Customer Reviews

The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If you're here looking at this DVD chances are the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show is meaningful to you. This is ground zero for modern Rock music, sure Elvis popularized Rock `n Roll, but this is where everything switches from singles to Albums and later to an Art form. The performances speak for themselves; the Boys are in fine form and in spite of the antiquated, very primitive sound system they sound great. This new version of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan DVD has been improved, the picture is brighter and a bit more clean, the 5:1 surround sound is quite good. If you're playing this through a surround sound system, the subwoofer handles the bass parts very nicely with little or no audible rumble, the vocals are clear and the overall presentation is quite remarkable especially considering the circumstances. A must buy for anyone of a certain age who wants to bask in the glory of the old days, and for newcomers who want to see what the fuss was all about. If you have the original SOFA release and you don't have a surround sound sytem, the old version will suffice, if you've got the Surround Sound, then spring for the new one, it's worth the investment. You shoulda been there.

If you own one of the earlier versions of the Beatles Sullivan shows don't bother buying this one. I bought the first release in 2003 and the picture quality is actually better than this version. As far as being newly remastered you can forget it, the definition seems worse than my 2003 copy.

Overall it is still a very good set. These are the original shows featuring the commercials as it was aired on those very special days. I agree though, there is nothing new about this 2 disc set. I also agree that production must have switched hands. Regardless it is still worth the money for this very cool piece of history. Imagine a night with the family, connect a DVD player to a old B&W TV, shake up a pan of Jiffy Pop and go back in history! Love it!

There is no discussion about how great these shows were. I was lucky enough to experience them on tv in 1964. The 2003 edition was wonderful. When the studio that remastered these dvds said that they were going to
clean up the film "frame by frame", I was expecting a significant improvement. When I compared each show to the 2003 dvd, the 2nd show seemed brighter, but there was no improved video or sound definition. The other
3 shows were inferior in clarity. How can these people take a step backwards in quality, and sell the product as being remastered? For the best product, seek the 2003 version. Note, the bonus material is worthless.
A more appropriate bonus might have been to include the beatles' rehearsal songs which you can see on you tube for the 1964 performances.

Like other reviewers and Beatle People, I'm wondering why this is being hailed as a "new release" when most of us bought this the last time it was released a few years ago.

If there were any new bonus features or additional footage, I imagine they they would be touting those in the promotional material. So far, I've seen none.

This leads me to believe that the licensing rights to the original Ed Sullivan tapes has changed hands, and the new licensees have given it a new package and put it out.

If anyone here buys/watches this, please post to let us know if there is anything new or different about this release.

Thanks!

Save your money. A very disappointing "new" release that has all of 13 minutes of Sullivan "filler" as new bonus material. The "re-mastered" picture quality is a joke. Earlier "bootleg" versions actually have crisper picture quality than this re-issue. Sound quality is mediocre at best - you have to to turn your volume up way high to hear the songs the way that nature intended. Overall, a very forgettable issue. Again, save your money and buy the original issued set.

The Beatles' Ed Sullivan performances showcase them at their best - and at this juncture, the Beatles were (and still are) the best live Rock and Roll band ever to exist. None better. To this date, no band or performer in any idiom has topped the impact these performances had on music, popular culture and social change. These televised gigs display songs, singing, ensemble performances and charisma beyond anything else in music, prior to or since. These shows were like an alien invasion. They ended the '50's, kicked off the '60's, helped a grieving nation heal from the horrific Kennedy killing, and launched revolutions in thought, social change, sexuality and music that shaped the cultural curve of the most important century since the dawn of civilization. All that accomplished with just 4 voices, 2 guitars, a bass, three amps, a drum set, killer chops, and perhaps most importantly, amazing songs.

This is new SOFA "revised" release of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan.
(I have the original 2006 SOFA release, also)
-On this "revised" release please be aware of various issues:

-Particular significance of the 2nd "Eddy Show" from Miami Beach on this "new" 2010 edition from SOFA shows a MAJOR improvement over what you see here verses the previous 2006 earlier SOFA release of the same. -I suspect an earlier/better quality generation master CBS video tape was used for this 2010 released video to DVD transfer and that substantial digital work was done during remastering. They've really done wonders in both sound and video improvements (most notable in the consecutive 2nd "Beatles Show" from the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach.) -Bravo here! Curiously also the Sullivan 1964 trio "Beatles Shows" (No. 1 and 3) of the 1964 consecutive appearance trio on this presentation show several beginning broadcast seconds that were mysteriously "edited out" of the original 2006 SOFA edition!
-But, let's not stop. The bonus material shown here is really terrific. I well remember Ed's interview in London he conducted on film of the Beatles just after they had completed "A Hard Day's Night" in May/June 1964. It's now here to see and latter Eddy Shows of various 1966 and 1967 Beatles appearances that were filmed in England for a global audience are shown (on the "Bonus Section" in this 2010 twin DVD package. Ed's intros are there but, the 1966/1967 Beatles' appearances are not. -May be due to an unresolved "rights" issue.
-I was 13 years old at that time point in 1964 and watched it all happening. Yes indeed! Extremely exciting real-time back live back then as it happened in a far more innocent yet much, much better world.
BUY IT!

Yes it is all in black and white. Ed Sullivan wasn't broadcasting in color yet. The Beatles fantastic as always, especially the very interesting interpretation of "Help!" in show four. The rest of the acts are a mixed bag. Some are pretty bad "borscht belt" type comedians, some are performers who were very big in their day and were good. Check out Mitzi Gaynor, hot stuff. Watch that segment and you will see what I mean. Overall, very enjoyable.

I am so excited for this DVD to come out! I love all the classic rock n roll performances from The Ed Sullivan Show but that firt Beatles show was historic. My understanding is that this DVD also includes some unseen footage and interviews of the Beatles and Ed Sullivan. I think if you are a fan of the Beatles, rock n roll and the golden era of television than you have to get this DVD. This is a piece of US history!