The Disney+ Beatles Documentary Overlooks the Most Crucial Bits of Lore

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  • One of the Most Important Counter-Cultural Films Was a Complete Joke
  • How The Beatles Became Unlikely Cultural Ambassadors
  • The Beatle Bump and the Sitar’s Complicated Legacy

Making its premiere on Disney+, directors David Tedeschi and Martin Scorsese revisit the birthplace of the British Invasion with “Beatles ’64”. This captivating documentary delves into the pre-hippie era of The Beatles, offering a glimpse into a time when the band was more traditionally conservative. The year 1965 marked a pivotal moment for them that might not have been immediately apparent, as it would take two more years and several transitional albums before their transformation became complete. However, the effects of this transition were significant.

The primary force behind many hits by The Beatles and their peers was an unexpected instrument, which was discovered accidentally by their lead guitarist. More impactful than even gritty Fender feedback, the iconic (and perhaps excessively utilized) sound of the ’60s counterculture movement was the sitar. While A Hard Day’s Night and Help! were initially intended as light-hearted productions, they are seldom watched even by die-hard Beatles fans today. However, if these movies had never existed, the band’s evolution and the broader narrative of music history would be significantly altered. The Beatles served as a source of inspiration for an entire generation and the industry at large in 1965, with George Harrison playing a pivotal role, thanks to assistance from his friends.

One of the Most Important Counter-Cultural Films Was a Complete Joke

Consider the Beatles’ movie collection as a precursor to what we now call music videos, even before MTV. Their films were light on plot, but their personalities shone brightly amidst goofy stories about spies and ancient murderous cults. The film Help!, following A Hard Day’s Night, was a rather insignificant cash-grab, according to some accounts. In 1965, during the filming of this movie, George Harrison, one of the Beatles’ guitarists, had a pivotal moment. As described in the book The Dawn of Indian Music in the West, while on set, he noticed an unusual, discarded stringed instrument and played with it during breaks, finding it more intriguing than the movie itself.

Known for its continuous, resonant sound produced by plucking strings with fret marks, the ancient Indian musical instrument has been in use for many years. Initially, Harrison found it challenging to play due to its specific demands – not just mastery through training but also a particular seating position, the half-lotus pose, and an unusual arm placement that are unfamiliar to typical guitarists.

Following consultations with renowned sitar expert Ravi Shankar, he gradually improved his skills. Inspired by Ravi Shankar, the band started delving into meditation and spirituality. Although they yearned to evolve and diversify, they didn’t aim for a drastic transformation. The “peaceful Beatle” reluctantly gave in to peer pressure, as John Lennon persistently urged him to play the sitar on the song “Norwegian Wood,” enriching the album Rubber Soul. The excitement of Beatlemania had begun to fade since their US TV debut.

How The Beatles Became Unlikely Cultural Ambassadors

The sitar served as a catalyst, leading to a flood of paisley styles and hippie-themed movies. To give proper recognition, it should be noted that Harrison wasn’t the pioneer in attempting to popularize this instrument within rock music. Previously, UK artists The Kinks had already made an attempt before them. However, prior to Harrison’s introduction, the sitar was seen as too peculiar by traditional record labels and producers, considered unsuitable for mainstream success. Interestingly, The Yardbirds had even recorded a song with a sitar, but ultimately discarded it due to the instrument’s perceived eccentricity.

Before the Beatles, tunes with slightly unbalanced instruments didn’t often lead to radio hits. However, Brian Jones from The Rolling Stones swiftly adopted this concept, infusing it with an exotic twist in their song “Paint it Black.” This style was subsequently embraced by Scottish folk rocker Donovan in his hit “Sunshine Superman,” followed by The Lemon Pipers’s “Green Tambourine” and Scott McKenzie’s “San Francisco.” By 1971, this sound became ubiquitous on the radio and TV.

The Beatle Bump and the Sitar’s Complicated Legacy

Instead of drifting away like Harrison, Shankar transformed into an eccentric rock sensation. His performance graced the documentary, Woodstock.

Despite the common stereotypes connecting Indian music with psychedelic trends and drug culture, and Western artists not always appreciating or mastering his instrument, he remained remarkably laid-back.

During a chat on The Dick Cavett Show alongside Harrison, he casually mentioned, “I invite my audience to keep their minds unclouded, as I aim to elevate them with music.

Regrettably, the sitar was overshadowed by the larger, exaggerated image of the ’60s due to movies like Peter Sellers’ The Party. Its peak period was in the early ’70s when tastes drastically changed. Yet, despite the cultural shift, the sitar, in traditional and electric forms, remained a significant presence in recording studios for decades. Help! might not be an exceptional film, and actors turning singers wasn’t a new trend either, but this 1965 production arguably paved the way for many iconic songs from rock and roll’s golden era. Currently streaming on Disney+ is Beatles ’64, and Help! can be rented on AppleTV or purchased on Blu-ray/DVD.

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2025-01-12 03:01