Who Buried Paul McCartney? (2005)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Wouter van Opdorp

Writer:

Wouter van Opdorp (writer)

Genre:

Documentary | Short

Tagline:

The Story That Swept the World

Plot:

In the late sixties the news about the death of Paul McCartney swept the world. But did Paul really die? This documentary explores the true story behind the Paul-is-dead mystery.

Plot Keywords:

Paul Mccartney | Beatles | Conspiracy Theory | Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Alex Bennett	...	Himself
Russ Gibb	...	Himself
Tim Harper	...	Himself
George Harrison	...	Himself (archive footage)
Terry Knight	...	Himself (archive footage)
Fred LaBour	...	Himself
John Lennon	...	Himself (archive footage)
Les Marshak	...	Himself
George Martin	...	Himself (archive footage)
Paul McCartney	...	Himself (archive footage)
Ringo Starr	...	Himself (archive footage)
Barry Stoller	...	Himself
Tom Zarski	...	Himself

Runtime:

Netherlands:25 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Netherlands Film and Television Academy

Trivia:

Fred LaBour is dressed as a cowboy in his interview because he's now a member of a western music group called Riders in the Sky.

Very Well-Done Documentary, But It Aches To Be Longer

I am the author of the definitive book on the so-called "Paul-Is-Dead" hoax ("Turn Me On, Dead Man" by Andru J. Reeve). This was a topic that I began to research in earnest back in 1985, finally publishing the first version of my book in 1993, with an expanded edition issued last year (2005). Like the director of this documentary (Wouter Van Opdorp), I tracked down all the principle players of this drama and interviewed them. But I went further, and uncovered additional new information (the Terry Knight connection is entirely my discovery). Plus, I discuss how the media reacted to the story, both in newspapers and on the radio (and, to a lesser degree, on television news). And I examine the impact on the culture, presenting reasons WHY the rumor started and why it spread the way that it did.

Therefore, my only complaint about "Who Buried Paul McCartney" would be that it doesn't cover the rumor with the same depth my book does. Since Wouter used my book as a source, he should've known all about the wealth of radio shows, TV news programs, etc., that he could've utilized to more completely tell the story. And this wasn't a "time" problem -- the documentary is scarcely 30 minutes in length, so it could've been expanded to feature-length (85 to 95 minutes, which also would have made it more accessible to prospective distributors).

Having said all this, it must be stressed that I really enjoyed "Who Buried Paul McCartney", and I think it certainly stands as a very important addition to the "Paul-Is-Dead" canon. And for the casual viewer, it will serve to explain a great deal of the saga and make some sense of it. However, if the viewer has seen the documentary and then thirsts for more, I hope they will seek out my book.