“How the Beatles Changed the World” – Documentary Review

Interviews and rare archival footage illuminate the fascinating story behind the world’s most experimental band, and how they revolutionised culture, music and society.

“How the Beatles Changed the World”, directed by Tom O’Dell, demonstrates the extraordinary journey of what started off as four working class individuals, who were brought up in the great post-war decline of 1940s Liverpool, and how they all came together and transformed everything from art, fashion and music, to society, culture and politics.

The story of the Beatles may seem cliché to older generations who grew up with their songs. But for someone that was born into a different decade of music, it can be easy to overlook their historical relevance. This documentary’s fascinating sequel is extremely helpful for readers of a younger age, providing us with insights which gives us a better understanding on how they became the embodiment of the social and cultural revolution of the 1960s.

With the range of interviews, O’Dell‘s documentary takes us right into the heart of the Beatles’ main purpose. It is stressed that in a society where young people struggled to find their voice, the group managed to convey a message of personal identity which reached out to them. As an interviewee put it, “suddenly it was the young people that determined everything”. Whether it be through their music, fashion or attitudes, they completely reinvented how culture works.

“Everything felt modern, new fresh. Everywhere you looked the world started to look different. The colours started to really emerge.” Anthony DeCurtis.

For those who aren’t tired of hearing the basic information of the Beatles’ story, and want to find out more about how art and pop-culture has evolved in the XX century – this is the right documentary for you. ‘How the Beatles Changed the World’ entertainingly leaves one in no doubt that the group became a revolutionary force for change in many more ways than the length of our hair.