While it is undeniable that it was an important cultural moment, the Beatles' appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in February 1964 means a great deal. Even better, “The Beatles '64” was produced by Martin Scorsese and includes new interviews with Ringo and Paul.
Read on to find out where you can see “The Beatles '64” online and around the world.
The tour itself only lasted 14 days, but they visited Washington, DC (where they played their first US concert), New York (the Ed Sullivan Show and Carnegie Hall), and Miami (where they hung out with Muhammad Ali - not shown here), For most of the baby boomers at least, it meant change and opportunity.
It is usually argued that America was waiting for the mood to lift after JFK's assassination three months earlier, and the Sullivan Show's audience of 73 million would certainly suggest that might be the case, but this was also right after the Cuban crisis, and racial tensions in major American cities were heightened. The country was not merely mourning; it was experiencing revolution and generational change, and the soundtrack had just landed.
The Beatles emerged from a Britain still reeling from World War II and were the first white band to speak openly about the influence of black artists on their music, as Smokey Robinson tells the filmmakers here. Their hair was androgynous, their clothes unconventional, and, as many have previously noted, to many Americans they looked like they had flown in from the future when they stepped off the plane at Kennedy Airport and waved to the cheering crowd.
The beauty of the film, however, is that it shows us what the Beatles meant in very close quarters before Beatlemania, when it was still possible to hang out with them. Read on for everything you need to know about how to watch “The Beatles '64” online, including release dates and the official trailer.
“The Beatles '64” will be available exclusively on Disney Plus on Friday, November 29.
Right now, you can watch Hulu and Disney Plus for $2.99 during the Black Friday sale.
See the price for Disney Plus Basic.
Subscribing to Disney Plus gives you access to Disney classics such as “Anna and the Snow Queen,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Beauty and the Beast,” as well as a huge selection of “Star Wars,” “Marvel,” and “The Simpsons.”
Disney Plus is currently available in over 120 countries worldwide, from Albania to Yemen.
Other English-speaking rates include:
Paul McCartney - Self
John Lennon - Self (archive footage)
Ringo Starr - Self
George Harrison - Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - Themselves (archive footage)
Sign up for Disney Plus here to watch “The Beatles '64” and all other streaming platforms, including “The Beatles '64.
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