Paul McCartney Really is Dead: The Last Testament of George Harrison
(Highway 61 Entertainment)

What this DVD is about is self-explanatory. What’s important is whether or not, from the evidence given, you believe that Paul McCartney is indeed a dead man.

The story goes that in 2005, Highway 61 Entertainment received a package with no return address, post-marked in London. Inside were two cassette tapes; the tapes were labeled with the same title as this DVD, and the voice on the tape was identical to that of George Harrison.

At first this DVD seemed instantly fake, as the narrator’s voice interpreting Harrison’s words were a bit exaggerated. The DVD claimed Paul died in a lethal car crash in 1966, and to prevent fans from killing themselves, the British Intelligence Office gave the remaining Beatles an ultimatum: Keep silent and keep playing, or abandon music completely and let down your millions of fans. While surely fans would be disappointed at the news of Paul’s demise, the film specifically and frequently used the phrase, “they would kill themselves,” which to me, seemed a bit dramatic.

Nonetheless, the Beatles chose to keep playing music in exchange for their silence, with the old Paul being replaced by a look-alike, who achieved Paul’s facial structure through multiple surgeries. The remaining Beatles would call him “Fake Paul,” or “Faul” for short.

The narrator goes on to explain the “clues” found in Beatles songs and albums which hint at Paul’s death, and this is when the DVD becomes a bit more convincing.

Even die-hard Beatles’ fans never seem to question the utter randomness of some of their lyrics and album themes; mostly it’s looked upon as sheer brilliance. This DVD goes into detail of every album made after 1966, and tells how Lennon, upset after Paul’s death, purposely inserted various clues for his fans on album covers, in song lyrics, and through the unique process of back-masking (recording a message that can be heard when the record is played backwards.)

Whether or not you believe Paul McCartney is dead, this DVD provides valuable insight into the idiosyncratic nature of Beatles’ songs, and definitely makes you wonder whether or not this information has validity.

This film was directed by Joel Gilbert. It runs at 95 minutes.