An Unauthorized Story on Life After The Beatles

DVD Review:
Parting Ways: An Unauthorized Story on Life After The Beatles

http://blogcritics.org/video/article/dvd-review-parting-ways-an-unauthorized/

Author: Kit O'Toole ­
Jul 26, 2010

Unlike other Beatles documentaries, Parting Ways: An Unauthorized
Story on Life After the Beatles focuses solely on the solo years.
While the information presented may be new to casual fans, longtime
devotees will find little new material on this DVD.

Like other unauthorized documentaries, the program contains no
original music. Interviews mainly consist of press conference
footage, and familiar photographs (many from the Beatles years) are
shown. While each Beatle is profiled individually, many important
details are curiously omitted. The John Lennon section barely
mentions the Plastic Ono Band, skipping over the 1969 Live Peace in
Toronto concert. Additionally, photographs are shown out of order;
for example, the narrator discusses Lennon's relationship with Yoko
Ono while airing footage circa 1967 of Lennon and Cynthia exiting a plane.

Continuing to the Paul McCartney chapter, the DVD provides no new
information about his life. The only interesting clips include a
testy interview he conducted after receiving an award from the
Guinness Book of World Records. Other rare footage includes Derek
Taylor awkwardly fielding questions abut McCartney's 1970 departure
from the Beatles. While skimming over details such as the landmark
Band on the Run album, the program does include an extensive
retelling of the Heather Mills divorce scandal.

George Harrison fares no better, with the DVD relying on Beatles-era
photos and displaying few solo-era images. While the documentary
describes All Things Must Pass, it mysteriously omits all of his
other '70s work. The only mildly interesting anecdotes include
Harrison's constant fear of obsessive fans, pointing out that he
became more reclusive after surviving the 1999 knife attack. Footage
from the 2009 Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony includes moving
tributes from Tom Hanks and Olivia Harrison.

Finally, the Ringo Starr section mentions his 1970s work, but
completely misses his 1990s comeback albums with producer Mark
Hudson. However, Parting Ways makes great mention of Starr's 2008
release Liverpool 8. In addition, there are some factual errors; for
example, the narrator claims that Cirque du Soleil's Love premiered
in 2007; it debuted in 2006.

Bonus material includes mini documentaries on fashion designer Stella
McCartney, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (spiritual guru to the Beatles
as well as other 1960s celebrities), Ono, and the Beatlemania
phenomenon. As with the Beatles members' sections, these programs
provide no additional insights. The Beatlemania chapter does contain
the only apparently original interview, a brief chat with concert
promoter Sid Bernstein (he was the first to book the Beatles at
Carnegie Hall in 1964, and subsequently their 1965 and 1966 Shea
Stadium shows).

As with many unauthorized documentaries, Parting Ways reveals no new
information and provides no unique insights into the Beatles'
successful solo careers. While casual fans may find some of the
material new and interesting, hardcore enthusiasts need not invest in this DVD.

To view a trailer for Parting Ways, visit World Wide Entertainment's website.
http://www.wwent.net/ourprogrammes/preview.asp?v=ufimmiso

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