Backbeat (on DVD)

Backbeat
[DVD Backbeat] 

This is a movie that was released in 1993–I believe I saw it when it first came out on VHS. I love the Beatles, and while I’m not a rabid fan (i.e. I’m not big into collecting things, I don’t know every little fact about the Beatles, etc.), I do consider them to be one of my top five favorite bands. I recently thought of this movie again, requested that we purchase it, and when it came in, I borrowed it. Stephen Dorff plays Stuart Sutcliffe, the Fifth Beatle. I had never known much about him at all–in fact, I’d always assumed Pete Best was the Fifth Beatle… I don’t know why. In fact, Pete Best was the drummer who was with the band for the first few years, right up until the time they made it big. (Unfortunately for him.) Stuart Sutcliffe, however, was really an art school chum of John Lennon’s. He plays bass in the band, mostly just “for a laugh”. It seemed like something fun to do, though painting was his real passion. He wanted to spend time with Lennon, and Lennon wanted him around as well, despite the fact that the band was carrying him. Once Sutcliffe meets Astrid Kirchherr, things begin to change for the whole band.

This entire cast is fabulous, in my opinion–I loved Stephen Dorff as Sutcliffe, and Ian Hart was amazing as Lennon. You might recognize Sheryl Lee, who played Astrid, as Laura Palmer from Twin Peaks.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Doors, with Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan and Kyla MacLachlan, Dreamgirls, with Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx and Beyonce, Almost Famous, with Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand and Billy Crudup, or Rockstar, with Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Aniston and Timothy Spall]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ]

Recommended by Tracy T.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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