Previous Next Latest

“The Beatles: Rock Band” Drafts Gorillaz Animator For Cinematic Trip Through Band’s Career

6/23/09, 1:31 pm EST

As if the The Beatles: Rock Band trailer and the idea of rocking out as the Fab Four on the Shea Stadium and Ed Sullivan Show stages wasn’t enough of a lure to convince gamers to throw down for the Beatles-based title on September 9th, Harmonix, MTV Games and Passion Pictures director Pete Candeland have revealed the jaw-dropping opening cinematic from TB:RB at the game’s official Website.

Opening on the cloud-filled skyline of Liverpool, the clip descends into the subterranean clubs where the Beatles first played, then segues into an homage to A Hard Day’s Night and the Fab Four’s arrival in America at the height of Beatlemania. John, Paul, George and Ringo suddenly find themselves in Sgt. Peppers uniforms as the video explores the band’s psychedelic phase, and the quartet ride a giant rhinophant (rhinoceros/elephant) while an army of penguins and other weird creatures march to the tune of “I Am the Walrus.” And it only gets better from there.

The opening cinematic also contains dozens of little Easter Eggs for eagle-eyed Beatles experts. For instance, as the group flies over New York City, a yellow submarine can be seen under a bridge. In the Liverpool segment, concert posters promoting bands like “Carry That Weight” and “Blue Jay Way” can be spotted. As the Beatles load into a car to escape their fans, a lovely meter maid (”Lovely Rita”) is briefly seen in the background. It’s like Where’s Waldo? or the opening sequence of The Simpsons, except insanely cool.

If the style seems reminiscent of the Gorillaz’s videos, it should come as no surprise that director Candeland served as an animator for the Damon Albarn-fronted cartoon band, collaborating with Gorillaz artist Jamie Hewlett to create the videos for “Clint Eastwood,” “Rock the House” and “Feel Good Inc.” For more on TB:RB, check out Rock Daily’s coverage of the game below:

Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr Unveil “The Beatles: Rock Band” in L.A.
“The Beatles: Rock Band” Reveals Vintage Guitars, Opens Pre-Order
“The Beatles: Rock Band” Set to Hit Stores September 9, 2009


Previous Next Latest

Comments

Smithoma | 6/23/2009, 3:39 pm EST

That is bad ass

Rockgypsy23 | 6/23/2009, 3:51 pm EST

That is completely amazing. I am blown away.

Bowiebot3000 | 6/23/2009, 5:22 pm EST

That is about 908742378724 times better than Across the Universe, which is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. There’s more creativity and spunk in 2 seconds of this short clip than in all of Across the Universe. Let this animator make two hours worth of this. Brilliant stuff.

justbari | 6/23/2009, 6:52 pm EST

ok, I love Across the Universe and thought it was brilliant, but I do agree that this animation is amazing and I can’t wait for rockband to come out. It’s going to be great.

Cloudman | 6/23/2009, 6:57 pm EST

Oh yeah, I remember this video premiering at that E3 video game convention. Looked awesome then and it still looks awesome now.

LX | 6/23/2009, 8:18 pm EST

BEAUTIFUL

kyosti | 6/24/2009, 12:06 am EST

amazing style, they sure deserve to make a beatles’ game, what else would expect from harmonix, the original creators of guitar hero.

Anonymous | 6/24/2009, 5:03 am EST

That video gets it. You’d have to be a pretty jaded Beatles fan to not enjoy it.

Still, it would be nice if the chronology was expressed. Hard Day’s night to Abbey Road is kind of a fast transition — where is Rubber Soul, Norwegian Wood. It’s focused on region rather then chronology though, so it still shows much respect.

M'Alice | 6/24/2009, 1:13 pm EST

That was a gorgeous video… while it was still active. The internet is getting rather tedious. Can’t anything cool remain alive for more than 24 hours?

12 Inch Grand Pianist | 6/24/2009, 1:44 pm EST

Across the Universe and that video were both awesome.

Ken | 6/24/2009, 1:56 pm EST

What awesome animation! I am so looking forward to this game and re-issues.

Gets It | 6/24/2009, 2:50 pm EST

The next band to get this treatment should be U2.

Gets it | 6/24/2009, 4:57 pm EST

Or better yet, the next ban to get this treatment should be soliderboy.

J | 6/25/2009, 1:32 am EST

That was awesome!

Zim Bob Weigh | 6/25/2009, 8:58 am EST

there’s ALWAYS someone whom ya couldn’t please even if ya gave them a 100 Dollars and a pre-greased dildo to stick up their bung.
Across the Universe, the MOVIE, is an amazing achievement and so is this video.
Creative people of this world, please keep blowing us away.
Imagine the clouds “clapping”!

raisedlefteyebrow | 6/25/2009, 10:54 am EST

That was actually fairly epic.

brywool | 6/25/2009, 3:51 pm EST

I saw this film for Rockband over a month ago and it was and is an awe-inspiring piece of work. I’m a huge Beatle fan and this was done SO well. Makes me wish Pixar would do some kind of Beatles feature.

VERY well done.

Devon-13 | 6/25/2009, 11:44 pm EST

ya im pretty amazed by it, and im an EPIC Beatle Fan. i think all of the RB and GH ganmes that were based off of bands-
Aeroasmith -gh
Metallica -gh
Van Halen -gh {NOT YET RELEASED BUT I CANT WAIT}
The Beatles -rb,

deserve it. i mean i have been too an aerosmith concert, well actrually i was there two weeks ago i loved it. i would love to see van halen, exceot for them braking up, im in love with Metallica but both of my parents have been to at least 2 concerts of theres and im not allowed to lol. and im lucky just to be ble to see a beatles truibute every year, i think there should be a rb or gh Journey, AND Def Leppard. thats just me lol

JRW | 6/26/2009, 8:11 am EST

Whets ones appetite for the remastered catalog. Can’t wait. The clip is brilliant and the music sounds great…crystal clear and powerful.

Onewhoknows... | 6/26/2009, 10:07 am EST

the concept and opening shots are a total rip off of the 1995 grammy winning Beatle Anthology video: “Free As A Bird”. A trip through BeatleLand filled with Beatle clues. Shameless.

Onewhoknows... | 6/26/2009, 10:07 am EST

the concept and opening shots are a total rip off of the 1995 grammy winning Beatle Anthology video: “Free As A Bird”. A trip through BeatleLand filled with Beatle clues. Shameless.

FU | 6/26/2009, 11:16 am EST

They are a little late with this story

Post A Comment

Caution: Off-topic comments will be deleted

Name:

Comments:



Advertisement

Advertisement