Product Details

• Actors: Stephen Dorff, Sheryl Lee, Ian Hart, Gary Bakewell, Chris O'Neill
• Directors: Iain Softley
• Writers: Iain Softley, Michael Thomas, Stephen Ward
• Producers: Finola Dwyer, Hanno Huth, Nik Powell, Paul Cowan
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, Digital Video Transfer, Surround Sound, Restored, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Gramercy Pictures
• DVD Release Date: January 25, 2005
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00028HBJI
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,524 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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• For more information about "Backbeat (Collector's Edition)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Ian Hart's second performance as John Lennon (the first was the little-seen The Hours and Times) commands attention in this marvelous musical bio of the Beatles in Hamburg directly before their stardom. The focus is on the "5th Beatle," Stuart Sutcliffe (Stephen Dorff), a bluesy bass guitar player who finds Germany has more interesting things (art and a woman) than music. The woman, Astrid (Sheryl Lee), chronicles the early years of the Beatles, and she falls in love with Stuart, a move that would influence many aspects of the Fab Four. Nearly overpowering the film is Hart in a great, energized performance of an artist on fire. The music was adapted for the movie, rediscovering the raw sound and ballistic energy in the back street clubs. These scenes of rock and genius intermixed with a nervy lead singer evoke similarities to Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. Directed by Iain Softley. --Doug Thomas

Product Description

A dramatization of the hamburg germany phase of the beatles early history. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 01/25/2005 Starring: Sheryl Lee Chris Oneill Run time: 101 minutes Rating: R Director: Iain Softley

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fab, mostly, February 2, 2005

By	Flipper Campbell (Miami Florida) - See all my reviews

Universal released the title in summer 2003 and returns with a "collector's edition" at the same price. The main upgrades are Dolby 5.1 audio and an audio interview with Astrid Kirchherr, the German photographer who took the Beatles' first publicity shots. The anamorphic widescreen images (1.85:1) seem about the same as on the 2003 disc, good but sometimes grainy. Other extras, duped from the old DVD, include a director's commentary, a pair of deleted scenes and various interviews that tend to repeat material. Packaging is a lot classier than on the old DVD.

"Backbeat" takes the time to let its bogus Beatles perform entire numbers, mostly soul covers. The real music came from a "grunge" supergroup put together for the film by producer Don Was. The new 5.1 audio sounds sensational, with a vibrant and musical surround stage.

Director Iain Softley ("K-PAX") tells how he spent six years researching and writing the project, inspired by stylish photos he saw of Kirchherr and her lover Stu Sutcliffe, the Beatles' first bass player. The "Backbeat" script was based on her recollections; it focuses on the couple and jealous guy John Lennon.

This might not be a Beatles film, but there's an undeniable thrill when, late in the story, the Paul McCartney character switches to his trademark German bass and the fabled front three wails on "Please Mr. Postman." The film's downer ending gets drowned out by the joys of "Twist and Shout" and the promise of Beatlemania.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A raw look at the "fab 5", March 7, 2005

By	Wayne Klein "If at first the idea is not absu... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Before The Beatles changed the world of music, they were a scruffy rock 'n' roll five piece. Lennon and McCartney were already writing music together but Lennon spent much of his time hanging with fellow artist Stu Sutcliffe. Lennon talked his pal into spending the money from the sale of a painting into buying a bass guitar and suddenly "The Silver Beatles" had a new bassist--albeit one that couldn't play any instrument but that soon changed.

This terrific film chronicles the early days of the band in Hamburg before they broke it big and the strong friendship of Lennon and Sutcliffe. Ian Hart virtually steals the film from Stephen Dorf (who's also quite good)capturing Lennon's swagger and sarcastic wit in full stride. Directly Ian Softley focuses more on the duo of Lennon and Sutcliffe than the rest of the band chronicling their friendship. Sutcliffe never lived to see Lennon and the rest of the band achieve their dreams of going to the top and conquer the world. It's a fascinating glimpse into the past and it's clear that Softley did quite a bit of research to make this marvelous film. Hart had played Lennon once before in "The House and Times" a film that portrayed a supposed homosexual fling between Lennon and the band's manager Brian Epstein.

Most of the performances capture the essence of the The Beatles even if they don't always look exactly like the people their playing. The duo Hart and Gary Bakewell at least resemble Lennon and McCartney. While Softley claims he was trying to capture the raw sound of the band in the beginning (which I'm sure he does), my only complaint is that the singers don't sound all that much like Lennon or McCartney. Still, the supporting musicians drawn from members of REM, Afgan Wigs, Nirvana and other groups do create quite a sound.

The big difference between this and the bare bones release of a couple of years ago are all the extras: We get Ian Softley's "Sundance Channel Interview"; an interview of Softley and Hart discussing the making of the film; an audio interview with Astrid Kirchherr (with old photos of her, Stu and others along with footage from the film to illustrate what she's saying); two deleted scenes; footage of "the band" of actors rehearshing; audition video shot for the movie; behind-the-scenes photos and an audio commentary from the director. Univeral has done an exceptional job in remastering the video and audio.

It's a terrific package. I'm glad that this drama has finally made it to DVD in such a deluxe presentation. Take a trip into the past and rediscover what made The Beatles so special to begin with in "Backbeat".

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SIMPLY A GREAT MOVIE, April 22, 2004

By	M. R. Sheffield (Herkimer, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: Backbeat (DVD)

I got a kick out of the current "Spotlight" review of this DVD, the one referring to a portrayal of an unrequited "homosexual" love affair between Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon. People see what they want to see, I guess, but I didn't see that at all in this wonderful movie. Sure, the John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe characters experience a deep felt "love" for each other, but love in a non-sexual sense. A man can feel intense love for another man (or a woman for another woman, a mother and daughter for instance)and it doesn't have to be (nor is it usually) sexual. Maybe it takes a quite a few years to realize it, but sexual love is really the weakest kind of love out there. Sexual love often boils down to nothing more than lust, and the friendship between John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe that is portrayed in BACKBEAT is in a world apart from than that.

As most everyone has said, the movie is a absolute delight. The performances are all strong and the cinematography just right. It's one of those films you can watch over and over again, and see something different each time. Most highly recommended, especially to fans of early Beatle music.