McCartney's 'Give My Regards To Broad Street' - any takers? (1 Viewer)

[Glenn Overholt]

Colin - to make money, or so I thought. Of course I'm not, but if it were up to me I'd start on the films that made money, or at least the onss that fans are screaming for.

Glenn

 

[Harry-N]

I'd always heard how bad this film was back in the '80s and finally saw it for myself on an old HBO pan'n'scan showing and didn't think it was quite as bad as everyone said.

When I got into LaserDiscs in the early '90s, I thought this might be a fun title to try to find, since it had been out of print for years. Once eBay became popular, I found one, though I can say I've only watched it maybe once or twice. It too was pan'n'scan.

I was happy to hear that the movie had finally gotten a respectable treatment in OAR on DVD. The best part of the DVD is chapter encoding, something the LaserDisc missed. Now it's easy to skip the really awful parts.

The weak plot is just a device to get you from one music video to another, so I usually pay it very little attention.

Harry

 

[Colin Jacobson]

But the problem stems from those music videos, as they're almost uniformly atrocious. "Silly Love Songs" isn't the only scary sight in this stinker.

Macca's always been my favorite Beatle, but I can't defend this abomination. ("Not Such a Bad Boy" and "No Values" are good little rockers, though.)

 

[Matthew_Millheiser]

"So Bad" is one of Mac's greatest ballads. Love that song.

But yeah, what a lousy movie. :frowning: Although I really love his Music and Animation Collection DVD. Short, but really sweet. That's the go-to DVD if you're a McCartney fan.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

The thing about the songs though is that they're often affected by the ugly and somber tone of the film itself.

For example, when Macca is in the studio doing that wonderful medley of "Yesterday/Here, there and Everywhere/ Wanderlust," you just know that he's got the depression of his missing tapes preying on his mind. In fact, during the performance, the manager (or whoever he is) moans: "Very bloody appropriate" while Paul is singing "I'm not half the man I used to be"!

Even during the rocking rehearsal with "Not Such a Bad Boy" and "No Values," there are shots blended in where we see the bootlegger walking into the building, and all sorts of business guys discussing their troubles. Paul even looks at them to try and figure out what's going on while he's singing, as though he doesn't really have his heart into his performance due to the problem with his stolen recordings.

It's gray, rainy, muggy,...bleecchh...

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Well, I certainly consider myself a hardcore Beatles fan, but I don't think I will be picking this one up. Hope that doesn't mean I have to turn in my "hardcore Beatles fan card"!?

As indicated, the soundtrack is pretty good. Not enough to warrant a purchase of the DVD though.

 

[Matt Butler]

Im a Mac and Beatle fan but have never seen this. So far Im getting the impression that Broad St echoes Neil Diamonds Jazz Singer: Shit movie...Great Soundtrack.

 

[Keith Paynter]

Yes...hang your head in shame...

Actually, watching this once a year is about enough for me, but having a cleaner OAR version would be preferable even to my Fox LD. Really, it's a cheap buy, and for those of you that have 500+ discs anyway, when was the last time you watched 'Cleopatra'. This is just another trophy disc.

 

[Derek Miner]

Since I am a young Beatle fan, I first saw this at a young, impressionable age. Because of that, I can watch the whole thing and not find it as stinky as it probably is. When I heard the DVD was due out, I knew I had to buy it. And it was only $10! Cheaper than buying the soundtrack on CD at some stores...

The strong feelings on this one beg the following question I think: Which would you rather be forced to watch, Broad Street or the Bee Gees Sgt. Pepper film?

(I own both )
Why not pop over to the DVD Coverart website and check out my replacement cover using the original album/poster art: http://www.dvdcoverart.com/dvdcovera...em.php?id=9748

(Yeah, I know the original art's no great shakes, either, but I always liked it...)

 

[Keith Paynter]

Nice one, Derek!!

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Hell, that's easy. As bad as BROAD STREET is, at least it's the real McCartney, and he's doing the singing.

 

[Chucky P]

Whenever I remember this flick I think of these two words.

BALL-ROOM DAN-CING!

 

[Kevin Leonard]

IMHO, there is no need for you to buy Broad Street; simply read The Onion AV Club's writeup of the movie, which is vastly more entertaining than the actual film:
http://www.theonionavclub.com/fttf/index.php?issue=4022

EDIT: And while I'm at it, I'll also link their writeup of that masterpiece known as Beatlemania: The Movie:
http://www.theonionavclub.com/fttf/index.php?issue=3714

 

[Derek Miner]

That Onion review is great! While it's obviously mocking McCartney, it had to be written by someone who knows too much about McCartney anway. That's why I can forgive them the mistake that Paul ends up in a warehouse not to record tracks, but to rehearse them.

 

[Derek Miner]

That Onion review is great! While it's obviously mocking McCartney, it had to be written by someone who knows too much about McCartney anway. That's why I can forgive them the mistake that Paul ends up in a warehouse not to record tracks, but to rehearse them.