4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles DVD (1 Viewer)

[Marsh]

Hello all,

I've just written a review of the newest 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles.
Here's the link:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5816662/is_the_4_complete_ed_sullivan_shows.html?cat=33 .

What I discuss is that there could have been a more complete edition of the DVD. It's great to have the 1964 and 1965 broadcasts on disc with their original commercials, and a Dick Van Dyke Show promo, too. But, the band also created a video message to Ed along with lip synch versions of Paperback Writer and Rain, shown in 1966. That's missing from the new DVD. Beatle promo films/music videos of Hello Goodbye, Let it Be and Two of Us also aired on The Sullivan show. None are on the new release.

I'd like to see more complete Sullivan broadcasts on DVD and/or Blu-ray, instead of the themed ones out there now. Maybe a disc of Rolling Stones or The Supremes Sullivan appearances. If there isn't a market for this, perhaps do like the Warner Archives collection, and release small quantities of the Sullivan shows via the Net. Any thoughts?

Marshall

 

[Executive]

I totally agree with you re: other musicians who made multiple appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show

However, the only other Sofa Entertainment release from Paul Browenstein years ago along these lines were Elvis Presley's 5 appearances on Sullivan (one of which was guest-hosted by Charles Laughton while Ed was in the hospital). In spite of the "restoration" process I saw a couple of those and they look about just as bad as the kinescopes of other Sullivan shows from that era.

Although it was always live until it ended in 1971, his program didn't switch to using black & white videotape for West Coast re-broadcasts and reruns until around 1958. And after The Beatles made their last appearance before playing Shea Stadium in 1965, the week after that the new season premiered in color with Milton Berle as one of the guests.

How many complete Ed Sullivan shows were The Beatles on in studio other than the 4 I already have on DVD?

 

[Steve Tannehill]

Isn't this "new" release just a rehash of an older release with the same content?

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by Steve Tannehill
Isn't this "new" release just a rehash of an older release with the same content?

It's the same exact release, Steve. I believe the licensing agreement changed hands...so, new company/new release...but no change in content.

 

[Marsh]

The "new" release has 13 minutes of bonus material missing from the 2003 DVD's. One segment has Ed Sullivan
interviewing The Beatles on the set of "A Hard Day's Night". But when originally broadcast, the interview was followed by
an outtake from AHDN of the band performing "You Can't Do That". The "You Can't Do That" clip is in "The Making of A
Hard Day's Night" DVD from MPI, but it's missing from the new Sullivan disc. Other newly added footage includes a 1966 soap
commercial where you could send away for inflatable dolls of the cartoon Beatles, Also, Ed and puppet Topo Gigio trade Beatle wigs in another segment, and Ed plugs the upcoming first Beatles appearance. While nice to have, it seems like the bonus footage
could have been so much more. You would think there must be an interview around (in the CBS archives?) of Sullivan discussing
the Beatles first appearance on his show. That would fit in well as part of the bonus material.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Marshall:

Thanks for posting and correcting me. I was passing along information I had read in other places without doing my homework.

I have the 2003 Goodtime/SOFA discs and didn't realize there was additional footage on the new release from Universal Music.

The bonus footage isn't enough for me to make an upgrade. The shows (which include the original commercials) are a terrific snapshot of mid-60s TV.

 

[Executive]

So can anyone answer my question, which was this: How many in-studio appearances post-1965 and in color (if any) did The Beatles make
on The Ed Sullivan Show? I mean during a complete show and not pre-taped segments.

 

[Marsh]

The book "A Really Big Show" says The Beatles appeared 10 times on the show, with 7 of those taped
performances. The Beatles performed on 3 Sullivan shows in the studio, and one at Miami's Deauville Hotel.

They didn't make any in studio appearances on Sullivan after the 1965 show.

 

[Marsh]

Mike,

You're welcome for the info. I agree with you, as mentioned in the review. If you have the 2003 release,
the 2010 upgrade isn't dramatically different.

 

[Executive]

Originally Posted by Marsh
The book "A Really Big Show" says The Beatles appeared 10 times on the show, with 7 of those taped
performances. The Beatles performed on 3 Sullivan shows in the studio, and one at Miami's Deauville Hotel.

They didn't make any in studio appearances on Sullivan after the 1965 show.

Thanks.

That means that their first appearance in color was in their second film "Help!".

 

[Kevin Segura]

Originally Posted by Executive
However, the only other Sofa Entertainment release years ago along these lines were Elvis Presley's 3 appearances on Sullivan (one of which was guest-hosted by Charles Laughton while Ed was in the hospital). In spite of the "restoration" process I saw a couple of those and they look about just as bad as the kinescopes of other Sullivan shows from that era.

I would respectfully disagree with you on this point, as they're a quantum improvement over any previously version of the material that's been released. I would also point out that the extant prints of the Presley shows (which were subject to a fair amount of handling prior to Andrew Solt's purchase of the library) are not necessarily representative of the overall quality of the kinescopes in the Ed Sullivan Show archives, many of which are **stunning**.

- Kevin

 

[Executive]

Well, the copies I saw of 2 of Presley's appearances (including the show Laughton hosted) were fair quality and looked like kinescope films.

Is it possible that those films were circulating in addition to the DVD copies?

 

[moviebuff75]

Can anyone tell me if the 2010 release of The Beatles' first Ed Sullivan appearance has additional opening moments not on the original release? If so, what is it and which is closer to how it was shown? Thanks.

 

[Charles Ellis]

I watched the first two shows last night, and you could tell the air of exuberance regarding 'the boys'. BTW, seeing Mitzi Gaynor in the Miami show made me fall for her all over again! I have such fond memories of those CBS specials of the 1970s! And talk about destiny- how fitting that Future Monkee Davy Jones was in the first show playing 'The Artful Dodger' with the original Broadway cast of "OLIVER!"?

 

[davincihorse]

Wondering why Universal/Apple/SOFA Entertainment did not issue a BLU version or Expanded set of DVD/ BLU of more Ed Sullivan appearances?

 

[Albert71292]

Wondering why Universal/Apple/SOFA Entertainment did not issue a BLU version or Expanded set of DVD/ BLU of more Ed Sullivan appearances?

None of the Sullivan shows are HD. They are either kinescopes or SD videotape. For that reason, I seriously doubt they would bother putting them out on Blu-ray.

 

[moviebuff75]

They can't put an entire sd presentation on blu-ray. It's either a law, or an understood rule. As extras, yes. As a full presentation, no.