An exciting new Beatles movie trailer dropped today! Fans have known about a comprehensive documentary by Ron Howard in the works for some time that will focus on The Beatles live performances. After quite a long silence, the band officially released their first trailer for the movie this morning. Die-hard followers like me have hoped the project would yield an archival collection of every Fab concert, but marketing logic must have won out and it appears the film will hold together (as a film) by telling the story of the group's journey from bar band to success to the final show. The trailer takes a familiar approach seen these days with: "The band you know. The story you don't." And what a story it is! Still, I'm hoping for massive bonus concerts on the Blu-ray! We want to see rare and unseen clips. I can't wait to learn more about this new movie, titled Eight Days a Week: The Touring Years. I wonder if they will include interviews with some of the fans who appear in the vintage footage? When you look at The Beatles schedule during the 1960s, you can see just how hard they worked from the early days straight through the decade. As the crowds grew louder and less interested in hearing the music, the group said goodbye to live appearances and concentrated on recording in the studio. They envisioned taking the music even further. During the long wait for the next album after Revolver the press wondered if The Beatles had dried up. "Just you wait," reflected Paul McCartney during the Anthology series. They were about to unleash Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band on the world. John Lennon said their best time as a live band was in the early 1960s in Hamburg, but there is little documentation of that era unfortunately. Perhaps they will make some use of the 1962 audio recordings from Hamburg's Star Club made by Kingsize Taylor and Adrian Barber? The group put an official clamp on the tapes at one point, so it's hard to know. I imagine Ron Howard will just keep his attention on any live film footage that survives. Check out the trailer and stay tuned! The movie will be released in on September 16th. If you're interested in this era and the transition from the stage to the studio, check out some related posts: Notes Behind the Curtain 1, Notes Behind the Curtain 2, Notes Behind the Curtain 4, Notes Behind the Curtain 3, Ivan Vaughn and The Beatles, Experimental Beatles, George Martin R.I.P., Tony Sheridan R.I.P., Satire: Sellers to Lennon, Paul at 74. Top photo below: The Beatles at Shea Stadium. Enjoy!
