The Beatles Anthology
A documentary series on the career of The Beatles.
Casts & Crew
Paul McCartney
George Harrison
Ringo Starr
Neil Aspinall
George Martin
Derek Taylor
John Lennon
Also Directed by Geoff Wonfor
A funny remake of "The Prisoner" - with a 1980's twist to it 'The Laughing Prisoner' is a remake (or homage) of (to) the Kafkaesque 1960's television show 'The Prisoner' with Patrick McGoohan in the lead role. This time it is a successful television presenter (Jools Holland) who decides to quit at the height of his stardom. He is abducted from his apartment and brought to the village, where number 2 (a young Stephen Fry) is questioning him. The whole show has a cosy 1980's feel to it, with several bands from that period performing their music.
Historian Lucy Worsley teams up with artist and materials scientist Zoe Laughlin to explore the explosive science and fascinating history of fireworks, using an original pyrotechnics instruction manual, and other 400-year-old historical documents, to recreate one of the most spectacular fireworks displays from the Tudor era.
On December 14, 1999, 300 people squeezed into the Cavern Club in Liverpool to watch Paul McCartney perform at The Beatles' legendary venue for the first time since 1963. Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour and Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice were among the other great musicians joining Paul on stage. You can now view this unique piece of rock 'n' roll history, as well as two of Paul's latest music videos and an interview with him on this special home video release. Songs: Honey Hush, Blue Jean Bop, Brown-Eyed Handsome Man, Fabulous, What It Is, Lonesome Town, Twenty Flight Rock, No Other Baby, Try Not to Cry, Shake a Hand, All Shook Up, I Saw Her Standing There, Party.
"Rave un2 the year 2000" celebrates the joy of life as PRINCE performs music from his critically acclaimed album Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, as well as selections from his vault of smash hits and pop classics. Filmed at Paisley Park Studio in Minneapolis, where a multi-piece band, including legendary bass player Larry Graham and members of the Family Stone, join Prince in this spectacular historic event. Special guests include Lenny Kravitz, Rosie Gaines, Maceo Parker George Clinton, Morris Day and The Time.
Documenting the recording process for Paul's 1997 album Flaming Pie, In The World Tonight is a fascinating insight into how a studio album is constructed, following Paul around his home studio and Abbey Road as he creates what would go on to be his first studio album in four years. In many ways there are two Paul McCartneys, the legend and the man. In The World Tonight reveals the man behind the public face, intimately capturing him at work, at ease and as candid as ever.
This fascinating hour-long documentary film takes the viewer to the heart of the creative process, focusing on 1989's acclaimed album, Flowers In The Dirt. Mixing studio footage with interviews, Put It There features Paul talking candidly about the process behind some of the album's most beloved songs, especially a detailed exploration of the single ‘My Brave Face’, co-written by Elvis Costello. Candid, anecdotal and honest, the documentary is a must for any Paul fan and was expanded for its DVD release to include a gallery section and previously unseen performance footage.
The three presenters show how Blackpool stayed open as there were several thousand servicemen and women billeted here during WW2. Morale was important to the war effort.
This fascinating hour-long documentary film takes the viewer to the heart of the creative process, focusing on 1989's acclaimed album, Flowers In The Dirt. Mixing studio footage with interviews, Put It There features Paul talking candidly about the process behind some of the album's most beloved songs, especially a detailed exploration of the single ‘My Brave Face’, co-written by Elvis Costello. Candid, anecdotal and honest, the documentary is a must for any Paul fan and was expanded for its DVD release to include a gallery section and previously unseen performance footage.
After playing two songs, Ray Davies cuts into Waterloo Sunset joined by Blur frontman Damon Albarn, clip ends with Davies cutting into Parklife's guitar intro while Damon sings redfaced.
Also Directed by Bob Smeaton
Nirvana's groundbreaking 1991 album NEVERMIND raised the Seattle trio to the status of Godhead, forever changing the face of the pop music market. "Here we are now, entertain us" may have come and gone as a catch-phrase, but as an insight into a generation's bitterly restless tide, it ranks right up there with "I can't get no satisfaction." Part of the CLASSIC ALBUMS series, this release sheds new light on the production and legacy of NEVERMIND through revealing interviews with industry insiders. With unprecedented openness, remaining band members Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl discuss the production of individual songs, and tell amusing anecdotes about the band's financial struggles just before making it big. In addition, NEVERMIND producer Butch Vig invites viewers into his studio, where he dissects and examines each of the album's tracks. By isolating, examining, and reassembling each instrument and vocal track, Vig is able to recreate the manner in which the album was produced.
Comprised of Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson, The Band's self-titled sophomore effort spent 24 weeks in the Billboard Top 40. The album was released at a time when the US album charts were taken over by the psychedelic rock movement, and despite this, the album had the aforementioned chart success and would go on to sell over one million copies. This edition of the "Classic Albums" series focuses on The Band's follow-up to "MUSIC FROM BIG PINK". Featuring classics such as "Up On Cripple Creek", "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", and "Rag Mama Rag", the story of the album is told through interviews with surviving members of The Band, fellow musicians Eric Clapton, Don Was, and George Harrison, and vintage footage. The Band is a classic album!
A future classic was unleashed in January 1967 as the Doors released their eponymously titled debut album. This documentary in the Classic Albums series takes an in-depth look at the album, with commentary from Bruce Botnick, who worked on the album, and the three remaining Doors--guitarist Robbie Krieger, keyboard player Ray Manzarek, and drummer John Densmore. The three band members also play some of their instrumental parts from the album, offering invaluable insight into how the songs were constructed.
When Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford joined forces in the late sixties, their intentions were not to be recording artists but rather songwriters. That initial plan soon fell by the wayside when they secured a record deal and became Genesis, progressing from the underground scene with such albums as "Trespass" and "Nursery Cryme," to become household names with the addition of drummer/singer Phil Collins and such chart topping albums as "We Can't Dance" and "Invisible Touch." By talking to the individual members of the group, discover what they consider to be their favorite Genesis songs, and why certain songs have a special place in the Genesis story. Song include: I Can't Dance, Invisible Touch, Follow You Follow Me, The Musical Box, Supper's Ready, I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe), The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Afterglow, Misunderstanding, Turn It On Again, Mama, Land of Confusion.
The complete collection of Jimi Hendrix's celebrated appearances on The Dick Cavett Show. The Dick Cavett Show marked Jimi's US network television debut and this special documentary, directed by multiple Grammy Award winner Bob Smeaton, features complete live performances of "Izabella", "Machine Gun", and "Hear My Train A Comin'" as well as new interviews with Cavett, Experience band members Mitch Mitchell and Billy Cox, and others. Jimi's own insightful interviews with Cavett touched upon a variety of personal and professional issues ranging from his stint as a US Army paratrooper to his celebrated rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" at the Woodstock Festival. These conversations with Cavett helped reveal the humor, passion, and intelligence of the man behind such rock classics as Are You Experienced and Electric Ladyland.
In this 1999 documentary, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle discuss the making of what many consider the Who's greatest testament to Townshend's songwriting talent: their classic album "Who's Next." Others close to the group weigh in with insights about the late Keith Moon's importance to the band. The retrospective also features unseen performances of tunes from the platter, including "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Baba O'Riley."
Made less than a year before his death in September 1970, Band of Gypsys was an album recorded live to fulfill a contractual obligation for a long-forgotten deal Jimi Hendrix signed when he still spelled his name "Jimmy." Hendrix had just disbanded the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and in order to dispense with the album as quickly as possible, he put together a new trio featuring Billy Cox (an old Army buddy) and drummer Buddy Miles.
This documentary traces the journey that saw Jimi Hendrix rise from virtual obscurity to become a global star following his incendiary performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
The Spice Girls are the most successful girl group of all time. They have sold 55 million CDs worldwide, had nine No.1 singles and had the biggest selling single ever by an all female group. Although there have been many documentaries, books and articles about the Spice Girls, the girls themselves have never told their story. Until now... This is the story of the Spice Girls, told by the Spice Girls - the story from inside the eye of the hurricane, the story of the greatest pop phenomenon since The Beatles. From their pre-Spice Girl days, the forming of the group, the early struggles, their first taste of success, world domination, the break up, the aftermath and their subsequent solo careers and lives. Their recollections form an intriguing and revealing narrative along with archive footage from around the globe which illustrates the time when the Spice Girls ruled the world and how they are soon to re-claim their place as the most talked about group on the planet.
The first ever Henry Rollins Spoken Word DVD filmed entirely in Australia! "I made my 26th trip to Australia for some talking shows. The first three dates were in Sydney. We rolled film on the performances and some post-show interviews as well. This DVD is what made the final cut.