Elly Roberts reviews
Apple Corps Ltd2-Disc Edition:
Bumper Limited:
- Cert:
- Pressing: 2007
- Region(s): 2, PAL
- Running time: 92 minutes
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Languages: English
- Widescreen: 16:9
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: £21.99
- Rating: 10/10+
- Extras (57 mins):30-minute documentary, The Making of Help!, Missing scene, Theatrical Trailers,Radio Spots, 18-page booklet.
Help! They didnt need any. The film did.,
The Beatles second film Help! was their first in colour, and directorof photography David Watkins first. It was released at the height of their iconicperiod in 1965, also the year they called it a day for touring the UK.
It includes seven classics Help!, Youre Going To Lose That Girl, YouveGot To Hide Your Love Away, Ticket to Ride, I Need You, The Night Before andAnother Girl.
The Richard Lester film which followed his Hard Days Night, now comesas a 2-DVD set. Disc 1 is the fully restored film in 5.1 Surround Sound Soundtrack,with disc 2 – Special Features, including a 30 minute documentary, the makingof Help!, a missing scene, theatrical trailers, radio spots, plus 18-pagebooklet.
Going to see this film way back in 1965, Help! was a hoot. It was alsothe first time Id seen my childhood heros in colour. Until then, most imageswere in black and white. OK, so the plot was pretty simple. It was meant to be.In case you havent seen it, The Fab Four were passive recipients of an outsideplot that revolved around Ringos possession of a sacrificial ring, which hecouldnt removed from his finger. We mustnt forget why he was called Ringo:he always wore rings, lots of them apparently, so he was perfectly cast.
The Mop Tops were relentlessly chased from London to the Austrian alps and theBahamas. Brian Esptein insisted it was important to film in the Bahamas, soscenes were specially created. In pursuit were religious cult members, a madscientist and the Old Bill. Of the four, surprisingly, Ringo shines, turningout to be the best and most comfortable actor of the group.
Backing them was a strong cast of Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Welshman VictorSpinetti (who Georges mum asked to be cast as one of her favourite actors),funnyman Roy Kinnear, Patrick Cargill and John Bluthal. In true Beatles form,it showcases the likely lads just larking about, with character lines perfectlysuiting each member.
It also, visually, showed Lesters sharp eye for surrealism by effectivelycreating the first music videos. MTV recognised Lesters work, calling himthe father of MTV for his innovative work on the film. Who can forget thememorable clips in the snowbound mountains playing along to Ticket To Ride?Remarkable considering none of them could ski.
As good as the film is, its the documentary that makes the most interestingviewing with bags of off-screen footage, beginning with what appears to be thepremier (with the lads attending) whilst hoards of screeming (and fainting)teenagers cram the streets with overwhelmed police and first-aiders. In one ofmany interviews with Lester, he confessed he didnt want to make just a colourversion of documentary-styled A Hard Days Night, so it played on theirweaknesses and turned into a frollicking chase film.
Bron saw it as a complete departure for them, believing they genuinely wantedto learn how to act, via the writing of another surrealist, screenplay writerCharles Wood, which suited Lennons wacky style. Above all, thedocumentary shows how working class lads could make it. Its mad quality wasenhanced by some recreational pot smoking, late nights and early starts.
File under: Essential.
Weblink: thebeatles.com
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.