Storyline
“We were born in Liverpool but grew up in Hamburg”, John Lennon once said. This feature documentary seeks to find the truth in those words. The long and winding road that the Beatles took to worldwide fame passed through Hamburg, Germany in the early 1960s. Only a couple of years before they became household names, the former Quarrymen were cutting their musical teeth on nightclub stages in the city. Hamburg had become the vice capital of Europe after World War Two, its neon-lit streets home to sailors, sex workers, drug dealers, gangs and low life. Meanwhile, the English band was still developing, still young and virtually unknown. By the time of their last German visit in 1966, the Beatles were an international phenomenon. 'No Hamburg, No Beatles' explains how learning their trade in this fascinating city helped propel them to global stardom.
Cast & Crew
FM
Frank McDonough
Self
Lead
John Lennon
Self (voice) (archive footage)
Paul McCartney
Self (voice) (archive footage)
Pete Best
Self
RM
Rosie McGinnity
Self
CP
Carol Phillips
Self
AW
Allan Williams
Self
UK
Ulf Krüger
Self
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Roger Appleton's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
4.0
“Every frame feels alive. No Hamburg, No Beatles is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
