A Hollywood Beatles Movie - With No Beatles | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

Okay, before the angry mob lights up their torches and starts screaming their outraged disapproval at the very sacrilegious idea of conceiving an actual ‘Beatles Life Story’ being given the “Major Motion Picture Big-Screen” Treatment —

                                                                            Lower your weapons, angry villagers! Hear me out, please…

There was an American film made in the 1980’s called “I Want To Hold Your Hand ,” a comedy about young female Beatle fanatics set during February, 1964, in which they’re attempting to sneak into The Beatles‘ Hotel rooms in New York, prior to their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. The only actor anyone on either side of the Atlantic that you might recognize is Nancy Allen, a very cute blonde who was in some Brian DePalma films and was the “evil” cheerleader in the movie ‘Carrie’.

It’s a great movie, look it up if you can. It perfectly captures the ‘Beatlemania’ sweeping through American cities across the country at the time, when every radio station was playing Beatles music, the girls were screaming at Kennedy Airport when they arrived, the record stores all had big Beatle cutouts promoting their debut, and hundreds camped out in front of their hotel and chanted ‘We love The Beatles‘ over and over. The Nancy Allen character is the least impressed at this strange new group, but she winds up hiding under a bed in one of their suites while they’re getting ready to go to the Sullivan show. When they leave, she’s left alone with all of their stuff- their guitars, clothes, etc., and she starts swooning and caressing all of their things – she’s a true Beatles fan now, too.

The point is: you never once see The Beatles. You hear a few lines of them joking around in the suite (voice actors), and all the girl can see are their boots and pants cuffs walking around the room, from under the bed; near the end of the movie, she winds up driving the limousine that takes them away from the studio after the show. It’s pitch black outside, but headlights behind The Beatles show only the backs of their heads, glowing from the lights as the car is driving away.

I guess the Topic I would like feedback on is:

Do you think it’s possible to make a motion picture about the entire Beatles era, from when Brian Epstein first saw them at the Cavern Club, to when George Martin first recorded them, Pete Best was replaced by Ringo, John married and divorced Cynthia, all the iconic moments: Buckingham Palace, the Royal Palladium, the Phillipines, where evryone was in fear of their lives, and the deep south, boycotting the group and sending death threats for John’s ‘Jesus’ remark; Brian’s death, the Maharishi, the LSD trips; Alan Williams, the Man Who Gave Away The Beatles; Magic Alex, Yoko, Linda, Allen Klein, Rory Storm’s suicide, Mal Evans’ violent death, Derek Taylor, Peter Brown- all of the people whose lives were forever changed because of being a part of The Beatles Legend –

without The Beatles themselves being shown, portrayed by actors, in appearance, speech or otherwise?

Pay attention to the words “as portrayed” – this means being allowed to use any and all available newsreels, filmed images and/or audio quotes of The Beatles themselves, a la ‘Forrest Gump’, if you know what I mean.

Could it be a major success, with awards and critical praise, like ‘The King’s Speech’ or ‘Titanic’?

Could it do justice to the actual story of these people’s lives?

Who would you cast as George Martin, or Aunt Mimi, or Brian, et al??

Personally, I’ve been working on a screenplay for that very idea about eight years now – only in my head, of course, and with no intention of going any further. I think it could be epic, but would be a major undertaking, and someone with the talent and creativity and money to pull it off. But I would really love to stea-ERRR, read your thoughts and ideas. What else have you got to do?