Backbeat [Blu-ray]

Director: Iain Softley Iain Softley

Overview

The Beatles' early days as a struggling bar band are depicted in this fact-based drama, which tells the little-known story of original member Stuart Sutcliffe (Stephen Dorff). A close friend of John Lennon, Sutcliffe acts as the band's original bassist, accompanying them on their early gigs in Liverpool and Hamburg, Germany. The friendship becomes strained, however, when Sutcliffe falls in love with a German art student and starts to question his commitment to the band. With Sutcliffe's story taking center stage, the stories of the more famous Beatles largely fade into the background. The exception is John Lennon, thanks to a fierce performance by Ian Hart, who had previously portrayed the musician in the more intimate and provocative The Hours and the Times. While Backbeat does provide a new perspective on the band's beginning, and numerous opportunities for a group of modern rock musicians to recreate the band's energetic early performances, it never makes Sutcliffe's story seem more than a footnote to musical history.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/19/2019
UPC:	0826663195477
Original Release:	1994
Rating:	R
Source:	Shout Factory
Region Code:	A
Language:	English
Time:	1:40:00
Sales rank:	20,863

Special Features

A Conversation with Astrid Kirchherr; Deleted Scenes; Interview with Director Iain Softley and Actor Ian Hart; Iain Softley Interview for The Sundance Channel; Audio Commentary with Iain Softley, Ian Hart and Stephen Dorff; TV Featurette; Casting Sessions

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Ian Hart	John Lennon
Stephen Dorff	Stuart Sutcliffe
Sheryl Lee	Astrid
Gary Bakewell	Paul McCartney
Chris O'Neill	George Harrison
Scot Williams	Pete Best,Actor
Kai Wiesinger	Klaus
Jennifer Ehle	Cynthia
Wolf Kahler	Bert Kaempfert
James Doherty	Tony Sheridan
Paul Duckworth	Ringo
Marcel Duprey	Singer
John White	Sailor
Bernard Merrick	Sailor
Nicholas Tennant	Sailor
Finola Geraghty	Model
Rob Spendlove	Arthur Ballard
Chris Caine	Lord Woodbine,Lord Woodbine
Frieda Kelly	Mrs Harrison
Paul Humpoletz	Bruno
Christiana Uriarte	Groupie
Abigail Wrapson	Groupie
Galit Hershkovitz	Groupie
Gertan Klauber	Pimp
Stephen Grothgar	Barman
Lynn Lowton	Hooker
Manuel Harlan	Johannes
Britta Gartner	Exis
Dirk Winkler	Exis
George Stabler	Policeman
Alexei Jawdokimov	Napoleon
Albert Welling	Doctor
Sharif Rashed	Actor
Don Was	Composer

Technical Credits

Iain Softley

Stephen Ward

Michael Thomas

Iain Softley	Director,Screenwriter
Stephen Ward	Screenwriter
Michael Thomas	Screenwriter
Finola Dwyer	Producer
John Hubbard	Casting,Casting
Hanno Huth	Executive Producer
Chris Munro	Sound Mixer
Nik Powell	Executive Producer
Stephen Woolley	Producer
Paul Cowan	Producer

Editorial Reviews

The trick to making a good rock & roll movie is to get the music right. On that note, Backbeat is a resounding success. By having an all-star band of modern musicians (Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore on lead guitar, R.E.M.'s Mike Mills on bass, Nirvana's Dave Grohl on drums, Afghan Whigs' Greg Dulli singing John Lennon's parts, and Soul Asylum's Dave Pirner singing Paul McCartney's parts) record the songs on the Beatles' Hamburg set lists ("Long Tall Sally," "Please Mr. Postman," and "Rock and Roll Music" to name just three), the filmmakers have succeeded in approximating the enthusiasm, speed, and talent the Beatles themselves played with during this period. Ian Hart's performance captures the emotional tumultuousness as well as the genius of John Lennon. Watch the tricky scenes about two-thirds of the way through the film when John's wife Cynthia comes to visit. The two of them spend a day at the beach with Stewart and Astrid. These scenes are about how John and Cynthia do not want the same things in life. Hart communicates both the restless spirit and the self-hatred within John. He doesn't want to hurt Cynthia, but he knows he will leave her one day. Hart makes it easy to believe that such an emotionally complex man could make such a powerful sound while on stage. A person doesn't just hear great music. A person feels great music. The all-star band makes the music sound right. Hart's interpretation of John Lennon makes it look right. The film is not completely successful, but it triumphs in the area that is most important.