Beatles Stories - DVD review

I first saw the film Beatles Stories at its premiere at the Fest for Beatle Fans in Chicago this past August. I wanted to watch it again before  I wrote this review.

This DVD takes what I do here at this blog to the next level. My original idea was to have a blog that focused on the photos and stories of fans, just regular people from around the world, who met one or more of the Beatles. It is a great idea and has been very well-received. Well, this DVD really takes that as a basis and kicks it up a notch. 

Beatle fan and songwriter Seth Swirsky made this film by deciding to take a camera and film individuals who had a story to share about knowing, working with, or meeting one or more of the Beatles.  And as simple as that, Seth interviews a variety of famous people, or people that were within the Beatle's larger circle of contemporaries, and as they share a story about the Beatles.  The results were amazing!

How this guy, Seth, was able to interview all of these people is beyond me.  These interviews only last about 4-5 minutes each.  There were stories from people such as George Martin, Victor Spinetti, Davy Jones, Nancy Andrews, May Pang, Henry Winkler, Jackie DeShannon, Jack Douglas, Art Garfunkel, Fred Seaman,  Klaus Voorman, and many other people.  And while a large majority of the people who talked I had heard speak at Beatles conventions, the stories that were told on this DVD were all new to me!   

Some of my favorites included Nany Lee Andrews telling the story of when Ringo proposed to her, May Pang telling who her favorite Beatle was (it wasn't John), Henry "the Fonz" Winkler meeting with Paul McCartney, and the funniest story is from Jack Douglas from the recording of Double Fantasy.

Art Garfunkel also confirms that John was very seriously considering going to New Orleans and working with Paul McCartney in 1975. While this has been known from May Pang and a post card John sent to someone around that time, it is very interesting that he talked to Artie about it.

By far my favorite interview was with Cathy Sarver.  As you all know, Cathy was one of the Apple Scruffs.  She shows many of her rare photographs and tells about George writing the Apple Scruffs song.  She then reads the letter George wrote to three of the girls (including her).   I was in tears when I first saw it!   So wonderful.

Screenshot of Ringo with Cathy in the background

Taken from the Beatle Stories web page.  Cathy shows off her Beatles photos.

This DVD was only $15 when I bought it from the Fest, so it is reasonably priced.   It is well worth the time to track down and watch.   If you like the stories I share on this blog, then you will enjoy this film for sure.

The link below is the affiliate link to Amazon, where you can purchase this on DVD.  I get a small percentage of anything purchased through this link.  Money made from the Amazon Afflication is used to pay the annual fee to keep this site online.  Thank you for your support.  Sara

https://amzn.to/3V8hHR2

Movie Review: Desperately Seeking Paul McCartney

I watched this film on Netflicks over the weekend and since it falls into the wonderful category of "Beatles fan" information, I thought I would pass along what I thought of it.

Ruth (Anson) Sowby was a teenage reporter for ABC News in the 1960s. She interviewed famous people (like Bob Hope) and politicians. She was very cute, and the footage they showed of her doing this proved that she wasn't bad at her job whatsoever. She was allowed into a Beatles L.A. press conference at the Capitol Towers and interviewed them.

And that is where I found a BIG mistake in this film. It isn't something that changes the story in any way.  But I was shocked that no one corrected it or even said it online.  All throughout the film Ruth claims that she interviewed Paul at the 1965 press conference.   And some wonderful rare footage of the Beatles from 1965 leaving the airplane (you can tell by John's Rubber Soul jacket) and a snippet of the Beatles performing in 1965 at the Hollywood Bowl (you can tell by the "Shea" jackets) are shown.  And then they cut to the footage of Ruth talking to Paul McCartney.  And it is obviously from the 1966 press conference. In the background, you see Ringo wearing a polka-dot shirt, and Paul is wearing a long-sleeved white shirt with stripes.  And Paul is leaning on a long table.  In 1966, there was one long table where the guys were sitting, and in 1965, they each had their own podium-type things in front of them.    I am a little obsessive about the Beatles years, I know. But I think it annoyed me throughout the whole thing because they kept saying 1965, and it was so obvious to me that it was 1966.  I wonder if Ruth interviewed the Beatles in 1965 AND in 1966.   But anyhow...

They show this clip of Ruth interviewing Paul (who obviously is her favorite Beatle).  I am not sure if  she interviewed the rest of the boys or not, but this is how this part of the interview went:

Ruth: Paul, any definite plans to marry this year? (although it also sort of sounds like she could have said Jane Asher)

Paul:  No -- unless you'll marry me now.

Ruth: (you can see her drop her reporter poise and turn into a fan girl for a moment) Yes, I will!  (Then she hugs Paul.)


 As we have seen on this blog, Paul was asked that question a lot, especially during the 1966 tour.  If you recall, he tells fans just a few days earlier in New York that he "probably" will be marrying Jane Asher this year (I would guess that is why Ruth asked him this question).  As we also have seen, Paul was a huge flirt with all of the young girls during the press conferences and might have had motives behind his flirtatious ways.  Somehow I doubt young Ruth really took Paul seriously as proposing to her, but can you image yourself as a Paul fan having Paul ask you to marry you now?  Eeek!

Fast forward to an adult, Ruth, in 2007, who has this wonderful memory of meeting Paul and has this desire to meet him again.  She wonders if he remembers her.  She wonders why he said that to her.   And she basically just wants to talk to Paul again.  So she pitches her idea of making a film about her life as a journalist and interviewing the people that she interviewed in the 1960s today to see what impact being on ABC News made on them.  However, almost everyone has passed away by now, so she just focuses on her favorite subject:  Paul!

Now, here is where the whole film gets a little strange.  I am not sure how fake this all was. Everyone but Ruth and some of her friends seemed extremely scripted and to be acting. This was supposed to be a "Reality" type program where the camera followed her around.  But it all just seemed so fake to me.   Then I read online that this film was called "Mockumentary" by some people.  I totally could have done without all of the drama type stuff with the producers and junk.   But Ruth really seemed genuine and one of US.

That is what the outside didn't understand.  Ruth is a Beatles fan. She calls Paul McCartney "Paul" as if she and him are buddies.  Yeah....Beatle fans do that.  Beatle fans are wonderful, special people who are a bit over the top at times. So what?  

They try to make Ruth look foolish for reasons that I don't think are foolish at all. They call her a stalker because she tries to find Paul's home in L.A. I do not see her being a stalker whatsoever. They make fun of her for taking a photo of Paul and Linda, cutting out Linda's head and pasting in her own. Ummmm... a lot of us do that! That isn't crazy. It is silly and fun. Not crazy.

I do not understand why Ruth didn't hop on a plane and go to London. She would have had much better film footage and maybe better luck all around at Cavendish, MPL offices at Soho, or Abbey Road Studios. I wanted to grab her by the hand and say, "Come on, Ruth.  I understand you.   We are going to London girlfriend, and we are going to try our best to track down Paul.  Let's go!"

So....I hope Ruth finds this because she is tracking who online is talking about her film and joins us here in "Meet the Beatles for Real" because she will be among friends who are Desperately Seeking Paul (and Ringo) as much as she is.

The link below is the affiliate link to Amazon, where you can purchase this on DVD.  I get a small percentage of anything purchased through this link.  Money made from the Amazon Afflication is used to pay the annual fee to keep this site online.  Thank you for your support.  Sara

https://amzn.to/43beu5a