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Post by sayne on Feb 10, 2011 21:06:06 GMT -5
Going to see the theatrical showing of the concert tomorrow night in Hollywood.
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Post by OldFred on Feb 10, 2011 21:34:05 GMT -5
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lowbasso
A Hard Day's Knight
Posts: 2,776
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Post by lowbasso on Feb 10, 2011 23:28:45 GMT -5
Going to see the theatrical showing of the concert tomorrow night in Hollywood. You lucky dog!
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Post by John S. Damm on Feb 11, 2011 11:56:55 GMT -5
sayne, that is cool and please write a review here but remember to first put: SPOILER ALERT!
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Post by scousette on Feb 11, 2011 12:25:00 GMT -5
sayne, you are a lucky dog indeed. I want a full report. Spoilers included. I want this thing to play in San Francisco. Soon.
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Post by OldFred on Feb 11, 2011 12:33:04 GMT -5
abbeyrd.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=2392Breaking News from the Steve Hoffman Board!: www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=236934Friday night 2-11-11! Los Angeles, Get ready! 47 years to the exact date of the Beatles first USA concert. For the first time since 1964, the complete closed-circuit video broadcast of The Beatles First American Concert, with special guests The Beach Boys and Lesley Gore, will be screened theatrically by the American Cinematheque! Show starts at 7:30 pm, Friday, February 11th at the Egyptian Theater, 6712 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California. Advance tickets available by phone via the American Cinematheque box office @ (323) 692-3431 The phenomenon known as “Beatlemania” arrived on American shores from Great Britain when the Beatles landed at New York’s Kennedy airport for their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, February 9th, 1964. On February 11th, the group performed their first American concert at the Coliseum in Washington, D.C. This historic event was videotaped for a national closed circuit theatre audience, and packaged with pre-taped live sets by the Beach Boys and Lesley Gore for a 90-minute big screen spectacular.
This historic presentation, straight from the original broadcast master two-inch quad videotapes, has been unseen in its entirety since March 1964. Host Domenic Priore (author of Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock ’n’ Roll’s Last Stand in Hollywood) will be joined by rock ’n’ roll visual archivist Ron Furmanek and Boyd in bringing this unique program back to the big screen again after 47 years, the way it was intended to be.
The performance captured at this event is the longest set that would ever be filmed of the Beatles in concert, and easily transmits far more raw energy and attitude than would be present at later Shea Stadium, Australia, Japan or Germany tapings. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr all seem to be on stun from the attention and thrill of taking America by storm and becoming the entertainment phenomenon of the century. The recently-discovered master video tapes of this performance are a vast improvement over the fuzzy kinescopes that were a favorite of the underground movie house circuit during the ’70s; in those, the encore of “Twist and Shout” was cut off at the middle, and, the closing rave-up “Long Tall Sally” has not been screened anywhere since 1964. The entire performance is presented here in stunning, first-generation picture quality.
The Beach Boys and Lesley Gore segments were videotaped at the NBC Television Studios in Burbank, California (the same studio that later hosted Elvis Presley’s ’68 Comeback Special, Laugh-In and the Johnny Carson shows). The sound quality on these segments is a perfect reproduction, and showcases The Beach Boys (Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Al Jardine and Mike Love) in their performance prime.
This will be the first time the ENTIRE production has been seen in full since the two days it was screened as a nationwide closed-circuit theater event (the same system more commonly used for live sporting events). Nowhere will you be able to see The Beatles in a more riveting, rock-solid performance, with the audio and video quality clear as a bell, blasting through theater speakers on The Egyptian Theater's giant screen. Our test screenings left us bedazzled, feeling as though we had just seen The Beatles in person... it’s that good.
endlesssummerquarterly.blogspot.com/2010/12/beatles-complete-first-american-concert.html
Hosts Domenic Priore, Ron Furmanek and Alan Boyd will be joined by special guests TBA
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Post by Steve Marinucci on Feb 11, 2011 21:13:06 GMT -5
sayne, you are a lucky dog indeed. I want a full report. Spoilers included. I want this thing to play in San Francisco. Soon. I was hoping to be there, but it didn't work out. There is a chance of more screenings, though none have been set up yet.
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Post by Steve Marinucci on Feb 11, 2011 21:14:14 GMT -5
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Post by sayne on Feb 12, 2011 11:13:43 GMT -5
I'm not good at round-by-round accounts or detailed reviews, but this is what I can give:
1. Pretty cheap for LA prices - $12. Regular non-3D/IMAX movies can run around that price here. 2. They tried to make it a bit special by having a panel discussion before the viewing. Guys involved in the remastering or who were in some way involved with the actual concert and the guy who was the host of Shindig (Jimmy Nichols?). All old geezers. They had not much to say. The audience really didn't care to see them. They just wanted to get to the movie. 3. As opening acts, they showed a few clips of the Beach Boys on the Jack Benny show (actually being part of a bit with Benny and Bob Hope) and the Beatles on Shindig. Actually, the Beatles on Shindig (which was taped in England) was a bit interesting. They told us that for many shows back then, the instruments were almost always pre-recorded while the bands DID sing. So, the Beatles started playing I'm a Loser and then John started singing a couple of words, then stopped singing and said embarrassingly "I forgot the words." Good thing the performance was being taped and not shown live. 4. There was clip after clip after clip. Although it was okay to see the old clips, we really just wanted to get to the main concert. 5. Finally, we get to the broadcast. Leslie Gore and the Beach Boys performed at NBC studios. Boy, for a 17 year old, Leslie sure was confident, poised, and looked like a seasoned pro. Sang very well. Pretty cute, not bad for a muffin eater (LOL, I'm bad). 6. As for the Beach Boys, I have reassessed my opinions of Dennis Wilson's drumming. I thought it was fantastic. Simple, but on time and driving. Kudos, and my apologies to him. They did Monster Mash - Mike Love was (is?) such a dweeb. He was doing his Bobby "Boris" Pickett imitation, trying to look scary and Quasimotoish, but it was just silly - to be kind. They did about 6 songs. The HIGHLIGHT for me was In My Room. Stunning. I had always thought that song came much later, but if Brian had written that at the time of the Beatles first coming to America, he sure was way ahead of them - at least on that one. Surfer Girl was great, too! 6. Now, as for the Beatles portion, it was fantastic. The sound was a good and clear as it could possibly be. In fact, the screams were, at times, deafening. You have all seen the various clips of the concert, so there really isn't anything new I can say other than it was very cool to see it in its entirety. It was all there - the mania, the innocence, the primitive stage set up with the Beatles having to move their own mikes and amps and Ringo's drum platform having to be turned (at first, by himself), the jelly babies pelting the stage (and them - surprised no one's eye was put out. In fact, I know they were being hit, so I'm really surprised that no one, especially George, ever got mad or showed it.) 7. Apropo of another thread, anyone who thinks the Beatles were not a good live band MUST see this - on big screen, if possible. Take your friends. This was pretty much during the window where the mania was huge, the Beatles were having fun, the Beatles were not dialing it in, and they were not far from their Hamburg days. They rocked! Together as one. The amazing thing was how well they played without monitors. Just the ability to sing those fantastic harmonies without monitors was impressive enough. But, to be so tight as a band, relaxed, and exuberant under those conditions, plus the pressure (they had a lot to prove), was truly impressive. In a year and a half, they would not be so, er, solid. 8. Paul sweats more than the others. 9. I noticed that Paul today scratches his head a lot on stage. He did it back then, too. Interesting. 10. There is a portion in the show where they quickly say something to a George. George Martin? Can't remember if he was with them in America during this trip.
Anyway, sorry this is not much of a review, but I do hope it comes your way on the big screen. You will not be disappointed.
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Post by John S. Damm on Feb 12, 2011 13:08:01 GMT -5
You're modest sayne, that was a great review.
I want to see this. It will never come to Indiana, Chicago maybe.
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Post by vectisfabber on Feb 12, 2011 13:11:16 GMT -5
Are you able to comment on picture quality? I'm thinking of how good the Anthology DVD clips were as opposed to what previous versions had looked like.
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Post by sayne on Feb 12, 2011 16:23:22 GMT -5
Are you able to comment on picture quality? I'm thinking of how good the Anthology DVD clips were as opposed to what previous versions had looked like. I thought the picture quality was quite good. I guess because 2 inch tape was being used and that was the source of the film I saw. Black and white, obviously, but not really that grainy. Sure, it wasn't HD, but it was pretty much equal to the NBC Studios portion. It certainly wasn't like looking at those old Nazi WWII newsreels or even the Beatles in the Cavern. No cracks or skips. Occasionally, it would go dark, perhaps someone walked in front of the camera. What the panel DID say was that the producers/directors of the telecast "cut their teeth" on Friday Night Fights. So, it is pretty amazing that they were able to convey the breath and scope and energy of the concert with only boxing coverage experience.
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Post by winstonoboogie on Feb 12, 2011 20:50:21 GMT -5
3. As opening acts, they showed a few clips of the Beach Boys on the Jack Benny show (actually being part of a bit with Benny and Bob Hope) 10. There is a portion in the show where they quickly say something to a George. George Martin? Can't remember if he was with them in America during this trip. Re: point 3 - I remember seeing a clip of the Beach Boys with Benny and Hope (on Biography or something like that) where Jack Benny starts talking surfer lingo ( "shooting the curls" or something like that) and then stops and says "I have no idea what I just said!" which was quite funny the way he said it - Jack was widely known as a master of comic timing. Anyway, it was from at least 1965, as the Boys broke into "California Girls" - and Brian Wilson was with the Boys, which interested me, as I knew Brian had stopped touring with them by then (but I guess TV appearances were OK, as it was likely taped in L.A. anyway!) Was that the appearance they showed? Point 10 - yes, George Martin was with them. On Anthology they show a series of photos taken in Miami, one of which shows George Martin with sunglasses (and a Hawaiian shirt, IIRC!) But yes, sayne, that must have been too cool for words to see that on the big screen. Excellent review!
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Post by scousette on Feb 13, 2011 1:38:44 GMT -5
Thank you, sayne. I wish I had been there to see the movie. I hope it comes to San Francisco.
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Post by sayne on Feb 13, 2011 2:50:30 GMT -5
Re: point 3 - I remember seeing a clip of the Beach Boys with Benny and Hope (on Biography or something like that) where Jack Benny starts talking surfer lingo ( "shooting the curls" or something like that) and then stops and says "I have no idea what I just said!" which was quite funny the way he said it - Jack was widely known as a master of comic timing. Anyway, it was from at least 1965, as the Boys broke into "California Girls" - and Brian Wilson was with the Boys, which interested me, as I knew Brian had stopped touring with them by then (but I guess TV appearances were OK, as it was likely taped in L.A. anyway!) Was that the appearance they showed? Point 10 - yes, George Martin was with them. On Anthology they show a series of photos taken in Miami, one of which shows George Martin with sunglasses (and a Hawaiian shirt, IIRC! Yes, that was the Jack Benny clip. And, thanks for the George Martin confirmation.
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Post by OldFred on Feb 13, 2011 9:28:08 GMT -5
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Post by winstonoboogie on Feb 13, 2011 11:36:06 GMT -5
Yes. I remember they were going to tear the Coliseum down, but there was a movement to have it declared a landmark based (among other things) on being the site of the first (true) Beatles concert. Does anyone have any recent information on this?
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