Latest news with #RichardLester
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi on ‘Beatles '64,' the Fab Four's Influence on Cinema, and David Lynch at Their First U.S. Concert
The Beatles are one of the 20th century's most exhaustively documented bands, from television series like 'The Beatles Anthology' and feature films like Richard Lester's 'A Hard Day's Night' to documentaries by Albert and David Maysles, Ron Howard, and Peter Jackson, among others. One would think there was little left to explore, but the miracle of the Disney+ documentary 'Beatles '64' is that it manages to feel completely fresh and new — largely by giving the viewer the visceral experience of what it was like to experience The Beatles' first visit to America via the recollections of people who were there. One person who vividly remembers what it was like to first hear The Beatles' music is Martin Scorsese, who produced 'Beatles '64' in the hope that it would convey the exuberance that the band's first visit to America inspired. 'You have to understand, it was the end of the origins of rock and roll,' Scorsese told IndieWire. 'You had Motown, you had Phil Spector and the Wall of Sound — which influenced me a great deal in 'Mean Streets' and other films — you had the girl groups and Smokey Robinson and there was still a lot going on, but [rock and roll] needed something fresh. And America needed something fresh too.' More from IndieWire 'In Your Dreams' Teaser: The Search for the Sandman Powers Netflix's New Animated Sibling Fantasy Gold List TV Honors 'Squid Game,' 'Deli Boys,' 'The Studio,' and More That's because the country was, when The Beatles arrived on American shores in February 1964, still reeling from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a tragedy that 'Beatles '64' uses as a structuring device in order to give the band's visit context. 'The devastation was unlike anything anyone had experienced in our generation,' Scorsese said. 'The country was ready for something new.' Yet as Scorsese points out, and the documentary demonstrates, The Beatles were initially met with skepticism. 'They were touted as kind of an oddity because they had hair that was long, and the press couldn't wait to attack them,' Scorsese said. 'We didn't take them that seriously. There was an attitude we all had of, 'Yeah, show us.'' Scorsese followed the press coverage of The Beatles' arrival and assumed they were just a 'nonsense novelty' act — until he heard 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand' on the radio for the first time while getting ready to go to class at NYU film school. 'I heard the first few beats, and I just stood there. I was late for class,' Scorsese said. 'I listened and I admitted to myself, 'That's really good,' and as soon as I got to NYU I was telling everybody, 'This is not some ripoff — this is for real.' There was something joyous about it, and I don't think we can ever really describe the uplifting effect of not only their musical ability, but the writing and the lyrics. An extraordinary change occurred in the youth of the country after the disaster of the assassination.' Scorsese, frequent producing partner Margaret Bodde, and director David Tedeschi had access to extraordinary archival footage shot by Albert and David Maysles that enabled them to give the audience a sense of the immediate impact The Beatles had. Most of the Maysles' footage has barely been seen since it was shot, partly due to clearance issues and partly because United Artists didn't want the material in general release where it could dilute the appeal of 'A Hard Day's Night.' Thanks to restoration work by Peter Jackson's Park Road Post Production, most of the footage looks and sounds like it was shot yesterday. For Tedeschi, the key to utilizing the Maysles' footage was taking advantage of their talent as interviewers. As great as all the backstage and concert footage of the band itself is, what really conveys the magic of the moment is Tedeschi's use of interviews the Maysles did with the group's fans. 'I was lucky enough to work with Al Maysles on [Scorsese's Rolling Stones concert film] 'Shine a Light,'' Tedeschi told IndieWire. 'Marty hired him to shoot behind-the-scenes stuff. You'd see him disarm whoever he was with.' Tedeschi feels that the Maysles' talent for making interviewees feel at ease is what really makes the footage 'Beatles '64' had to work with special. 'It's not surprising to me that they were able to capture The Beatles,' Tedeschi said. 'What's surprising to me is how a 15-year-old girl on the street who has had no media training is somehow calm and able to project themselves and has great charisma.' Scorsese was able to witness the Maysles at work back in the 1960s when he was at NYU and looking for a job. 'They were making a changeover from black and white to color, and they always used available light,' Scorsese said. 'But you couldn't do that with color at the time, so my job was to hold the lamp. Now, the problem is that they're directing without telling you anything, so you have to anticipate where Al's going with the camera to give him a little bit of light. In a sense, it was an extraordinary master class in visual interpretation, in creating narrative when nothing is staged.' 'Beatles '64' contains not only the Maysles material and other archival footage, but new interviews conducted by Bodde, Scorsese, and Tedeschi with subjects from the two surviving Beatles (Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr) to fans who saw their first concerts — including director David Lynch in one of his final filmed interviews before he passed away earlier this year. The filmmakers were stunned to learn that, as a young art student, David Lynch attended The Beatles' first ever American concert at the Washington Coliseum — and that he had another connection to the narrative they were telling. 'One thing he said that didn't make the film was pretty fascinating,' Tedeschi said. 'As a Boy Scout, he had been an usher at Kennedy's inauguration. When it came down to it, it was extraordinary how many people were at the New York Carnegie Hall show, at the Washington Coliseum, and in Miami — many people who went on to do great things.' Interviewing McCartney and Starr was a challenge for Scorsese and Tedeschi, who didn't want to repeat old stories — no easy feat with celebrities as extensively interviewed as The Beatles. Luckily, Tedeschi was able to talk with McCartney as the rock and roller was curating a photographic exhibit dedicated to The Beatles in 1964. 'The photographs jogged his memory and created a way to have a conversation more than just an interview,' Tedeschi said. In the case of Starr, the filmmakers got him to open up by going through all of the old clothes he kept from the time. Another way that 'Beatles '64' makes enthusiasm for The Beatles infectious is through the way in which Starr himself seems not to have aged — as he goes through his old clothes and displays his old drum set, he demonstrates a youthful energy not dissimilar from the much younger man we see in the archival footage. In the brief moments Scorsese shares with Starr on camera, he seems to get younger, too — as though he's getting back in touch with that NYU film student who first fell in love with the band. 'It's almost as if you can't quite believe this amount of time has passed,' Scorsese said of his experience interviewing Starr. 'I would have been a different interviewer 30, 40 years ago. But following them and other great artists, from the Stones to Dylan to The Band to Van Morrison, you go along for this whole period of people taking these long artistic journeys, and you change. And somehow you tap into that original excitement about the joy of music, and what that music means as an observation of the life we're leading or trying to lead.' Scorsese and Tedeschi, who have worked together in various capacities for around 20 years now, are still not only passionate about music but energized by the challenge of finding a cinematic language with which to express their feelings. 'The problem is how to say it, in other words, the visual narrative,' Scorsese said, noting that he and Tedeschi are struggling with that very problem right now on their upcoming Robbie Robertson documentary. 'We shot the memorial concert, and Dave is now assembling it,' Scorsese said. 'We're smack in the middle of figuring out what this is. We know it's a concert, but there's got to be something that takes us on a trip, or gives us an experience where we can appreciate more where the music came from and how it affects people today.' According to Tedeschi, the challenge is finding a way to get the feelings he witnessed in the artists at the tribute concert onto the screen in a way that's clear. 'We shot the tribute concert along with the rehearsals, and there were tremendous artists,' Tedeschi said. 'Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Allison Russell…and it's very interesting to see The Band's music and Robbie's music played by different artists, all of whom have been really touched by The Band and affected by it. We're working to take that excitement and the musicality and beauty of that and turn it into something more like a movie.' 'Beatles '64' is currently streaming on Disney+. Best of IndieWire The Best Thrillers Streaming on Netflix in June, from 'Vertigo' and 'Rear Window' to 'Emily the Criminal' All 12 Wes Anderson Movies, Ranked, from 'Bottle Rocket' to 'The Phoenician Scheme' Nightmare Film Shoots: The 38 Most Grueling Films Ever Made, from 'Deliverance' to 'The Wages of Fear'
Geek Vibes Nation
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'The Three Musketeers' (1973)/'The Four Musketeers' (1974) Criterion Collection 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review
Alexandre Dumas's immortal tale of adventure and camaraderie received perhaps the finest of its numerous screen adaptations with this two-part swashbuckling spectacular from A Hard Day's Night director Richard Lester. Featuring Michael York, Oliver Reed, Frank Finlay, and Richard Chamberlain as the swaggering swordsmen, who thrust and parry their way through courtly intrigue in seventeenth-century France, The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers are also graced with an all-star supporting cast that includes Raquel Welch, Faye Dunaway, Geraldine Chaplin, and Charlton Heston. Lester's exuberant epic breathes new life into an oft-told classic through its boisterous slapstick invention, its meticulous attention to period detail, and a sense of pure, unbridled bravado that is thrilling to behold. The Three Musketeers – Richard Lester's spirited adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's timeless novel immediately distinguished itself from previous film versions with its irresistible lightheartedness. It follows the brash, young wannabe musketeer d'Artagnan (Michael York) as he travels from the French countryside to Paris and befriends Athos (Oliver Reed), Porthos (Frank Finlay), and Aramis (Richard Chamberlain), famed swordsmen whom he must help to stop the conniving Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston) and his plot to undermine the king. The Three Musketeers sweeps viewers away with its exquisite sets and costumes, chivalric romance, and breathless duels punctuated by the ingenious physical comedy that was Lester's trademark. The Four Musketeers – It may be 'all for one and one for all,' but it took director Richard Lester two films to contain the sweeping spectacle of Alexandre Dumas's swashbuckling adventure. This sequel—shot simultaneously with The Three Musketeers, since they were originally conceived as a single film—dials down the comic high jinks that distinguished the first installment in favor of a more somber tone, as our heroes are drawn into a deadly revenge plot orchestrated by the seductive Milady de Winter (a deliciously wicked Faye Dunaway). Upping the psychological stakes and deepening our sense of the characters, The Four Musketeers brings this beloved tale of honor and friendship to a close with a rousing emotional flourish. For thoughts on The Three Musketeers / The Four Musketeers: Two Films by Richard Lester, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: Video Quality The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers come to 4K UHD Blu-Ray in their original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with a 4K restoration conducted by StudioCanal from the 35mm Original Camera Negatives. Each film is housed on individual discs for a consistent viewing experience across the two parts of the story. The presentations are as close to perfection as you could dream up, as the new transfers look impeccable. There are no major instances of print damage, and overall clarity and detail are out of this world. The aesthetic remains the same across both parts of the epic story with the lavish production design and opulent costumes rendered with ideal texture in 4K UHD. The picture also showcases the environments and facial features with a delicate, tactile touch. These 4K UHD Blu-Ray discs are presented in Dolby Vision for a brilliant example of the benefits of high dynamic range. Colors are bold and favorably saturated in a visually dazzling manner. The color grade takes on a natural appearance with nothing leaning overly warm or cool. Skin tones are lifelike and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in close-ups, especially in regards to makeup. Highlights are never overcooked in any setting, and black levels hold up very well with nothing in the way of crush. There do not appear to be any issues with digital noise due to compression limitations or other such nuisances, thanks to the thoughtful allocation of disc space. This new collection is an incredible treat for fans of these films. Audio Quality The 4K UHD Blu-Ray set comes with remastered LPCM 1.0 tracks for each of these films in the original English with optional English SDH subtitles. The wonderful scores from Michel Legrand and Lalo Schifrin emanate with moving clarity and fidelity, as no weak moments are observed. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear with most of the ensemble sporting stately British accents. There are no major signs of distortion or shortcomings as competing moments avoid clipping important information. There was previously an issue with incorrect pitch on the StudioCanal release overseas that appears to be corrected on this release. Environmental sounds such as the sounds of sword fighting or rain are cleanly rendered alongside everything else. The Criterion Collection has given this collection a stellar audio presentation by all metrics. Special Features The Criterion 4K UHD Blu-Ray of The Three Musketeers / The Four Musketeers: Two Films by Richard Lester includes a booklet featuring the essay 'En Garde For Joy!' by author Stephanie Zacharek in which she delves into the career of Richard Lester, the history of this text on screen, and much more that is very illuminating. The on-disc special features are as follows: The Three Musketeers The Saga of the Musketeers, Part One: A 23-minute beginning to a documentary directed by David Gregory in 2002 that features interviews with the cast and creative team including producer Ilya Salkind, actors Michael York and Charlton Heston, and countless more. There are discussions about the decision to go back to the original source material to make a picture less sanitized, the casting of the ensemble, the direction of Richard Lester, and more. Two For One, Part One: The 30-minute beginning of a new four-part documentary created by critic David Cairns that explores the pre-production of this series through a visual essay style and audio interviews with key creative figures. Two For One, Part Two: The 43-minute continuation of the new documentary that continues to explore the production of the film in Spain, Lester's directing style to maintain authenticity, working with large swaths of extras, and more. The Making of The Three Musketeers: A seven-minute promotional piece from 1973 that gives you a glimpse at the production. Trailer (3:01) The Four Musketeers The Saga of the Musketeers, Part Two: A 25-minute conclusion to a documentary directed by David Gregory in 2002 that features interviews with the previously-named interview subjects and more. There are discussions about the stunt work, the injuries sustained, memories of the ensemble, the success of the film, and more. Two For One, Part Three: The 42-minute third entry of a new four-part documentary created by critic David Cairns that continues to examine the production of the film including the set design, the costumes, money issues, the cinematography, and more. Two For One, Part Four: The 26-minute conclusion of the new documentary that transitions to the post-production of the film including the tense editing process, the dubbing of many jokes into the background dialogue, the decision to make a sequel, and more. Trailer (3:01) Final Thoughts The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers are a pair of swashbuckling films that tackle the classic material with respect while also injecting a sense of levity into the experience. The ensemble is stacked to the brim with amazing actors putting forth memorable performances that only grow in estimation over the two installments. The direction of Richard Lester may be a bit too slapstick for some, yet there is a clear sense of vision, scale, and brutality in the combat as you witness the story unfold in grand fashion. You will have a lot of fun with these films. The Criterion Collection has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray set that features the films with a wonderful A/V presentation and a fine assortment of special features. If you are a fan of this timeless story, you should spend some time with these films. Recommended The Three Musketeers / The Four Musketeers: Two Films by Richard Lester will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and 4K UHD Blu-Ray on May 27, 2025. Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray. Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Wall Street Journal
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
‘The Three Musketeers' and ‘The Four Musketeers': Richard Lester's Spirited Swashbucklers
Few works have sparked the cinematic imagination as routinely as Alexandre Dumas's 1844 novel 'The Three Musketeers.' A hasty count indicates some 40 movie versions (the first and latest from France, in 1903 and 2023) and many more made just for television. But by common consent, the best yet is Richard Lester's 'The Three Musketeers' (1973) and 'The Four Musketeers' (1974), originally conceived as a single film with intermission but ultimately released as two separate pictures. Both have now been fetchingly restored in 4K and this week debut on home video in that form as part of the Criterion Collection. (Enthusiasts may select a two-disc Blu-ray set or a four-disc 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo pack.) The Philadelphia-born Mr. Lester worked primarily in the U.K. and remains best known today for 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'Help,' his mid-1960s filmed collaborations with the Beatles. At an early stage, there was apparently some thought of casting the Beatles as Dumas's sword-fighting trio plus their protégé D'Artagnan—an idea quickly quashed.
