The Beatles Anthology

Rating:
Summary: A treasure-trove for any Beatles fan.
Review: This 8-part documentary, collected on 4 DVDs (plus an additional disc of bonus material), is truly a must-have for serious Beatles fans. If you are unfamiliar with the history of the band and its development, you will learn a tremendous amount about how they all came together, and eventually how and why they drifted apart. Over 600 minutes of footage will probably make for overkill for those only mildly interested in the band, but then again the story is so well put together you may find yourself with a renewed curiosity about and interest in the Beatles as well.

Candid interviews with Paul, George, Ringo, producer George Martin, and long-time associates such as Neil Aspinal point out both the highs and lows of the Beatles' days on tour, in the studio, and through some of their personal misadventures. The early episodes are full of terrific live footage of the band, whereas later episodes feature many of the proto-"music videos" the band produced when they no longer toured.

The bonus dvd, which includes material that was not broadcast on TV before, includes some great stuff as well. There are interviews with the production staff on how the Anthology was put together, more interviews and scenes with Paul, George, and Ringo, and my favorite part, which features them with George Martin playing back some old tapes at Abbey Road studio. It's fascinating to learn about how a track like "Tomorrow Never Knows" was put together, and the clips on the bonus dvd have a more relaxed and less formal feel than on the official "Anthology".

This production is definitely focused on the music of the band and their creative process. Very little is mentioned of their personal lives (wives, children, scandals, etc), no doubt a result of this being an "authorized" production. I found it interesting to read Peter Brown's "The Love You Make" at the same time I was watching this documentary, for Peter's book fills in a great many details only skimmed over here. Still, this is only a minor quibble, as there is only so much that can be covered in even this many hours about the Beatles, and in the end it is the music that matters most, not who married or divorved who and when.

All in all this is a terrific document on one of--if not THE--most important bands ever in pop/rock music.

Rating:
Summary: The BEATLES!!!
Review: What's not to like about this set?
Great music!
In depth facts about the greatest group of all time!
Interviews and fantastic footage of the Fab Four!
And more!
What can one say about this set that hasn't already been said?
There's only one thing I can think of. I wish there was an option on these discs to "play music selections only".
While I truly enjoyed watching the entire anthology, I don't find myself re-watching the discs over and over again (much as I do with normal "concert" or "music video" DVDs). If I could put a disc into the drawer and play just the music, these discs would definitely get much more play time in my DVD player.
But option or not, it's The Beatles! How can you NOT give them the 5 stars they deserve?
Especially when they continue to live on in our hearts more than 40 years after Beatlemania took the country by storm!

Rating:
Summary: A MUST
Review: this is a must for everyone who wants to know more about the best band ever...

their music is just superbe and their history and pretty interesting... trust me you wont be dissapointed