Search - The Beatles: Around the World on DVD

Time piece, nonessential

kennedy19 | wakefield, ma USA | 09/08/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"It's good that this Beatles footage is available, because all Beatles footage should be. But, as the packaging aptly warns us, the film quality and sound is pretty bad. In the case of an episonde of the British Television show "Around the Beatles" from 1964, this is only to be expected. However, in the case of concert footage from Japan in 1966, this is a disappointment, because we know for a fact that clearer visual footage of these shows exists, some of which you can see in the wonderful "Beatles Anthology." Anyway, the "Around the Beatles" episode is a curiosity in that it shows that not everything the Beatles did was timeless. This is definitely from another age, when TV shows were pretty rinky dink. It opens with an abysmal skit in which the Beatles are obliged to enact a thrown-together comic version of the old English tale Pyramis and Thysbie, complete with costumes, in front of an audience of hooting teens who mostly just want to see the boys play music. The whole thing calls to mind John Lennon's later tart quote, along the lines that one had to completely humiliate oneself to succeed. Here are the Beatles playing the game, reading corny comic lines by some hack, not yet realizing they didn't have to do this nonsense because they were already successful. But anyway, it's a time piece. The Washington D.C. footage highlights the chaos of the groups' 1964 tour, but again, I swear I've seen better footage of this same event elsewhere. Ditto the Japan footage, though be it noted that you are never likely to find any Beatles concert footage that has really good sound quality, given the limits of the technology in those days. (The exception is footage of Shea Stadium (see its own dvd) for which the Beatles redubbed sound themselves in a Londons studio in early 1966.) So, this one is for hardcore completists only. Most fans would be content to own "The Beatles Anthology" instead."

Everything in the disc is great,except the quality for S&V

06/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sound and video is horrible, everything else is great, and very fun to watch. Very enjoyable. Recommended for Beatle maniacs."

Quality couldn't be worst....

Joaquim Do M. Nt | São Paulo, SP Brazil | 02/21/2004

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Unfortunately there are lots of people and companies who like to make easy money... It seems the case with the producers of this DVD. The images and sound are horrible!! And I know there is enough technolgy today to enhance both... But that costs money and the producers of such DVD don't seem to be the type of people who would be interested in such expenditures... Even in respect of the Beatles fans throughout the world.
I am a Beatlemaniac and I thing all we can watch or listen from the group is great but that doesn't mean that people can throw garbage on our faces to make easy money."