The Beatles Films Podcast3 Nov 2025

Paul is Dead (2000 German film)

We really enjoyed Hendrik Handloegten's 2000 film, which uses fandom and the old Paul is Dead mystery trope to great effect in a coming-of-age story. Tobias maybe has some stuff going on at home, and at 13 is on the cusp of noticing girls, and the film perfectly shows how kids get obsessed and wilfully believe outlandish things because the fantasy is more appealing than reality.

We go down the rabbit hole of the Paul is Dead theory ourselves, and ask: is there anything in it? (No, no, there isn't.)

There are other versions of the film online, but this one doesn't cut out the music: https://ok.ru/video/4866916879014
Some songs from the Paul is Dead novelty subgenre: The Ballad of Paul by The Mystery Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nFQpyAXBc0
Brother Paul by Billy Shears and the All-Americans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPUycDF-ypg
So Long Paul by Werbley Finster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuGpldj1Uog
We're All Paul Bearers by Zacherias & The Tree People: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRubiFAZS9Y
The appalling "The Last Testament of George Harrison (Paul McCartney Really Is Dead)": https://youtu.be/Rhjtly9KTqE
Other coming-of-age films we mention in which kids get obsessed with something as a reaction to family disruption: Super 8; Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; The Goonies; Boyhood. We didn't mention it but you could add Stand By Me to that list too.

Meet the Beatles Films Podcast

The Beatles Films Podcast is hosted by Matt Looker and Ed Williamson. We're both film writers and Beatles fans. Between us we've written for TheShiznit.co.uk, Total Film, Den of Geek and Virgin Media.

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