A review of Eight Days a Week; the Touring Years
A film by Ron Howard
Part Two: 1964 Mania, American Style
“Eight
Days a Week” shows us (and proves to us) the hectic pace set by the Beatles
from 1963 through 1966. During this time they toured constantly, stopping only
to record singles and albums.
Other
documentaries focus on the press constantly asking about their long hair
(particularly in the US), but the most frequently asked questions (as shown in
this film) were “How long do you think you will last?” and “What will you do
when the bubble bursts?”
Because
of the fear of the bubble bursting, the Beatles were not only put on a grueling
tour schedule, but an equally grueling recording schedule –a new single every
three months and a new album every six months. Milk it, baby, milk it!
November
22nd, 1963 was the day US President John F Kennedy was assassinated,
but also the day the Beatles’ second album, “With the Beatles” was released.
The movie shows each album and it’s time at #1 on the British charts. These are
placed chronologically along with the performance clips.
A
British radio reporter tells us about the Kennedy assassination and Paul tells
us the bands reaction. None, well, not much. Diplomatically, he says they were
too young to comprehend what had happened and they were too busy touring to let
it really sink in.
At
that point, touring America is discussed. Paul tells us they did not want to go
to America until they had a #1 record. They did not want to go to America, flop,
and then come home with their tails between their legs.
During
clips of their shows in Paris, we learn “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was #1 in
America. While the song plays in the soundtrack, we watch photos of the Fabs
clowning around in their Paris hotel room.
There
is much Beatle lore left out of this movie – its focus is on live performances
and their records. The movies “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Help” were shown in
clips, but only as it related to their recording and performing schedules.
There is no mention of,
for example, John’s two books, their personal lives (two were married and two
had children during this period) or their introduction to marijuana and LSD.
If you blink you will
miss the one shot of Jimmy Nichols with the band. When Ringo had tonsillitis, Jimmy
Nichols replaced him in shows in Denmark and elsewhere.
Ringo
was back by the time the Fabs toured Australia to young people in the grip of a
Beatlemania perhaps even larger than the American version!
During
this time they were guests (and sometimes hosts) in many television shows all
through Europe. Although the movie uses some of the interviews from the various
television programs, it does not use the performances. Perhaps because of
copyright issues; but it cements that the heart of the movie is live
performances, not studio performances.
So no
television performances.
With
one exception.
A
documentary set during the time of Beatlemania can skip Stuart Sutcliff and
Yoko Ono; a documentary focusing on live performances can skip Lennon’s books
of poetry and Jane Asher; but no Beatle documentary – even ones that are not
Ameri-centric – can skip “the Ed Sullivan Show”.
The
viewership was mentioned (half of the population of the United States watched)
and bits of trivia (no reported crime in New York that evening), but the film
focused on the performance itself rather than its impact.
That
being said, the film does a fine job showing America in the total grip of
Beatlemania with shots of fans at airports and hotels with newsreels and at-the-time
interviews with the Fabs and the fans.
I
finally have a complaint about the film: the first US press conference as well
as footage of the Washington DC concert were colorized. Poorly so. Why? Why
didn’t you colorize “Ed Sullivan” and “Hard Day’s Night”, too? Showing
black-and-white footage won’t befuddle us or lose our attention. Treat us like
adults, please? Ron Howard, you of all people should know … why don’t you
colorize the black-and-white episodes of a certain show set in Mayberry,
instead? Because you don’t have to. They are both fine as is. Leave them alone.
The
only other complaint of the film? Another point that shows the producers do not
have much faith in their viewers: unnecessary false audio. Documentaries
showing silent films (particularly World War I docs) are bad about this too. In
“8 Days a Week” it shows home movies of the Beatles swimming in a pool. We hear
a “splash” at the appropriate time, but no other ambient noise. At other times
the fans’ individual screams are dubbed in. At one point a girl screams Ringo’s
name. It’s easy to lip-read. Yet the film-makers dub a youngster shouting
“Ringo” 52 years after that clip was made. At no point while watching clips of
girls screaming during Beatle concerts did I ever say, “What did she say?
What’s wrong with the sound?” Again, please treat us like adults.
So,
“Ed Sullivan” aside, no TV shows. During the US publicity tour, the film interludes
with a brief biography of Brian Epstein and how he met the Beatles and became
their manager. Bare bones – a youngster asked for a copy of their record in
Eppy’s record shop, his curiosity made him seek the band out. He signed them on
as clients. Back to the tour …
The
Fabs move to Washington DC and then Miami (no concert footage) and back to the
UK to film “A Hard Day’s Night”.
A
little time is spent showing clips and some background on the film, but then
back to the music and the grinding tour schedule; including an August tour of
the US.
Which
is a pity: Lennon didn’t like the film in retrospect. After two days following
the band, the writers developed personalities for the Fabs that are still
unshakeable – the smart one, the cute one, the quiet one, the lovable one.
However,
one of the best lines from “A Hard Day’s Night” captures the essence of the
Beatles on tour. “… so far I’ve been in a train and a room, a car and a room,
and a room and a room,” says Paul’s film-grandfather. They should have used
that – sums up their touring schedule perfectly!
Something
I have not heard mentioned in Beatle movies or documentaries: the controversy
over segregating the Gator Bowl! There were plenty of clips of the Fabs at the
time decrying segregation – “Why treat other people like animals?” “We refuse
to play a segregated hall”. How much controversy did this cause in the summer
of 1964? The kerfuffle over Lennon’s Jesus quip in 1966 is brought up in nearly
every documentary (this one, too), but surely bigots protested their comments
on segregation, too!
And
the movie probably gives the Fabs a bit too much credit on this point. The
Gator Bowl may have been desegregated during their show, but afterward…? And
segregation certainly did not end in the south due to their American Tour of
1964; more hearty seed had already been planted and would take root in the
years to come.
Moving
on to 1965 next time …
***
Corporate
shill department: I published a fictional account of John F Kennedy meeting the
Beatles, titled, appropriately enough, “The Day John F Kennedy Met the
Beatles”, available here on Kindle. I hope you
enjoy it!
Original Material
copyright 2016 Michael Curry
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