Cooking experts often say that some dishes taste even better when they are reheated. When it comes to music, films, and TV, re-heated material can only work if it is a true classic and/or if there are new elements that make it so. If it is both of the latter, well then, it deserves even more attention.
And now, right before this season’s holidays, Disney+ has brought us exactly such a double goodie, the remastered and expanded Beatles Anthology TV Series.
There are, more or less, two groups of viewers that should (and probably will) take a look at this series. The first group is good old established Beatles fans, who probably include the biggest chunk of older generation music lovers. Then there is the rest of the music lovers, those belonging to a younger generation, and also those who had their doubts about the Beatles so far.
The Beatles Anthology is not to be missed
Ok, so probably most of the long-time, established fans of the Beatles have already seen the series, either when it originally showed upon its first release back in 1995, or when it became available online through YouTube or elsewhere.
Yet, there are quite a few reasons why they should go back to it, including the material they are familiar with. And, as far as the other new (or not so new) music fans that haven’t seen the series previously, the reasons for viewing the Beatles Anthology just multiply.
Tackling the reasons why all true music fans should take a look at the revamped Beatles Anthology, let us see why the above second group of viewers should see the series.
Whether you are not a fan of the Beatles (and there are quite a few of those out there), or you are part of newer generations that have not been a part of the music crowd when the Beatles were still a band, you are certainly aware of the importance of the Beatles and what they have done for rock and pop music while they were still a band, and beyond to this day.
All those reasons, listed in a neat chronological order and with the participation of all the members alive when the series was initially shot, along with archive material that involves John Lennon’s views of the band are all there, without practically any gloss or boasting, presenting more or less a realistic picture of the band’s story and the reasons why they became so important for music as such.
For a long time, established fans viewing something about the Beatles that they might have already seen is usually not a problem, even with possible time restrictions, even if they have seen the original eight episodes beforehand. Yet then, this remastered, expanded edition gives them something extra they just might not have previously experienced.
While the additional ninth episode is comprised of material, or parts of it, that was already floating online, here it is arranged in a logical, useful manner, with three remaining members (Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr) jointly, and in quite a down to earth manner rekindling the memories and sparking the "what if" situation the band was together again by recording two new songs and brief impromptu sessions (some in the reunion garden).
Then there is the remastering that has been done to the images, and even more importantly, to the sound of the music, particularly the live recordings. Guided by George Martin’s son Giles, the team responsible for the sound remaster has presented the full glory of the Beatles playing live, striking the perfect balance between the band and he pandemonium created by the screaming crowds.
Add to that most of the studio-recorded songs are presented in their full (remastered) glory, and you have just a handful of reasons why the Beatles Anthology TV series is essential viewing for all music fans.