The Beatles - The First U.S. Visit

Rating:
Summary: I never even knew this existed, an excellent documentary!
Review: I highly recommend this DVD about the Beatles! It was great to see these 4 fresh-faced baby-faced guys, happily playing the same songs over and over to the screaming teenagers in 1964. We noticed the technical difficulties that Paul, George, John & Ringo endured in the 1960's as compared to today's spoiled performers.

Rating:
Summary: an absolutely amazing document!
Review: Wow! Is this really a documentary? Were the Beatles really that witty, charming and off the cuff? The answer to both questions is yes! Actually, this shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Hard Day's Night was really very close to the real thing: A Day In the Life of the Beatles in early '64. However, this documentary takes nothing away from a Hard Day's Night. They are both absolutely brilliant on their own terms. Lester does things in the movie that transcend what a documentary can do (the fabulous escape "Can't Buy Me Love" sequence, for one of many). However, you don't need to be a Beatle fan to appreciate this great documentary. Unless you have no interest in this very interesting time in history, you will find this extremely...well... ...interesting. How lucky we are to have this unique event so brilliantly preserved for posterity. The Maysles brothers were visionaries! If you have any interest in why the '60s were such a remarkable decade,don't miss seeing this! Holds up very well to repeated viewings.

Rating:
Summary: The REAL Hard Days Night; hectic, entertaining and FUN!
Review: A true look into what the Fabs lives' were for several days in the U.S. It really brings the excitement of that "first time" back. Great performances on Ed Sullivan and other places. It is pure joy for Beatle fans and those who wonder what it was all about. I HIGHLY recommend this fun, as well as historically entertaining video.

Rating:
Summary: A Meeting of great Minds
Review: David and Al Maysles, two of the greatest filmmakers of all-time capture the greatest musical act of the twentieth century. Sheer bliss from start to finish, with the Ed Sullivan and Washington D.C. performances thrown in for good measure. This document is a far greater testament to the Beatles legacy than A HARD DAY'S NIGHT could ever hope to be.

Rating:
Summary: A Must for Beatle Fans
Review: This is a must for any Beatles fans!! Especially those of us that were too young to remember the flavor of the time. Not being staged or scripted is the best part of it. It is more of a look behind the scenes as the Beatles go about their routine during their visit to the US. Very good!!

Rating:
Summary: FINALLY FIRST RATE FOOTAGE OF THE SULLIVAN SHOWS
Review: This is a great opportunity to see the Beatles perform their most famous hits in February 1964. The documentary footage of their 1st visit was also excellent. i recommend it highly. My only gripe was the deletion of several performances they had given on the Ed Sullivan Show. From what i had seen on poor bootleg videos, at least 4 or 5 performances were left out ( admittedly of the same songs) However there is plenty of room on a VHS tape or DVD to have included all without compromise.

Rating:
Summary: Absoulety Excellent!
Review: It is a must have for any Beatles fan. Not an acted out thing, it gives the viewer an idea of what it was like to be a Beatle. The candid shots in this film ake it even better; it gives you an idea of their individual personalities, and not just a whole. see it whenever you can!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Very disappointed.
Review: Of all the billions, I am shocked that they have made no effort to provide subtitles.

Rating:
Summary: An incredible release. Its the real "Hard Days Night"
Review: The footage released as part of the 83 minute DVD is absolutely fantastic and documents the Beatles first US visit. See them in the hotel, see them on the train, see their first stateside photo shoot. Complete full length versions of all the their appearences on Ed Sullivan with fabulous Dolby digital sound. Everything has been fixed up and as near perfect as technically possible. As well there are several songs from their Washington D.C. Arena concert (sound is rough but they are an absolute blast and theres nothing else available like it) Put together by Neil Aspinal, who is the Beatles historian. What else can I say....first class all the way.

Rating:
Summary: Reliving History
Review: All of the thrills and excitement of the Beatles first U.S. visit is recaptured in this video. I got chills watching the "Fab Four" playing live for the first time on U.S. television. The quality was excellent considering all of the technological innovations since then. A must see for true Beatles fans!!!