Dynamixor
The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
Allison Davies
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
Tobias Burrows
It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.
armittj
I have watched this Anthology on DVD several times now. Each time I watch it, I cannot help but feel the incredible sense of belonging to that era, the Beatles era. I cannot watch it without being emotional, that sense of not just belonging to the Beatle era but the unmistakable feeling that they were such a big part of my growing up that the loss of John and then George was like losing close and dear family members. The series itself gives terrific insight to the Beatles prolific musical output as a group and then as extremely talented solo, group artists and performers as well as nice people. The ensemble interviews of the then three remaining Beatles, Paul, George and Ringo showed a bonding of friendship and respect which is seldom seen amongst superstar groupings of 30 odd years. I concur that "I am blessed" to have witnessed the story first hand and am eternally grateful to the produces for providing much early work and bits never seen or rarely discussed. I know many of the younger generation who have adopted the music of the Beatles as "their" music. Just proves what a magnificent legacy the Beatles have left the world. 10/10 because we cant give more!
tlmmtibet
I write this commentary when we remember John Lennon in his 66 years from his birth,regretting forever his stupid death,What can i say about "The Fab 4"?=NOTHING,i repeat:words are not enough to describe them and maybe it's said everything about John,Paul,George and Ringo,but this time they tell the magical and mystery story of their prolifically career as a band never to forget till the end of the times.The first steps,the birth of the group,the first troubles and painful beginning,the moment to arise(when Bryan Eipstein discover'em at "The CAVERN")after the Hamburg experience,changing their looks and manners, the first hit,arriving to the USA(TOTAL MADNESS!),the funny movies, breaking the rules of the music with "Peppers",the weird journey to the India and The Yoga,Brian deceasing and weakening the unit among the group,the final conflict Lennon-McCartney(or Ono-Eatsman?)when "Let it be" broke the union(the last concert and for free!!),John married Ono(never wished presence in the essays by the another members!),Paul leading the final time not only the music sounds but the business(Applecorps broke down) got tense relations(Klein vs Eastman),the last album recorded,and for my particular opinion the best:"Abbey Road",on August '69,the final split when Lennon blindly quits,Spector trying to save "Let it be" from the forgotten tapes,and Paul announcing in his first solo LP the end of the group.In the last part of the collection Paul,George,Ringo and the crew explain how they joined their efforts along the Lennon's lost tapes delivered by Yoko Ono for Paul on 1993 to mix them(a sort of feeling of guilt because she broke up the band?),25 years after the magic was born again,the new songs were awesome,better than all the bad junk made by the "new talents",though the new youth unknowns about the good music to understand the good tunes of the wisdom.A MAGICAL STORY OF TALENT AND LOVE,BUT THE SELFISH AND GREED SLAYING THE GREATEST BAND OF MUSIC OF ALL THE TIMES!!
ebiros2
Someone had to make this mini-series, and who would be better than the Beatles themselves ? For instance, who could tell with more believability that George didn't like the album Sgt. Pepper that much than George himself ? In this sense this anthology is very important, because all the information comes directly from the Beatles themselves. This DVD set contains additional comments by Niel Aspenall, and George Martin that's never been seen elsewhere which reveals the back stories about the production of Beatles' music, their earlier days on the road etc. Watch this anthology with video "The Compleat Beatles", "Making of A Hard Days Night" and "The making of Sgt. Pepper" (broadcasted, but unreleased in video) you should get pretty much the whole picture of the Beatles.If I had one complaint about this DVD set, it's that the music is recorded so much louder than the voice track, and is difficult to find the right volume level to listen to. But of all the Beatles documentary videos that are out there, this one still is the best.
preppy-3
Very long, exhaustive documentary following the Beatles from their births up until their breakup in 1968. All three of the remaining Beatles are interviewed (as of 1995) to share their views of the band. We even hear John Lennon's thoughts--he recorded quite a large number of tapes about the band before he was tragically murdered.I saw it on TV back in 1995. It was great but the DVD is 100 times better. The picture and sound are crystal clear and the songs are nice, loud and in stereo (with THREE separate audio options to choose from). There is rare concert and studio footage all during the movie. Just mesmerizing.However some things are conveniently ignored--their manager Brian Epstein's homosexuality and attraction toward John (purportedly it was consummated); the horrible way they treated him; their drug use is REALLY played down; the hatred that Paul had toward Yoko Ono is ignored and Paul and George's battles are sort of glossed over. Also there is next to no information of their personal lives at all.Still, this is a definite must-see for all Beatle fans. If only they hadn't ended it with that dreadful "new" song "Free As A Bird".
