It's good but there's still not even close to definitive. Dave's inclusion in the anniversary was really nice because interviews went into everything at the beginning. For instance, Dave's description of he and Carl bringing the rock guitar into the equation shows the actual progression while this doc (and most others) show it as Murry > Four Freshmen > Surfin > Surfin' Safari but without explanation, that last jump comes out of nowhere.
Another one that always gets me is if that progression (Brian's first exposure to music > Brian learns harmonies > first original song > Rock And Roll band) is true, where does "Surfer Girl" (the "first" song Brian wrote) fit into the equation? Methinks it's just another "Dave replaced Al, who later replaced Dave" example of clear press shorthand, turning into gospel over time.
I've heard some people speculate that "Surfer Girl" was the first song Brian wrote the music AND words for but if that's the case, what's the deal with "Little Surfer Girl" from the 93 box set? Yes, it's just a snippet but surely there was more. Recording one line without any harmony wasn't Brian's usual thing back then. And does anyone know where it came from? Is it a home recording? Was it done at the Morgans' place? World Pacific? Western?
EVERY BB doc goes into great detail about the formation of the band, up through "Surfin'", then paints with a very wide brush until Bruce joins, goes into even greater detail for Pet Sounds, "Good Vibrations", and Smile, and then pretty much skips or switches back to an even wider brush until Endless Summer (with more recent docs repeating the last step with an even WIDER brush, touchong only on the Wilson brothers' death and "Kokomo"), and tops it off with a resolution.
Sunflower is usually touched upon because it's such a favorite of the band but the only documentary or career overview to even mention Ricky and Blondie was Endless Harmony and even there, it wound up as a "deleted scene". (Not surprising, since most of them fail to mention David either!)
Sad to say tho, the reason why the Beatles got such an in depth look (over roughly a ten year period) is twofold: 1) They never delivered a "bunt". The only "failures" they ever had were "Strawberry Fields Forever" "only" reaching number two on the charts, the critical response to the Magical Mystery Tour film (though the soundtrack was still a huge success), and the Yellow Submarine soundtrack being kept from the top spot by the white album! And 2) Their history is PERFECT in a narrative setting: Introduction (formation, Hamburg, success), Conflict (experimentation, pushing boundaries, no longer touring), Climax (Brian's death, MMT "failing", Yoko/white album/falling out), Resolution ("And in the end, the love you take.....")
So as much as I'd love to see a film project that really covered Wild Honey, Holland, Spring, and even Summer In Paradise and Home Improvement, we just have to accept that it's just no worth it for any producer out there to EVER make it happen.
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