George Harrison Movies
Liverpudlian George Harrison, lead guitarist of the Beatles, was the youngest and, for many years, least appreciated of the Fab Four. Often labelled the "quiet Beatle" in the early 1960s, Harrison seemed so retiring and self-deprecating that the makers of the first Beatles flick A Hard Day's Night took pity on him and wrote him his own individual sequence. The result was the hilarious "shirt scene," wherein Harrison finds himself auditioning for a specious teen-oriented TV show (asked his opinion on some wretched "mod" clothing, Harrison replies "They're grotty.") For the next Beatles film Help (65), Harrison broke the Lennon-McCartney stranglehold on the musical score by writing the song "I Need You" -- a fact that we hear proclaimed over and over during the film's closing credits. While overwhelmed in the public eye by the charisma of his fellow Beatles, Harrison was the first to assert himself as an individual musical artist, recording the 1968 solo album Wonderwall Music while still a member of the group. After the breakup of the Beatles in 1970, Harrison was also the first of the four to make the charts with a hit song; on a more negative note, he was also the first to be involved in a serious lawsuit -- the plagiarism battle over "He's So Fine," which he eventually lost. Not having appeared in a film since 1974's Concert for Bangladesh, Harrison re-entered the movie business in the late 1970s as a producer, backing such films as Monty Python's Life of Brian (79), Time Bandits (82) and Brazil (84). He also occasionally played small, uncredited roles in such films as Shanghai Surprise (86) (for which he also contributed several songs). One of George Harrison's most ingratiating post-Beatles appearance was as a BBC announcer on the parody TV documentary The Rutles -- a merciless lampoon of a certain mop-topped foursome of the 1960s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 2009
Martin Scorsese turns his documentary skills on former Beatle George Harrison in this untitled documentary centering on the musician's time with the Fab Four as well as his solo career, spiritual beliefs, and time working in the movie business. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Harrison, Paul McCartney, (more)
- 2007
Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich turns to the documentary form for the first time with this lengthy profile of one of rock and roll's enduring talents. Tom Petty: Running Down A Dream presents an in-depth look at Petty's life and career and his work with his long-time band the Heartbreakers, ranging from Petty's earliest musical influences (which includes meeting Elvis Presley when the King came to Florida to shoot a movie when Petty was just eleven years old) to the critical and commercial success of his 2006 album Highway Companion. Along the way, the film offers glimpses of Petty's early bands (including the Sundowners and Mudcrutch), his battles with record companies over royalties, record prices and control of his music, his collaborations with other artists (among them George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks and Roger McGuinn), his relationship with his fellow Heartbreakers, and of course his music, with plenty of footage of Petty and the Heartbreakers strutting their stuff on stage. Produced as a special event for The Sundance Channel, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Running Down A Dream enjoyed a brief theatrical release before its debut on cable television. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, (more)
Set against the anti-war protests, rock & roll revolution, and mind-expanding psychedelia of the 1960s, Julie Taymor's hallucinogenic musical follows the arduous journey of star-crossed lovers Jude (Jim Sturgess) and Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) as they and a small group of musicians are swept up in the raging waters of the volatile counterculture movement. Guided through their journey by a pair known only as Dr. Robert (Bono) and Mr. Kite (Eddie Izzard), Jude and Lucy are eventually forced to find their way back to one another after being split apart by powerful forces beyond their control. The music in the film consists exclusively of songs made popular by the Beatles during the time period depicted in the movie. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, (more)
- 2005
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Paul McGrath's documentary John and Yoko: Give Peace a Song offers a wealth of still photographs and film footage from the day that the former Beatle and his new bride recorded "Give Peace a Chance," during their infamous bed-in. The filmmakers utilize a wealth of rarely seen footage to explain how the duo cooked up this protest/publicity stunt. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 2004
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Dark Horse was the record label/production company founded by former Beatle eorge Harrison upon the end of that legendary group. George Harrison: The Dark Horse Years 1976-1992 features music videos from the label, as well as films produced by the business, and a documentary about the work done at the company by Harrison and others. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
This release documents the remarkable life of George Harrison. By turns spiritual, darkly funny, and loving father, Harrison was an uncommon man who led an uncommon life. This documentary attempts to present an overview of his many sides. The DVD release of the is accompanied by a CD consisting of interviews with the former Beatle. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Both as a member of the Beatles and as a solo artist, George Harrison was one of the best loved and most influential musicians of his generation, and when he died November 29, 2001, after a long battle with cancer, it was a tremendous blow to the many great artists who were his friends and collaborators. A year to the day after his passing, a handful of pop music royalty who had known and worked with Harrison staged a special concert at London's Royal Albert Hall to play his music and honor his art and memory. Concert for George is a documentary which presents highlights from the Harrison memorial concert, featuring performances by Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Tom Petty and the Heartberakers, Jeff Lynne, Billy Preston, Jools Holland, Sam Brown, and Joe Brown. A portion of the profits from the film's release will be donated to The Material World Foundation, a charitable organization founded by Harrison. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Brown, Eric Clapton, (more)
- 2001
Harry Dean Stanton narrates this documentary that takes a look at the career of the musical group the Band. The group emerged in the late 1960s and their musical style was something new for the times -- a style that went beyond the psychedelic musical movement of the 60's. Go behind the scenes and see the private and professional lives of the band members. Hear how they became a group and what inspires their musical style. This video highlights music from the albums Music From Big Pink, and The Band. See film footage from performances of: "The Weight, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "Up On Cripple Creek," and "Life is a Carnival." ~ Beth Deki, All Movie Guide
Everest is the highest-grossing IMAX film ever released. This breathtaking and exhilarating program documents the deadly 1996 expedition which was the focus of Jon Krakauer's best-selling book Into Thin Air. The New York Times calls Everest "an amazing feat of filmmaking." Liam Neeson narrates and the music of George Harrison is featured. ~ Laura Mahnken, All Movie Guide
- 1997
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This 1997 documentary examines the making of the critically acclaimed, eponymous 1969 album by the Band. Televised initially on VH1 as part of their Classic Albums series, and later on PBS, the Rhino Home Video release of this program contains additional footage not seen on the TV version. Featured are interviews with the principal creators of the albums -- the artists as well as the producers, engineers, and others involved in the recording sessions. The video includes conversations with Garth Hudson, Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, and Rick Danko, who reveal inside information about all aspects of the album's creation at in a makeshift studio set up in a Hollywood Hills home formerly owned by Sammy Davis Jr. Bandmembers explain how they conceived and achieved their sound, with the musicians frequently switching instruments. They explain the layering of vocals and instrumentation on songs such as "Rockin' Chair." Levon Helm explains his drum technique. Highlights include performances of some of the band's most influential songs with such notable stars as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, and Don Was. ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide
The Beatles continue to fascinate fans around the world as both a force in popular music and as a cultural phenomenon. This documentary takes a look at the career and lasting impact of Liverpool's Fab Four, bringing together photos and newsreel footage of the band at the height of their fame alongside interviews of several of their friends and associates, including Eric Clapton and Pete Best. This home video release also includes Beatlemania!, a documentary capturing the excitement of the group's return to England following their triumphant first visit to the United States in 1964. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1995
The Hare Krishnas are one of the most colorful and recognizable religious orders in the world. But to the average person, their actual beliefs are still an enigma. This video aims to shed light on the basic tenets of the religion, and to trace its historical and cultural origins. Archival film footage and photographs, diaries, and personal accounts of past and present members reveal much about the movement's humanitarian activities, as well as its highly publicized scandals. Former Beatle George Harrison and Boy George are among the celebrities who provide inside information about the Hare Krishna organization. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane team up for this bad boy comic burlesque, directed by Jonathan Lynn. Idle and Coltrane play Brian Hope and Charlie McManus, a pair of two-bit hoods who want to go straight, repulsed by the increasing reliance on guns and violence in their line of work. In thrall to vicious gangster Case Casey (Robert Patterson), the duo determine that their next job will be their last. When a large amount of money is extracted from a gang of Hong Kong drug dealers and it falls into the laps of Brian and Charlie, the two take off with the loot, with the Chinese Triad and Casey in relentless pursuit. When their car runs out of gas in front of a convent, Brian and Charlie run inside and disguise themselves as two of the ugliest nuns imaginable. Inside the convent, Brian and Charlie pass themselves off as nuns from a different order, assigned to the convent before leaving the country on missionary work. As the two men enjoy their undercover work with a collection of nubile nuns and coeds, the bad guys close in on their trail. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Idle, Robbie Coltrane, (more)
- 1990
Carl Perkins is featured along with other artists in this jam session. Also performing are Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Rosanne Cash and Ringo Starr. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1989
- R
- Add How to Get Ahead in Advertising to QueueAdd How to Get Ahead in Advertising to top of Queue
After years of capitalizing on the weaknesses of a gullible public, a London advertising executive finds that his worst qualities have literally taken on a life of their own in this scathing satire. Successful copywriter Dennis Bagley (Richard E. Grant) lives a posh life with his lovely wife, Julia (Rachel Ward), in the London suburbs. Pushed to distraction by a bothersome new pimple-ointment account, he flirts with renouncing his career and becoming socially aware. Immediately thereafter, Bagley discovers that he's developed a zit of his own -- a monstrous boil on his neck that begins whispering evil things in his ear. Convinced that he's being taken over by his dark half, Bagley soon finds his "good" self relegated to the boil while his malevolent alter ego returns to the world of advertising with a vengeance. At first, Julia is relieved that her husband seems to have bounced back from the abyss of mental illness, but soon she realizes that she prefers the gentle but crazy Dennis to the poisonous professional. Written and directed by Withnail & I's Bruce Robinson, How to Get Ahead in Advertising reunites the director with that film's leading man Richard E. Grant. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard E. Grant, Rachel Ward, (more)
The road movie gets a smart update with this seriocomic tale of two Cheyenne men traveling from their reservation in Montana to New Mexico. For one of them, Buddy Red Bow (A Martinez), a quick-tempered activist, the journey is a practical one; his sister has been arrested and he is the only family member who can help her out. Buddy has no transportation, so he's forced to ride with Philbert Bono (Gary Farmer), a phlegmatic hulk of a man who is using his 1964 Buick as a vehicle for a spiritual journey of his own. Philbert's easygoing ways and insistence on frequent stops to meditate prove irritating at first to Buddy, but the men reach an accommodation as the trip wears on. Buddy comes to see that blaming the white man and what he sees as system rigged against Native Americans is distracting him from his true mission: to better understand himself and his place in the world. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- A. Martinez, Gary Farmer, (more)
Jeff Daniels stars in this tedious situation comedy concerning the middle-aged terror of illness and mortality. Scripted by Joe Eszterhas, Daniels plays Southern Californian Ray Macklin, who thinks he will live forever but realizes the fallacy of his idea when his best friend drops dead in front of him after issuing the set-up to the old joke, "Why don't Italians like barbecues?" (Which begs the question, "Why can't Joe Eszterhas write funny scripts?" The answer: "He did. Showgirls.") Anyway, after that shock trauma, Macklin becomes convinced that he is set to suffer the same fate and, as a result, becomes a raving hypochondriac. As Macklin continually clutches his chest and checks his heart monitor, he sinks himself deeper and deeper into the mindset that he is doomed, even though his tests turn out fine. All of this comes to a head in a bizarre dream sequence in which Macklin imagines Heaven as a Hawaiian resort populated by extras from a Federico Fellini picture. At that point, he wills himself to return to consciousness after surgery to remove his appendix. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Daniels, Melanie Mayron, (more)
Actor Bob Hoskins made his big-screen directorial debut with the British Raggedy Rawney. The time is World War II: a band of gypsies, roaming a country that looks and sounds suspiciously like England, give shelter to Dexter Fletcher, a soldier who has deserted an army comprised of plunderers and rapists. Gypsy leader Hoskins, confused by Fletcher's seemingly lunatic behavior (which can be explained in the context of the picture) becomes convinced that the deserter is conjuring powers that will bring his tribe good luck. The exact opposite happens, leaving Hoskins and his followers at the mercy of the marauding army. The film has the logic of a horrible dream, but it isn't exactly a horror tale. It has moments of offbeat humor, but it's not a comedy. The characters and events are exaggerations of real life, but the film isn't a satire or lampoon. What, then, is Raggedy Rawny. Like we said at the beginning: Raggedy Rawny is the big-screen directorial debut of actor Bob Hoskins.... ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Hoskins, Dexter Fletcher, (more)
- 1988
- R
A dissatisfied woman encounters a mysterious stranger who may be her long-lost son in this peculiar, darkly comic drama. Theresa Russell plays the deeply disappointed Linda Henry, who feels stifled by a strained marriage to Dr. Henry Henry (Christopher Lloyd), who pays more attention to his model railroads than to his wife. Desperate for diversion, she is captivated when Martin (Gary Oldman) arrives, claiming to be the child she gave up for adoption after a teenage pregnancy. She immediately bonds with this stranger, but numerous signs indicate that he may not be what he seems. Strange behavior follows from everyone involved, with some of the film's most bizarre sequences concerning Dr. Henry's toy train fetish. The complex, often ambiguous script is by noted British writer Dennis Potter, who also wrote Pennies from Heaven and The Singing Detective, and Nicolas Roeg provided his predictably stylized, enigmatic direction. Despite several interesting moments, Track 29 is far from either Potter's or Roeg's best work, and most critics found it a bizarre, ineffective muddle. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Theresa Russell, Gary Oldman, (more)
- 1988
- R
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The personal film archives of Yoko Ono were utilized for this feature-length documentary on the life of John Lennon. Predictably, it downplays Lennon's association with the Beatles and concentrates on his years with Ono. The film spends a lot of time recounting Lennon's anti-war activities, highlighted by a confrontation on a talk show hosted by conservative cartoonist Al Capp. The title of the documentary is, of course, taken from Lennon's idyllic ballad about a world free of hatred and discord. Imagine: John Lennon is a reverent but ultimately depressing chronicle of an artist who died the untimeliest of deaths. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
This concert video contains highlights from the Prince of Wales's second benefit concert designed to help out needy British children. Performers include Phil Collins, Bryan Adams, Elton John and Spandau Ballet. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1987
- R
Judith Hearne (Maggie Smith) is a middle-aged "maiden lady" piano teacher living in 1950s Dublin. Timid and self-deprecating, Judith permits herself to yearn over her new boarding-house neighbor, hotel entrepreneur Bob Hoskins. Hoskins thinks that Judith has enough money to bankroll his latest scheme, so he decides to return her affections. Judith, blind to Hoskin's duplicity, convinces herself that she's finally found true love. The shattering of her illusions drives Judith to drink--and, unexpectedly, to a more fulfilling new life. Based on the novel by Brian Moore, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne is typical of the "muted emotion" ouevre of director Jack Clayton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maggie Smith, Bob Hoskins, (more)
Quirky comedy, intense drama, and warm nostalgia are all combined in this eccentric look at one night in 1964 amongst the residents of the Five Corners neighborhood of the Bronx. The bulk of the film concerns Linda (Jodie Foster), a young woman who finds herself stalked by a disturbed rapist fresh out of prison. Needing protection, she turns to her formerly tough ex-boyfriend, only to discover that a recent political awakening has transformed him into a pacifist. The tension of Linda's situation is leavened by the film's attention to its bizarre subplots, which include a stolen penguin, partying teenagers who encounter trouble with an elevator, and a pair of detectives investigating a series of mysterious bow-and-arrow attacks. The script by John Patrick Shanley, who won the 1987 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Moonstruck, manages to (for the most part) bring these seemingly unrelated stories together into a fairly logical conclusion. Even though numerous critics felt that Five Corners' mixture of widely disparate tones was not completely successful, the end result is a surprisingly charming and unique tribute to a time and a place. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jodie Foster, Tim Robbins, (more)
Screenwriter Bruce Robinson made his directorial debut with this British comedy. Withnail (Richard E. Grant) is an unsuccessful, pill-popping actor; "I," or Marwood (Paul McGann), is Withnail's roommate and another equally underemployed actor. The time is 1969: Withnail is fast becoming a burned-out relic of the '60s, while Marwood is trying to reassimilate into society. The two take a trip to the country in hopes of rejuvenating themselves, but things go from worse to even worse. Given the intimacy and insight of the screenplay and dialogue, one shouldn't be surprised that Bruce Robinson (who adapted the film from his own novel) based Withnail & I on his own experiences. The film proves that certain "Age of Aquarius" types were just as bollixed-up in Britain as they were in America. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann, (more)
