The Beatles ‘64 zeroes in on a precise moment in The Beatles timeline: their American debut, which propelled them from English boyband to Global sensation. Since their appearance in The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, they’ve been on a nonstop upward trajectory to success. The documentary, co-produced by Martin Scorsese, explores why that is by expanding their two-week trip in the US into food for thought: why did they blow up the way they did? Was it because the country was in shambles and needed an escape? Was it because developments in tech and media unwittingly jumpstarted the fandom/parasocial craze? The documentary considers all this by having historians, experts, music icons, and even fans weigh in. In that sense, it can be all over the place, but the music and the pristine, restored clips of interviews with the Beatles and their performances onstage make it a worthwhile watch.
"Though it’s much shorter than [The Beatles: Get Back], Tedeschi’s 106-minute film operates on much the same principle: It never feels the least bit new or necessary, and yet almost every second of it sparks the joy of a genuine revelation."
— David Ehrlich
"The powerful pull of Beatles 64... is that it takes this fabled, high-swoon moment of pop-music history, almost all of which we now view through a mythological lens, and humanizes it in an exhilarating way."
— Owen Gleiberman
Featuring never-before-seen footage of the band and the legions of young fans who helped fuel their ascendance, follow McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Starr as they land in New York City in February 1964 and solidify their status as the biggest band in the world.
Director David Tedeschi combines restored clips from The Beatles’ first visit to the US with new interviews to give us fresh insight into the revolutionary trip that cemented the band’s status as global celebrities.
Would it have killed the producers to play songs other than She Loves You? I love it, but come on, we get it.
It’s not the definitive documentary of the band, but it’s an enjoyable and entertaining way to spend some time, especially if you’re a Beatles fan.
