Beatles ‘64

The 1960s was a time of great change. The space race and civil rights movement were underway, music spearheaded the rise of the counterculture, and JFK’s assassination shook the globe. Amid it all, the Beatles made their first visit to the United States in 1964, appearing on the Ed Sulivan Show and playing at the Washington Coliseum. The group’s two-week stay was a phenomenon in itself as Beatlemania swept across America and had teenage girls screaming hysterically in the streets, eager to catch a glimpse of them. Documentary Beatles ’64, directed by David Tedeschi, gives a fascinating snapshot of the zeitgeist surrounding the band’s US visit with archive footage (filmed by Albert and David Maysles) and interviews with die-hard fans who were there, alongside on-camera appearances from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr reflecting upon their experiences of that time.

Even when they’re not playing to electrified crowds, the Fab Four are the stars of the show. Whether it’s their quick-witted response to questions from journalists or simply watching them bounce off each other in their New York hotel room, it’s easy to see how whole nations fell in love with the musicians. They were charming, genuinely funny, and their music offered something that was brand new for the time (and is still as influential and adored today). However, nothing they did was as big as the impact they made on their fans and pop culture overall. Alongside present-day interviews of fans fondly reminiscing about the memorabilia they collected, one going  as far to acquire the very seat they sat at during the group’s Washington performance, the documentary underscores just how much of a cultural landmark their TV appearance was, with even crime supposedly taking a break to catch their set.

The documentary likewise touches upon various other ways the band influenced society. Smokey Robinson, for example, talks about how the Liverpudlians’ love of Motown helped shrink the racial divide in music, archival footage of Leonard Bernstein weighing in on the importance of rock’n’roll highlighted the shift within youth culture, and snobbish ambassadors scoffing at the mention of the band tell of a class divide. The result is a multifaceted examination of a pivotal point in modern history.

The Beatles ’64 is a testimony to the meteoric effect the Beatles had on culture told by those who lived it.

Andrew Murray

Beatles ‘64 is released on Disney+ on 29^th November 2024.

Watch the trailer for Beatles ‘64 here: