THE BEATLES: MADE ON MERSEYSIDE -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 8/12/19

 

Writer-director Alan Byron (BILLY FURY: THE SOUND OF FURY, PUNK '76) opens his 2018 documentary THE BEATLES: MADE ON MERSEYSIDE (Film Classics) with the familiar strains of "Twist and Shout." But it's the Isley Brothers version we hear, not the Beatles' celebrated cover.

This is typical of the entire film, which features not one note of actual Beatles' music (much as the documentary JIMI HENDRIX: THE GUITAR HERO had no actual Hendrix songs save for a public domain version of "Hey, Joe") and not that many images or film clips. It's a bit like making a documentary about the Apollo space program and not including any footage of the first moon landing. 

What compensation there is consists of ample interview footage of people either directly or indirectly involved with the Beatles during their five-year rise from obscurity to stardom, including their tour manager, a business associate of Brian Epstein, Epstein's secretary, and Pete Best's brother.

Best of all (pun intended), the Beatles' initial drummer Pete Best is on hand to offer his quiet, thoughtful reminiscences from a very first-hand point of view, and it's his segments that are the most welcome ray of sunshine in the whole presentation.

What makes it most worth watching, in fact, is finding out at the end that he's enjoying a happy life, both personally and professionally, including ample compensation for "The Beatles Anthology" and a new band which makes terrific music (I've heard them--they're really good).

There are also a couple of original members of the Quarrymen giving us their equally first-hand accounts of what went down on and offstage when John, Paul, and the rest were whooping it up at the Kaiserkeller and Star Club in Hamburg or electrifying local Liverpool kids at the Cavern and Casbah clubs.

Mona Best herself turns up in old footage with son Pete, which is of interest.  And last but certainly not least, Cynthia Lennon appears briefly a few times to share her own intimately personal perspective.

Most of the other interviewees relate familiar stories while the few film clips of the Beatles are augmented by lots of B-roll footage of Liverpool and Hamburg and various locations where the Beatles lived or performed.

When we're told the old story of how young Paul and John acquired American rock and roll records from sailors down at the docks, we're shown a lengthy montage of freighters unloading their cargo at those docks.

Say they liked Elvis and we see a minute or two of Elvis performing; say they covered "Long Tall Sally" and we hear Little Richard singing it. Snatches of other songs later covered by the Beatles turn up in their original form as well.

The Beatles, it turns out, are in the periphery of their own documentary. There are some nice clips of Ringo near the end, talking about joining the band, being in the hospital, etc.  But again, no actual Beatle music.  The effect is ultimately a bit dull and, needless to say, disappointing.

The DVD from Film Movement is in 1.78:1 widescreen with 2.0 stereo sound. No subtitles or extras.

If THE BEATLES: MADE ON MERSEYSIDE were chosen to be enclosed in a time capsule, future archeologists would learn the usual pre-fame history of the group, and get brief samples of their images and speaking voices, but would have no idea what their legendary music sounded like.

THE BEATLES: MADE ON MERSEYSIDE -- DVD Review by Porfle

She Acted In 2 Of The Most Iconic Films Of The 60s (video)

In 1964, exotic model Margaret Nolan gained cinematic immortality...

...by appearing in two of the most iconic films of the decade.

"Goldfinger" (1964)
We first see Margaret as the "golden girl" in the opening titles...
...and later as Bond's friend "Dink."

"A Hard Day's Night" (1964)
Margaret plays the sexy casino escort of Paul's grandfather (Wilfrid Brambell).  

 

I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

She Acted In 2 Of The Most Iconic Films Of The 60s (video)

THE FAMILY WAY (1966) -- Movie Review by Porfle

 

 

Originally posted on 5/23/21

 

Currently watching: THE FAMILY WAY (1966) with Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett. This is my third movie headlined by that particular couple, the others being the suspense thrillers TWISTED NERVE (1968) and ENDLESS NIGHT (1972).

Here, thank goodness, Hywel's "Arthur" isn't a psychotic killer or even an overly disturbed individual. But he does have a problem: his marriage to Jenny (Hayley Mills), a pretty young virgin he's been dating for two years, has a rocky start when their honeymoon vacation package turns out to be a scam and they end up spending the wedding night in Arthur's bedroom in his parents' house, with scarcely any privacy at all.

To make things worse, the reception (also in Mum and Dad's house) is full of tension between Arthur and his father, Ezra Fitton (Hayley's real-life dad, John Mills).  This and other factors add up to make Arthur unable to "perform" with Jenny that night.

 

What seems like a temporary problem at first evolves into a major, ongoing one as their cramped, tightly-knit little village gets wind of the matter and it quickly becomes the hottest gossip item around.

Arthur is hounded by well-meaning busybodies and humiliated by louts such as his boss (Barry Foster, TWISTED NERVE, FRENZY), while Jenny is unfairly blamed for letting the secret slip out and wonders if Arthur's inability to consummate their marriage is her fault.

With the couple under the intense scrutiny of everyone in town and the situation being hashed out by their clumsily concerned parents, the film's cringe factor quickly goes up to eleven and it's anyone's guess where the plot will take us from here.

 

But just then, all of the film's various elements--surprisingly tense drama, deliciously dry humor, rich irony, fascinating characters, and a startling revelation or two--suddenly begin to come together in a way that draws us in and makes us eager to see what happens next.

While Hayley and Hywel turn in just the sort of appealing performances one might expect, it's actually Hayley's dad John Mills and co-star Marjorie Rhodes as Arthur's parents, slow-witted Ezra and long-suffering Lucy, who have the most compelling characters and dialogue.

During one scene in particular, so much is revealed about them and so many past secrets dredged up that for several minutes they become the main focus of the film and we are transfixed by their story.

The supporting cast includes the delightful Liz Fraser (who'd appear that same year on TV's "The Avengers" in the episode "The Girl From AUNTIE") as Barry Foster's wife and actor-singer Murray Head, best known for the hit "One Night In Bangkok", as Arthur's brother, who displays an unhealthy interest in Jenny. Thorley Walters (TWISTED NERVE, FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN) also turns up briefly. 

 

 
Of added interest is the fact that the musical score is written by Beatle Paul McCartney and arranged by George Martin. It's pleasant enough but not as noteworthy as one might expect. Paul would later describe it as his first "job of work."

Technically, the film is a modest, competently-done effort with adequate production values, resembling any number of English smalltown comedies/dramas.  Longtime fans of Hayley Mills may be startled by her brief display of rear nudity during an uncomfortable scene with Arthur's brother.

I was unsure what to expect during the first part of THE FAMILY WAY, but soon found myself settling comfortably into this absorbing little film whose simple yet compelling narrative leads to a glowing finale.

THE FAMILY WAY (1966) -- Movie Review by Porfle

Porfle's Trivia Quiz #25: "LET IT BE" (The Beatles, 1970) (video)

 

How much do you remember about this seldom-seen Beatles documentary? Let's find out!

Question: Which Beatle remained the most close-shaven during the film?

A. John
B. Paul
C. George
D. Ringo
E. None

Question: In "Let It Be", Paul sings "I wake up to..." What?

A. A sound effusive
B. A song of healing
C. The strangest feeling
D. The sound of music
E. The song elusive

Question: Who plays keyboards during the sessions?

A. Stevie Wonder
B. Billy Preston
C. Steve Winwood
D. Alan Price
E. Leon Russell

Question: In "I Dig A Pony", John sings "You can syndicate..." What?

A. Anything you show
B. Any boat you row
C. Any seed you sew
D. Any place you go
E. Anyone you show

Question: The rooftop concert is stopped on account of...what?

A. Thunderstorm
B. Power failure
C. Police
D. Hooligans
E. Band conflict


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

Porfle's Trivia Quiz #25: "LET IT BE" (The Beatles, 1970) (video)

Mary McCartney To Direct Abbey Road Studios Doc "IF THESE WALLS COULD SING" From Mercury Studios & John Battsek

 

MERCURY STUDIOS ANNOUNCE "IF THESE WALLS COULD SING" - THE FIRST FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY ON THE WORLD-FAMOUS ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS DIRECTED BY MARY McCARTNEY

 

If These Walls Could Sing is produced by multi award-winner John Battsek (One Day In September, Searching For Sugar Man, Eric Clapton: Life In 12 Bars) as Mercury inks new development deal with Battsek’s Ventureland

The documentary will form the centrepiece of Abbey Road Studios’ 90th anniversary celebrations which begin in November this year

London, 12 January 2021: Mercury Studios, the music-first content studio from Universal Music Group, has announced If These Walls Could Sing, the untold story of the world-famous Abbey Road Studios, directed by celebrated British photographer and filmmaker Mary McCartney. The feature-length documentary will be produced by Academy Award®, BAFTA and Prime Time Emmy Award-winner John Battsek following a new development deal between Mercury Studios and Battsek’s Ventureland. Development of the documentary has been overseen and will be executive produced by Universal Music UK’s Marc Robinson and Mercury Studios CEO, Alice Webb.

Mary McCartney brings a unique and personal perspective on the history of Abbey Road. She says, “Some of my earliest memories as a young child come from time spent at Abbey Road. I’ve long wanted to tell the story of this historic place and I couldn’t be collaborating with a better team than John and Mercury Studios to make this creative ambition a reality.”

Alice Webb says, “Mercury Studios could not be partnering with a more visionary and passionate team than Mary McCartney and John Battsek to tell Abbey Road Studios’ incredible story on film for the first time. We are passionate about showcasing work of pioneering film makers of the highest quality – which is why we are delighted Mary is bringing her creative vision to this project.”

Isabel Garvey, Managing Director of Abbey Road Studios, said, “If these walls could sing. I have lost count how many times I’ve heard that said at Abbey Road Studios over the years. I can’t wait for some of these stories to finally come to life in what will become a timeless documentary.”

If These Walls Could Sing marks the first time Abbey Road has opened its doors to a feature length documentary and will be the centrepiece of the legendary recording studios’ 90th anniversary celebrations which begin in November this year. It will tell countless stories featuring an all-star cast of interviews, unparalleled access to the studios and, of course, a spellbinding soundtrack. 

About Mercury Studios:
Mercury Studios is a multi-faceted music content studio, established to develop, produce, globally distribute and invest in innovative, music-rooted storytelling across a range of media including film, television, podcasting, publishing and live-streamed performance. Mercury Studios creates an open space for experimentation to unleash and amplify both emerging and established artists. 

Led by CEO Alice Webb and with offices in London and Los Angeles, Mercury Studios harnesses its established relationships with best-in-class talent from music and film, seamlessly bridging the two worlds to create a completely distinctive community of trailblazers driven by original IP, innovation and collaboration.

Taking its name from the iconic Mercury Records label, Mercury Studios is built on the foundations of world-leading producer and distributor Eagle Rock Entertainment and powered by Universal Music Group. 

About Ventureland:
Ventureland is a creative studio dedicated to making standout documentaries, feature films and television.

Led by executive producers Kerstin Emhoff, Ali Brown and multi-award winning producer John Battsek (Academy Award-winning Searching For Sugar Man and One Day in September, BAFTA Award-winning Hillsborough and The Imposter, Primetime Emmy Award-winning Manhunt and The Tillman Story, Peabody Award-winning Listen to Me Marlon and Grammy Nominated Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars). With the team’s shared experience of producing high-profile and award-winning work alongside the world’s top filmmakers and studios, Ventureland is at the crossroads of art, creativity, and social impact.

Most recently Ventureland has produced BIFA and Critics Circle Nominated Rising Phoenix (Netflix); Ready For War (Showtime); AKA Jane Roe (FX); The Life & Trials of Oscar Pistorius (ESPN); American Rapstar (SXSW ’20); Til Kingdom Come (DOCNYC) and Kirby Jenner (Quibi).

Mary McCartney To Direct Abbey Road Studios Doc "IF THESE WALLS COULD SING" From Mercury Studios & John Battsek

Does Paul Mouth A Dirty Word In "A Hard Day's Night"? (1964) (video)

The Beatles' first film does get a tad risque' at times.

In the nightclub scene, the Beatles break away from their manager...

...for an evening of unsupervised fun.

At one point, Paul points at his date and mouths a few words.

To me, it looks like he mouths the words: "I'll ____ this bird."

Am I right or wrong? What do you think he says?


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Does Paul Mouth A Dirty Word In "A Hard Day's Night"? (1964) (video)

Did Director Richard Lester Do A Cameo In The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night"? (1964) (video)

When the Beatles made their first film, American director Richard Lester was hired.

He had earlier directed "The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film", a Beatles favorite.
Lester gave their film the same sense of nonsensical, wildly satirical fun.

But did he give himself a cameo appearance in it, as some directors do?

Yes...but not intentionally.

During the final extended concert sequence, Lester was caught on camera...
...just barely.

It's not much, but he did manage a tiny bit of screen immortality. 


(Two songs removed for copyright reasons.)
I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Did Director Richard Lester Do A Cameo In The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night"? (1964) (video)

George Falls Flat On His Face In The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" (1964) (video)

The Beatles' first movie opens with a typical scene...

...of the boys being chased by a mob of fans.

While most of them manage to stay on their feet throughout the scene...
...one of the girls takes a rather cringey dive.

But that's nothing compared to George's harrowing header in the opening shot.
He hits the sidewalk hard, and then Ringo trips over him.

Naturally, John gets a hearty laugh out of the whole thing.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

George Falls Flat On His Face In The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" (1964) (video)

He Acted In 2 Of The Most Iconic Films Of The 60s (video)

In 1964, Richard Vernon gained cinematic immortality...

...by appearing in two of the most iconic films of the decade.

"Goldfinger" (1964)
As Col. Smithers, he gives M and 007 a briefing on one Auric Goldfinger.

"A Hard Day's Night" (1964)
Here, he appears as the Beatles' grumpy traveling companion. 


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

He Acted In 2 Of The Most Iconic Films Of The 60s (video)

John Lennon Missing From A Scene In "A Hard Day's Night" (1964) (video)

One of the most popular scenes in the Beatles' film debut, "A Hard Day's Night"...

...is when the boys cavort in a field to the tune of "Can't Buy Me Love."

But during filming, John had to leave to promote his book, "In His Own Write."

And director Richard Lester filled in for him.

So for a few moments, the girls in the audience were screaming not for John...

...but for Richard Lester.

Music by Lennon/McCartney
Performed by karafun


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

John Lennon Missing From A Scene In "A Hard Day's Night" (1964) (video)

The Beatles: 'YELLOW SUBMARINE' In Theaters Across North America This July To Celebrate 50th Anniversary

THE BEATLES’ "YELLOW SUBMARINE"
IN THEATERS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA THIS JULY TO CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Restored 4K Theatrical Version With Remixed 5.1 Stereo Surround Sound

Once upon a time…or maybe twice…there was an unearthly paradise called Pepperland…

Watch the trailer HERE

NEW YORK / LONDON / LOS ANGELES – APRIL 04, 2018 – Abramorama announced today a deal with Apple Corps Ltd. and Universal Music Group (UMG) to theatrically release The Beatles’ classic 1968 animated feature film, Yellow Submarine, across North America this July in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Abramorama, Apple Corps Ltd. and UMG have teamed to give Beatles fans of all ages the opportunity to come together and share in this visually stunning movie and soundtrack.

Abramorama originally partnered with Apple Corps, Imagine Entertainment, White Horse Pictures, StudioCanal and UMG’s Polygram Entertainment on the Ron Howard documentary The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years. Abramorama has a proven track record in the music-driven film space, partnering numerous times with Neil Young, Pearl Jam and Green Day and now once again with Apple Corps Ltd.

Credit: © Subafilms Ltd.

Yellow Submarine was restored in 4K digital resolution by Paul Rutan Jr. and his team of specialists at Triage Motion Picture Services and Eque Inc. The film’s songs and score were remixed in 5.1 stereo surround sound at UMG’s Abbey Road Studios by music mix engineer Peter Cobbin. Due to the delicate nature of the hand-drawn original artwork, no automated software was used in the digital clean-up of the film’s restored photochemical elements. This was all done by hand, frame by frame.

Richard Abramowitz, CEO of Abramorama said, “We’re thrilled to have the privilege of bringing Yellow Submarine back to the big screen so that 3 generations of happy Beatles fans can enjoy the ground-breaking animation and classic tunes and that have long been part of our collective cultural DNA.”

Directed by George Dunning, and written by Lee Minoff, Al Brodax, Jack Mendelsohn and Erich Segal, Yellow Submarine began its voyage to the screen when Brodax, who had previously produced nearly 40 episodes of ABC’s animated Beatles TV series, approached The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein with a unique vision for a full-length animated feature.

Yellow Submarine, based upon a song by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, is a fantastic tale brimming with peace, love, and hope, propelled by Beatles songs, including “Eleanor Rigby,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” “All You Need Is Love,” and “It’s All Too Much.” When the film debuted in 1968, it was instantly recognized as a landmark achievement, revolutionizing a genre by integrating the freestyle approach of the era with innovative animation techniques.

Inspired by the generation’s new trends in art, the film resides with the dazzling Pop Art styles of Andy Warhol, Martin Sharp, Alan Aldridge and Peter Blake. With art direction and production design by Heinz Edelmann, Yellow Submarine is a classic of animated cinema, featuring the creative work of animation directors Robert Balser and Jack Stokes with a team of animators and technical artists.

Information on local screenings can be found here:  http://www.yellowsubmarine.film/

***

About Apple Corps Limited
Apple Corps Ltd. was founded by The Beatles in 1968 to oversee the band's own creative and business interests. As part of its management of The Beatles’ entire intellectual property canon, the London-based company has administered the legendary band’s recorded catalogue, with more than 800 million physical and digital albums sold to date.

Apple Corps has also piloted innovative Beatles projects, which have become benchmarks for pioneering accomplishment, including the record-breaking, 30 million-selling album The Beatles 1, the universally acclaimed The Beatles Anthology series, the Grammy®-winning CD, vinyl, digital and streaming release of The Beatles’ 13 remastered studio albums, 2017’s chart-topping remixed and expanded Anniversary Edition for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and in partnership with Imagine Entertainment, White Horse Pictures and Polygram Entertainment/UMG, the Grammy®-winning 2016 feature documentary, The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years, directed by Ron Howard.

In Apple Corps’ first major theatrical partnership, The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil® has played to nearly nine million audience members since its June 2006 opening at the Mirage in Las Vegas. The Beatles’ LOVE also resulted in a double Grammy®-winning album and a Grammy®-winning feature film, All Together Now, which details the fascinating story behind the unique partnership between The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil that resulted in the creation and launch of LOVE.

The Beatles debuted for streaming worldwide on December 24, 2015 with the band’s 13 U.K. studio albums and Past Masters (Volumes 1 & 2), The Beatles 1962-1966, The Beatles 1967-1970, and The Beatles 1, followed by The Beatles’ Anthology, Volumes 1-3 music collections and the LOVE album. Songs by The Beatles were streamed more than four billion times in the first two years.

And continuing the commitment to preserving the archives and legacy of The Beatles’ catalogue, The Beatles’ Help!, Yellow Submarine, and Magical Mystery Tour feature films have in recent years been painstakingly digitally restored for DVD, Blu-ray™, and iTunes release. Visit www.thebeatles.com for more information.

About Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group (UMG) is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content in more than 60 countries. Featuring the most comprehensive catalog of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. Universal Music Group is a Vivendi company. Find out more at: www.universalmusic.com.

About Abramorama
Abramorama is the preeminent global rights management partner for music films today and is recognized for the consistent high quality of its work on award winning feature films. An innovator in the focused, personalized form of film distribution and event cinema, Abramorama provides invaluable alternatives to filmmakers and content owners. An industry leader in marketing, promotion, and global distribution, Abramorama continues to trail-blaze exciting new pathways for filmmakers to find their audience.

Over the course of more than 15 years, Abramorama has successfully distributed and marketed hundreds of films, including Ron Howard’s Grammy Award®-winning The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years; Danny Clinch and Pearl Jam’s Lets Play Two; Amir Bar-Lev's Long Strange Trip – The Untold Story of the Grateful Dead; Paul Dugdale and Myles Desenberg’s Above & Beyond Acoustic – Giving Up The Day Job; Corbett Redford and Green Day’s Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk, John Scheinfeld’s Chasing Trane – The John Coltrane Documentary; Sam Pollard’s Two Trains Runnin’; Brett Bern's BANG! The Bert Berns Story; Brett Morgen and National Geographic’s seminal Jane; Tomer Heymann's Mr. Gaga; Charles Ferguson’s Time To Choose; Asif Kapadia’s Senna; Neil Young’s Greendale; Cameron Crowe’s Pearl Jam Twenty; Sacha Gervasi’s Anvil! The Story of Anvil; Banksy’s Academy Award® nominated Exit Through the Gift Shop; the surprise indie hit Awake: The Life of Yogananda; Laurie Anderson’s astonishing New York Times critics’ pick, Heart of a Dog, Showtime’s National Board of Review Winner Listen to Me Marlon and Draft House Releasing’s 2016 Documentary Academy Award®-nominee and IDA Best Documentary Winner The Look of Silence. Abramorama is a founding partner of The Seventh Art Stand program, an act of cinematic solidarity against Islamophobia, that ran in more than 50 theaters across the United States in May of 2017. For more information visit www.abramorama.com.

The Beatles: 'YELLOW SUBMARINE' In Theaters Across North America This July To Celebrate 50th Anniversary