Siskel & Ebert Review The Films of...The Beatles

[@Vanilla_Skynet]

This is my first Siskel & Ebert compilation that isn't filmmaker centric. I just thought this was a fun idea, and it turned out way better than I expected going in. Here's what we have: 0:34 Help! 2:49 The Compleat Beatles 6:21 Imagine: John Lennon 10:50 Give My Regards to Broad Street 12:20 Yellow Submarine 14:47 A Hard Day's Night So as you can see it's a mixture of films, documentaries, and concerts featuring or about The Beatles (or Beatle) in a prominent way. Ebert is featured in all of them, while Siskel is absent for a couple. Primarily for educational purposes, but enjoy however you see fit! For more of this series: kzbin.info/aero/PLjog8SEXXlNV9hSA2USQDeuz-Njrkhuar&si=9MBkX8IAqz2l-B1b

[@FloweredUp-n4t]

Thanks for compiling this. Enjoyed watching this.

[@jun6174]

FYI - The documentary is called The Compleat Beatles, not "Complete"

[@Vanilla_Skynet]

​@@jun6174Fixed

[@270yis7]

Man...I wish both of them had lived to review GET BACK (2021).

[@waynej2608]

They'd have loved it, I do believe. 👍👍

[@tonym994]

ABSOLUTELY!

[@scottburton9701]

Ebert & Siskel were outstanding-Miss them both.

[@CCCComm]

Thank you for your work putting this together, it was a treat to watch (and remember).

[@j.kevvideoproductions.6463]

I still love "Help" - WTF it's the Beatles.

[@joeheadblues]

Great movie! They don't aknowledge it, but it has lots of cinema innovations.

[@goplad1]

"Help!" was only good because of the music. The film itself is pretty bad.

[@howie9751]

@@goplad1 I disagree. It was very entertaining. It at least had a plot, which AHDN did not. Also you can make out what the Beatles are saying more easily.

[@goplad1]

@@howie9751 Well we'll have to agree to disagree. I agree with Siskel. "Help!" is a pretty stupid film, a film that goes nowhere. Again, it's the music that saves it.

[@howie9751]

@@goplad1 "A Hard Day's Night" goes somewhere?

[@rockturtleneck]

The Beatles camp needs to reissue The Compleat Beatles documentary. It's an excellent 2-hour primer on what makes the Fab Four so phenomenal, and is how a lot of Gen-Xers first learned about lore like Hamburg, the Cavern Club, LSD, George Martin, tape loops, the Maharishi, etc.

[@youtoo2233]

Yep definitely, great documentary

[@mrgmills70]

I wore that VHS tape out!

[@Robutube1]

Thanks for stitching these together, they're fascinating to look back on. Something we know but they didn't was that Peter Jackson's 'Get Back' would be one film to rule them all.

[@tonym994]

I remember when I first heard the re-master of Yellow Submarine, it was as if an invisible line had been drawn around each musical instrument. it was just the very idea of clarity. of course we're more used to re-mastering now, as 'GET BACK' is still available on DISNEY+, Thank Heavens.

[@StevePemberton2]

Interesting hearing their opinions about these various Beatles films over the years. For some context, Gene Siskel was 18 years old when A Hard Day's Night premiered in 1964, Roger Ebert was 22. Both seemingly a little old to be Beatles fans during Beatlemania. And yet each of them saw Help! in the theater the next year. Although I'm guessing neither of them saw A Hard Day's Night until sometime later. Only regret is that Roger didn't watch Help! before they filmed the 1987 episode. It would have been interesting to see if his opinion of it would have changed like Gene's did (at age 41). Gene seemed to suspect that Roger (at age 45) would see Help! differently also if he watched it again.

[@BGTuyau]

A fascinating video on several counts. R.I.P. Gene, Roger, John and George ...

[@JTCurtisMusic]

There's another very short highlight of A Hard Day's Night and Help in their special "Hail, Hail, Black and White" where Roger discusses how timeless The Beatles' performance is in the Black & White film while the film in color seems "somehow a little dated."

[@Vanilla_Skynet]

At 5:33, if anyone wants to see it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZnHh4l4o96poq8si=i0COBOR8NEnnulhr While I like the footage and the point Ebert makes, it's a little TOO brief and the audio from the clips are muted, so I didn't include it

[@waxeatingguru]

HELP was/is a brilliant, hilarious movie. Basically it’s a Monty Python film with music. So many subtle jokes and gags. I have watched it many times over the last 55 years. Always cracks me up as I laugh at the familiar gags and notice new ones.

[@keithhyttinen8275]

There's good bits in "Help". Mal Evans as the swimmer looking for the White Cliffs of Dover. The pub scene with the Tiger in the cellar.

[@garylee3685]

The Compleat Beatles was discontinued by lawsuit by Apple. I assume because they were going to come out with their own documentary, the Long and Winding Road, which eventually came out as Anthology.

[@jake105]

Yes. That's too bad. The Compleat Beatles was a very good documentary

[@garylee3685]

@jake105 well, all footage in it was in Anthology anyway. And Siskel was right, there is little archive footage in the second half.

[@Saturday8pm]

I remember “Compleat”. Very good. Sorta related, “The Birth of The Beatles”. Good fun. Network TV ca. ‘78.

[@garylee3685]

@@Saturday8pm Pete Best was technical advisor Birth Of The Beatles.

[@Saturday8pm]

@@garylee3685 I didn’t know that! 👍

[@williamglenn5327]

It seems silly to spend time reviewing these films as serious cinema. We just went to see and hear The Beatles. There was no internet and the films were not available for home viewing so this was all we had. We were just grateful to have a couple of hours of Beatlemania.

[@LearnMusclescom]

Ebert counts A Hard Day’s night as one of his top 20-30 favorite films.

[@Robutube1]

Whilst it is true that the early films were not produced with an eye to posterity, AHDN in particular stands up as fine cinematic art even today.

[@ferdinandparan-yz6uo]

The best film critics unforgettable duo

[@aaronhamel5935]

Give My Regards to Broad Street looks like a Sega CD FMV game

[@tonym994]

right, Gene. Martin eventually was identified as a composer of some BEATLES music. THAT was definitely kept from fans. he was presented by media as a guy who used to produce comedy records. that was all we knew. turns out he's accomplished, musically.

[@howie9751]

"A Hard Day's Night" was a very good film, but we found "Help!" to be more entertaining and more engaging. We watch it more often.

[@gns423]

Even the Beatles themselves agreed with Siskel on Help!

[@dynjarren8355]

Sisley and Ebert was a good show I watched every week! I agreed with Ebert more generally. Both Films were good because they were charming and made incredible music! I wish Peter Jackson would colorize Hard Days Night to update it!

[@mr.g1758]

They broke up not because of success, but because of a devastating and unexpected death.

[@538frostrd]

I liked HELP because it was in color.

[@jonathanaustin8734]

I remember seeing this when it came out 40 years ago.

[@Vanilla_Skynet]

Not sure what you're referring to, but this compilation didn't exist until I put it together Just wanted that to be clear, because occasionally people assume I'm reposting something that's already been made but I put all these together myself

[@jonathanaustin8734]

@@Vanilla_Skynet I saw what it is you put together in its individual components on television long ago. What you put together, I have never seen as it is new.

[@ferdinandparan-yz6uo]

Hard Days Night Beatles best movie

[@chriskneubuhl2557]

This was interesting to see, I been a Beatles fan and collector for over fifty years. I saw Help at the Drive in when I was 10 years old and didn’t know what to make of it. But you have to understand what they were trying to do, a take off of James Bond movies, nice to see the Beatles in color! Hard Days Night will always be the best! 😎

[@frankbarbaro4363]

Help is my favorite !

[@troygaspard6732]

Clearly A Hard Day's Night and Yellow Suberine are the best.

[@TangoEliott]

Help was great fun

[@sureshmukhi2316]

They didn't review Magical Mystery Tour?

[@Vanilla_Skynet]

If they did I couldn't find it

[@waynej2608]

Or Let it Be.

[@dhpbear2]

That was a 'TV movie' aired in Britain.

[@sureshmukhi2316]

@@dhpbear2 it had a US theatrical release in 1974.

[@goplad1]

It wasn't a theatrical film and was broadcast on the BBC to dismal reviews. The worst project the Beatles were ever involved with. It's an embarrassment. Of course what saves it at all is the music. Otherwise it's forgettable.

[@TTM9691]

Very cool!!!!!

[@rpkietur]

BEATLES COMPLETE was pretty much the first documentary after the split. i saw it in a theater in 1982. they dont have rights to a lot of exclusive material so what you see is generic releases. they are right. the first part is good. interview with first manger ALLAN WILLIAMS and to this day i still think they owe him money!

[@thomastimlin1724]

You mean the "Compleat Beatles" documentary? Released around 1982?

[@scottburton9701]

Surprised that "Let It Be" wasn't mentioned.

[@StevePemberton2]

The Beatles had already broken up when Let It Be premiered in May 1970. It wasn't a very highly regarded film, and with so many movies to review Siskel and Ebert apparently didn't see a need to review Let It Be.

[@juanmanuelsanteiro1238]

Siskel and ebert were not on air when let it be was released (help was reviewed because of its release on vhs)

[@steveconn]

Forgot they did this.

[@kevinhendryx665]

Ha! Gene is so wrong about Help! It's a hilarious dead-pan English humor hoot! He needed an herbal jazz cigarette first. There is so much pastiche and sly punnery in this and the supporting cast is stellar. At least they liked Yellow Submarine and it, too, has a stand-out, droll script with a lot of clever gags. Too bad the Fabs didn't do their own voices!

[@JLLLEL]

HELP! is a fun film up to and including the "Intermission" gag. THEN it becomes a "crashing bore."

[@goplad1]

I can't even sit through "Help!" Beyond the music the film is pretty bad.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

As usual, Siskel being a no-fun sourpuss. Ebert as usual being much more sensible.

[@evandylan]

So Magical Mystery Tour is that bad huh? 😎

[@thomastimlin1724]

"Oye..."

[@goplad1]

Horrible and borderline unwatchable. The only thing that saves it is the music.

[@1967PONTIACGTO]

Help! is a great movie, and the fact Siskel doesn't like it only confirms my opinion of him as not very bright.

[@tennissir1986]

As if no one knew. Siskel and Eibert took themselves way too seriously. Reviewing a full length music video as if it was meant as great art.

[@hifijohn]

Hard days night is brilliant, Help is stupid but fun. Broadstreet and MMT are both terrible.

[@stephenbrain3620]

I think Help! has aged well, despite the questionably pseudo-racist aspect of the plot. It certainly wasn't a second AHDN, but as the Beatles recede into the mists of history, it's ever more wonderful to have that vivid snapshot from 1965.

[@ChristopherElli-cc1ly]

Who cares. Watching anything with The Beatles is great.

[@briankorbelik2873]

The Beatles were always cool ,but Siskel and Ebert, definitely L7.

[@kathleentewksbury3634]

Boo on you! I loved that movie. It was fun and funny. What a boor you are.

[@stephenhowes8937]

Both of those guys died from being such crabby critics. If Gene Siskel is so perfect about how to make Help! a better movie, then do it.

[@Frederick-t8t]

I absolutely loved A Days Night... the title taken from one of Ringo's malaprops, but I still liked Help very much. Gene could be a curmudgeon. THUMBS DOWN FOR GENE. 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅 P. S. Pete Best was not better looking than Paul.

[@thomastimlin1724]

Critics in general are paid idiots. the critique what they cannot and have never done themselves.

[@goplad1]

Who are you or anyone else to judge a person's opinion of how someone looks? Pete Best was considered the best looking Beatle when he was in the group. At least according to the lady fans. McCartney was more "cute" than he was handsome. At the end of the day beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[@thomastimlin1724]

The movie HELP was designed for kids in 1965, nothing more. Siskel's scathing review comes from an adult perspective, and is also a crushing bore, like most movie reviewers are anyway. I'll stick with the child in me that tells me what is funny and fun, and not today's puke, fart and booger jokes and other garbage you get in movies aimed at kids now.

[@goplad1]

I think Siskel was spot on about "Help! It really is a huge bore. The only thing that saves it is the music. Otherwise it's forgettable.

[@goplad1]

The only truly good film the Beatles were ever involved with was "A Hard Day's Night". The film "Help!" was mediocre and "Magical Mystery Tour" is just plain abysmal. "Let It Be" is depressing and serves as a testimonial to the Beatles breakup. What they did all have in common was the Beatles music so how bad can that be?

[@jimo3173]

Their movies were pretty lame which is probably why I kind of forgot they even did them. I'm not even sure why they did them.

[@FloweredUp-n4t]

A crushing bore. Every Beatles film other than Hard Days Night.

[@pepe_sasia]

I really enjoyed Yellow Submarine...

[@13thBeatleJr]

Get Back is incredible

[@waynej2608]

​@quevivalapepa Me too. I also enjoy Magical Mystery Tour. I don't give a rat's arse what the critics say about it. They're all fun, wonderful films! Imho. 'Step right this way!'

[@13thBeatleJr]

@@waynej2608 dude prob an Elvis Fan

[@Daberney]

I suspect that YOU'RE a "crushing bore".

[@Saturday8pm]

“A Hard Day’s Night” followed by everything else. ✌️