Monday, 21 May 2012

Beatles Stories - Review and Competition


BEATLES STORIES 


A NEW MOVIE BY SETH SWIRSKY - OPENING AT THE ODEON

SPECIAL EVENT ON JUNE 6th AT 9PM 

LIVERPOOL (Liverpool One); LONDON (Kensington); MANCHESTER (Printworks)

Director/producer Seth Swirsky is a singer/ songwriter whose songs have been recorded by artists like Air Supply, Al Green and Celine Dion. He has been a massive Beatles fan since the 60s, and heard so many people telling their stories of meeting The Beatles, that he decided to embark on a path of interviewing famous actors and musicians who have original stories to tell. 

Swirsky has spent the last 7 years researching, interviewing and producing this new movie, which is being shown in three UK Odeon cinemas on 6th June (Liverpool, Manchester and London), and British Beatles Fan Club members have the chance to win some fabulous prizes.  One lucky winner will win lunch or dinner for two people (including transport within London) with Seth Swirsky!  We also have 5 pairs of tickets to give away for each of the three premiere locations (see below).

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Review by David Bedford:

The film is a fascinating compilation of interviews with a cast of Beatles people like Tony Bramwell, Rod Davis, Sir George Martin, Norman “Hurricane” Smith, plus Denny Laine, Iris Caldwell, Nancy Lee Andrews, May Pang, Klaus Voorman, Victor Spinetti and Joey Molland. They have some great stories, the type that don’t always make the cut in documentaries, and provide an fascinating insight into the Beatles-family and life with the Fab Four.

But almost as interesting are the times that other artists and actors met with various members of the Beatles, and how they still recall their encounter years later. Screen legends like Sir Ben Kingsley, and Jon Voight, celebrities in their own right, speak in glowing terms of the genius of The Beatles, and how meeting them left a lasting impression on them: they aren’t talking as celebrities, but fans, and Swirsky manages to ask the right questions to bring a gleam to the eyes of these stars, as if it were you or I meeting out heroes. I also enjoyed the tales from some of the musicians and singers who worked with them or encountered the Fabs during their career. I particularly enjoyed Smokey Robinson recalling how it was such an honour that The Beatles openly acknowledged the influence of Motown, and of course they recorded and performed many Motown songs, with Robinson’s “You Really Got a Hold On Me” being a regular in their set list. There are contributions too from The Hollies’ Graham Nash and one half of one of the greatest duos in musical history, Art Garfunkel.

Of course, one of The Beatles’ greatest competitors in the 60s was The Beach Boys, and Brian Wilson shares some of this thoughts with us, and how important that competition between the two groups inspired them to greater heights and to attain musical perfection.

One of my favourite stories comes from Chris Carter, DJ on “Breakfast with The Beatles”, when he came to interview Paul McCartney, and how that became an honour for him, but also how great Paul was with him as they chatted live on air.

There are so many highlights, but I don’t want to spoil the fun because this is a brilliant documentary film that has been assembled by a Beatles fan, for Beatles fans, and is a unique insight into the impact those four lads from Liverpool had, and still have, on the friends and celebrities they met along the way.


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In our exclusive competition, the British Beatles Fan Club has five pairs of tickets to give away for each of the venues hosting the premiere, plus one lucky winner in London will a chance to win a lunch or dinner with Seth Swirsky, in London.

To enter, simply answer this question:  Iris Caldwell, who was interviewed for the film, was the first girlfriend of which of the Beatles?

Full details of how to enter are below:

Beatles Stories Contest Rules

Who can enter? 
Members of the British Beatles Fan Club who are in good standing only ( membership number is required to enter)

Only 1 entry per person please.  Duplicates will be ignored.

Contest dates: 

  • Email Entries can be accepted until Midnight UK time on Thursday May 31st
  • Postal entries must be received in the PO Box in Croydon by postal delivery on Thursday May 31st
  • Winners will be notified on June 1st  via email or soon after if no email is provided
  • Tickets will be posted to confirmed winners by June 2nd


Prizes
There will be 16 prizes awarded in total as detailed below:
  • Lunch or dinner for two with Seth Swirsky in London (including return travel costs within London) 
  • 5 pairs of tickets to the Beatles Stories for June 6th at 9pm at the Liverpool One Odeon
  • 5 pairs of tickets to the Beatles Stories for June 6th at 9pm at the Manchester Printworks Odeon
  • 5 pairs of tickets to the Beatles Stories for June 6th at the London Kensington Odeon

How to enter
The following information is required to enter the contest

  • Your Name
  • Your BBFC Membership number
  • Which venue (only 1 choice permitted): Liverpool, Manchester or London
  • Your email address
  • Your telephone number
  • Your postal address (to send the tickets to if you win)
  • Answer to the question about Iris Caldwell
 You may send the above information to us either email or post. See contest dates above and make sure you get your entry in by the deadlines.

Email your entry to info@britishbeatlesfanclub.co.uk and put Beatles Stories Contest in the subject line,
Or
Post it to:  
BBFC Publishing
Beatles Stories Contest
PO Box 1766
Croydon CR9 1EN
United Kingdom
How the winners will be selected

Winners will be selected randomly by venue.  There will be six winners in London (dinner prize + 5 pairs of tickets) and five winners for Liverpool/Manchester repsectively.




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