The Beatles Anthology

This should be unlimited stars!!! I saw this on TV many years ago (around 1992 or 1993) and loved it. I am a forever Beatles fan, saw them in person in Seattle in 1966 (didn't hear them because of all the screaming) and have all of their albums and CDs. I also have this set on VHS but that doesn't do me much good because as we all know, VHS is the old way and the tapes wear out or break. I received this collection last week and have already watched all but one DVD. It took me back to simpler days when I was a lovestruck preteen and early teenager with the biggest crush on George Harrison! I'm going to admit this here, I still have a crush on him, even after all these years :-) Hard to believe he's been gone almost 15 years and John since 1980. This set is very comprehensive, there is footage of their concerts, press and news footage, Ed Sullivan shows, rehearsing, singing, personal insights, comic moments, etc. I could go on and on, but this set has it all for any Beatles fan. You will learn things you never knew about them, laugh with them over things you've already seen, enjoy their music, Paul singing Hey Jude was a big highlight as are all their other songs. They bicker a little bit, George quits, comes back, Ringo quits and comes back, etc. On and on, it's just a great ride through history, as they start with simple songs with just 3 guitars and one set of drums, to Rubber Soul when George introduced the sitar, to Revolver and more complex songs, to Sgt. Pepper's with a full complement or orchestral instruments. They become more socially conscious, grow up before your eyes, and when the final concert happens on the rooftop, you know what's next (the breakup) and you don't want it to happen. At least I didn't. There was never a band like them before and there will never be another band like them. They were the greatest, Lennon and McCartney were geniuses at songwriting and deciding which song fit which Beatle, George comes into his own as a songwriter and he was he best guitar player, Ringo is just happy and smiling and he gets his songs which are simple but he's on key and he seems like he's the most fun of the four. There is a segment of him in Hard Day's Night where he's walking along the beach, makes contact with a young boy, and he explains how he's so hungover from the night before he can hardly handle it! Hilarious! I highly recommend this to any Beatles fan who wants a trip down memory lane with all the quips and info you'll love! Beatles Forever!

(4/1/03) Whatever you may have thought of The Beatles Anthology documentary in its earlier incarnations (broadcast, VHS, Laser), the most compelling reason to purchase this DVD release lies in the last of the five discs: "Special Features."

Those already familiar with the Anthology as a film will, as I did, look to this disc first. The new material, already mentioned in other reviews, succeeds in completing the documentary project as an addendum; the material provides interesting insights into the production of the Anthology film, as well as the CD's and the two "new" videos/songs "Free as A Bird" and "Real Love."

The bonus materials also give us (perhaps unintentionally) a more lively insight into the interpersonal dynamics of the remaining Beatles in the late 1990's (the kind of realism so called "Reality TV" vainly contrives). Shot during what was no doubt an arduous, yet therapeutic re-examination of their past, the group reminiscences (edited from material filmed either for the production or the later marketing of the Anthology) are fascinating. Those well versed in Beatles and post-Beatles rumor and lore will no doubt have much to examine (or "read into") when watching Messrs McCartney, Harrison, and Starr cheerfully and sometimes tiredly reminisce in both song and in story. (Contrary to some rumors, there are really no new song performances here - all are informal and incomplete dalliances.) Detail oriented Beatle-ologists will no doubt examine and re-examine everything said and sung during these group sessions, as well as everything unsaid and unsung. "Regular" Beatle fans will enjoy the often funny anecdotes and the music, no matter how "impromptu" or unpolished.

As a package, the DVD is faithful to the original Anthology release in artwork and packaging, taking its cues from Klaus Voorman's poster wall concept, with an animated version of the collage serving as theme to the menu navigation on the discs. The sound has been re-mastered for DTS, Dolby 5.1 and PCM Stereo, which is arguably great for the music, but bears little impact on the interviews.

As an owner of the older VHS set, my only minor unpleasant surprise in viewing the new DVD's was the odd choice of fonts for the titles and subtitles. In re-mastering the film for DVD, the producers stripped away all the original "Copperplate Gothic" establishing titles to clear way for the DVD's digital subtitles. While understandable (it arguably shows that the film was consciously re-mastered for disc) the digital "sans serif" titles lack the film style that gave the original documentary visual sophistication. Again, a minor point.

Those looking to update their ownership of the Anthology would do well do consider this latest technology release. The DVD replaces aging tapes and the Special Features complete and rejuvenate the film.

At 11 years old, my biggest interests were horses, painting and drawing horses, reading books about horses and avoiding homework. Then, one November Sunday night, I wanted to watch tv and there was nothing on but The Beatles Anthology, I was too lazy to turn the set off. AND IT'S A GOOD THING I DIDN'T!!! At the end of two hours, I was off to bed singing "Love Me Do" and begging to watch the second installment the night it came on. It was heartbreak when I missed the 3rd and final installment on Thanksgiving night but by Christmas, I was 12 years old and the proud owner of my first boombox and my first CD ever: The Beatles Anthology 1.

That was 9 years ago and I'm even crazier about The Beatles than I was then. I've even converted my best friends and my latest boyfriend into Beatles fans! It was also interesting to see my parents watching the local news the next night and seeing literally HUNDREDS of teenagers lined up outside the music stores in the Mall to buy Beatles albums!

Oh, and don't get me wrong, I still love my horses (I'm training them now) and am pursuing an art career in college, I still love to read (I have several books about The Beatles) and am now trying to write a novel; but my love of The Beatles has never faded. The airing of The Beatles Anthology unleashed a second tide of Beatlemania that has yet to fade. In fact, they are still among the Top Ten searches on ebay. The Beatles also ignited my love of 60's and 70's music and culture and I am now among the hundreds of 20-somethings on my campus who are the latest of worshippers at the altars of the likes of: Jimmy Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and the solo career of John Lennon. We can now find common ground with the Baby Boomer/Old Hippy Professors on our campus and, even our parents!

Ah, but back to my story. In my 13th year, The Beatles Anthology aired AGAIN, proof of its undying popularity. This time, I was prepared, and had enough VHS tape to record all three nights, sans commercials. My allowance, sadly, was not large enough to purchase the whole set of VHS tapes and my parents deemed them too expensive for a present. So, I continued to watch my home recordings as they faded more and more from continual use. Then, (hallelujah!) the DVDs were released! I was finally able to see the Anthology in its entirety, and for a much better price than the $130 out-of-publication VHS tapes.

This set is NOT a letdown! And, it has the added bonus of extra material (the video for "Real Love", behind the scenes production, etc.) that the VHS tapes didn't have. The story of how The Beatles came to be is a real inspiration for me. I love the tale of how they all came to know each other and it was very interesting to learn of their backgrounds, the music that influenced each of them, how they got their name (like the Crickets, but Beat, like Beat Music) and the truly HORRIBLE living and traveling conditions they had to endure (broken windshield while traveling down a highway in the middle of winter in leather clothes, the horrible accommodations when they first arrived in Hamburg, and other stories). Their climb to success was long, hard and at times, disgruntling. But by the time John was 24, they were in America and loved all over the world!

The Beatles had 27 Number One Hits in the space of SIX years! That is UNPRESIDENTED! Plus, they occupied the top FIVE spots of the Hits chart all at once, a record that had never happened before or since. Even when the Anthology aired, for weeks before, ABC broadcasting was advertising their station as "A Beatle C", even the local news anchors were being interviewed about who their favorite Beatle was. And, in the Friday Night programs called TGIF, their regular theme songs were replaced with BEATLES songs! I mean, no one band must be bigger, more famous or more loved to deserve all that hype! And I must say, I believe in that statement.

The Beatles have influenced my artwork (just hearing their music brings all kinds of WONDERFUL abstract images into my head), like John Lennon always did, I now dream in Technicolor, and also like him, I don't need drugs to do it! He stated that it was always like that for him, he didn't know any other way to dream and at that point, he hadn't ever touched drugs. And despite their drug use, you have to respect The Beatles, they never used while they were recording (except once by accident) so even their was always done sober. AND, they give me hope that I WILL be able to make it with my own brand of art, the key is to NEVER give up on what you love to do, NO MATTER *WHAT* ANYONE TELLS YOU! (ex. John's Aunt Mimi: "You'll never make a living playing a guitar, John.")

But, honestly, this is a GREAT set, The Beatles are a fantastic, original and NEVER-outdated band. They were the Four Horsemen of the 60's, they changed and influenced that decade in too many ways to name, they influenced the course of ALL genres of music forever, and they were always on the cutting edge of ingenuity, creativity and originality. Their sound was so NEW and Different from anything ever heard before, OR since! And because of that, their music will always remain TIMELESS and in a class ALL its own.

As a fan of Beatles music for some 20 years now, I naturally found this collection pretty enjoyable, as my appetite for "behind-the-scenes" footage always exceeded what was commercially available. While it is true that much of what is on this 5-disc DVD series has been seen before (the often-seen Ed Sullivan show appearances, for example, and the first US tour landing at JFK airport), it does, however, include some footage that I hadn't seen before, such as some extended scenes at the Maharishi complex in India, for example, and a few live performances from the Rubber Soul/Revolver period filmed in color. Perhaps more importantly, there are some pretty good interviews with the surviving members, that were done specifically for the release of this series back in 1995.

The interviews at George Harrison's estate in 1994 include conversations with Paul, George, and Ringo reminiscing about some of the band's early experiences, and include a brief jam session by the three of them, complete with amplifiers and instruments inside George's home; as well as a lovely outdoor scene on the lawn, where they sit casually on the grass and converse, and even sing a song or two with ukelele's while Ringo pats out a beat on his knees.

The 1995 get-together with George Martin at the sound mixer in the Abbey Road studios is also quite memorable, and includes discussions with the four of them (Paul, George, Ringo, and George Martin) about how some of the songs came together in the studio, including A Day in the Life and Tomorrow Never Knows, to name a couple.

Since it is not my intent to provide much further in the way of content review, I will add only one minor technical point, which might or might not be helpful to other purchasers of this product. Each of the 1st four discs contains two episodes (the 5th disc is bonus material...the making of, etc.). I mistakenly assumed that both episodes of each disc would play all the way through automatically. However, I realized much to my chagrin after watching 2 of the 5 discs that I had missed the second episode of each disc. This was because (in the case of my particular DVD player model, at least) it was necessary to return to the top menu after the first episode, in order to access the second episode of each disc. Needless to say, my failure to discover this sooner resulted in a rather out-of-sequence viewing experience for me. I don't really fault the producers of the discs for this, so much as myself for not having realized it sooner.

Epic! We loved this 25 yrs. ago and it’s still great today!!

The Beatles Anthology is a true and noteworthy piece of history. I can't believe that I've gone so long without seeing or owning it, but after receiving my DVD box set, I literally spent an entire weekend watching the entire thing. Probably I thought beforehand, as many would, that over the years we have seen and heard all there is to see and hear about The Beatles. Not even close! I was amazed at the footage and audio that was presented in this collection, which includes more than a few gems.

Paul, George, and Ringo were all closely involved in the production of the anthology, as was George Martin (long time Beatles record producer). The anthology is presented as a historical journey, in chronological order. It begins pre-Beatles and shows each member as a child, discusses their family origins and early interests, etc. We get to 'see' Paul and John meet... watch as George (boyhood friend of Paul's) is introduced to John and joins them... and learn how they later met Ringo and how he took over the drums. There is some amazing audio and video presented for this time period, in addition to many still photos. Recordings of John and Paul pre-Beatles, early Beatles footage performing at The Cavern, etc.

Throughout, we are led through the anthology by Paul, George, Ringo, and Mr. Martin, among others. George Martin plays a key role helping to guide us through this "Magical History Tour" and provides a wonderful perspective to recollections of the past. Others have mentioned details about the elements of the archive and the re-uniting of the (then) remaining three. What I found interesting was that various egos would ebb and flow as it went along, each Beatle often remembering events slightly different (but not contradictory) from the others. John is brought to us throughout via the many interviews, quotes, and films. As much as is possible for a project like this, personal agendas were set aside in order to tell a story that no one else is qualified to tell. I think that many years from now historians will be very pleased that this "in their own words" history of The Beatles was created.

For even a casual Beatles fan, this is a tremendous anthology, and I recommend it very highly. Of course, now that I have purchased the DVD set, it will surely be released on Blu-ray! I only hope that when that happens even more material is included!

I know where I was. And despite having lived every moment with Cousin Brucie and Murry the K (who later was to be my teacher in broadcasting school) during those begining days, there is still something to be learned and experienced here in this DVD collection. If you never met them, never saw them, this will be the next best thing.

I don't know what the Brits were going through, but here in the states we had just lost a President to an assassins bullet, we were at the begining of the Vietnam war, civil rights was on the dawn. Space shots were in it's infancy, television was black and white, and there was actually discipline in the schools and at home, and if you were good and if you were lucky, you could watch the unfolding of the Beatle era on the Ed Sullivan Show.

What an exciting time to be begining a young life! Long hair, rock and roll, color......and endless music of the Beatles! Who knows how long it would have taken the world to change if it wasn't inspired by these fellows! There's nothing like it today and there has been nothing before or since. Ah, music I can hum.

It's basically all here in this short, but historically rich 5 DVD set, from begining to end. I say short because this DVD, while it is inclusive, will invite you, the viewer, to seek out the full story elsewhere, if you choose to become a die-hard Beatles fan. This is the primer, from the start.

I loved it so much, I bought the book !!

I originally bought the Anthology set in 1995 when it was first released, but I got it on VHS. In the ensuing years the VHS has gone the way of the horse and buggy and I have long wanted to replace it with a set on DVD. I have now completed that mission.

This is a great Anthology, covering all the years from 1958 until their eventual break-up in early 1970, using in person interviews and John Lennon voice overs, telling their story as best they can remember it, often with amusing anecdotes. It was also a nice piece of history to see the surviving "Threetles" completing two Lennon compositions, telling their stories and reminiscing about the old days.

And a tip of the hat to CCGoodwill for their customer service, great pricing and fast shipping. The set I received is as good as new, missing only the plastic shrink wrap covering the slipcase. The discs, cases and inserts were in near perfect condition and I could not be more pleased with this purchase.

Bra dokumentär. Omfattande.

Otimo produto. Em bom estado de conservacao

This DVD can be seen as indispensable for those of us who were lucky enough to see and hear The Beatles in the 1960's, or a brilliant social and musical document for the curious who were not. Within a period of only seven years of recorded output, they managed to redefine pop/rock through 12 studio albums, 13 E.P.'s and 22 singles, breaking barriers and influencing immeasurably those that followed them.

Produced 25 years after their messy break-up, this DVD benefits from good production decisions. Firstly, it's the band themselves who tell the story, both as it happened through historical clips and interviewed on hindsight. John Lennon's views are not forgotten, as comments from earlier interviews with him are included alongside those of his fellow-Beatles (George Harrison was still alive during the making of this DVD). Secondly, the numerous musical clips included are mostly taken from live performances, and not from mimed output which was favoured at the time. There is some occasional repetition of early hits as the rest of the world caught up with Britain's Beatlemania about a year later, but the content always remains relevant and fascinating.

Through a series of eight televised programmes of roughly 75 minutes each (now condensed into 4 DVD's), the Anthology takes us a to the band members childhood and band formation, through Beatlemania and global domination, before the end came with the break-up in disillusionment and acrimony. The outstanding quality of music to be found in their back catalogue is showcased brilliantly here, with most of the songs presented in full without editing. A fifth DVD has been added which features reminiscences from Paul, George and Ringo; the story behind the production of the DVD; and the making of the video for 'Free As A Bird', a new song created to coincide with the release of the Anthology series.

Among the highlights are lengthy sequences from their famous appearance at the Royal Variety Show in October 1963, and their ground-breaking appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show and at Shea Stadium in New York in 1964 and 1965 respectively. There's also dialogue from leading figures within their inner circle, like producer George Martin, manager Brian Epstein and press officer Derek Taylor, who all witnessed first-hand the pressures on the band and the madness of the touring years, both national and international. The Beatles latter years clearly show a weariness from all concerned, though the music continued to be of an exceptionally high standard. The break-up is handled honestly and openly.

This DVD is a delight from start to finish. Even without the brilliance of the musical interludes, the Beatles story remains fascinating as a chronicle of the times. Though most of the songs are now 50+ years old, many have become standards and are a benchmark for all current musicians. Should you buy this ? Yeah, Yeah yeah !

5 DVD e 10 ore circa di documentario narrato in prima persona dai 4 fab four (John tramite interviste di repertorio).

Se siete già appassionati dei Beatles e vi siete letti le migliaia di biografie esistenti, non scoprirete chissà quali mirabolanti novità... Ma solo le immagini storiche valgono l'acquisto. Se invece conoscete e apprezzate i Beatles senza avere mai approfondito più di tanto la loro storia, è un documentario assolutamente imperdibile.

Ho aspettato per anni che i costi scendessero un po', ma quando finalmente mi sono deciso... mi sono chiesto come mai abbia atteso così tanto.

Stupendo!

I've been listening to the Beatles music along with reading and watching documentaries on the band since I was 15 years old. I'm 54 now, so I've learned a thing or two about the Beatles over the years. Previously fans reading or watching biographies were able to get the information second hand. With the Beatles anthology the viewer gets the information firsthand...from the Beatles themselves.

The interviewing was well done since each member gives a candid description of what life was like growing up along with how they felt as the band made its gradual climb to international fame and the success that came along with it. In unflinching terms, the documentary tells viewers if they want that kind of success they'd better be prepared to pay the price for it. From the days of Beatlemania until the band's break up, the four guys from Liverpool had very little privacy and little time off.

Commentary from producer George Martin and Neil Aspenal is a definite plus. The majority of the biography being in The Beatles' own words is as authoritative as it gets. For fans of the Fab Four, this documentary is a must have.