I will always go out of my way to see the work of certain actors and directors – a select few, who, in my opinion, can do no wrong. I will always watch an Al Pacino or a De Niro film – even if it is a bad one, as by their very presence, they will somehow drag it out of the mundane and make it a pleasurable experience.
One of my favourite directors is Martin Scorsese and to me, he can do no wrong, ever since I saw Taxi Driver all those years ago. Since then, he has followed up with masterpieces such as Goodfellas, Casino and Gangs of New York. Recently, his production and directorial contributions to the TV series, Boardwalk Empire has elevated it to the echelons of all time TV greats, such as The Sopranos. Scorsese also has also directed a number of notable documentaries through the years, almost always connected in some way to his love of music and music performers. His latest, about the life of the Beatle George Harrison, is a feast for the eyes.
To Beatles fans, lovers of popular music, or just someone interested in the life and times of this fascinating and talented man, this documentary is a 'must see'. I sat down to watch it at around 10 p.m and sat transfixed, hardly realising that the clock was almost at the hour of 2 a.m by the time the final credits rolled down the screen – along with a few tears rolling down my cheeks There is no narrator - no quoting of dates or facts - just a cinematic account of the life of George, from his earliest days in the Beatles right up to the day of his death from cancer in 2001. The story is 'told' through mainly previously unseen footage and magical interviews with so many friends and family who knew him and lived through the same life and times as he did. I have a new respect for Paul and Ringo who clearly gave very honest, heartfelt and sometimes surprisingly vulnerable accounts of themselves and their relationships with George and their times with him – both good and bad. There many others; Eric Clapton, John Lennon, both of George's wives, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Tom Petty, Phil Spector, Yoko Ono, Jackie Stewart and so many more. Some of these people were interviewed especially for the film and other interviews were taken from archive footage, much of it never seen before.
At the top of the list of interviewees is George himself, speaking from his very early Beatle days, almost up to the time of his death. George was a fascinating man who lived a very full life, from his music, to his film production, to his love of cars, to garden design and to his almost fanatical involvement in Indian mysticism and trans-meditation. Through the years, this quiet but highly charismatic person acquired an incredible array of devoted friends from all walks of life. I particularly loved the videos of the impromptu sessions shot at Bob Dylan's home recording studio in New York when members of the 'Travelling Wilburys', (George, Tom petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison), collaborated on a new song. It is pure magic. But there again, there are so many magical moments. This wonderful documentary is a film not to be missed.
One of my favourite directors is Martin Scorsese and to me, he can do no wrong, ever since I saw Taxi Driver all those years ago. Since then, he has followed up with masterpieces such as Goodfellas, Casino and Gangs of New York. Recently, his production and directorial contributions to the TV series, Boardwalk Empire has elevated it to the echelons of all time TV greats, such as The Sopranos. Scorsese also has also directed a number of notable documentaries through the years, almost always connected in some way to his love of music and music performers. His latest, about the life of the Beatle George Harrison, is a feast for the eyes.
To Beatles fans, lovers of popular music, or just someone interested in the life and times of this fascinating and talented man, this documentary is a 'must see'. I sat down to watch it at around 10 p.m and sat transfixed, hardly realising that the clock was almost at the hour of 2 a.m by the time the final credits rolled down the screen – along with a few tears rolling down my cheeks There is no narrator - no quoting of dates or facts - just a cinematic account of the life of George, from his earliest days in the Beatles right up to the day of his death from cancer in 2001. The story is 'told' through mainly previously unseen footage and magical interviews with so many friends and family who knew him and lived through the same life and times as he did. I have a new respect for Paul and Ringo who clearly gave very honest, heartfelt and sometimes surprisingly vulnerable accounts of themselves and their relationships with George and their times with him – both good and bad. There many others; Eric Clapton, John Lennon, both of George's wives, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Tom Petty, Phil Spector, Yoko Ono, Jackie Stewart and so many more. Some of these people were interviewed especially for the film and other interviews were taken from archive footage, much of it never seen before.
At the top of the list of interviewees is George himself, speaking from his very early Beatle days, almost up to the time of his death. George was a fascinating man who lived a very full life, from his music, to his film production, to his love of cars, to garden design and to his almost fanatical involvement in Indian mysticism and trans-meditation. Through the years, this quiet but highly charismatic person acquired an incredible array of devoted friends from all walks of life. I particularly loved the videos of the impromptu sessions shot at Bob Dylan's home recording studio in New York when members of the 'Travelling Wilburys', (George, Tom petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison), collaborated on a new song. It is pure magic. But there again, there are so many magical moments. This wonderful documentary is a film not to be missed.