MovieChat Forums > The Lathe of Heaven (1980) Discussion > Beatles Music

Beatles Music

posted 22 years ago by McGonigle
11 replies | jump to latest

So I recently watched "The Lathe of Heaven" as well as finishing up the "Prisoner" series (still working my way through my stash of Christmas DVDs!).

Somehow, I had forgotten the fact that 'All You Need Is Love' is used in the final "Prisoner" episode, and in an extremely violent scene, too (probably the most violent scene in the whole series).

How very odd that the Beatles (or their publishers) wouldn't give permission for a Beatles song to be used in one of the most emotionally-moving sci-fi scenes ever shot (in "Lathe") but have no problem with Patrick McGoohan mowing down everyone in his path to the strains of 'All You Need Is Love'.

Presumably ITC struck a better licensing deal in 1967 than PBS did in 1980, but it's still very ironic.

As for the actual re-cut track in "Lathe"; yuck. If they wanted to hire someone to re-make a well-known version of this song, why didn't they just copy the Beatles' version, instead of copying Joe Cocker's version? Oh well, it's still great to have "Lathe" on DVD, warts and all.

[–] 22 years ago

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[–] colbymacinnis 18 years ago

With a little help is an extremely important part of the book I havn't seen this movie yet but he gets Heather back after falling asleep after listening this song 11 times,

[–] Jack_1515 17 years ago

According to a Prisoner documentary I saw, the Beatles were big fans of the show. I'm willing to bet they jumped at the chance to have a bit of their music added to the landmark final episode of their ab fav TV show!

[–] old-georgieboy 18 years ago

the Prisoner was a commercial series made with the intention of international release, therefore the rights would have been negotiated on a much fuller and longer basis.

Lathe is, however, a PBS effort and as such has to be careful with its coppers, thus the rights to the song would have had to be renegotiated and (knowing music publishers) would have added to the cost of the DVD.

The young recruit is silly ’e thinks o’ suicide
’E’s lost ’is gutter-devil ’e ’asn’t got ’is pride

[–] ddc300 18 years ago

At the time 'The Prisoner' was made in the '60s Apple Records owned the copyrights to Beatles lyrics. 'Lathe of Heaven' was made in 1980 when Apple still owned the rights. However, when PBS went to make the DVD to 'Lathe' the Beatles lyrics no longer belonged to Apple -- but to Michael Jackson, so renegotiating the rights would most likely have cost a fortune, hence they went with the Joe Cocker version.

ITC being a corporate giant was most likely able to 'cut a deal' with MJ for the rights of the 'All You Need is Love' lyrics in the final 'Prisoner' segment.

My two cents worth.

[–] Poisoned_Dragon1964 16 years ago

Someone, somewhere has got to have the original "Lathe" - I wonder if that could be found, posted to YouTube, or something. It's something that drives me crazy every time I think of this film!

§« El sueño de la razón produce monstruos. »§

[–] Billy_McAvoy 16 years ago

Heh, I had a VHS in the late 90s that was one generation copy away from the 1" video master used by PBS stations that I got from the guy that owned scarecrow video in the U district in Seattle (he offered to make me a copy simply because I inquired about about the movie and he had a copy at home). Alas I loaned that copy to someone and never got it back and it was years after that before it was even commercially available with the different song. In retrospect, I believe the guy's story because it did have the original Beatles version of the song. I used to play that for all of my musician friends who all seemed to love it. I also used to have a LeGuin signed copy of the book of which I had her autograph when she was doing a reading at Elliot Bay books in pioneer square in seattle when I lived there in the mid 90s. You guessed it, I loaned it to somebody and never got it back. Oh well, that's what those things are for I guess.

...Guess What S1m0ne! We have now entered an age where we can manufacture fraud faster than our ability to detect it

[–] Sandoz 16 years ago

i wrote a review of LOH in the IMDb comments and it was totally positive except for the fact that my main complaint was about the substitution of The Beatles "All You Need Is Love" with the Cocker version.

As is stands right now of the date of this post, 4 out of 9 people agree with me.

WTF? I rated LOH a 9 out of 10 (the video look detracts from perfect rating, what can i say?), but still, I think it's important people know about the substitution of the original Beatle's version of WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS because at least the comments on IMDb seeem to endure while they wipe away these messages more and more frequently, despite the fact that this is where the real info about film takes place...

"It's his word!" "That ain't what counts--it's who you give it to!"

[–] Billy_McAvoy 16 years ago

...my main complaint was about the substitution of The Beatles "All You Need Is Love" with the Cocker version.

It was worse than that it was a COVER of the cocker version, it wasn't even really joe cocker!

...Guess WHat S1m0ne! We have now entered an age where we can manufacture fraud faster than our ability to detect it

[–] ecs67-1 13 years ago

I don't think the cover of "With A Little Help From My Friends" (not "All You Need Is Love") was based on Cocker's version but on the Beatles' one. The arregements and tempo are more like the original one.

[–] 17 years ago

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