Response by Amy, Illustration by Mischa
Academy Award winning director, Ron Howard, presents The Beatles in their early years (1962-1966) and touring years as a band, in his documentary The Beatles: Eight Days A Week.
My thirteen year old Beatlemania was awakened from deep within my soul, when I first knew that there was to be a new Beatles film. I wanted to delve into the life of a Beatlemaniac once again, I did this through reading my Beatles Anthology book, listening to records and watching the films A Hard Day’s Night and Help. This helped me to reminisce in the lyrics, pictures and melodies of The Beatles.
Ron Howard depicts the personalities of John, Paul, George and Ringo in a light that helps their witty and humorous personalities shine. This film includes footage and information that is familiar to most Beatle fans, however it focuses on the universal delirium that The Beatles had on the world. Howard expresses his opinion that these same effects have never happened with any other band or artist and how this same effect on the world will never occur again. This focus was due to Howard’s determination to illuminate an untouched perspective of The Beatles media examined lives, I thoroughly enjoyed this unique point-of-view.
Howard breaks up the concert footage with modern interviews from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr as well as archived interviews from John Lennon and George Harrison. It was interesting that Howard chose to interview familiar faces such as: Whoopi Goldberg, Elvis Costello and Sigourney Weaver and refreshing to hear the stories of the much-loved actors and musicians of their first and treasured memories of The Beatles. This gave the documentary an appealing and different point-of-view to Beatle documentaries of the past.
This inspiring journey from the Cavern Club to Candlestick Park will re-ignite the adored melodies in your mind, and you are guaranteed a sing-along to your favourite Beatles tunes on the way home.
