George Harrison: A
Beatle In Benton, Illinois
(Special Interest)
Picture: C
Sound: C Extras: D Main Program: C+
Though it may not be the best-edited amateur piece and
takes a while to pick up before it is obvious it is not just another lame cash-in
release, George Harrison: A Beatle In Benton, Illinois (starting in
1996) tells the story of how Harrison arrived in America a year prior to The
Beatles big splash because his sister lived in Benton, Illinois. Bob Bartel is a big fan and he got the ball
rolling to save the Harrison sister’s house from demolition and to get it
declared an historic landmark. The
early footage becomes simple eyewitness accounts about the meetings, encounters
and music made while George Harrison visited.
Sister Louise Harrison-Caldwell finally surfaces herself,
sealing the deal and brings everything else to fruition. Not only does she confirm everything, she
helps to contribute further and shares additional stories none of the locals
could. Instead of being trivial and
tired, all of the stories add up to an important part of Beatles history that
really has not been discussed much, killing the mythological idea that the
group just landed on U.S. soil out of nowhere and it was suddenly a whole new
world. This is worth a look, however
rough it is.
The full frame 1.33 X 1 image is shot on several types of
analog NTSC video, which show their age and limits, but the problematic editing
is a bigger issue. Perhaps this could
be updated and reedited down the line, as the story is far from over. The PCM 2.0 sound is only stereo where the
laid-in music exists but is monophonic otherwise and reflects the age of the
tapes further. There are no extras, but
the final results of all these activities are never shown and that is a problem. Otherwise, it is a cheap disc to enjoy.
- Nicholas Sheffo
