Product Details

• Actors: George Harrison
• Directors: Martin Scorsese
• Format: Anamorphic, Blu-ray, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: UMe
• DVD Release Date: May 1, 2012
• Run Time: 210 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (219 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B007JWKLP6
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,622 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #49 in Movies & TV > Blu-ray > Documentary
  • #66 in Movies & TV > Blu-ray > Music Videos & Concerts
• Learn more about "George Harrison: Living In The Material World [Blu-ray]" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

-Stunning, award winning double-feature-length film tribute to one of music's greatest icons. Containing a wealth of previously unreleased material.
-Directed by Martin Scorsese
-2012 Critics' Choice Award Winner For Best Documentary Feature, Mojo's DVD Of The Year.
-Features never-before-seen footage from George Harrison's childhood, throughout his years with the Beatles and solo career.
-Features private home videos, photos and never before heard tracks to chronicle the incredible story of the extraordinary man.
-Includes interviews with Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, Olivia and Dhani Harrison among many others.

Special Features:
-Here Comes The Sun
-Dispute and Violence
-Paul McCartney interview
-Jeff Lynne interview
-Damon Hill interview

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

197 of 204 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Still A Dark Horse October 5, 2011

By Matt Blick

Format:DVD

A documentary on a music celebrity can be measured by content and insight - what footage did they access and who was willing to contribute and what new light did it shed on the subject? On the first point Martin Scorsese knocks the ball out of the park. Though I didn't feel I knew George any better than before by the end, I was treated to nearly four hours of dazzling and emotionally moving entertainment.

I watched both parts of the film at UK preview and at no point did my attention or enthusiasm flag. In fact I would have happily sat through any outtakes! This beautifully crafted film is packed with concert footage, home movies, press conferences, interviews, photos and documents that I've never seen before, even though I've been researching the Beatles quite heavily for several years for Beatles Songwriting Academy. There are interviews with (or at least footage of) everyone you would hope to see. Beatles, wives, brothers, son, Pythons and peers. Everyone from Eric Clapton to Eric Idle.

The documentary is constructed entirely from interviews and clips without explanation or analysis. The closest we get to a voiceover is Dhani Harrison reading excerpts from his father's diary and letters to his mum. Though the film is visually stunning it's strange watching the practically square picture forced upon us by the source material. Equally quirky is the sound editing. Scorsese doesn't know the meaning of 'fade'. All the music cuts brutally, sometimes after a few seconds. Sometimes this is cool. Mostly it's odd. The film is largely chronological and there are some great juxtapositions of sound and visuals like All Things Must Pass accompanies footage of the WW2 bombers that plagued the Liverpool of Harrison's birth. The first part covers George's life up to the White Album....

It's hard to pick out favourite parts. But Harrison's obvious delight watching archive footage of the Beatles miming This Boy, laughing and singing along, is one. The Beatles performing If I Needed Someone, Harrison playing What Is Love? with Billy Preston, and seeing the Travelling Wilburys in the studio would be others.

There are moments of laugh out loud humour, especially TV footage of crusty professors discuss the significance of Pop music while Beatles and Mick Jagger seeth like captive wild animal in the background and Tom Petty recounting Harrison arriving at his house with a trunk full of ukeleles. But Harrison's story of how Lennon and McCartney inspired him to start composing is the best - "If John and Paul can write [songs] everybody must be able to". The Maharishi (a spiritual Joe Pasquali) and Phil Spector (a croaking, unblinking vision of craziness with a permanent twitching thumb) also provide some unintentional humour.

Scorsese deserves praise for not going down the revisionist myth making route trodden by the Anthology series, especially as Olivia Harrison was one of his producers. Olivia is honest, though vague, about George's infidelity as is Klaus Voorman is about his drug problems. But the lack of a narrator almost makes George a mirror in which we see his world. We know he was loved, deeply, by friends - racing drivers, comedians and film makers, musicians, but we don't whether he was truly loveable. Terry Gilliam describes George as a mix of "grace, humour and a weird kind of angry bitterness" but what made him that way? Did he ever find a release from that bitterness? Was he a good father? Nearing death Harrison asked Olivia if he had been a good husband. She never tells us what her answer was."What's the secret of a long marriage?" She asks herself. "Don't get divorced".

It may sound strange but the highest point for me was simply hearing the music. Listening to Here Comes The Sun and While My Guitar Gently Weeps I was almost moved to tears at the transcendent beauty of those recordings.

Perhaps the fact that the film cause me to fall in love with the music all over again is it's greatest recommendation. Read more ›

80 of 82 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars George Harrison: Portrait of a Human Being. October 10, 2011

By Carlisle Wheeling

Format:DVD

I just finished watching this on cable over the span of the last two days, parts 1 and 2, but as far as I'm concerned they could have run the entire documentary in one day, and I would have sat through the entire 5-hour uminterrupted run. A nicely done biography courtesy of Martin Scorsese on the life, music, and personality of "the quiet Beatle." Although some of the editing was a bit choppy on some of the musical footage, I found the biography to be a fascinating look into a performer I didn't really know about as much as I thought I did.

One thing you come away with is that George, in his aspiration to spread love, was greatly loved in return by friends and family for a lot of obvious reasons. What was really nice to see is that he was accepted with his moody side as well, something lots of people look at in others first, disregarding the rest. Of all the people interviewed for commentary, the most inciteful ones seemed to be Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, and wife Olivia.

George's religious philosophy and world views may not necessarily be eye to eye with your own, but anyone who is trying to make a difference in the lives of the lesser off and is a true advocate for positive change is a good icon for the world at large. Apparently the quiet Beatle had a gift for reaching out and opening people's minds at a one-on-one level, though not good at delivering speeches in front of thousands. He was obviously very personable, candid, and passionate about the things that he believed in. That passion--or any--can make an orator out of a mute. Funny how one of the most telling things about him was his eyes! You can see the depths of his emotions constantly, and maybe the weight of the world was something he placed too firmly on his own shoulders. You would be moody too!...

In contrast, we see he had a very playful side, loved mischief, and got simple joy out of colors, flowers, and close friendships. Unfortunately, the mischief veered into unfortunate territory for the main women in his life, and Olivia makes it plain in what she says about him--or, rather, what she DOESN'T say. "The key to a long marriage...Don't get divorced," speaks volumes on her thoughts about his quirks and aberrant behavior. She was trying to be graceful without giving details, but not too many people appreciate infidelity. Was he a good husband? Well, it's very obvious she loved him, which covers up a multitude of foibles. Was he a good father? It certainly looked like it to me, because Dhani seems to be a good kid, and boy, he sure looks a lot like his dad! Was he a good friend? Undoubtedly. Was he a great spiritualist? He tried his hardest with lots of success. Was he a great musician? Ringing affirmative!

Moments that stand out in the film:
George standing protectively by John's side after Stu Sutcliffe passed away while Astrid shot their photos.

George laughing and singing along to "This Boy" while viewing an old Beatle performance.

Eric Clapton's recounting the entire Patty Boyd situation.

The wonderful footage of that huge, sprawling mansion.

All the interviews with Tom Petty, from the funny ukelele story to his recounting of George's post Orbison death comment: "Aren't you glad it's not you?" Well, at least he was bold enough to say what most people are thinking anyway.

The music footage, of course, and getting to see nearly everyone who was anybody in it!

The most touching part for me was after that lunatic broke into the estate, nearly killing George and Olivia, forcing them to have to fight back. The results of the attack seemed to bring out the best thing for George in his preparation for death: closure. His telling Olivia that he finally figured out he really had to let go of all his bitterness and be more forgiving made me want to take stock in the way I've been conducting my own life, and maybe it's time to be more spiritual myself. No matter what your faith is, forgiveness can do wonderful things--well, I've generally seen it in other people.

To sum it up, this was an excellent account of George's life because it didn't put him on a sugary pedestal. It was brutally and delightfully honest, portraying the man as a multi-talented, intelligent, loving, spiritual human being with flaws like anyone else. His major goal toward the end of his life was to be more and more God conscious. In closing, all I can say is bless you, George. Read more ›

57 of 60 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Still A Dark Horse October 21, 2011

By Matt Blick

Format:DVD

A documentary on a music celebrity can be measured by content and insight - what footage did they access and who was willing to contribute and what new light did it shed on the subject? On the first point Martin Scorsese knocks the ball out of the park. Though I didn't feel I knew George any better than before by the end, I was treated to nearly four hours of dazzling and emotionally moving entertainment.

I watched both parts of the film at UK preview and at no point did my attention or enthusiasm flag. In fact I would have happily sat through any outtakes! This beautifully crafted film is packed with concert footage, home movies, press conferences, interviews, photos and documents that I've never seen before, even though I've been researching the Beatles quite heavily for several years for Beatles Songwriting Academy. There are interviews with (or at least footage of) everyone you would hope to see. Beatles, wives, brothers, son, Pythons and peers. Everyone from Eric Clapton to Eric Idle.

The documentary is constructed entirely from interviews and clips without explanation or analysis. The closest we get to a voiceover is Dhani Harrison reading excerpts from his father's diary and letters to his mum. Though the film is visually stunning it's strange watching the practically square picture forced upon us by the source material. Equally quirky is the sound editing. Scorsese doesn't know the meaning of 'fade'. All the music cuts brutally, sometimes after a few seconds. Sometimes this is cool. Mostly it's odd. The film is largely chronological and there are some great juxtapositions of sound and visuals like All Things Must Pass accompanies footage of the WW2 bombers that plagued the Liverpool of Harrison's birth. The first part covers George's life up to the White Album....

It's hard to pick out favourite parts. But Harrison's obvious delight watching archive footage of the Beatles miming This Boy, laughing and singing along, is one. The Beatles performing If I Needed Someone, Harrison playing What Is Love? with Billy Preston, and seeing the Travelling Wilburys in the studio would be others.

There are moments of laugh out loud humour, especially TV footage of crusty professors discuss the significance of Pop music while Beatles and Mick Jagger seeth like captive wild animal in the background and Tom Petty recounting Harrison arriving at his house with a trunk full of ukeleles. But Harrison's story of how Lennon and McCartney inspired him to start composing is the best - "If John and Paul can write [songs] everybody must be able to". The Maharishi (a spiritual Joe Pasquali) and Phil Spector (a croaking, unblinking vision of craziness with a permanent twitching thumb) also provide some unintentional humour.

Scorsese deserves praise for not going down the revisionist myth making route trodden by the Anthology series, especially as Olivia Harrison was one of his producers. Olivia is honest, though vague, about George's infidelity as is Klaus Voorman is about his drug problems. But the lack of a narrator almost makes George a mirror in which we see his world. We know he was loved, deeply, by friends - racing drivers, comedians and film makers, musicians, but we don't whether he was truly loveable. Terry Gilliam describes George as a mix of "grace, humour and a weird kind of angry bitterness" but what made him that way? Did he ever find a release from that bitterness? Was he a good father? Nearing death Harrison asked Olivia if he had been a good husband. She never tells us what her answer was."What's the secret of a long marriage?" She asks herself. "Don't get divorced".

It may sound strange but the highest point for me was simply hearing the music. Listening to Here Comes The Sun and While My Guitar Gently Weeps I was almost moved to tears at the transcendent beauty of those recordings.

Perhaps the fact that the film cause me to fall in love with the music all over again is it's greatest recommendation. Read more ›