The Beatles Films Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The Linda McCartney Story May 15, 2023

Show notes

We discuss the 2000 CBS TV movie in which Elizabeth Mitchell played Linda McCartney and Gary Bakewell reprised his Backbeat role as Paul McCartney. It's pretty corny of course, and there's a lot wrong with it, but there are positives, and we discuss how much you should expect from a TV movie, and talk about how its budget seems to have been applied.

Did John Lennon throw a brick through Paul's window? Did he shout "McCartney! Who the hell do you think you are?" (Yes, this film is the source of that Shaun Keaveny clip.) Did Linda narrate her entire life story to a woman in a gallery in the mid-nineties, or was it just a framing device she used very inconsistently?

Watch The Linda McCartney Story in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Xr-947xZLmM

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.

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Produced by George Martin May 08, 2023

Show notes

Produced by George Martin was originally a 2011 episode in the BBC's Arena documentary series, before being released more widely in 2012. We look at whether its informal conversational interviews work as a documentary technique, how watching it in the light of Get Back is quite revealing given George's recollection of his contribution to those sessions, and what his conversations with Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney say about the relationships they had with him. Plus! Hear Matt talk about George's martini-making technique for longer than you were probably expecting.

NOTE: ironically given the subject matter, we had some audio recording issues on this one. Matt might sound a bit bassy for the first half or so. Giles Martin is in talks to remix it.

In the UK you can buy or rent the film on Apple TV or Prime: https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/produced-by-george-martin
In the US you can do the same, or get it free with ads on a bunch of other streaming platforms no one's ever heard of: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/produced-by-george-martin
Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/ocjw2m_R8g8
Hear the George Martin-produced revue that Ed mentions, Flanders and Swann's At the Drop of a Hat: https://open.spotify.com/album/2xN1OtJUxzzOdWL6JPmel5?si=Q3ua3s3dRxGDPjg9UJ51ug

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

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

Blindman May 01, 2023

Show notes

As ever, here's this season's "Ringo Starr appears in seventies film which is problematic by modern sensibilities" episode. Blindman, a spaghetti western produced by Allen Klein, features Ringo as an unhinged Mexican bandit. We discuss, inevitably, its sexual and racial politics, talk about whether Ringo is playing against type (and, more broadly, whether he has established a "type" against which to play), and assess his performance and position within the early 1970s film industry.

You can rent Blindman in the UK on Prime Video: https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/blindman
Or in the US you can rent it on Apple TV: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/blindman
Or if you speak Italian you can get it in good quality, dubbed into Italian without subtitles, on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dtzSeLLVrpQ
Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/mYXaPyiud7g

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

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The Hours and Times Apr 24, 2023

Show notes

On to Christopher Münch's short fictionalised account of John Lennon and Brian Epstein's 1963 Spanish holiday, which explores their relationship and themes like miscommunication, and the power dynamic between the admirer and the admired. This was Ian Hart's first go at playing John, and we discuss how he and his co-star David Angus perform, the significance of the pair watching Ingmar Bergman's The Silence in the film, and the merits of taking narrative licence with a real event to explore something wider. Oh, and there's some innuendo, obviously.

If you're in the UK you can pick up The Hours and Times on DVD, which we recommend, because the commentary track with Hart and Angus is very interesting.
In the US you can rent it on Apple TV, Amazon and YouTube: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-hours-and-times
Watch the trailer for The Hours and Times: https://youtu.be/5_dgKHVIHeo
Watch The Silence, the 1963 Ingmar Bergman film which John and Brian watch in the movie (though they couldn't have in real life, because it wasn't released yet): https://youtu.be/-RSXUuCIlXA

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

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The Beatles and India Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

We're back in our documentary ashram with Ajoy Bose's 2021 film about the Beatles' relationship with his home country. The film does more than just tell the story of when they visited (though it does of course do that, AND tell the Ringo/baked beans story again, God love it): it takes its time exploring how India influenced the band and vice versa. We talk about how it represents George Harrison, who is of course prominently featured in it, and the seriousness of his spiritual journey and commitment to studying the sitar. We note the talking head contribution made by Mark Lewisohn, whose participation is generally a mark of a good quality documentary. And we ask: did Paul and George travel to Sweden to kick the Maharishi's head in?

The Beatles and India comes and goes on All4, so if you're in the UK check if it's on there at the moment: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-beatles-and-india
If not, you can rent it for a couple of quid on YouTube, Apple TV and a few other places: https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/the-beatles-and-india
Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/so-AEgMk9OI

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

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May Pang interview for The Lost Weekend: A Love Story Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

We're thrilled to bring you this special bonus episode where we got the chance to talk to May Pang about her documentary, The Lost Weekend: A Love Story. We spoke about her part in the filmmaking process, her relationship with John Lennon and how she continues to be close to Julian, and why she wanted to tell this story, 50 years on. May was great fun and fascinating to speak to, and we want to thank her for being so generous with her time!

The Lost Weekend: A Love Story is on limited release in the US from today, 13 April 2023. You can search for tickets at https://thelostweekendtickets.com/. It's slated for a UK release in June. We've seen it and we'll release a full episode about it to coincide with the UK release.

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

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Give My Regards to Broad Street Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

We knew this day would come. The 1984 film written by and starring Paul McCartney, derided by many, tolerated by some. We explain a bit about how a project like this actually gets as far as a cinema release, point out as gently as possible which bits don't stand up to narrative scrutiny as much as they might, and talk about the bits that - whisper it - actually have some merit. And we ask: is this just an ego project or is there more going on? Why did Paul choose these songs to rerecord? And should Ringo Starr be given more to do?

WARNING: Give My Regards to Broad Street is in this episode both described as "an auteur piece" and compared favourably to 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Watch Give My Regards to Broad Street on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mc1UnNmYP4M
Watch the 1984 South Bank Show episode about the making of Broad Street, which we refer to a lot https://youtu.be/87i6WQ8k6yA

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

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If These Walls Could Sing Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

We got an advance look at Mary McCartney's Abbey Road studios documentary If These Walls Could Sing, released in the UK and Ireland on Disney+ today, 6 January 2023.

What did we think of its approach, and its array of heavyweight talking heads, from Paul McCartney (natch) to Elton John, John Williams, Jimmy Page, Pink Floyd and Nile Rodgers? Plus! Hear what revelations made Matt gasp, and how the film somehow sets up a scrap between Noel and Liam Gallagher when they're not even in the same room.

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

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Magical Mystery Tour (Part 2) Jan 02, 2023

Show notes

To close out season two, welcome to part 2 of our conversation about The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour film. Thrill as we dissect the choreography of the Your Mother Should Know sequence in frankly punishing detail. Gasp as we unpack the quasi-religious subtext of The Beatles playing a group of omnipotent wizards. And nod knowingly as we wonder whether George Harrison was all that into it in general or if he'd have really just preferred to be dropped off at the services.

Thanks a lot to everyone who listened to episodes in 2022 and talked to us through our social channels. We'd appreciate if you could subscribe and leave us a positive review on whatever platform you use: it really helps new people find us. See you for season three in 2023!

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

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Magical Mystery Tour (Part 1) Dec 26, 2022

Show notes

Magical Mystery Tour first aired on BBC1 on Boxing Day 1967 in black and white. It didn't go down all that well. Then it went out in colour on 5 January 1968 on BBC2 and wasn't much better received. This was the Beatles' first major critical failure, but in part one we discuss whether it succeeded on its own terms: were they actually trying to entertain their audience, or were they more interested in challenging them? Was the film just a showcase for the songs or was there more going on?