'Birth of the Beatles' film from 1979

[CultTVman]

I have some pretty interesting memories of the movie. It was heavily promoted by the ABC network when it was broadcast in 1979 and was pretty well received. It was later distributed theatrically outside the US. I recall enjoying it. It was fairly successful in telling the early Beatles story in a very condensed manner. It was directed by Richard Marquand who would later direct Return of the Jedi (for better or worse.) It was certainly a Lennon centric movie, and may have been the first time Epstein was inferred to be homosexual, which in the late 70's was still not publicly talked about much. For most people, it was the first they ever heard about Stu, outside of a few chapters in various books on the Beatles. There were bits of Beatles lore scattered throughout the movie such as Lennon performing on stage wearing a toilet seat. I recalled enjoying it at the time, but then I was only 16.

The version that opened with She Loves You was the original version broadcast by ABC. I believe it ends with a simple full screen credit listing the cast.

The version that opens with My Bonnie is the international theatrical release. It was also broadcast on the CBS Late Movie in the mid 80's. If I recall correctly, it ended with the band playing She Loves You with full theatrical credits rolling at over the footage at the end. The theatrical version also had a Dolby Stereo logo in the end credits, which I thought was strange, because television at that time was all mono. Of course, given it was the theatrical version, it would have been mixed to stereo.

I haven't viewed this in years, so I may have some details wrong. IMDB has a good breakdown of the differences between the two movies

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078865/al ... tttrv_sa_4

Backbeat was a better movie about the early Beatles, but it lacked the Beatles songs featured in Birth of the Beatles.

C

[Qwazi]

So has anyone got the version of Birth Of The Beatles that begins with My Bonnie in waltz time?

Something I've had in the back of my mind for a long time is to replace Rain's cover versions with real Beatles performances from the BBC, Star Club etc.

What a cool idea!! There’s no “Shake, Rattle and Roll” (nagras?), “Love Me Tender” and, I really hate to say this, but I think Rain did a better job on “Johnny B. Goode” than The Beatles did in that listless BBC version…

[Lord Reith]

I remember when that fake Stuart Sutcliffe single of Love Me Tender came out (actually an old 45 by The Boston Show Band) people were saying it was by Rain because it sounded like the version in the film.

Speaking of which, that single is STILL available on Amazon Music, even though the original BSB single can also be streamed or bought on Amazon! Incredible!

[Qwazi]

I remember when that fake Stuart Sutcliffe single of Love Me Tender came out (actually an old 45 by The Boston Show Band) people were saying it was by Rain because it sounded like the version in the film.

Speaking of which, that single is STILL available on Amazon Music, even though the original BSB single can also be streamed or bought on Amazon! Incredible!

The fake one Pauline Sutcliffe SWORE was her brother??

[DocRobert]

APOLOGIES - I just saw Choking Smoker's excellent post from last week where he had uploaded a longer and much better quality version of the BBC broadcast (from 5th October 1994) than my upload of the BBC's 31st December 1980 premiere broadcast, so you can disregard the two uploads referred to here in my post:-
--------------------------------
I’ve uploaded both versions of this film so you can compare them and see which one you prefer.

The 1980 BBC UK broadcast is the European version which is unedited, runs about 17 minutes longer, and has some language and nudity.

The 1979 ABC USA version - seen here in an edited 2011 UK broadcast - has a full 4:3 picture and better picture quality because I recorded it straight to DVD-R rather than dubbing from an old first generation SP VHS tape like the 1980 broadcast, but this US version is about 17 minutes shorter because the swearing and nudity have been removed.

The opening songs are different in both versions, as is the 1959/1961 date at the start of the first scene.

Longer European Print: https://www.filemail.com/d/xlcnqsxhbpjnfux
UK BBC => VHS => DVD-R, 1980, Mono, PAL, 14:9 in a 4:3 frame as broadcast)

Edited USA Print: https://www.filemail.com/d/lehxrfevjipavyz
UKTV => DVD-R, 2011, PAL, Mono, 4:3 as broadcast).

Links valid until July 10th.

(iMDB details the differences between the two versions of the film: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078865/alternateversions)

[HannibalTwin8]

Something I've had in the back of my mind for a long time is to replace Rain's cover versions with real Beatles performances from the BBC, Star Club etc.

Oh, that would be great! Would love to hear The Beatles instead of "Rain" - never knew who they were back then, so a head scratcher.

This film means a whole lot to me. I wasn't a fan of most 1970s music for most of that decade. I was listening to the '50s and '60s during high school - with some new wave and punk here and there as it came along. When I watched this this film's portrayal of The Beatles' backstory on TV that night - especially The Beatles early club gigs - I thought to myself "Now that looks like fun..." Within a year I had bought a violin bass and started a band and went on to play in grimy clubs playing original music.

Did this film inspire others in a similar fashion?

[Lord Reith]

The fake one Pauline Sutcliffe SWORE was her brother??

And still does. Despite, like I say, the source version being available to buy on the very same site.

Oh, that would be great! Would love to hear The Beatles instead of "Rain" - never knew who they were back then, so a head scratcher.

This film means a whole lot to me. I wasn't a fan of most 1970s music for most of that decade. I was listening to the '50s and '60s during high school - with some new wave and punk here and there as it came along. When I watched this this film's portrayal of The Beatles' backstory on TV that night - especially The Beatles early club gigs - I thought to myself "Now that looks like fun..." Within a year I had bought a violin bass and started a band and went on to play in grimy clubs playing original music.

Did this film inspire others in a similar fashion?

I'll download Choking Smoker's version and if the quality is good I'll see about redubbing it.

[Liverpools Boy]

APOLOGIES - I just saw Choking Smoker's excellent post from last week where he had uploaded a longer and much better quality version of the BBC broadcast (from 5th October 1994) than my upload of the BBC's 31st December 1980 premiere broadcast, so you can disregard the two uploads referred to here in my post:-
--------------------------------
I’ve uploaded both versions of this film so you can compare them and see which one you prefer.

The 1980 BBC UK broadcast is the European version which is unedited, runs about 17 minutes longer, and has some language and nudity.

The 1979 ABC USA version - seen here in an edited 2011 UK broadcast - has a full 4:3 picture and better picture quality because I recorded it straight to DVD-R rather than dubbing from an old first generation SP VHS tape like the 1980 broadcast, but this US version is about 17 minutes shorter because the swearing and nudity have been removed.

The opening songs are different in both versions, as is the 1959/1961 date at the start of the first scene.

Longer European Print: https://www.filemail.com/d/xlcnqsxhbpjnfux
UK BBC => VHS => DVD-R, 1980, Mono, PAL, 14:9 in a 4:3 frame as broadcast)

Edited USA Print: https://www.filemail.com/d/lehxrfevjipavyz
UKTV => DVD-R, 2011, PAL, Mono, 4:3 as broadcast).

Links valid until July 10th.

(iMDB details the differences between the two versions of the film: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078865/alternateversions)

Thank you very much brother, we will keep our favorite version. In my case both because it is the first film about the beatles but without them and that tries to tell the story about the origin of the band. The next will be Blackbeat but this is a jewel.

In another hand, anyone have subtitles for -at least- one of the versions? Many thanks in advance?

[JoeWadley]

I have some pretty interesting memories of the movie. It was heavily promoted by the ABC network when it was broadcast in 1979 and was pretty well received. It was later distributed theatrically outside the US. I recall enjoying it. It was fairly successful in telling the early Beatles story in a very condensed manner. It was directed by Richard Marquand who would later direct Return of the Jedi (for better or worse.) It was certainly a Lennon centric movie, and may have been the first time Epstein was inferred to be homosexual, which in the late 70's was still not publicly talked about much.

By 1979, my friends and I were certainly aware of Epstein’s homosexuality, and it was certainly acknowledged the year before in All You Need is Cash.

[Choking Smoker]

APOLOGIES - I just saw Choking Smoker's excellent post from last week where he had uploaded a longer and much better quality version of the BBC broadcast (from 5th October 1994) than my upload of the BBC's 31st December 1980 premiere broadcast, so you can disregard the two uploads referred to here in my post:-
--------------------------------
I’ve uploaded both versions of this film so you can compare them and see which one you prefer.

The 1980 BBC UK broadcast is the European version which is unedited, runs about 17 minutes longer, and has some language and nudity.

The 1979 ABC USA version - seen here in an edited 2011 UK broadcast - has a full 4:3 picture and better picture quality because I recorded it straight to DVD-R rather than dubbing from an old first generation SP VHS tape like the 1980 broadcast, but this US version is about 17 minutes shorter because the swearing and nudity have been removed.

The opening songs are different in both versions, as is the 1959/1961 date at the start of the first scene.

Longer European Print: https://www.filemail.com/d/xlcnqsxhbpjnfux
UK BBC => VHS => DVD-R, 1980, Mono, PAL, 14:9 in a 4:3 frame as broadcast)

Edited USA Print: https://www.filemail.com/d/lehxrfevjipavyz
UKTV => DVD-R, 2011, PAL, Mono, 4:3 as broadcast).

Links valid until July 10th.

(iMDB details the differences between the two versions of the film: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078865/alternateversions)

Thank you very much brother, we will keep our favorite version. In my case both because it is the first film about the beatles but without them and that tries to tell the story about the origin of the band. The next will be Blackbeat but this is a jewel.

In another hand, anyone have subtitles for -at least- one of the versions? Many thanks in advance?

I just put the Birth of the Beatles DIVX file that I posted on the previous page through a fully automated transcription process and made a zipped .srt subtitle file for you.

Fully automated means that it will be full of errors and missing lines but.....if you download Subtitle Edit (free) from here hxxps://nikse.dk/SubtitleEdit/ install it and then put the .srt file in a folder with the divx file I posted of the film and double click the .srt file it should open it up in sync with the video...it's then just a case of making manual corrections where necessary. Here's the link to the zipped .srt file hxxps://drive.google.com/file/d/1YImYOs_U5cyM8B2Yer7YtmlV6n6IowOH/view?usp=sharing