At the Apple's Core: The Beatles from the Inside [Hardcover]

Denis O'Dell (Author), Bob Neaverson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2003

These are the memoirs of Denis O’Dell, one of the original directors of Apple Corps, Head of Apple films and close friend of the Beatles from the early days of Beatlemania through to the group’s demise and beyond. He is the last remaining senior Apple executive likely to publish a record of his experiences. Heavily illustrated with fascinating and previously unpublished photographs, including those the Beatles at the Maharishi’s ashram in India, this book contains a plethora of stories and anecdotes untold until now. O’Dell’s position as a key figure in the Beatles history enables him to provide genuine insights into the group’s personal, commercial and artistic motivation which few other books can touch.

At the Apple’s Core is by turns an amusing, moving, controversial and revealing dissection of the Fab Four’s experience as perceived by a genuine insider. It is essential reading for any true fan of the group and an indispensable addition to any Beatles library.

Already an established film producer when he first became involved with the Beatles in 1964, Denis O’Dell was central to the production of such Beatles-related films as A Hard Day’s Night, How I Won the War, Magical Mystery Tour, Let It Be, and The Magic Christian. He was also a director of the Beatles company, Apple Corps, and a close friend of the group. Throughout a long and illustrious career as a writer, producer and assistant director, he has also worked closely with many of the greatest directors and actors of the twentieth century including Richard Lester, Sidney Lumet, Michael Cimino, Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins, Bela Lugosi, Audrey Hepburn and Alec Guinness.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As yet another addition to books about the Beatles, this genteel yet engaging memoir has the advantage of being written by someone who was actually there with the Fab Four. A longtime member of the British film industry, O'Dell first worked for the Beatles as assistant producer for director Richard Lester's A Hard Day's Night and producer for Lester's How I Won the War, which featured John Lennon as a supporting actor. After this film, O'Dell was asked to be one of the directors for the Beatles' new organization, Apple Corps, and his experiences as the head of Apple Films make up the bulk of his book. Nicely illustrated with rare photos from the Beatles' trips to India and their U.S. announcement of Apple's formation, the book will be of special interest to Beatles fans mostly because of O'Dell's accounts of working on various unproduced Beatles film projects, including a film scripted by playwright Joe Orton, "which included the Beatles appearing in drag, committing murder and going to prison" and a planned version of The Lord of the Rings in which Stanley Kubrick would direct the Beatles ("John was keen to play Gandalf"). While O'Dell's noncinematic observations tend to be accurate yet broadly general ("The musical visions and styles of the group were becoming more and more disparate"), his detailed view from an experienced film producer's side of things-aided by coauthor Neaverson (The Beatles Movies)-provides a welcome insight into a small but crucial part of the Beatles' artistic legacy.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

"Denis O'Dell was a valuable friend during some of the craziness that happened in our Apple years. A man with a heart as big as his smile, I remember our association with great pleasure."- Sir Paul McCartney

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 220 pages
• Publisher: Peter Owen Publishers (March 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0720611164
• ISBN-13: 978-0720611168
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,526,847 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Barely Average, July 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: At the Apple's Core: The Beatles from the Inside (Hardcover)

Really doesn't offer anything new.
Too much of the author 'reviewing' the group's records.
The stories just aren't that interesting.
I'd buy a Bill Harry book or some other Beatle book before this one.
Greg