In many ways The Beatles can be held up as an example of Western capitalism at it’s strongest. Emerging from the UK and embraced in the US like no other, The Beatles laid the foundations for a level of fame and fortune never before imagined, and became heroes for millions of youngsters as they built up a fortune through music, film and memorabilia.
John, Paul, George and Ringo couldn’t have seemed more representative of the clash of ideals between the West and an East which was so widely seen as distant and cold in the era which saw The Beatles forging their place at the tip of Western culture. However, as filmmaker Leslie Woodhead found when he visited the Soviet Union in the mid-80s, the universal appeal of the Fab Four was by no means restricted to those on the western side of the Iron Curtain.
What Woodhead discovered was a fascinating sub-culture devoted to The Beatles in 1960s U.S.S.R. He heard stories of Beatles bootlegs and videos being quietly distributed amongst loyal fans, and of perpetrators being arrested if any were caught in possession of one of these treasured records. He was told of how The Beatles helped youngsters learn English, and how their influence led to crude homemade guitars being crafted by an eager youth who began to embrace the freedom of rock n roll for the first time.
His research shows that as the leaders of some of the world’s strongest powers were locked in technological, military and intellectual battles, The Beatles presented a common ground for the youngsters of those countries, who shared a passion for the band which was as strong in Moscow as it was in London and New York.
Woodhead’s resultant film, ‘How The Beatles Rocked The Kremlin‘, tells the story of perhaps The Beatles’ least known, but most significant contribution to the world, as they showcased a sense of freedom which fired the imagination of a generation which would eventually break free of the shackles of the Iron Curtain when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.
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