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12.24pm
5 May 2019
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Hello, Beatles fans. I’m sure all of you know about the success of the Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. I thought it was decent, very inaccurate, but it was acted well. But in all of that, I started to think, “I mean, we’ve got Queen, Elton John and soon an Elvis biopic. Should they do the same with The Beatles?” Keep in mind, I’m not thinking of ones that already exist such as Nowhere Boy, I’m thinking of a big budget. One in the same vein as the biopics that have been coming out the last year or two. So, what I’d like to know is, what do all of you think? Will it be a good idea? What events should be covered? Which actors should play the Fabs, Brian, George, Neil and so forth? Should it be just about John and Paul? 
I personally think it will be good if done right, but the key thing about our Liverpool boys is that their story is so extensive so it’s a lot of ground to cover for ten years. Another thing to consider is, how far into their solo careers should it go? Surely, the movie wouldn’t end with John’s departure or Paul announcing the breakup because that way, the movie would end on a bad note. How much of the lore would be explored? The Queen and Elton John movies made up a lot of things to make it more interesting. Because the Beatles story is so huge, the movie would have to be accurate and pretty darn long. Loads of questions come to mind. But, I’d be very interested to know what you think. Please be kind to each other and 
P.S. (I Love You): This is my first thread so please be kind! 
2.27pm
11 September 2018
Offline If a new Beatles biopic were to be made, I’d no doubt want to go and see it. I’d be concerned that most of us would spend the two hours complaining about inaccuracies and shouting at the screen because the actor they’ve got playing George looks nothing like him. I think you’ve got to allow for poetic license when it comes to things like this, but it’s difficult to truly suspend one’s disbelief when you know so much about the subject.
I’ve seen both Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocket Man, and I enjoyed them – I especially liked the way the latter chose songs that represented a moment in time, rather than using them in their correct contemporary setting.
It would be impossible not to focus on one aspect of the Beatles career, their legend is too immense to try and cover even their recording career let alone a longer period. Perhaps you could have a film that explores their impact in Liverpool over 1961 and 1962. It could start with them leaving Hamburg and end with them getting singed to Parlophone/sacking Pete Best/getting in Ringo/John and Cynthia getting married?
The following people thank Tony Japanese for this post:
Paul McCharmly, TheWalrusWasBrian1.45pm
25 August 2021
Offline After films like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, or upcoming limited series like the one about the Sex Pistols, one would think The Beatles would be perfect for a biopic, or better yet, a limited series, telling the entire story. But I don’t think that a dramatization has a reason to exist.
Simply put, the miles and miles of footage of The Beatles since “Some Other Guy”, and the decades’ worth of interviews speak for themselves, and they make a dramatization moot. What can a dramatization say that the interviews, video, audio and documentaries haven’t already done?
But the main, thorniest issue is that of the narrative. Which narrative would be used? The “Fab Four”/Hunter Davies one? The “Lennon Remembers” one? The “Shout!”/”John the martyr” one? The Paul/”Many Years From Now” one? The Anthology one? The Lewisohn one? Or some strange amalgamation of all of them? No matter what you pick, people are going to complain and say it’s inaccurate, even if the facts were somehow completely accurately portrayed.
4.19pm
1 December 2009
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I liked “BackBeat”, the actors and the depiction of the Beatles’ early punk-rocking days (and nights), even though the band stuff in that film was subordinate to the Astrid/Stu/John love triangle that was the film’s real core.
As for the classic 1963-1970 unfolding of events… I think the whole story is kind of too familiar to make any kind of dramatic work about it without it being redundant, unless they go the Elton John musical-fantasia route; that might be interesting. I still don’t think its a very good idea, but it could indeed be a billion dollar one
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
