★★★☆☆
As a seasoned cinema enthusiast who lived through the Beatlemania era, I must say that “Beatles ’64” is a bit of a mixed bag for me. The original Maysles documentary serves as an intriguing time capsule, offering a glimpse into the chaos and excitement of the Fab Four’s first visit to America.
Beatles ’64 is on Disney+ from Friday. Add it to your watchlist
Apple Corps is excited about anniversaries, and they’re releasing this documentary in the 60th year since the Beatles arrived at New York’s newly named John F. Kennedy Airport, ready to reshape the cultural landscape forever.
Each day, they faced constant harassment from reporters, hordes of teenage fans, and self-proclaimed “fifth Beatles” (including the pushy radio DJ Murray the K). To add to this, there were formal gatherings held in their honor that felt suffocatingly stuffy. This daily routine was humorously depicted later that year in the movie “A Hard Day’s Night,” which hit the screens before the Maysles’ film made its debut.

Titled “What’s Happening! The Beatles in the USA“, this release is primarily supported by the Maysles’ movie, which has been revitalized, reworked, and enhanced by David Tedeschi, a frequent collaborator of Martin Scorsese. Fresh interviews with well-known admirers who were influenced by the events of February 1964 have been incorporated into the original footage, including Joe Queenan, who appears visibly moved and compares the Beatles’ arrival in America to “the light coming on”. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are also interviewed; however, their voices are often overshadowed by numerous other voices, resulting in a fan-centric celebration rather than a focused account of their contributions.
The Beatles’ ’64 shines brightest when the original quartet of John, Paul, George, and Ringo are together. They would charm the media, play pranks in hotel rooms, let loose their long hair at nightclubs, and deliver electrifying performances on stage. Despite its seemingly unstable setup, the Washington Coliseum concert showcases just how powerful and thrilling a live act they truly were, as they powerfully performed songs like “Long Tall Sally.” David Lynch, who was present, perfectly captures the essence of it all, stating: “It was deafeningly loud. Girls would shudder, cry, scream with passion. It was extraordinary.

Regrettably, numerous talking-head testimonies become long, aimless speeches, slowing down the movie’s tempo. At times, it seems as if every member of the 73 million viewers who watched The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show has been given a chance to speak. Additionally, the film is overloaded with old interviews of the Beatles from later in their lives, and the constant switching between these interviews does more to confuse than enlighten. The endless repetition of philosopher Marshall McLuhan’s TV clips discussing abstract topics only adds to the confusion.
Essentially, this seems like an unnecessary reheat of an Apple dessert; the company previously reworked Maysles’ footage in 1991 for “The Beatles: The First US Visit“. The additional elements added – nostalgic recollections, vague social context, and an excess of archival material – detracts from the enjoyment of what we came for: a ride in the backseat of the limo with the Beatles as they take over America.
The original film and soundtrack have been beautifully restored, making it a pleasure to watch the boys at their best and listen to them sound fantastic. It’s evident that they are excited to be in the country where rock’n’roll, soul, and R&B were born. Paul is often spotted with a Pepsi-emblazoned transistor radio near his ear, soaking up every bit of the music scene.
The Beatles ’64 provides an intriguing counterpoint to Disney’s Get Back docuseries, as it offers a similar behind-the-scenes glimpse into the band, but this time during their peak years, while the latter portrays them in their final stages, five years later.
Instead, the general atmosphere in “Beatles ’64” can be described as optimistic about what lies ahead. Amidst all the stresses and chaos enveloping them, these young men are enjoying their journey as their popularity continues to soar. For a grief-stricken America following JFK’s assassination, their emergence was a symbol of brighter days ahead. To the youth of the ’60s, looking back on that era, this represented a fresh start and the commencement of healing.
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2024-11-26 15:04