The Beatles Films Podcast

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Latest Episodes:

Help! (Part 1: The Music) Aug 08, 2022

Show notes

The Beatles Films Podcast covering an actual Beatles film! It'll never catch on. For our season one finale (yes, we're calling it that) it's a two-parter on Richard Lester's 1965 film, derided in some quarters and compared unfavourably to A Hard Day's Night.

But ah, the songs. In part 1: how are the songs treated, how are they staged and how do they fit into the film? What's interesting about the score? Was this the beginning of the music video?

Meet the Beatles Films Podcast

The Beatles Films Podcast is hosted by Matt Looker and Ed Williamson. We're both film writers and Beatles fans. Between us we've written for TheShiznit.co.uk, Total Film, Den of Geek and Virgin Media.

But tomorrow may rain, so you'll follow us on:

Twitter https://twitter.com/beatlesfilmpod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/304654901827622/
Instagram https://instagram.com/beatlesfilmspod
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BeatlesFilmsPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The True History of the Traveling Wilburys Aug 01, 2022

Show notes

George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison: pretty solid line-up. Is a 25-minute documentary enough to do it justice? Is George happier in the Wilburys than he was in the Beatles? And what sort of AirBNB host would Dave Stewart be?

You can watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SUQ_gj-biIc

Meet the Beatles Films Podcast

But tomorrow may rain, so you'll follow us on:

Twitter https://twitter.com/beatlesfilmpod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/304654901827622/
Instagram https://instagram.com/beatlesfilmspod
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BeatlesFilmsPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chapter 27 Jul 25, 2022

Show notes

We don't approach films about John Lennon's murder by Mark Chapman with much enthusiasm, but there's a place for them if they're done well, respectful and insightful. How does JP Schaefer's 2007 telling do on this score? Well ...

You can watch Chapter 27 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85Ss66lBY3E

Meet the Beatles Films Podcast

But tomorrow may rain, so you'll follow us on:

Twitter https://twitter.com/beatlesfilmpod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/304654901827622/
Instagram https://instagram.com/beatlesfilmspod
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BeatlesFilmsPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It Was Fifty Years Ago Today ... Sgt Pepper and Beyond Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

So to Alan G Parker's 2017 documentary, long on title, short on the rights to use any of the songs. Is this a problem? How tight a focus on the album does the film have? How does its collection of talking heads stack up?

Watch it on streaming services: https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/it-was-fifty-years-ago-today-the-beatles-sgt-pepper-and-beyond
Read Ed's review from 2017: http://www.theshiznit.co.uk/review/it-was-fifty-years-ago-today-the-beatles-sgt-pepper--beyond.php

Meet the Beatles Films Podcast

But tomorrow may rain, so you'll follow us on:

Twitter https://twitter.com/beatlesfilmpod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/304654901827622/
Instagram https://instagram.com/beatlesfilmspod
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BeatlesFilmsPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Backbeat Jul 11, 2022

Show notes

Don't know about you, but for us Backbeat was just about as formative as anything in our views and mental image of Stuart Sutcliffe and The Beatles' early years. We discuss how he and John Lennon are depicted, how the casting choice of Stephen Dorff impacts Beatles fans' view of Stuart to this day, and why there's so much nudity in it. Won't anyone think of the children?

There's a New Yorker article about Stuart we refer to in the episode. It's by Ted Widmer and you can read it at https://www.newyorker.com/culture/essay/the-beatle-who-got-away.

Meet the Beatles Films Podcast

But tomorrow may rain, so you'll follow us on:

Twitter https://twitter.com/beatlesfilmpod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/304654901827622/
Instagram https://instagram.com/beatlesfilmspod
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BeatlesFilmsPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Across the Universe Jul 04, 2022

Show notes

We're on about Julie Taymor's 2007 Beatles jukebox musical, starring Jim Sturgess, WITH Evan Rachel Wood, AND Joe Anderson, BUT Bono. Is it problematic to repurpose songs with a specific meaning to suit a story? Is there any way around this in a jukebox musical anyway? Find out literally none of the answers to these questions, but hopefully enjoy some discussion around them. But hey, it's not the destination, man: it's the journey...

Meet the Beatles Films Podcast

But tomorrow may rain, so you'll follow us on:

Twitter https://twitter.com/beatlesfilmpod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/304654901827622/
Instagram https://instagram.com/beatlesfilmspod
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BeatlesFilmsPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wingspan Jun 27, 2022

Show notes

We're discussing the 2001 TV documentary released alongside the Paul McCartney/Wings retrospective compilation. Does it do a good job of changing public opinion post-THAT Alan Partridge joke? What's the effect of having Mary McCartney interview Paul? And what does the word "wingspan" actually mean? (If this last one interests you and you'd like to hear it argued about at length by pedants you're in luck.)

You can watch Wingspan on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2w36Tptn48

Meet the Beatles Films Podcast

But tomorrow may rain, so you'll follow us on:

Twitter https://twitter.com/beatlesfilmpod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/304654901827622/
Instagram https://instagram.com/beatlesfilmspod
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BeatlesFilmsPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Magic Christian Jun 20, 2022

Show notes

The Magic Christian, starring Ringo Starr and Peter Sellers, was the reason The Beatles were up against a deadline to record Let it Be. But it was also an actual film that you can watch and everything. How did Ringo get on in his first starring role without the others? Is its anti-capitalist theme expressed with any purpose? And why is Yul Brynner in it singing a Noel Coward song to Roman Polanski? (Spoiler: we can't answer this one.)

Meet the Beatles Films Podcast

But tomorrow may rain, so you'll follow us on:

Twitter https://twitter.com/beatlesfilmpod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/304654901827622/
Instagram https://instagram.com/beatlesfilmspod
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BeatlesFilmsPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yesterday (2019) Jun 13, 2022

Show notes

We discuss Richard Curtis and Danny Boyle's 2019 film Yesterday, in which Jack (Himesh Patel) wakes up to find he's the only person who remembers the Beatles. Does its premise stand up to scrutiny? Has Jack robbed the world of Wings? And did we really need to spend so long discussing the price of a Martin acoustic guitar?

Watch Yesterday: https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/yesterday-2019 (or just get it for a quid at your local CEX)
Read Ed's review from 2019: http://www.theshiznit.co.uk/review/review-yesterday-i-saw-a-film-today-oh-boy.php

Meet the Beatles Films Podcast

But tomorrow may rain, so you'll follow us on:

Twitter https://twitter.com/beatlesfilmpod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/304654901827622/
Instagram https://instagram.com/beatlesfilmspod
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BeatlesFilmsPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two of Us Jun 06, 2022

Show notes

John Lennon and Paul McCartney's last meeting was on 24 April 1976. Michael Lindsay-Hogg's 2000 VH1 TV movie presents a fictionalised account of it, but is it a fair depiction of their relationship at the time? Does it reflect how they were seen or how they were? Does Yoko Ono come off badly?

Watch Two of Us on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/577090018