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8.02am
31 March 2012
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I can’t find this mentioned anywhere on here if it is I’m sorry
Just want to say I find this film very good it’s the best Lennon lookalike I’ve sen in film apart from the John and yoko love story I do wish one day there would be mentioned about ringo coming into the group from ringos point of view this hardly ever gets mentioned
Would to read your thoughts on ths matter
Life is what happens when your busy making other plans
7.29pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline I have not seen this movie yet – maybe others here in the Forum have – anyone?
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
9.38pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Is that the one from the 70’s that Pete Best was involved in, helping out with details etc? Stephen someone played John?
If so for years i had a copy of it taped of a BBC screening and liked it initially. However the more i got into the Beatles the more it irritated the heck out of me. If Best was meant to be helping ensure the historical accuracy he did a crap job from what i can remember.
It was on one of the non-sky movie channels a few weeks ago and i turned it off after about 3 minutes. I get so annoyed seeing these beatles films as all i end up getting really worked up, shouting at the screen “THAT WAS A PAUL SONG!!!!!”, “THAT DIDNT HAPPEN!!!!!”, “JOHN WOULD NEVER HAVE SAID THAT!!!!!!”.
Its not worth the heart pains and sore throat.
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Mademoiselle Kitty >^..^<"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
9.53pm
1 May 2010
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Isn’t it that one when George sings in Hamburg “Don’t bother me”?
Here comes the sun….. Scoobie-doobie……
Something in the way she moves…..attracts me like a cauliflower…
Bop. Bop, cat bop. Go, Johnny, Go.
Beware of Darkness…
7.06pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline meanmistermustard said
I get so annoyed seeing these beatles films as all i end up getting really worked up, shouting at the screen “THAT WAS A PAUL SONG!!!!!”, “THAT DIDNT HAPPEN!!!!!”, “JOHN WOULD NEVER HAVE SAID THAT!!!!!!”.Its not worth the heart pains and sore throat.
That is hilarious. It is also the same reason why my wife won’t watch movies about the Beatles with me!
Poetic license in movies about anything other topic is one thing…but don’t mess with my Beatles!!!
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Mademoiselle Kitty >^..^<, Von BonteeTo the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
5.24pm
1 December 2009
Offline 
This was made for ABC-TV in 1979, and they rebroadcast it in December 1980 shortly after John was shot. I watched it then but can remember absolutely nothing about it, apart from being surprised to learn of the existence of a Beatle named “Stu” (my knowledge was very limited at the time.) Also I had trouble understanding some of the accents.
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.
1.39am
22 December 2013
Offline I really love this movie, “poetic license” was kept to a minimum and there’s much attention to factual detail, the acting is pretty good and the Soundtrack performed by the original ‘Rain ‘ Beatles tribute band is top notch. I think that it’s considerably better than the ‘BackBeat’ movie, in my opinion. For those who have yet to see it, I found it on YouTube so here it is:
Enjoy…:-)
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Von Bontee1.49pm
28 June 2013
Offline This was the first film I ever saw about the Beatles – it was screened in the UK in 1980 (as vonbontee has said). I was 11 at the time so I have rather nostalgic feelings about it (although my mother did change the channel when the Hamburg bed scene came on). It’s a very romanticised and very inaccurate account of their early years – Pete must have been suffering from amnesia at the time or perhaps they just ignored his comments. The strangest thing is that we have a guy in his mid-thirties playing a 19 year old John and he just about manages to convince us. The portrayal of Eppy though is just unforgivable – he comes across as a total wimp – and I love the reimagining of how George Martin first heard them.
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream
2.03pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline I thought I’d commented here! But, yeah, saw it same time as you guitarman. Just before, around (?), Lennon’s death, the BBC had a Beatles season, and this was part of it. Wildly inaccurate!
What I always remember is this George was played by EastEnders‘ (UK soap) Nasty Nick Cotton!
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
3.47pm
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1 May 2011
Offline Pete Best was a consultant and we are meant to be believe his claims he was as good a drummer as Ringo! Doesn’t deserve his own smiley.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
5.35pm
22 December 2013
Offline meanmistermustard said
Pete Best was a consultant and we are meant to be believe his claims he was as good a drummer as Ringo! Doesn’t deserve his own smiley.
Pete was generally well respected as a drummer around Liverpool, some claim that his heavy emphasis on the kick drum was even imitated by many. I’m sure from the adoration that Pete had received by being a Beatle led him to personally believe that “he was as good a drummer as Ringo!”…:-)
6.03pm
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1 May 2011
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Billy Rhythm said
meanmistermustard said
Pete Best was a consultant and we are meant to be believe his claims he was as good a drummer as Ringo! Doesn’t deserve his own smiley.
Pete was generally well respected as a drummer around Liverpool, some claim that his heavy emphasis on the kick drum was even imitated by many. I’m sure from the adoration that Pete had received by being a Beatle led him to personally believe that “he was as good a drummer as Ringo!”…:-)
And his mum no doubt banging on about it forever didn’t help. Pete was well respected as a good drummer in Liverpool, Ringo was widely thought of as being the best drummer in Liverpool.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
11.29pm
22 December 2013
Offline guitarman said
The portrayal of Eppy though is just unforgivable – he comes across as a total wimp
I thought that the actor who depicted Brian Epstein nailed one of the better acting performances, in my opinion. He certainly got the look and voice right, and let’s face it, Brian was a bit of a wimp, to be honest. His discovery and polishing up of The Beatles was a stroke of pure brilliance, but he’s no shrewd businessman really and was often taken advantage of in The Beatles’ business dealings. The best example being Seltaeb (Beatles spelled backwards) where he was bullied into literally giftwrapping the vast majority of profits to this company. I can’t remember the exact figures off-hand, but they’re ridiculous, something in the neighbourhood of The Beatles getting 10% of any merchandise sales (the countless items now known as Memorabilia) bearing their name brand, while this virgin American Company called Seltaeb got 90%, this translated into Millions of US Dollars which meant a lot more back then than Millions US does today. It has to go down as one of the biggest business blunders in history. I don’t really like the word wimp but it’s not so out of character for this “portrayal of Eppy”…:-)
12.27am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Billy Rhythm said
guitarman said
The portrayal of Eppy though is just unforgivable – he comes across as a total wimpI thought that the actor who depicted Brian Epstein nailed one of the better acting performances, in my opinion. He certainly got the look and voice right, and let’s face it, Brian was a bit of a wimp, to be honest. His discovery and polishing up of The Beatles was a stroke of pure brilliance, but he’s no shrewd businessman really and was often taken advantage of in The Beatles’ business dealings. The best example being Seltaeb (Beatles spelled backwards) where he was bullied into literally giftwrapping the vast majority of profits to this company. I can’t remember the exact figures off-hand, but they’re ridiculous, something in the neighbourhood of The Beatles getting 10% of any merchandise sales (the countless items now known as Memorabilia) bearing their name brand, while this virgin American Company called Seltaeb got 90%, this translated into Millions of US Dollars which meant a lot more back then than Millions US does today. It has to go down as one of the biggest business blunders in history. I don’t really like the word wimp but it’s not so out of character for this “portrayal of Eppy”…:-)
To be fair to Brian he was way into uncharted territory with the merchandise and i’m sure those he was doing deals with would have presented it in such a confusing manner to make it sound much better than it was really was. I read once that Brian thought he was getting the 90% and was amazed to find it was the other way around. I’m not that sure he was ever really a true business man, more he put himself to be in that position and then it became far bigger than he and everyone else thought it would be. A man totally out of his depth.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
2.54pm
28 June 2013
Offline meanmistermustard said
Billy Rhythm said
guitarman said
The portrayal of Eppy though is just unforgivable – he comes across as a total wimpI thought that the actor who depicted Brian Epstein nailed one of the better acting performances, in my opinion. He certainly got the look and voice right, and let’s face it, Brian was a bit of a wimp, to be honest. His discovery and polishing up of The Beatles was a stroke of pure brilliance, but he’s no shrewd businessman really and was often taken advantage of in The Beatles’ business dealings. The best example being Seltaeb (Beatles spelled backwards) where he was bullied into literally giftwrapping the vast majority of profits to this company. I can’t remember the exact figures off-hand, but they’re ridiculous, something in the neighbourhood of The Beatles getting 10% of any merchandise sales (the countless items now known as Memorabilia) bearing their name brand, while this virgin American Company called Seltaeb got 90%, this translated into Millions of US Dollars which meant a lot more back then than Millions US does today. It has to go down as one of the biggest business blunders in history. I don’t really like the word wimp but it’s not so out of character for this “portrayal of Eppy”…:-)
To be fair to Brian he was way into uncharted territory with the merchandise and i’m sure those he was doing deals with would have presented it in such a confusing manner to make it sound much better than it was really was. I read once that Brian thought he was getting the 90% and was amazed to find it was the other way around. I’m not that sure he was ever really a true business man, more he put himself to be in that position and then it became far bigger than he and everyone else thought it would be. A man totally out of his depth.
I don’t know if you’ve read the Lewisohn book yet, Billy Rhythm – I’m up to early 1961 in the Extended Edition. Brian hasn’t even met the Beatles yet and he’s already had the tough life experiences that I’m sure gave him the drive to make them a success. I am already rooting for him because he took a lot of knocks and never stopped trying to find his way in life. They were a brilliant band who were about to break up in late ’61 because they’d conquered Hamburg and Liverpool and had nowhere else to go. The one thing they lacked was organisation and a focus. As Lennon said once, ‘we were in a daydream until Brian came along’. Brian organised them, got them more money, gave them a focus, sorted out their image and – yes, they did get their record contract because of matters outside of his control – but they would never have been heard by Ardmore and Beechwood without his determination. As Mark Lewisohn says, without Brian they would have split.
Yes he got shafted later on the merchandising but that was because no manager had ever dealt with anything as big as them. It’s a testament to his importance to them that, less than 24 months after his death, John quit the band he’d formed. What was it he said when Brian died? “We’ve f***in’ had it now”. Yes there were many other factors that Brian probably could not have influenced and his role in their lives was reduced from what it was – but I honestly believe that the bond between them was still there. We’ll have to wait and see what Mark uncovers on this. I still don’t buy the film’s portrayal of him as a soft-arse though! 
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream
6.03pm
22 December 2013
Offline Yeah, I’m just not sure on what you mean by “soft-arse” or “wimp”, the film accurately depicts the gentle soul that was Brian Epstein, had they made him any more “harder” than that than it wouldn’t have been an true representation, in my opinion. On the Seltaeb deal, a good (or, shrewd) businessman needs to be constantly on top of what’s beyond the horizon financially (trends), and for Brian to simply give away a vast goldmine in merchandising revenue at the height of Beatlemania is just unforgiveable, there’s no excuses there, he f***ed up BIG time. His strength, business-wise, appeared to me to be more in the Public Relations department, he was a “people pleaser”. He could smooze and impress when it came to dignitaries, royalty, etc., but was easily intimidated by those who could sense that he was in over his head. He was the complete opposite of Allen Klein, and it’s easy to see why John was so high on him coming in to clean up their affairs later on, he didn’t want another Brian Epstein coming in worried about if people were gonna like him or not…:-)
10.56am
28 June 2013
Offline I agree that Brian was a gentle soul but for me, the actor in the film overplays this to an almost comic degree – all the hand-clasping, wide-eyed wonderment and excited exclamations makes him look like someone who was also soft in the head, which is a completely different thing. Given what I’m reading about his life and what he went through, I just can’t believe he behaved like that. I even remember feeling it was a bit odd when I saw the film as a little boy.
He did make a huge mistake later on with the merchandising and, on reflection, I have to agree with you – there was no excuse. By then, he was out of his depth but he should have taken advice. He was never good at this – I seem to remember Ray Coleman relating in his book a lesson which Tito Burns taught Brian about how he should ask for help from other managers. In the beginning, Brian was a good organiser, he knew about presentation, he knew how to talk to promoters and his determination and vision made the Beatles happen. When it went global though, he was like a rabbit in a torchlight most of the time.
In regard to Klein, is it on record that John actually said he didn’t want another Epstein? John was a bit of a stranger to reason during this period though – didn’t he convene a meeting at Apple to tell the others he was Jesus?!
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream
11.32am
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline 
I have to agree with both of you on the Selteab deal. Yes, it was a lousy stupid deal. No arguing there. However, you argue as if Brian walked into a meeting, was offered a lousy deal that his lawyers never bothered to look at, and signed the deal without any advice.
Until the last moment the contact was signed, it would have passed through many hands at NEMS, or associated with NEMS. Why does nobody ever mention that all those lawyers and others who Brian employed to help guide him, appear to have said nothing about the unfairness of the deal.
And remember, from his first association with The Beatles, we have evidence that Brian would rely on others to help him with the details. When he was looking to become their manager he went to a family friend who was a lawyer (E. Rex Makin) to help him draw up a fair contract.
Why is it that Epstein is criticised so much for various deals, including the Selteab deal, and those he employed to help him with those deals – which by the time of the Selteab deal included some of the top entertainment legal brains in the world, never get a mention?
As mmm pointed out above, it was new territory, and nobody truly knew what they were doing. They were making it up from day to day. Why Brian should be criticised more for the mistakes, than those he employed to let him know he was making a mistake, is beyond my ken.
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
12.23pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline mja6758 said
I have to agree with both of you on the Selteab deal. Yes, it was a lousy stupid deal. No arguing there. However, you argue as if Brian walked into a meeting, was offered a lousy deal that his lawyers never bothered to look at, and signed the deal without any advice.Until the last moment the contact was signed, it would have passed through many hands at NEMS, or associated with NEMS. Why does nobody ever mention that all those lawyers and others who Brian employed to help guide him, appear to have said nothing about the unfairness of the deal.
And remember, from his first association with The Beatles, we have evidence that Brian would rely on others to help him with the details. When he was looking to become their manager he went to a family friend who was a lawyer (E. Rex Makin) to help him draw up a fair contract.
Why is it that Epstein is criticised so much for various deals, including the Selteab deal, and those he employed to help him with those deals – which by the time of the Selteab deal included some of the top entertainment legal brains in the world, never get a mention?
As mmm pointed out above, it was new territory, and nobody truly knew what they were doing. They were making it up from day to day. Why Brian should be criticised more for the mistakes, than those he employed to let him know he was making a mistake, is beyond my ken.
Regardless of how many people looked it over and who they were the final responsibility lies with Brian, the same with any other company. For all we know he went against the advice given or was persuaded by the other side to sign anyway or was deceived, really did think he was getting the majority share, never bothered to check and signed anyway.
Maybe a book out there documents how the merchandise deal went down. Anyone read it?
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
1.14pm
28 June 2013
Offline meanmistermustard said
mja6758 said
I have to agree with both of you on the Selteab deal. Yes, it was a lousy stupid deal. No arguing there. However, you argue as if Brian walked into a meeting, was offered a lousy deal that his lawyers never bothered to look at, and signed the deal without any advice.Until the last moment the contact was signed, it would have passed through many hands at NEMS, or associated with NEMS. Why does nobody ever mention that all those lawyers and others who Brian employed to help guide him, appear to have said nothing about the unfairness of the deal.
And remember, from his first association with The Beatles, we have evidence that Brian would rely on others to help him with the details. When he was looking to become their manager he went to a family friend who was a lawyer (E. Rex Makin) to help him draw up a fair contract.
Why is it that Epstein is criticised so much for various deals, including the Selteab deal, and those he employed to help him with those deals – which by the time of the Selteab deal included some of the top entertainment legal brains in the world, never get a mention?
As mmm pointed out above, it was new territory, and nobody truly knew what they were doing. They were making it up from day to day. Why Brian should be criticised more for the mistakes, than those he employed to let him know he was making a mistake, is beyond my ken.
Regardless of how many people looked it over and who they were the final responsibility lies with Brian, the same with any other company. For all we know he went against the advice given or was persuaded by the other side to sign anyway or was deceived, really did think he was getting the majority share, never bothered to check and signed anyway.
Maybe a book out there documents how the merchandise deal went down. Anyone read it?
There is a book by Peter Doggett called You Never Give Me Your Money which covers this ground. I must dig it out and re-read it. I would guess that the Jonathan Gould book about the Beatles in America probably also covers it. One thing that does seem to be a consistent theme with Brian though is that he was a reluctant delegator (from an early stage) and this was certainly true in regard to the Beatles – he had the final say, no matter what. As to whether he went against advice or refused to take it, I don’t know but he certainly didn’t have Rex Makin on hand when they conquered America. Perhaps he did take personal responsibility for the Beatles deals and felt he couldn’t trust other people – like David Jacobs or Walter Strach. He was certainly in a fragile state at the time, using prescription drugs heavily, gambling compulsively and developing a lot of paranoid tendencies (I’m relying on Ray Coleman for this information).
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream
