The Problem With The Beatles '64 Documentary If You're Watching As A Beatles Fan

03 December, 2024 - 0 Comments

Beatles '64 promises a fan-pleasing look at the titular band's maiden trip to American shores, but the Disney+ documentary doesn't quite come together. Produced by Martin Scorsese and directed by David Tedeschi, Beatles '64 follows John, Paul, Ringo, and George from their United States touchdown in early 1964 to their triumphant return back home in Britain. Like great music documentaries of yore, Beatles '64 combines an awesome soundtrack with behind-the-scenes footage, all manner of live performances, talking head interviews, and unquestionably fascinating views of the legendary "British Invasion."

Reactions to Beatles '64 have been largely positive, albeit with some division. At the time of writing, the Disney+ documentary holds a 94% Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and plenty of reviews have been effusive in their praise. The Guardian hails the film as a "sublime snapshot," while Rolling Stone calls it a "a tribute to the fans as well as the band." On the other end of the spectrum, The Telegraph accuses Beatles '64 of achieving the impossible by making The Beatles "boring," whereas The Glass Onion takes the slightly more nuanced view of "compelling but slightly confused." Certainly, it is easy to see why opinion is conflicted.
Beatles '64 Is A Hyper-Specific Look Into A Short Period Of The Beatles' Timeline

The strangest aspect of Beatles '64 is how zoomed-in upon one specific point of the band's career the documentary really is, to the point where it really should have been called "Beatles February 7-22 '64." Any Beatles newcomer would be forgiven for thinking "She Loves You" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand" were the Fab Four's only two hits of note. The documentary, of course, made no secret of its missive to focus on The Beatles' debut U.S. visit, and covering the group's existence in its entirety would be far too big a job for any single sub-two-hour film.

Source: Craig Elvy/screenrant.com

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