AllMovie

Originally broadcast as a miniseries, The Beatles Anthology consists of ten viewing hours. It's a comprehensive, insightful, and revealing history of the Fab Four. Considered the definitive Beatles documentary, footage was created from interviews, performances, studio sessions, feature films, home movies and more. It also contains five hours of material not shown on television. Footage traces the group's history from their youth in England to the band's eventual breakup. Tape one looks at how Ringo joined the band, the early days in Hamburg, and the group's rise to fame in England. Tape two depicts the development of the band, BBC sessions and performances, and touring stories. The Beatles' explosive introduction to America is the subject of tape three. Tapes four and five examine the years 1965 and 1966, including the filming of Help and the 1966 Japanese concert. The psychedelic era is the focus of tapes six and seven and includes George recounting the "Magical Mystery Tour," the establishment of Apple, Yellow Submarine, and Yoko Ono. The final tape takes a look at the closing of Apple, the drug busts of George and John, Abbey Road, and John and Paul's marriages. This retrospective documentary leaves few stones unturned in its astute account of the life and music of the Beatles.