They had already conquered Britain. Then they landed at JFK Airport in February 1964. This doc drops you right into those first wild weeks in America.
I also included “Beatles ’64” on my list of The 10 Best Documentaries on The Beatles.
Trailer for “Beatles ’64”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- More than 73 million people watched The Beatles perform on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on February 9, 1964. That was roughly 40% of the entire U.S. population.
- On that first U.S. trip, The Beatles learned that their planned Jacksonville, Florida concert would be segregated. They refused to perform for a segregated audience. The promoters backed down, and Black and white fans were allowed to attend without segregated seating.
Watch “Beatles ’64”
You can watch “Beatles ’64” on Disney+.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 91/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 78/100 (Users); 95/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: “Beatles ’64” is directed by David Tedeschi, a longtime editor and collaborator of Martin Scorsese. Scorsese produced the doc.
Release Date: November 29, 2024
Other Unique Stuff
- The timing makes the frenzy even more interesting. President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated less than three months earlier. Several people look back at The Beatles as a burst of youth and fun arriving during a dark stretch for America.
- The band’s first American trip came just weeks after “I Want to Hold Your Hand” reached No. 1 in the U.S. Their American breakthrough happened incredibly fast.
- The Beatles were still startlingly young during all this: George was 20, Paul was 21, John was 23 and Ringo was 23 when they arrived at JFK.
Wrap Up:
“Beatles ’64” is an easy watch. Even if you know the Beatles story, watching four young musicians get swallowed whole by Beatlemania is a blast.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc