Beatles Anthology on DVD

Anotholgy DVD set

 

If true, that's really great news. I sure hope there's a stereo track also.

 

Yes, I also will be very happy if it's true. I am paranoid about playing my VHS tapes because you know, **** happens!

 

I fear that they will get gimmicky with the 5.1. I don't know if I'm ready for the yellow submarine to be circling my listening room.

Can't you play the sound track in 2 channel even though there is a 5.1 mix?

 

For those of you who've seen the Anthology, there's no reason for a 5.1 soundtrack. Rarely would you see/hear a Beatles song in Stereo, and in its entirety. Yes, there are positions on the set that offer a few songs, but it ain't often. Why would we want to hear 5.1 of "All My Lovin" for 1.4 minutes and then Paul talks about something else?

Silly.

Unless of course, there is material to be had that is extra than what the Lazerdisc/VHS had. Then I can understand it. The Lazerdisc I remember was Dolby matrixxed Surround (blah).

"A Hard Days Night" is yet to come out on DVD. When that comes out again, then I'll believe that Anthology might come too. AHDN is scheduled September 2, 2002.

 

So what extra features would you folks like to see in a Beatles Anthology DVD?

This is my wishlist:

-"Free As A Bird" music video
-"Real Love" music video
-The making of "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love"
-All Beatles promo films (as hidden Easter eggs throughout the discs)
-Original TV spots

 

I would love to see the Strawberry Fields video they had sent to the Sullivan Show. The other ones too, but really, really Strawberry Fields.

 

I'm very happy that it's coming out but where is Let It Be. It's #1 on my DVD want list and EMI how about Pink Floyd at Pompeii, that would be a killer with a DTS 5.1 soundtrack.

 

"Free As A Bird" is included on the Lazerdisc in stereo and in its entirety. I would think it would be on the VHS set too. That video, AND the "Real Love" video premered on ABC, broadcasted 10 min before the 1st and 2nd episode aired.

There's no meat on the Beatles Anthology TV promos at all. I still have a cardboard statue/in store display for Anthology 2. There was enough memoribilia (pins, CD & vinyl promos) to make a "stills" folder on the DVD and make that appropriate.

 

Damn straight, Tom. Let It Be is MUCH more important than the Anthology series at this time. They would have to remarket a 5 DVD set of Anthology, but Let It Be would fit on one DVD easilly with extras, and it's more coveted.

"Live @ Pompeii" IS available on VCD, which is a lot like a DVD, but a much lower MPEG specification. Most DVD players can play a factory made VCD. Pompeii at the very least can be listened/watched on a PC using Media Player 6.0 and later. So, it can be bought, import, VCD. (If it helps)......and it's in stereo.

I still have the LD for Pompeii. I heavilly doubt a 5.1 would make sense, because you would have to hand-matrix the stereo/mono track. It won't be a pure 5.1, but it may still be interesting.....

 

I just watched the LD of LIB a week or so ago after not seeing it for many years. I was checking for Laser Rot in hopes of transferring it to DVD-R, but ended up watching the whole thing.

WOW! It goes by fast. It was great to see this window into 1969. The sound quality is actually pretty good (stereo), and this has my favorite version of Long & Winding Road, the whole group and no Phil Spector.

One cool part I forgot about was when George is "helping" Ringo with Octopus's Garden. They are at the Piano, and the bridge of the song is actually a different melody! Anyway, they are having a great time, George on Guitar, John (& Yoko) comes in and plays drums, Ringo bangs the chords on the Piano, and then - - - - - Paul comes in.......................the whole scene changes completely. It's like the teacher coming into the classroom when everyone is fooling around. "OK. Stop playing and let's get to work!"

Bummer!

A new DVD release would be great.

:-jon

 

Jon,

Was the video above normal for 16mm?

Or, does the LD look like average old LD transfer?

 

Start saving those pennies! Yes!!!

 

Aren't all home video releases taken from the blown-up 35mm prints and then chopped off (to fill the screen)? Or is the LD letterboxed?

The original work was done on 16mm stock, which was blown up to 35mm for the theatres - in the process the matted off the top and bottom of the frame. I believe most, if not all, of the video transfers then used some type of pan and scan to fill up the TV image - which, in the end, is a small fraction of the original 16mm picture.

 

No, the LD is fitted-to-screen. Another reason to see the original presentation as-meant-to-be-seen.

Sigh. Well, I can still use my bootleg VHS copy until then!

 

Anthology - yes. A very good overview (and apparently it will be on 4 DVD's - not 5).

Let It Be - I can wait. For a movie that should have been all music, I always found it sub par. Too much bitching, too little performance. Jams that high school garage bands would reject. It gives insight - but having seen it was enough, kind of like a "music oriented" Magical Mystery Tour, I always felt like Dana Carvey as the chusc lady - "Isn't that special." - next!

"Live at Pompei" was one of the first rock movie surround sound releases in it's theatrical run. I BELEIVE it was a matrixed mix back then - but in any case, the original mix was designed for surround.

If ya wanna talk about rock movies that are REEEEAAALLLY MIA - how about "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones"? Excellent performance of the '72 "Exile" tour, and it has a discreet (quad) surround mix. Maybe now that Klien and the Stones have reached a consensus on the old catalog, we may finally see this again.

 

I would imagine that 'Let It Be' is not far down the road to be released on DVD. I just read that McCartney stated that 'Get Back' the original Apple release of 'Let It Be' will be remastered and released soon. If you haven't heard the John Glyns mix then you are in for a surprise.

As far as the movie goes....as a fan I want to see it, but it won't go well with everyone, to be sure!

 

I actually saw "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones" a few years ago at the Walter Reade Theater in Manhattan. The visuals aren't especially interesting, but I liked the "you are there" quality of the quad soundtrack.

As for A Hard Day's Night, it's release on DVD has already been announced. I don't have the specs handy, but there's plenty of bonus material.

 

re: Beatles Anthology on SACD.

I just have this bad feeling that because Mr. Peter Mew did such a "wonderful" (insert sarcasm here) job on Beatles Number 1, they might ask him to "man the helm" on this new adventure. After all, his stuff sells so well...

 

Uncle Al,

I felt the way you do, until I saw it again after many years. I think age (mine AND its) tend to make it a bit more enjoyable than it really is/was. I remembered long, tedious moments, yet there seemed to be more music than I remembered.

You are right, though, in that if it were any other foursome, it would be a yawner.........

BTW - The LD is an early Magnetic Video type. NOT Letterboxed, not even digital sound, but it beats the VHS - obviously.

:-jon

 

Unlike A HARD DAY'S NIGHT and HELP!, LET IT BE was hard-matted to 1.85 or so on the release prints. I wonder if the underlying 16mm material is still available for remastering on video.

 

Sckott,

Actually, the videos for Free As A Bird and Real Love aired at the END of the ABC episodes 1 and 2 respectively. On the home video VHS release only Free As A Bird is available at the end. There was room for Real Love also, but it was left off. For what reason....who knows?

Greg

 

I misworded that totally. I meant to say at the END. They closed out the shows w/them.

Having "Free As A Bird" is a much more elaborate production, and sounds great on LD.

 

Yes, it is. I *believe* some of it was used for Anthology, actually.

 

I hope to see the Shea stadium concert, but lower the volume of the crowd when they are screaming. Because you can hardly hear the Beatles.