The Beatles Anthology
Director’s Cut

The BigO Audio Archive has finally secured a full set, thanks to the generosity of Australian and New Zealand music collectors.

The official Beatles Anthology is a 5DVD set that lifts entirely from the Laser Disc edition with the bonus of 1 extra DVD of new material. This "10 DVD set" can actually be squeezed, with two programs per disc, into a 5DVD set as well. We can only speculate that the makers were interested in a 10 DVD set so as to put a higher price. However, clearly there are major differences as explained below.

Here is a description of the set from the maers:

Now available for the first time ever - The complete, original 1993 director's cut of the Beatles Anthology!

The beautifully packaged deluxe 10-DVD box set includes detailed liner quotes, full color brochures, high-quality video transfer, special features and a custom storage box complete with new Anthology artwork.

This is an extremely limited edition pressing and demand is already growing for this special DVD collection. Be one of the first to see this newly discovered piece of Beatles history.

Highlights and Alternative Segments Include:

Story VS Performance - The 1993 Director's Cut of Anthology focused primarily on the Beatles story, using performance footage only to enhance the story. The final version would remove much of the story and details to include as much TV and concert footage as possible. At the time this appeared to be the best approach, but in retrospect opinions may change after hearing the uncut interviews; this was after all their one chance to tell their story. Collectors have countless sources for the TV and concert footage, but only one option to hear their story as done for the Anthology series, until now that is!

Uncensored Version - comparisons between the two versions of Anthology clearly show heavy editing. An entire sequence regarding Yoko Ono and her effects on the band has been cut-down to almost nothing; only on the 1993 version will you hear unedited and sometimes unflattering comments. Many interviews did not even make it to the Anthology book. One example is George commenting on the positive experiences he had with drugs, including the famous dentist’s real name! The 1993 director's cut also includes the original extended sequence on George's songwriting later trimmed at George's request. It becomes obvious by program 1 what you are seeing is what the director and production team assembled and presented to the band before they made numerous request for changes.

Program Beginnings - Each program begins with an unused animated sequence in place of the Help! Introduction.

In My Life Opening Montage - Programs 1-4 use this song montage with the commercial version using it only to start program 1. The early montage contains different shots from the final version including Allen Klein.

Flashback Montage - An early idea was to begin each program (beginning with program 2) with a flashback montage covering important material seen in the previous program, this worked well for the first few programs, but unfortunately took too much time, Beginning with program 4, the flashbacks only went as far back as the previous program

While My Guitar Gently Weeps Montage - Ideas about the montage were changing by program 5, and no song montage was used for this program. For program 6, a different approach/song was used, and for the first time it was flash forward montage, using much footage not seen elsewhere in the program. Programs 7-8 drop the montage idea entirely.

Quality Of Archival Footage - At this early stage, Apple had to use what footage it had available with quality varying from poor to ex. Some of the early TV appearances and newsreels are obviously taken from VHS screening tapes, and many included time-codes. Some scenes contain the text "Temporary Picture". All of the new interviews and Apple owned material, including footage taken directly from the original cut of "The Long And Winding Road" look great and contains no time code. It is quite interesting to see what Apple's film archives looked like in 1993. In 1995, Anthology producer Chips Chipperfield hinted at what this early version might look like when asked why they could not just use the original 10-hour version for the home video release: "We can but that's off-line. Off-line is a rough cut. It's cut from whatever archive sources we have so a lot of it is VHS."

Unused McCartney Interview - Programs 1&2 include an unused interview with Paul. This was the first interview shot and used before finally being replaced with a re-recorded Paul in black turtleneck version. With this first interview being re-shot, the stories vary from the final release.

Partially Unused Harrison Interview - For most of Programs 1&2, the only Harrison interview used is the control room interview with George sporting a moustache. More of this interview was later removed and replaced with a re-recorded clean-shaven George. With much of this first interview going unused, the stories vary from the final version.

Unused Neil Aspinall Interviews - For most of the first two programs, we see Neil's first interview sessions wearing no hat, the stories heard vary from the commercial version.

Derek Taylor - Derek has a larger role in the early version of Anthology, and is featured in numerous unseen interviews.

Program Endings - An early idea was to end each program with a sequence showing the progression the band was making. Examples would be an overhead view showing the move from Liverpool to London, or the move from London to the US.

Audio Outtakes - It is important to note that the 1993 Anthology uses very little studio outtake recordings. There are no created studio sequences of audio outtakes. We don't hear any real audio outtakes until the ‘68 studio sessions, as the audio outtakes were still being examined at this early stage of production and were not made available to the production team just yet. But… we do get to hear the unused "Hums" ending for "A Day In The Life" along with part of take 4!

Early/Abandoned Ideas - The 1993 Anthology uses many ideas later modified or dropped entirely. The recreations of fans rooms differ greatly; TV and tour montages were created then later dropped. An early idea was to show the move from Liverpool to Abbey Road studios, done by filming an entire trip-sequence taking you from Liverpool and ending at George Martin's door in Abbey Road Studios. Other early ideas put Paul in the film "The Girl Can't Help It". Various other unused segments appear throughout the entire eight programs

No Closing Credits - At this early stage, none of the eight programs contain closing credits.

1993 Ending - At this early stage, the documentary ends with the "Let It Be" sessions and rooftop concert. Program 8 part 1 dates from December 1993. 1994 would alter the Documentary considerably, with the three remaining Beatles reforming to record new music and joint interviews. It was at this point; the 1993 version was heavily re-edited leaving only a hint of what it had originally looked like.

Hopefully, we can offer a review at a later date. - Betty Chestnut