IMDb > Backbeat (1994)
Backbeat
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Videos (see all 2)
Backbeat (1994) -- A dramatization of the Hamburg, Germany phase of the Beatles' early history.
Backbeat (1994) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.5/10   2,609 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Iain Softley
Writers:
Iain Softley (writer)
Michael Thomas (writer)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Backbeat on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 April 1994 (USA) more
Genre:
Biography | Drama | History | Music more
Tagline:
He Had To Choose Between His Best Friend... The Woman He Loved... And The Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band In the World. more
Plot:
A dramatization of the Hamburg, Germany phase of the Beatles' early history. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 4 wins & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(17 articles)
Nowhere Boy: A career-defining role for Aaron Johnson!
 (From The Movie Fanatic. 29 October 2009, 12:50 PM, PDT)
Nowhere Boy: A career-defining role for Aaron Johnson!
 (From The Movie Fanatic. 29 October 2009, 12:50 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
A long, long time ago, in a country not too far away... more (22 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Sheryl Lee ... Astrid Kirchherr

Stephen Dorff ... Stuart Sutcliffe
Ian Hart ... John Lennon
Gary Bakewell ... Paul McCartney

Chris O'Neill ... George Harrison

Scot Williams ... Pete Best
Kai Wiesinger ... Klaus Voormann

Jennifer Ehle ... Cynthia Powell
Marcelle Duprey ... Singer
John White ... Sailor 1
Bernard Merrick ... Sailor 2
Nicholas Tennant ... Sailor 3
Finola Geraghty ... Model
Rob Spendlove ... Arthur Ballard
Charlie Caine ... Lord Woodbine
Frieda Kelly ... Mrs. Harrison
Paul Humpoletz ... Bruno
Christiana Uriarte ... Groupie
Abigail Wrapson ... Groupie
Galit Hershkovitz ... Groupie
Gertan Klauber ... Pimp
Stephan Grothgar ... Barman
Lynn Lowton ... Hooker
Manuel Harlan ... Johannes
Britta Gartner ... Exis
Dirk Winkler ... Exis

Wolf Kahler ... Bert Kaempfert

James Doherty ... Tony Sheridan
Paul Duckworth ... Ringo Starr
Joerg Stadler ... Policeman (as Joerg Stabler)
Alexei Jawdokimov ... Napoleon
Albert Welling ... Doctor
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Directed by
Iain Softley 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Iain Softley  writer
Michael Thomas  writer
Stephen Ward  writer

Produced by
Paul Cowan .... line producer
Sarah Curtis .... co-producer
Finola Dwyer .... producer
Hanno Huth .... executive producer
Nik Powell .... executive producer
Stephen M. Williams .... co-producer
Stephen Woolley .... producer
 
Original Music by
Don Was 
 
Cinematography by
Ian Wilson 
 
Film Editing by
Martin Walsh 
 
Casting by
Dianne Crittenden 
John Hubbard 
Ros Hubbard 
 
Production Design by
Joseph Bennett 
 
Art Direction by
Michael Carlin 
Josef Plagge 
 
Set Decoration by
Barbara Herman-Skelding 
 
Costume Design by
Sheena Napier 
 
Makeup Department
Pat Hay .... makeup artist
Stephen Rose .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
Sarah Lucraft .... production manager: Hamburg
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Gray .... third assistant director: Hamburg
Jonathan Karlsen .... crowd assistant director (as Jon Karlsen)
Cliff Lanning .... second assistant director
Josh Robertson .... third assistant director
Mary Soan .... first assistant director
 
Art Department
David Bowes .... art department assistant
Gordon Fitzgerald .... property master
Andrew Garnett .... scenic artist
 
Sound Department
Nainita Desai .... assistant sound editor
Peter Elliott .... adr editor
Glenn Freemantle .... supervising sound editor
Dominic Lester .... assistant sound re-recording mixer
Nick Lowe .... dialogue editor
Chris Munro .... sound mixer
Chris Munro .... sound recordist
Robin O'Donoghue .... sound re-recording mixer
Steve Spencer .... foley artist
Steve Spencer .... foley editor
 
Special Effects by
Tim Baxter .... optical effects
 
Visual Effects by
Ray Short .... titles and opticals
Simon Dowling .... main title designer (uncredited)
Tony Willis .... effects cameraman (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Steve Griffin .... stunts
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Alan Almond .... camera operator: second unit
Kenny Byrne .... focus puller
Pete Cavaciuti .... steadicam operator
Norman Smith .... gaffer
Mark Tillie .... still photographer
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Annie Crawford .... costume supervisor
 
Editorial Department
David Barrett .... assistant editor
Jim Heffernan .... negative cutter
Daryl Jordan .... first assistant editor
Scott Klein .... master colorist
 
Music Department
Terence Blanchard .... musician
David Richard Campbell .... conductor: strings (as David Campbell)
David Richard Campbell .... orchestrator: strings (as David Campbell)
Greg Dulli .... singing voice: "John Lennon"
Don Fleming .... musician: guitar and vocals
David Grohl .... musician: drums (as Dave Grohl)
Bob Last .... music supervisor
Mike Mills .... musician: bass and vocals
Thurston Moore .... musician: guitar
David Pirner .... singing voice: "Paul McCartney"
Eric Reed .... musician
 
Transportation Department
Dean Ward .... transportation coordinator
 
Other crew
Jeff Bowen .... location manager
Catherine Charlton .... dialect coach: UK and Germany
Diana Dill .... script supervisor
Simon Downes .... floor runner
Polly Duval .... assistant to producer
Andrew Jack .... dialect coach
Peter Ogunsalu .... personal assistant: Stephen Dorff
Ben Rimmer .... location manager
Christopher Simon .... assistant accountant
Fran Triefus .... production coordinator
Will Tyler .... production accountant
Graham Smith .... unit publicist (uncredited)
 
Thanks
Eddy Joseph .... special thanks
Astrid Kirchherr .... special thanks
Ulf Krüger .... special thanks
Michael Kuhn .... special thanks
Aline Perry .... special thanks
Russell Schwartz .... special thanks
Pauline Sutcliffe .... special thanks
Stewart Till .... special thanks
Klaus Voormann .... special thanks
Mark Wolfe .... special thanks
 

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Additional Details

Also Known As:
BackBeat - Die Wahrheit über die Beatles (Germany)
more
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
100 min
Country:
UK | Germany
Language:
English | German | French
Color:
Black and White | Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby | LC-Concept Digital Sound
Certification:
Singapore:M18 | Argentina:13 | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Iceland:L | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R
Filming Locations:
Cheney Street, London, England, UK more
Company:
Channel Four Films more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Frieda Kelly, who plays George's mother, was a secretary of the Beatles' Fan Club in its earliest days. She even gets a mention on the Beatles' 1963 Christmas message...from George. more
Goofs:
Continuity: A scene dated March 1961 has George being wished a happy 18th birthday. George's actual birthday was in February (as was even mentioned earlier in the film.) more
Quotes:
Paul McCartney: C'mon, George! We're starvin'! Where are those lovely scones your mother makes? more
Movie Connections:
Version of Stuart Sutcliffe: The Lost Beatle (2005) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Slow Down more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful.
A long, long time ago, in a country not too far away..., 2 April 2006
10/10
Author: Lee Eisenberg (eisenberg.lee@gmail.com) from Portland, Oregon, USA

I think that it's especially appropriate that "Backbeat" was released right after the 30th anniversary of the Beatles coming to America: everyone was remembering them, and then a really good movie shows their early days. Specifically, it focuses on when they went to Hamburg and met artsy photographer Astrid Kirchherr. I should identify that this movie is for mature audiences only: aside from the language and sex, it shows how John, Paul, George, Pete, and Stu got addicted to speed so that they could keep playing; as a result, they got little sleep and their eyes got all glassy as they laid awake.

A really effective scene is right after Stu leaves the Beatles. Hoping to devote his life to art, he goes out and gets all drunk. Around this time, East Germany's government erects the Berlin Wall. Watching it on TV, Astrid and Klaus hold hands to be supportive of each other. When Stu sees this, he gets all violent. This scene - possibly more than any other in the movie - shows his mental breakdown.

All in all, a great movie. We also see that they first met Ringo in Hamburg. I'm sure that we'll all be remembering "Backbeat" for years to come. Rock on, lads!

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Message Boards

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Stuart Sutcliffe's accent zingzangspillip
A few little problems... ginger_sling
John's 'Catchphrase' am_buglet_82
Nudity in the theatrical version? jpw43
Best Looking? monty_python_eric
Preludin, drugs Hellokiddo
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