A new documentary about The Beatles’ historic first visit to the U.S. in February 1964 will be streamed exclusively on Disney+ starting on November 29. The film, titled Beatles ’64, was co-produced by Martin Scorsese and directed by David Tedeschi.
Videos by American Songwriter
According to a press statement, the movie gives “a rare glimpse into when The Beatles became the most influential and beloved band of all time.” Beatles ’64 follows the Fab Four from their arrival at Kennedy Airport in New York City on February 7, 1964, and through their famous appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, their first full U.S. concert in Washington, D.C., and other highlights of their debut trip to America.
The film also looks at the camaraderie of band members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr as they dealt with the hysteria and media attention they experienced during the whirlwind journey.
The documentary includes previously unseen footage of The Beatles and their rabid fans during those early days of Beatlemania. It also features new interviews with surviving Beatles McCartney and Starr, and with some of the fans who share their recollections of that time and discuss the group’s influence on their lives.
Some of the rare footage featured in the movie was shot by famed sibling documentary filmmakers Albert and David Maysles. The footage was restored by Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post Production company. Audio of The Beatles’ Ed Sullivan Show appearances and Washington, D.C., concert was remixed by Giles Martin.
More About Beatles ’64
Along with Scorsese, Beatles ’64 was co-produced by McCartney; Starr; Harrison’s widow, Olivia; and Lennon’s son Sean, among others.
Tedeschi’s previous directing credits include the 2022 David Johansen documentary Personality Crisis: One Night Only, which Scorsese co-directed. Tedeschi also served as an editor on a variety of Scorsese projects, including the Rolling Stones concert film Shine a Light and the George Harrison documentary Living in the Material Word.
About The Beatles’ Upcoming Mono Vinyl Reissues and Box Set
The Beatles ’64 doc’s Disney+ premiere will take place a week after the release of the recently announced series of vinyl mono reissues of the band’s early U.S. albums.
As previously reported, seven U.S. Beatles albums that originally were released in 1964 and 1965 will be reissued on 180-gram vinyl on November 22. All of the albums, which feature mono audio, have been out of print on vinyl since 1995.
The seven albums will be collected together in a vinyl box set titled The Beatles: 1964 U.S. Albums in Mono. The records are Meet The Beatles!, The Beatles’ Second Album, A Hard Day’s Night (Original Motion Picture Sound Track), Something New, The Beatles’ Story, Beatles ’65, and The Early Beatles.
All of those albums, with the exception of the two-LP The Beatles’ Story, also will be available individually. The box set and the individual LPs can be pre-ordered now.
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.