Rutles tunesmith Neil Innes, speaking on one of two new bonus documentaries here, argues that Dirk, Nasty, Stig & Barry have practically become part of The Beatles’ own history, such is the affection fans have for the razor-sharp 1978 spoof. Indeed, the attention to detail and love in Eric Idle’s film shows how mindful everyone concerned was when lampooning the Fabs’ legacy.
It’s a hoot from start to finish, punctuated by 20 great Innes songs that drop in on all eras of The Beatles’ own music. The straight-faced interviews with Mick Jagger and Paul Simon are perfectly pitched, and let’s not forget that it was perhaps the first time British audiences caught a glimpse of Bill Murray, John Belushi or Dan Aykroyd.
The documentaries reveal just how important George Harrison was to the project. As well as playing an on-screen journalist, he cleared the way for the makers to view reams of original Beatles footage, so that every piece of mimicry was just right. Lennon & McCartney weren’t so enamoured with the finished product, though: the former unhappy with the parallel Yoko character being dressed as a Nazi and the latter thinking Idle’s portrayal of him a little too simpering. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then no other movie was ever so sincere.
