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1.44pm
28 February 2020
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I know there’s a Beatles Documentary thread but this deserves one all its own. This had the same origin point that Anthology did, a film Neil Aspinall was preparing name The Long And Winding Road . Indeed, when I was watching the Anthology on TV it was like Deja Vu.
Nearly everything about this was top shelf. It included interviews with George Martin among others.
I understand Paul owns this now. It would be a cool addition to the Anthology Blu-ray when it happens.
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6.50am
28 February 2020
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BongoWhat is happening? And tell me how you've been.
2.50pm
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1 May 2011
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I got this on video when I was in very young long before ‘Anthology’ and loved it, was frequently being watched. Actual Beatles music, a very concise journey thru the Beatles story, fabulous footage and some great interviews which had a reason and function. It never will be but it deserves a re-release as it would act as a very effective slimmed-down version of the ‘Anthology’ documentary. Haven’t seen it in years but even now I can remember the ads before it started (the first time I ever saw a clip of Johnny Cash) and the wonderful opening with the ships blaring and noisy seagulls as it panned over Liverpool before running into ‘Rock And Roll Music ‘ (which stopped and started). I also remember the end where they faded out each Beatle in the order they left and feeling gutted every time John was faded out with a note onscreen saying that he was killed in 1980.
Nowadays there are a ton of dreadfully cheap documentaries with pointless talking heads repeating the same boring stories that feature in all the others before cutting to either dire knock-off covers or footage of the Beatles performing live (generally shortened). ‘The Complete Beatles’ was the very opposite of those.
Cannot rate this highly enough.
I should have the video somewhere as I doubt I binned it and downloaded it off the net a while back.
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Dingle Lad, Bongo"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
7.12pm
28 February 2020
Offline In the late 80’s and early 90’s it was shown quite regularly on PBS here in the states usually during pledge time. I taped it and watched it quite regularly. On the same tape I put the It Was Twenty Years Ago Today show.
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4.56pm
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1 May 2011
Offline Next to no chance this is ever seeing a rerelease.
Some years later, when Paul McCartney was preparing The Beatles Anthology, he bought the negative and all the rights to the film from Delilah to get it off of the market and clear the way for his production. That, according to the film’s director Patrick Montgomery, is why it is not available on DVD or any newer formats and “probably never will be.”
A damn shame. Would be a great entry-level chronicle of the Beatles career for those who don’t want to watch a 10-hour documentary.
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sir walter raleigh, Bongo"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
8.20am
28 March 2014
Offline Dingle Lad said
I understand Paul owns this now. It would be a cool addition to the Anthology Blu-ray when it happens.
meanmistermustard said
Nowadays there are a ton of dreadfully cheap documentaries with pointless talking heads repeating the same boring stories that feature in all the others before
Paul should re-release it with Whoopi Goldberg….. 
Funny how Complete is spelt Compleat, like Beatles 
BEATLES Music gives me Eargasms! 
9.09am
28 February 2020
Offline Bongo said
Dingle Lad said
I understand Paul owns this now. It would be a cool addition to the Anthology Blu-ray when it happens.
meanmistermustard said
Nowadays there are a ton of dreadfully cheap documentaries with pointless talking heads repeating the same boring stories that feature in all the others before
Paul should re-release it with Whoopi Goldberg…..
Funny how Complete is spelt Compleat, like Beatles
There is a pun with the EA but the spelling is “a reference to the famous book on fishing, The Compleat Angler.”
If Paul was to “tweek” this documentary in any form it would be a travesty (just like Let It Be .. Naked). As for Whoopi, I’ll play your silly game. She seen them at Shea, she has a perspective that you or I don’t have. What would be your problem with it? How about Sigourney Weaver? She seen them at the Hollywood Bowl. Would you have a problem with her? How about my cousin Gary who seen them in 1964 at Olympia Stadium in Detroit? You realize that Mustard is talking about the multitude of videos that you see on the streaming services.
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9.23am
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1 May 2011
Offline Dingle Lad said
Bongo said
Dingle Lad said
I understand Paul owns this now. It would be a cool addition to the Anthology Blu-ray when it happens.
meanmistermustard said
Nowadays there are a ton of dreadfully cheap documentaries with pointless talking heads repeating the same boring stories that feature in all the others before
Paul should re-release it with Whoopi Goldberg…..
Funny how Complete is spelt Compleat, like Beatles
There is a pun with the EA but the spelling is “a reference to the famous book on fishing, The Compleat Angler.”
If Paul was to “tweek” this documentary in any form it would be a travesty (just like Let It Be .. Naked). As for Whoopi, I’ll play your silly game. What would be your problem with it? How about Sigourney Weaver? Would you have a problem with her? How about my cousin Gary who seen them in 1964 at Olympia Stadium in Detroit?
I’d imagine that Bongo’s comment on Whoopi was her (and almost every other celeb’s) pointless inclusion in the ‘EDAW’ documentary and was more a joke. There nowadays seems to be a need to have a famous talking head discussing the subject or the documentary is lacking.
If Whoppi, Sigourney or anyone else appears in the new ‘LIB ‘ documentary who wasn’t involved in the actual recordings at the time (so no grandson of the fourth engineer who stood in for Mal for 20 minutes whilst he went to get George a Twix) I will be annoyed. Personally, I don’t want to see Paul, Ringo or Yoko nowadays in the film.
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lovelyritametermaid, Beatlebug, The Hole Got Fixed, WeepingAtlasCedars, Bongo"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
10.05am
31 March 2008
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It’s good to see a thread on this. It was one of the very first Beatles documentaries I ever saw, when I became a fan in the early 90s. I think I borrowed the VHS from my library (they also had Beatles LPs, and I remember borrowing Wonderwall Music and Bowie’s Low on vinyl – formative days indeed).
Narrated by actor Malcolm McDowell, it includes extensive interviews with a number of sources close to the Beatles. Some of the people interviewed are producer George Martin, their first manager Allan Williams, Cavern Club DJ Bob Wooler, music writer Bill Harry, and musicians Gerry Marsden, Billy J. Kramer, Marianne Faithfull, Billy Preston, Lenny Kaye, and Tony Sheridan. The film also includes archival footage of interviews with members of the Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein. Authors Nicholas Schaffner and Wilfrid Mellers are among the commentators who offer their views on the band’s career. The Compleat Beatles also features early concert footage, behind-the-scenes background on the making of their albums, and candid footage of their often obsessed, hysterical fans.
I might have to track this down. Billy Preston and Tony Sheridan are notably absent from many Beatles documentaries (I know they’re both dead now, but they were often overlooked for years).
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12.00pm
28 February 2020
Offline meanmistermustard said
Dingle Lad said
Bongo said
Dingle Lad said
I understand Paul owns this now. It would be a cool addition to the Anthology Blu-ray when it happens.
meanmistermustard said
Nowadays there are a ton of dreadfully cheap documentaries with pointless talking heads repeating the same boring stories that feature in all the others before
Paul should re-release it with Whoopi Goldberg…..
Funny how Complete is spelt Compleat, like Beatles
There is a pun with the EA but the spelling is “a reference to the famous book on fishing, The Compleat Angler.”
If Paul was to “tweek” this documentary in any form it would be a travesty (just like Let It Be .. Naked). As for Whoopi, I’ll play your silly game. What would be your problem with it? How about Sigourney Weaver? Would you have a problem with her? How about my cousin Gary who seen them in 1964 at Olympia Stadium in Detroit?
I’d imagine that Bongo’s comment on Whoopi was her (and almost every other celeb’s) pointless inclusion in the ‘EDAW’ documentary and was more a joke. There nowadays seems to be a need to have a famous talking head discussing the subject or the documentary is lacking.
If Whoppi, Sigourney or anyone else appears in the new ‘LIB ‘ documentary who wasn’t involved in the actual recordings at the time (so no grandson of the fourth engineer who stood in for Mal for 20 minutes whilst he went to get George a Twix) I will be annoyed. Personally, I don’t want to see Paul, Ringo or Yoko nowadays in the film.
You do realize that EDAW was about touring? Yes, the fans perspective was completely valid if they were part of the experience. I’m sorry to see you don’t think so. I myself value what they have to say, even my cousin Gary. Now, you are completely right, if Peter Jackson brings on some talking heads who have nothing to do with GB/LIB then yes there’s a problem.
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12.34pm
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1 May 2011
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Yes, and I found it a complete waste of time. I really don’t care what Whoopi has to say about watching the Beatles 52 years prior, and it’s the exact same measure as not caring about Sarah’s experience from Bellshill who saw them in 1964 or Gianni in 1965. I’d rather see the footage and interviews from back then.
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6.05pm
28 February 2020
Offline meanmistermustard said
Yes, and I found it a complete waste of time. I really don’t care what Whoopi has to say about watching the Beatles 52 years prior, and it’s the exact same measure as not caring about Sarah’s experience from Bellshill who saw them in 1964 or Gianni in 1965. I’d rather see the footage and interviews from back then.
Watch all the cheapo productions that are out then. Those are cram filled with them along with the talking heads some of whom you may have heard of. Let’s not forget all the newsreel footage as well.
As for Whoopi and all the rest including my cousin Gary, at least they had the chance. We didn’t. You can’t tell me that seeing the Beatles live wouldn’t have been a highlight of your life.
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vonbonteeWhat is happening? And tell me how you've been.
12.22am
11 June 2015
Offline I ran into a copy of The Compleat Beatles documentary. Seems like an ok print, assuming it was digitized from a VHS tape.
https://archive.org/details/th…..(1982).mkv
or
They also have a nice print of Let It Be in case you want to keep the FAB vibes going. 
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Longer than the road that stretches out ahead
2.01am
1 December 2009
Offline Fantastic, I haven’t seen “Compleat” since ’84 or 85…Thanks for the link, SB!
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sigh butterflyGEORGE: 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.
10.29am
11 June 2015
Offline Hey @vonbontee, I was surprised to find it as well since it was never release on DVD. I’m currently searching the World Wide Web for the leaked Harrison hospital concert, so I’m discovering all kinds of Beatle goodies. 
You and I have memories
Longer than the road that stretches out ahead
2.25pm
23 January 2022
Offline I found The Compleat Beatles on the internet, and have just finished watching it. It’s very good! I was delighted to see Billy 🙂
It’s funny to see how the narrative around the Get Back sessions has changed. They use a still shot of Paul pointing with two fingers to illustrate how bossy he was being, but I remember that scene from Get Back , and they were all having a laugh. I don’t really blame the filmmakers, it’s easy to make that assumption from the photo, but it reminds me how great it is to get some much extra context from Peter Jackson’s cut.
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RubeMy hot take is that after the Beatles split they went down the paths of spiritualism, solipsism, alcoholism, and Paul McCartney
-- Jason Carty, Nothing is Real podcast
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