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Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9780783255286
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
ISBN: 0783255284
Label: Gramercy Pictures
Manufacturer: Gramercy Pictures
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Gramercy Pictures
Region Code: 1
Release Date: August 12, 2003
Running Time: 101 minutes
Sales Rank: 69250
Studio: Gramercy Pictures
Theatrical Release Date: April 15, 1994
Editorial Review:
Amazon.com:
Ian Hart's second performance as John Lennon (the first was the little-seen The Hours and Times) commands attention in this marvelous musical bio of the Beatles in Hamburg directly before their stardom. The focus is on the '5th Beatle,' Stuart Sutcliffe (Stephen Dorff), a bluesy bass guitar player who finds Germany has more interesting things (art and a woman) than music. The woman, Astrid (Sheryl Lee), chronicles the early years of the Beatles, and she falls in love with Stuart, a move that would influence many aspects of the Fab Four. Nearly overpowering the film is Hart in a great, energized performance of an artist on fire. The music was adapted for the movie, rediscovering the raw sound and ballistic energy in the back street clubs. These scenes of rock and genius intermixed with a nervy lead singer evoke similarities to Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. Directed by Iain Softley. --Doug Thomas
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Enjoyable film
Back Beat is the best film Ive seen documenting the early years of the Beatles and the friendship between John Lennon and Stu Sutcliff. The acting is superb as is the music. I enjoyed the film for its insight on Klaus, who later played a significant role in Lennon's band, after the Beatles broke up. While the film does not go deep into the relationship between Lennon and McCartney. It does document the struggles the band went though playing in various Hamburg Clubs for little cash, or sleep, and ... Read More
Rating: - The long and winding road to fame
This is the story of the early trials and tribulations of John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe, art students and rock musicians from Liverpool. They were scrappy trouble-makers when they formed the Beatles with Paul, George, and Pete Best and went to play in the shabby strip clubs of Hamburg, hoping to make a name for themselves. There, Stuart met and fell in love with photographer Astrid Kirchherr. Although he was very close to John, Stuart chose to leave the group and stay with Astrid, just before ... Read More
Rating:  - Soundtrack's better than the movie, but still...
...it's worth a viewing. Here's what's good about the movie, the acting is pretty high quality, the story is interesting, about the Beatles before they became famous, and were a band of teenagers tearing up this new rock'n roll music in Liverpool then Hamburg. It's a fun watch for Beatle's fans, an educational look into an earlier period of music for those too young to know the Beatles outside of hearing them nowadays in the supermarket. What's best about the movie is the soundtrack, someone recruited ... Read More
Rating: - Can we not agree - Oasis is a better band than the Beatles?!?
Riding a voracious roller-coaster and watching Ian Softley's "Backbeat" could be considered one in the same. From the excitement of the opening credits, to the lackluster conversations between infamous Beatle John Lennon and former-band member Stuart Sutcliffe in Liverpool, to the empowering nights of playing music in Hamburg, to the cliché drama over a girl named Astrid, to the emotional true formation of the Beatles, this film should have a subtext that it could, if viewed in one sitting, cause stomach ... Read More
Rating: - Sweet, Small Film of the Early Beatles
The Beatles' career is covered in this biopic which emphasizes the short life of Stuart Sutcliffe. Stuart was John Lennon's best friend from art school and he became a Beatle for a short time, not based on musical ability but on friendship. John was very loyal to Stuart and he was distressed when he quit the band to continue his pursuit of being an artist and live in Germany with his girlfriend. Stuart died young of a cerebral hemorrhage. A small film with a bit of charm and a bit of history. The DVD also ... Read More
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