 or 12 songs, but in the days before monitor screens and decent sound systems you couldn't actually see or hear them - especially given the jet stream generated by the screamers. But, we got to say we saw them in person and at age 15 in 1964 that was a very big deal! Looking forward to watching this indeed.
i saw Stones in 1965 at Liverpool and similar experience never heard a single note because of the screaming ..I was very dissa pointed as I was only 15 and cost me all my pocket money for the ticket
I'm in your age range. I can always say that I SAW The Beatles. Can't say I heard them. Shea Stadium '65 was just a wall of screams, but to a 15 year-old kid (and male, at that), it was a wonderful never to be forgotten sound. Cheers! -MJ
@@milliewilkie1969 Where in Liverpool? My late wife (I lost her a little over a year ago) saw The Beatles twice. I think one was at Wembly and the second was in Liverpool, but I can't remember where. She and her family moved here to the States in 1972 and she and I married in '86. We BOTH had live Beatles stories, as I saw them at Shea in '65. The Stones I saw in a smaller theater a year or so earlier in Albany, NY. They were the opening act for The Ronettes. No screaming. -MJ
Beatles 4 E-V-E-R!!!! I only wish they had included the edit, that was on the pre release trailer film, showing an excited fan being asked "What do you like about The Beatles?" and she screams back "EVERYTHING!!!" followed fast by a cut to 'She Loves You' played live by the boys. Wow! To me, that about summed it all up. The heady, overwhelming excitement they created. Absolutely FAB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is my favorite period of the band's history.
Seeing how each of them react to fans and the press reacting to them is so fun.
"Which one are you?"
"Eric"
@@emceesmith6665Hahaha
pauls photo exhibit is coming here next year of the whole mania thing hope to see at some point like 3 or 4 month exhibit
I like to look at what The Rolling Stones were doing in the same time frame.
I met George Harrison‘s older sister one time. She was married to American and living in Indiana somewhere, and George decided to visit her in that very brief window between them becoming huge in England and then becoming huge in the US. She told a pretty funny story about him, sitting in with a local band of World War II veterans at a.VFW dance, and how happy he was that he was the only one of them that got to see the ‘States prior to anyone over here knowing who he was.
Actually, she lived in Benton, Illinois.
@ my mistake, I apologize. It was going on 30 years years ago that she told me
I was 9 years old when I saw them on the Sullivan show. I'd heard the songs and seen pictures of them, but watching that night, I knew nothing was ever going to be the same again. Going back to school on Monday morning, I knew it for sure. The world had changed overnight.
I was 10.5 years old. You described what my experience was like, except that I don't remember anything about school the next day. But my world changed completely as well. The Summer after the Sullivan appearance, I turned 11, and my parents said they would start giving me an allowance to do chores. The timing was great, and every cent I earned went to Beatles records and related merch!!!
My uncle played me the first Beatles record in 1963, which was Thank You Girl/Please Please Me, and I bought every album until they split up. In the '64 doco, there's a lot of emphasis on what they changed, but they'll be the first to tell you that they didn't change much at the time (maybe hair styles). Just like Mohammad Ali didn't change boxing and Pavorotti didn't change operatic singing. Actually, The Beatles first album featured six cover songs. The fact is that even though the world was saturated with bands that played popular music, most successful acts in those days were solo artists or vocal-only artists. When the Bee Gees saw the success of the Beatles, which was a band featuring the vocalists, they formed a band instead of being a vocal trio. You can also credit George Martin because, while he was trying to work out which of the Beatles to feature as the lead singer and focal point, he decided to make the whole band the focal point.
Thank you for an honest and balanced appraisal from your personal family history. This is the same point I am tryying to make whilst also accepting the many exceptions to the rule. Afterall when Boy George came to Melbourne Australia he got the same reaction and I don't think a single individual would claim that Boy George had a lasting impact on the world due to that event. No single event create the brilliance of the Beatles. It evolved like most things do from a seris of events and a growth of massive creativity and experimentation in their music. Without the latter they would not have been the juggernaut they became.
I too found the Kennedy connection to be exactly as it was meant to be, we all shared this planet together and this documentary does a great job of reminding us of that❤☮️
A think that is a very justifiable point even if I differ on some other perpsectives, I agree the Beatles overall career did remind and teach us of such huge and essential lessons on humanity.
I loved it ... even though the scene I was in was left on the cutting room floor..
You too eh?
This was great love this documentary on The Beatles '64 The Beatles were so awesome and funny thanks Disney plus for bringing us this Special Beatles movie documentary well made loved all the interviews in the streets of New York during there visit! I'll be watching this over and over on Disney plus so fun loved the music too give us more of Washington DC concert and Ed Sullivan and Miami Beach TV show! Thanks great review!
An excellent film. Many reviews here on RUclips are complaining about songs being cut off, current comments, quick edits, etc.. They are people younger than me but older than the target audience. I'm in my 70s. I saw The Beatles at Shea Stadium. I have copies of "First U.S. Visit" and the Colosseum show. I prefer to watch those, but can acknowledge the excellent value of "Beatles '64." People seem to be missing the fact that it wasn't made for old guys like me, but is a wonderful film for people relatively new to the Beatles game. I especially hate those quick edits, but that just the way it is right now. The filmmakers know that and went with it, much to their credit. Nice review, my friend. -MJ
'They were bigger than me' Jesus.
I had a ticket in my hand for Comiskey Park from my friend, but my dad wouldn’t give me the $6 for the ticket. Needless to say, I didn’t go. Years later, my dad became a fan and I never let him forget that I missed a once in a lifetime experience. To be fair, my friend that offered me the ticket said he couldn’t hear the band for all the screaming and the band was so distant that you really couldn’t feel like you were part of the experience.
Well, I saw them at Shea in '65. No, I couldn't actually hear them, but that wall of screams was a sound that I have a very fond memory of. It was, indeed, an experience. A once-in-a-lifetime experience! Cheers! -MJ
Just finished watching it tonight and then watched your review, spot on as always
Just a rough count of albums:
1970’s - 9 platinum, 2 gold
1980’s - 4 platinum, 1 gold
1990’s - 4 platinum, 1 gold
2000’s - 7 platinum, 1 gold
Not bad for a group that recorded just over 200 songs from 1962 to 1969.
Their songs were infectious, daring, with tremendous melodies and great harmonies. They had a unique look and special charm. They had an undeniable affect on audiences everywhere.
Yes folks, Beatlemania existed before 1964 in America, but as Steve Van Zandt correctly states elsewhere, the Ed Sullivan Show was the “Big Bang” for rock and roll which led to an astonishingly huge number of bands that all took up guitars as teens once they decided what the Beatles did was exactly what they would do after seeing them on TV. And we still listen to so many of the bands that the Beatles begat.
And a more sinister looking individual you could contemplate than Ed Sullivan.Severe Deep State,masonic vibes aplenty.
There was not a hint of Beatlemania in my town or school prior to the Beatles appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show. After the show it was like the dam broke and a great deluge of Beatles songs and many bands inspired by and emulating them to some degree burst upon the radio.
@ whoops- poorly worded thought by me. I’m gonna edit it shortly. How it reads currently is not what I meant.
Oh wait, no it does read how I meant it. I meant Beatlemania existed before it happened in 1964 America. Meaning, it didn’t come to the US til 64 when it was already massive in Britain. I hope I was clear! :)
I agree it was a big bang but I also think that without the subsequent events and mammoth growth in their musical skills and exploration they would not have become the giants of popular culture they became. When Boy George came to Melbourne Australia he got the same reaction and I don't think a single individual would claim that Boy George had a lasting impact on the world due to that event. No single event created the brilliance of the Beatles. It evolved from a big bang effect like '64 however like most things it took a seris of events and a growth of massive creativity and experimentation in their music. Without the latter they would not have been the juggernaut they became.
Fine comments. Doesn't sound like a wellspring of new material, but tying it up in a good retrospective piece might be what we need. Have a great holiday season!
...as a 5 yr old in 1963 and hearing my first Beatles song...that I remember...'from me to you' and seeing them on the news running from excited fans, I knew even then as a 5yr old but not being old enough to express it in these terms that this was was magnificent and culturally significant!
I was 8 in 1964 & went to the same junior school as John Lennon (Dovedale primary) . The day they arrived home from the USA tour they were driven from Liverpool airport to the city centre I left school & joined the throng of people waiting for them to drive past . Was not disappointed drove past us slowly & saw them in the flesh for the first time 👍
its a great doc! love the way events of the time were weaved into the narrative
and the interviews with young people were amazing
the beatles were huge in the 60s and still carry alot of charm and popularity
the music is timeless
I first heard them in 1963, on the radio when I was 5. I was impressed.Their early singles were extraordinary.
I went off them a bit around ‘68, when they seemed to be drifting towards their own splintering. Something was changing.
The music was still brilliant, but the optimism of the era was fading fast.
When Lennon said they were bigger than Jesus, he was right.
Yeah surrrrre 😅 imagine how many more bibles there have been compared to 600 million records? Bibles =billions of copies..
Well, actually he didn´t say that. He said "MORE POPULAR THAN JESUS" that is very different. Media distorted his declarations.
@elzuzo and there's billions of Christians in the world. Definitely not even more popular. JESUS will always be the greatest in the past and forever, no matter what any God hating athiest or Satanist says ..💪😆
Bigger than Rod.
He did not actually said: "we are bigger than Jesus", Lennon said that "young people were going more to the Beatles concerts than going to the church" nothing else
All the commentary was unnecessary filler, but always great seeing George anytime, thanks!
I remember hearing The Beatles 'From Me To You" on a small transistor radio in my back yard in Seattle in the summer of '63. It only got played twice as I understand it.
Really great documentary, with a very interesting perspective of the reaction to The Beatles, in the eye of the storm. Highlights were: Smokey Robinson's take, and his version of Yesterday; the kids energy and quite knowing views on the generation split (the teenage hispanic family watching and reacting to the Ed Sullivan performances was simple wonderful!) and just seeing new (to me) footage of The Beatles in the moment and reflecting on the phenomena.
Fabtastic - thanks for uploading; I liked it and subscribed.
This story never gets old, but one thing that always strikes me when I see 1964 footage of the Beatles is what great performers they were, a fact that is often lost in all the girls' screaming. The documentary did not capture the power of their performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. It was always interesting to me that they chose not to introduce themselves to America with one of their mega-hits. The first song they played was not "I Want to Hold Your Hand" or "She Loves You," it was "All My Loving" which has such an upbeat start you could not help but be hooked in the first 10 seconds of their performance. It also features excellent harmonies and a flawlessly played solo by George with the whole world watching. This magnificent performance showed America exactly why the Beatles were so great. They followed this up with "Til There Was You" in the first Ed Sullivan set, which was an odd but very smart choice made to appeal to the parents of their core fan base. The documentary would have done well to spend more time on these subtleties.
There's a resurgence in interest in the Beatles amongst all ages. 1. They were so popular and unique for the time and have remained that way and 2. Today's artists are bland and boring whose songs will be forgotten about in a few years time
It's difficult to tell one artist from another these days. They're nearly all auto-tuned or AI. Todays music needs a shake up.
I'm 64 years old and The Beatles are far and away my favorite band of all time. But you lose me when you feel the need to drag down current music. There's been a lot of outstanding music created in 2024. Even some that have managed to slip into the upper reaches of the charts like Hozier's "Too Sweet". It may not be as plentiful as in 1969 but there's still plenty of quality music out there.
Great to hear the positive breakdown, look forward to catching it
Great video, Barry. I’ve seen the Maysles brothers film so it’ll be interesting to see what this offers.
This is the Maysles film
@ It uses some of the Maysles footage but Scorcese has turned it into a very different film. I much prefer the original personally.
Thanks for all of your inciteful reviews !!!!!!
Glad you like them!
What have they incited you to do so far??
@@timsopinion his reviews are more than “Beatles good, go watch”
@@classicalbum i dont think the Bettye Naomi Goldstein quote added anything of value but i like your content.
Inciteful is an adjective that means something provokes a reaction or behavior, especially one that is negative.
I'm sure it's a fine documentary. It's just that nothing I've seen from it appears to be new footage. Between stuff seen in Anthology and various other documentaries,
there are precious few surprises to be had here. Better audio, perhaps? I suppose that's something.
Agreed. Super fans have seen all this footage. I'm sure casual fans will enjoy it.
There is some never before seen footage but what I’m hoping for is the Sullivan and DC Shows released in their entirety with the remastered and remixed Video/Audio.
This is for a more casual audience or younger people who have not seen these footages or are not familiar with this time period of the beatles. This is not for superfans. Its still a good documentary tho
And on Disney.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
it was a very shallow documentary, it didn't dive deep into anything.just the basics and for new fans.even the audio wasn't improved. i thought they would at least improve the audio on the washington d.c. concert, but they didn't. even the video quality of the wash concert clips looked very poor.
Saw it last night it was ok. This film is for the uninitiated which is a Fab thing. For the real deal watch the film the first US visit. I wish someone would ask Paul why he “wasn’t in a laughing mood” on the train.
One could lose count of the interviews of Rock and more, musicians I've heard that state, they saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show
and they knew from then what they wanted to do in life. Influential indeed.
Some said Paul died in a car accident in 1966 and was replaced so I have spent decades looking into it, comparing photos, analyzing videos and comparing styles and have concluded without a doubt that Paul did indeed die in 1966. RIP James Paul McCartney.
Great review as always. Thank you.
I was born in 1960 so I was pretty much raised on their music because my mom loved music I remember asking for Let It Be for my 10th birthday
Loved every second of it.
As i closed in on my 6th birthday, i found myself on the boardwalk with my mother as my 14 yr old sister witnessed the Beatles only performance in NJ. AUGUST 1964
Another great and informative review! But I can't help focusing on the in-progress paintings in your videos. Maybe you could start a second channel where we can watch you paint in real time, like a British Bob Ross, lol.
My wife is the artist
We had The First US Visit on dvd years ago. I can't see the point of this documentary.
Your new painting is beautiful, cat.
Boy George came to Melbourne Australia in the eighties, and he got the same reaction, and I don't think a single individual would claim that Boy George had a lasting impact on the world due to that event. Nor Justin Beiber of the dozens of other examples one could give. No single event created the brilliance of the Beatles. They evolved like most things do from a series of events and a growth of massive creativity and experimentation in their music. Without the latter they would not have been the juggernaut they became. The Beatles '64 tour may or may not have created a big bang effect that made the Beatles last as long as they did but we will never know if it was an essential moment or catalyst for change nor does it really matter.
What matters is the incredible journey and growth in their musical and creative genius. As the Boy George event shows, as well as other countless times in history when teenage girls (and some boys) would go berserk as their beloved musical/movie idol entered their world, it didn't always lead to longevity and massive fame and success. What matters is the music, and they amazed us with what was to come, and I personally would argue that Rubber Soul and Revolver were the kick-starters to their amazing musical legacy. Big Bangs need to be backed with innate talent and continual growth. Abba also had a huge moment in Australia upon their first arrival and they went on to last many years producing great music, not to Beatles quality and diversity but nevertheless of quality (this was never truly appreciated till years later when their output was seriously analysed by experts).
Could John have written Strawberry Fields or McCartney Penny Lane in ’64. I doubt it very much. The Beatles in that early period were a force of energy, excitement and a whirlwind of newly expressed freedom. The musical genius that followed showed some early signs on that tour but their real magnificence was still to come.
What I think is missing from all of the hysteria surrounding the phenomena is the fact that the Beatles weren't trying to be a rock n roll sensation. They were just trying to break into 'Show Business". and now it's all this....
I really hope this documentary is released on DVD!!
I've often thought the connection between the JFK assassination and the arrival of The Beatles were the beginning of what we call "The Sixties". Nice to hear that reinforced.
Nice thoughts on the film . I loved It .
"1964" is a re-edited version of the 1964 16mm documentary What's Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A. by Albert and David Maysles. The original film premiered on 13 November 1964 as a special episode of the CBS variety series The Entertainers. It is still shown at various festivals, such as Silverdocs in 2008, and was shown at a special screening at the Maysles Cinema in New York on 18 November 2011 in honor of Albert Maysles' 85th birthday. While I like your review, I think it would be improved with a more involved discussion about the Maysles.
Although I'm sure this recent release used some of their footage, I really doubt it's "the same film". Really doubting Martin, Olivia, and Sean would be involved.
I watched this myself, really enjoyed it and really interesting to see what was going on 8 years before I was born. At one point they get their suits criticised but compared to 2024 twenty somethings they are so smart. You just can't stop thinking how nice they are even with cameras stuffed into the faces...
I loved it!
Yet John was the most popular Beatle with American boys because he clearly was a bit of a rough neck, a Hemingway-type underneath.
Would prefer watching the original footage without all the interviews given my many people chosen for reasons other than their insight or intellect.
Countless American music stars traced their desire to play to that Ed Sullivan episode. Guitar sales must have exploded.
The new documentary is worth watching though it's basically an edited version of The First US Visit with enhanced sound/footage and added interviews.
Hi Micheal. I hope you are well! Being in Australia we got the u.k version albums but the 3 USA albums I like are Meet the Beatles,the Beatles second album and the fantastic magical mystery tour! I just ordered the new meet the Beatles blue vinyl which by all accounts sound superb and the mix is outstanding! Cheers Glenn Sydney 🍺🙏
Big fan, I was there in 1964. Do we really need another Beatles documentary though?
I'll stick to the films the band made, the epic Peter Jackson get back doc and my mono vinyls. And of course Barry's videos!!
The Beatles documentary "The Beatles First US Visit" was pretty good.
Thank you!
Good review 👍
Too much OT talkie talkie stuff but the footage of the Beatles backstage and on stage live is worth it.
I'm always puzzled as to why people think that Beatlemania started in 64 when they went to the US. Similar scenes were here in the UK in 63.
Americans were paying no attention to British pop stars in 1963; Beatlemania started in 1964 for them.
Not every country caught Beatlemania the same time the UK did.
When it did hit America it was a chaotic ,crazy experience.
The Ed Sullivan Show appearance garnered the most viewers of any TV program.More than 60 million tuned in out of a US population then of about 150 million ,3,000 miles worth of concerts from NY to California,Beatles souvenirs selling out from pajamas to pencils.
The best selling Halloween costumes that year were the Beatles masks
@@c.7610
Spotty success before Beatles.
Dusty Springfield had her first US hit late 1963 just before they arrived
Two #1 instrumentals by Brit artists - Stranger On The Shore by Ackerbilk and Telstar by Tornadoes in 1962
Capitol records refused to release the Beatles’ records in America (even though EMI owned them) so “From Me To You” was released on Vee-Jay, where it charted in Billboard just below the Hot 100. Then “She Loves You” was released on Swan, and it received some positive notices from critics but also failed to chart. Then CBS started to run stories about Beatlemania in the UK and also it became a Top Ten hit in Canada, so Capitol finally decided to release “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and launched a proper promotion and the rest is history.
@@BackWordsJane The Beatles were never as big in the USA as in Britain, evidenced by the record sales in the two countries on a per capita basis.
I look at Taylor Swift and i realize that she is extremely popular but all one has to do is watch this doc and its immediately apparent how much hysterial there was whe the fab 4 hit the US. It was so sublime!
Love The Beatles. This documentary is ok. I feel like if I didn’t see it I would’ve not missed much.
Is there really much point to this doco when we already have, The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit - Albert and David Maysles?
Newsflash! Nobody is forcing you to watch it or buy it.
@@CB-xr1eg What a strange reply CB? Have you not seen, The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit - Albert and David Maysles ?
@@Neil-Aspinall Yes I have, and I will watch this one as well. My point still stands. You don't have to buy or watch it.
@@CB-xr1eg Well La de da pilgrims then!
@@Neil-Aspinall😂wtf does that mean?😅
Yea - I just watched it - HISTORICAL
My only question is, does this make the Maysles Brothers’ “First U.S. Visit” irrelevant?
@Rick Not even close!..
The Beatles were no doubt a musical and a cultural revolution, unmatched by anything else in the 20. Century. Otherwise charming & talented as H…! Can’t believe these guys’ knack for keeping up with a pressure that no one had been exposed to before, not least in the long run.
But - aren’t we finally scraping the barrel here? Seems like it’s just a matter on finding a thematic theme for using every obscure TV clip or bit of an interview. What’s next? The Beatles’ toilet habits?
Well okay - I’m an idiot as most fans, swallowing it all raw😆
There from the beginning and in the fan club - do I want to sign up to Disney again for this? Mm.
They were very young, they had spent years trying to see just how successful they could be, and now they had exceeded any expectations they may have had. Being young as that, it would all still be kind of cool, even if a bit of a drag at times. In a year or two, you can see that their enthusiasm for the fame and popularity was beginning to wane. They were not as innocent as most people think. They had cut their teeth in the seediest bars in the seediest part of Hamburg, a bombed out seaport in the now post-war Germany.
It was Albert Maysles who did the filming, i.e. camera work; his brother David recorded sound.
Probably should have just been an extended version of the enhanced Maysles’ documentary - some slightly trite celebrity interviews
you are correct about the fabs getting folks back to life after JFK. i was 10, i didn't understand completely. i first heard 'from me to you' by Del Shannon on local radio here in '63, Louisville, KY....dunno if that was released here before the fabs' version.
No offence meant BUT hasn't the story been told to death in a lot of ways I am a Huge Beatle Fan and have all the LP Records plus 2 CD Sets Movies on Video Tape - same on DVD, Books etc. etc. Cheers
Yep, as others have said (elsewhere), utter pants. I downloaded the OST the other week, and that put me off before I even saw it. Half of it isn't the Beatles, and the tracks that are appear to be from the UK 2009 and 2023 remasters. If it's an American documentary, you'd expect the US Capital tracks (even though, they are bl00dy awful mixes)
Looking forward to that
I thought the footage of the young fans was great. The young black girls who were so into them and the two girls in the hotel trying to blag their way in was great.
Albert Maysles was the camerman, his brother David directed and recorded the audio..
Meh. It's Disney. Just be thankful they didn't replace them with AI black lesbians and blame climate change for them breaking up.
Priceless! Are you familiar with DW and what Disney did to that frnachise?
@@triplejazzmusicisall1883 yeah, but the BBC had f*cked that beyond all belief beginning with David Tennant long before it got to Disney. Jon Pertwee is the only *real* Dr Who!
A bit tired of Beatles worship, so I'll probably skip this one. I enjoyed the Peter Jackson doc because it showed them as people and working artists practicing their craft, without additional commentary. I'm not that interested in more talking heads telling us how revolutionary the Ed Sullivan appearance was. Thanks for the review, though!
‘Oh no I don’t believe it, you say you think you know the meaning of love……all your love, will it save me?’. Frank Zappa.
I just finished downloading this. Hey, if buying a video isn't owning it, then torrenting it isn't stealing it, right?
I still think it's funny the yanks act like The Beatles' career started when they came to the US when by then they had released two albums and had been playing since 1960.
Still waiting for your take on Paul Is Dead
Watch the Wings Of Pegasus video on that crazy theory. It's the only one you need to see.
0:55 'First time setting foot on American soil.'
George had been there before 1964, and he was a Beatle when he did so.
The Beatles = 4, not 1...
You really need stuff spelled out to you, don't you?🙄
I saw Hard Day's Night and Help in the theater when they were released. I was 8 and 9 years old. Even at a young age I, like everyone else, was enamored by the Beatles. I was always a Lennon fan, even though Yoko and the "Lost Weekend" tarnished him. I was watching American football on TV when I heard he was murdered.
I was 7 when I saw AHDN in a theater from the front row. As the girls in the theater in the movie were screaming at The Beatles I turned around to witness the packed theater of girls screaming at the movie. It was mayhem.
It seems to me that something amazing is often missed. We all know that The Beatles changed the world and society to a level that cannot be overestimated. It is very difficult to comprehend what things would be like today had they not happened.
At the age of five, John Lennon was asked to choose between his parents. At first he chose his father, but then ran after his mother as she was walking away.
Had he stuck with his initial choice, he would have been taken to Scotland.
In other words, all of that history, the effects of which are still being felt, rested on the pressured decision of an infant child. It all depended on that brief moment.
Surely that is worthy of exploration.
Instead we got that silly and fluffy romantic comedy 'Yesterday', which did nothing to educate people on the unending impact of The Beatles.
Having watched this I feel that it’s a mixed experience. Good to see the reaction of American fans then and now, but there was too much distraction from the Beatles, their shows and the excitement they generated. The Maysles brothers film is much better.
You're absolutely right!
The problem was the stories were all heard before. Pauls father saying dont say heah, yeah, Yeah say yes yes yes. From me to you , She loves you, all my loving. Of you are a Beatle fan you know all this already
Just check any live video of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles from 1962 performing "You really got a hold on me".