Search - Backbeat on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Brief Nudity, Not For Children, Sexual Situations, Drug Content Movie Release: 1994 DVD Release: 08/12/2003 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Edition: Dual Layered Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 41 mins Studio: Universal Studios Members Wishing: 5 Genres: Drama, Biopic [feature], Rock Musical See Also: Backbeat [Special Edition]

The Beatles' early days as a struggling bar band are depicted in this fact-based drama, which tells the little-known story of original member Stuart Sutcliffe (Stephen Dorff). A close friend of John Lennon, Sutcliffe acts as the band's original bassist, accompanying them on their early gigs in Liverpool and Hamburg, Germany. The friendship becomes strained, however, when Sutcliffe falls in love with a German art student and starts to question his commitment to the band. With Sutcliffe's story taking center stage, the stories of the more famous Beatles largely fade into the background. The exception is John Lennon, thanks to a fierce performance by Ian Hart, who had previously portrayed the musician in the more intimate and provocative The Hours and the Times. While Backbeat does provide a new perspective on the band's beginning, and numerous opportunities for a group of modern rock musicians to recreate the band's energetic early performances, it never makes Sutcliffe's story seem more than a footnote to musical history. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Sheryl Lee - Astrid Kirchherr
Stephen Dorff - Stuart Sutcliffe
Ian Hart - John Lennon
Gary Bakewell - Paul McCartney
Chris O'Neill - George Harrison

A dramatization of the rough-and-tumble early days of The Beatles, Backbeat has been given a letterboxed transfer to disc in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, which is also enhanced for anamorphic playback on widescreen monitors. The audio, in English, has been mastered in Dolby Digital Surround, as is an alternate dubbed version in French, while the disc also features optional subtitles in French and Spanish. No additional material has been included. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide