George Martin Movies

A two-part BBC documentary about the man behind The Beatles' meteoric rise to worldwide fame, The Brian Epstein Story details the life and premature death of Brian Epstein, one of the most influential managers to ever enter the rock & roll arena. Combining rare '60s footage and present-day interviews with the likes of Paul McCartney and Marianne Faithfull, the documentary traces Epstein's life from his beginnings as the child of a Lithuanian Jewish retailer to his fateful visit to Liverpool's Cavern Club one night in November 1961, when he became acquainted with four young Merseyside lads. Unlike many profiles of people associated with The Beatles, The Brian Epstein Story doesn't frame its subject in terms of Beatlemania, but instead offers a portrait of Epstein as a man who, despite the trappings of celebrity, remained somewhat of a dignified enigma both during his life and after his death. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

This video offers a behind-the-scenes look at Paul McCartney as the former Beatles bassist records his acclaimed solo album Flaming Pie. In The World Tonight is a rare glimpse at the man behind the musical legend. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In a careful, step-by-step manner, this documentary traces the lives and careers of the Beatles from childhood to breakup. The post-Beatle lives of John, Paul, George and Ringo are gingerly touched upon in the film's closing sequences, with emphasis given the senseless 1980 murder of John Lennon. Through rare family photos, early home movies and TV kinescopes we are shown the matriculation of the Beatles from a bedraggled punk group to a well-tailored, mop-topped foursome under the aegis of Brian Epstein. We are also briefly introduced to might-have-been Beatles Stu Sutcliffe and Pete Best. George Martin, the producer who oversaw such late-1960s Beatles projects as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, reveals several intriguing trade secrets and wonderful bits of backstage gossip. By incorporating shots of Beatles merchandising, imitation groups, and the ear-piercing reactions of the Fab Four's fans (as well as several shots of disillusioned young ladies during the team's waning years), the amazing impact of the foursome on the 1960s music industry is forcefully brought home. Malcolm McDowell narrates this priceless pop-culture montage. The Complete Beatles was originally produced for home video by MGM/United Artists, the company which in 1982 held the video rights for the Beatles flicks A Hard Day's Night and Help. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Pop star Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees star in this musical, loosely based on the popular 1967 Beatles album Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. In the story, Billy Shears, who now heads the Lonely Hearts Club Band, is the grandson of the famous Sergeant Pepper. He is confronted by the need to save the magical musical instruments of the band from the bad guys, led by music tycoon B.D. Brockhurst (Donald Pleasance), who want to steal them. If they succeed, the magic which infuses "Heartland U.S.A." will disappear. Among the many Beatles' songs performed in the film by well-known popular artists are: "She's Leaving Home" (Bee Gees, Jay MacIntosh, John Wheeler), "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" (Steve Martin), "Got To Get You into My Life (Earth, Wind & Fire), "When I'm 64" (Sandy Farina), "Come Together" (Aerosmith), "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (sung by the Bee Gees, Paul Nicholas), "With a Little Help from My Friends" (Peter Frampton, the Bee Gees), "Fixing a Hole" (George Burns), and "Get Back" (Billy Preston). ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Peter Sellers gives a splendid, understated performance in this gentle comedy-drama. Liz (Donna Mullane) and Mark (John Chaffey) are a pair of poor children trying to get by on the streets of London. In their travels, Liz and Mark get to know Sam (Sellers), a one-time music hall performer who these days performs for change with his dog on streetcorners. Sam takes the youngsters under his wing and helps remind them of the simply joys of living that they've forgotten in their hardscrabble lives. Also released as The Optimists of Nine Elms, The Optimists features several original songs by Lionel Bart and an incidental score by George Martin, best known as the man who produced The Beatles' recordings. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The dissolution of the Fab Four is captured on camera in Michael Lindsay-Hogg's documentary, a filmed record of the sessions for what would become the Beatles' final release, Let It Be. (Abbey Road, cut shortly after these sessions, was in fact the group's final recording, but it was released a year before these often-delayed songs.) Included is footage shot at the famous rooftop concert that was the Fabs' final live appearance. The Beatles are shown rehearsing, performing, arguing, and recording and allow the cameras to record their every word and note in the recording studio. The film opens with Paul showing Ringo a piano composition, while the group is surrounded in silence, seemingly light years removed from the screaming hordes of fans that necessitated their withdrawal from performing live. Billy Preston later drops by to jam on keyboards. For this film, the Beatles collectively won an Oscar for "Best Original Film Score," their only Academy Award. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Yellow Submarine is an animated meandering journey filled with puns and dry British humor, where psychedelic music videos take precedent over any linear story. What little there is of a plot, however, concerns a vibrantly colored place called Pepperland that resembles the album cover for Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band come to life. The swirling animation is a mixture of pop-culture images and modern artistic styles brought loosely together with a naïve antiwar message and some clever political commentary. The Blue Meanies take over Pepperland, draining it of all its color and music, firing anti-music missiles, bonking people with green apples, and turning the inhabitants to stone by way of the pointed finger of a giant white glove. As the only survivor, the Lord Admiral escapes in the yellow submarine and goes to London to enlist the help of the Beatles (voiced by actors). The charming and innocent boys travel through strange worlds and meet bizarre characters, including the tagalong Nowhere Man. Several blissed-filled musical sequences and drug references later, the Beatles drive out the Blue Meanies and restore Pepperland to tranquility armed with only music, love, and witty remarks. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

In their second feature with director Richard Lester, who oversaw the massive hit A Hard Day's Night, the Beatles again aim for a mix of goofy comedy and sterling pop music. There is slightly more of a plot this time, though it is a patently ridiculous one: a sacred ruby ring comes into Ringo's possession, attracting the unwelcome attention of an exotic religious cult and forcing the boys to go on the run. This chase narrative is thankfully never taken too seriously, serving mainly as an excuse for colorful excursions to international locations from Europe to the Bahamas. The musical numbers include such classic tunes as "Ticket to Ride," "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," and, of course, "Help!". ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

During the first worldwide flush of Beatlemania in 1964, United Artists wanted to ship out a movie with The Beatles before their vogue was over. Working within a tight $500,000 budget, director Richard Lester turned out A Hard Day's Night in a fast 6 1/2 weeks; the picture was in the theatres three months after shooting commenced. Using a variety of techniques cribbed from Hollywood slapstick comedies, the French "new wave" movement, and his own experiences as a TV-commercial director, Lester, with screenwriter Alun Owen, fashioned an exhilarating study of a "typical" 36 hours in the lives of the Fab Four. Onto a plot about getting to the Big Show on time are hung a series of instant-reaction gags, character vignettes, and musical setpieces. Much of the humor arises from Paul McCartney's efforts to keep his grandfather (Wilfred Brambell), a "clean old man," from getting into mischief. Also good for several laughs is the hookey-playing Ringo Starr, whose mistimed declaration of independence lands him in jail. We are also treated to a war of nerves between the unflappable John Lennon and an uptight TV director (Victor Spinelli), who worries that, should the Beatles not show up at broadcast time, he'll be demoted to "News In Welsh." George Harrison stars in a sequence in which he is mistaken for an auditionee by the producer (Kenneth Haigh) of a superficially trendy, teen-oriented TV weekly. Then there's Norman Rossington and John Junkin as The Beatles' managers, who carry on a battle royale simply because one man is taller than the other. The supporting cast includes comedienne Anna Quayle, cartoonist Bob Godfrey, TV host Robin Ray, dancer Lionel Blair, Harrison's future wife Patti Boyd, and director Lester himself. The songs include "I Should Have Known Better," "And I Love Her," "Tell Me Why," "If I Fell," "Can't Buy Me Love," and the title song. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Mr. Topaze was based on a play by Marcel Pagnol, previously filmed twice before with John Barrymore and Fernandel. Peter Sellers stars as a French college professor, known far and wide for his integrity. He refuses to improve a grade on the paper of one student, whose influential father sees to it that Sellers is fired. Cast adrift in the business world, Sellers is hired by a crooked liquor executive (Herbert Lom) to act as "front" for the benefit of the authorities. When Sellers catches on how much money there is in the business, his honesty evaporates and he becomes as underhanded as the next fellow. The love of Joan Sims enables Sellers to change his ways before his dishonesty can become disastrous. Mr. Topaze was rereleased in 1963 as I Like Money; once again, however, no one wanted to see a "straight" Peter Sellers in a role that called out for the broad comedy he did so well. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi