Film 80 in the "1001 Films to See Before You Die" challenge is 1964's "A Hard Day's Night". Staring The Beatles! I have two reasons for why I wanted to watch this. One was because it's been sat on my V+ Box since July! And because I wanted an excuse to listen to some Beatles music. This was very enjoyable to watch. From their comedic antics to their stage show at the end of the film. This film has been described as "The Citizen Kane of Jukebox Musicals". I'm not quite sure what that means. Is this saying that this is the greatest musical films ever? I don't know as I have yet to see Citizen Kane. Many critics have compared the comedy in this film to the likes of The Marx Brothers from the 1930's. As someone who has yet to see a Marx Brothers film, but has one or two that have made the 1001 films list, I can't really comment on that. When the film was released in 1964, George Harrison has this to say about the film, "None of us think we're good actors, but we're quite happy with the film considering it's our first. It could have been a lot worse." This would be the first of two films director Richard Lester did with The Beatles as they went on to make "Help!" the next year. Prior to this, Lester was known for having directed a television version of the successful BBC radio series "The Goon Show" as well as the off-beat 1959 short film "The Running, Jumping and Standing Still Film" staring Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan. Even though the working title was "The Beatles", the band's name is never mentioned in the film. If you have seen this film or any other film The Beatles did, then let me know your thoughts on them in the comments. Here is what I had to say while watching 1964's "A Hard Day's Night"
Film - A Hard Day's Night
Year - 1964
Director - Richard Lester
Staring - The Beatles
IMDb Rating - 7.7/10
My Rating - 8/10
Length - 87 min (1h 27min)
Genre - Comedy, Music
"It's Been A Hard Day's Night"
So this is Beatlemania!!!
Let's hide in these phoneboxes
Just realised that there's three of them! Where's the other one?
Did Paul always have a goatee in the mid 60s?
Hello old man!
It's Paul's Grandfather
Think John's bought that he has a broken heart
Hello Shake!
Hello manager!
John! Stop snorting coke (cola)
Bugger off, that's my arm rest
There's four of us and one of you! We have more rights than you
Did John just ask this man for a kiss?
How did they get outside the train?
Manager, Grandfather, Shake and The Beatles have a chat
Sign these photos!
I have no idea what George is saying
Grandfather's down the "you know where"
Ringo thinks Grandfather hates him
Back in the 60s you could smoke on trains
Grandfather's been found
And Paul's locked him in a cage with all the luggage... and dogs
Fancy a game of 52 card pick up
Unfortunately, as I'm too young, I have no idea what Beatles song is playing
Isn't it a bit risky leaving all your musical instruments in the luggage racks
Don't touch the hair!
Is this song meant to serrenade these schoolgirls?
Time to hide from the girls
GET TO THE CAR!!!!
You left Shake behind!!! And your instruments!
Time to relax
Time to mock Ringo's nose
One fan mail for Ringo
Nope! There's more!
Ringo gets an invite to a gambling game!
Grandfather steals it
Grandfather's eyeing up that butler
Time to hit the club rather than write fan mail
Grandfather's wearing the butler's suit!!! At Ringo's gambling game!!!
No one at this nightclub can dance
Here comes Manager and Shake to spoil everything!
George finds the butler in the cupboard in his underwear
TO THE ORGY!!!!
Grandfather only went and won £180!!!
John's like a little kid in the bath playing with toys
Shake asks George how to shake
John meanwhile sings "Rule Britania"
How did John get out of the bath without being spotted
All those fans and not one of them gave a penny to that hobo
Anyone for a tiny ham sandwich?
Paul's still going on about Ringo's nose in the interview
"How did you find America? Tell that to Greenland"
I'm assuming John wrote something rude on that notepad
George says the hairstyle is called "Arthur"
You breath on drumkit and I'll murder you
Now John's being a pest while setting up
Is this considered sound check if the TV crew is still getting set up?
Fuck sake George, don't wreck your kit! - Leave that to The Who
Tell the band to bugger off! And get my tranquilizer darts!
Leslie Jackson!
Let's escape through the fire escape!!!
"Can't Buy Me Love" plays
I'm being attacked by my jacket!!!
"You look like John Lennon" - I AM JOHN LENNON!!!!
"You don't like him at all" - Well you just lost yourself a chance of having a shag with Lennon
George winds up in a modeling agency
Me and the lads wrote rude letter to your model
Meanwhile at a German Musical
Grandfather finds himself backstage copying signatures of Paul & John
Stop being a teacher's pet, Ringo
This director is wearing a horrible jumper
John has it easy in this performance and can sit down for it
"And I Love Her" is the song for soundcheck
Now I've found the Wiki page for the film, I now know the order of the songs
Grandfather's upset about being stuck in rooms
Who's idea was it for everyone to share the same stage?
"I'm Happy Just to Dance with You"
I always thought Paul's bass guitar was always oddly shaped
"I'm a drummer! Not a babysitter"
How to made a cut look worse than it does - Pour tomato ketchup on it!
Grandfather tells Ringo off for not being a ladies man and for reading
He then tells Ringo to step up for himself and take credit for being a drummer
George tells Paul and John about everything and go after Ringo
Ringo's done off for a spot of photographing the scenery... and buying coats
Why does she sound like Alvin Chipmunk?
Shit!! I've dropped my camera in the river
He's now having a fight with a 10 year old over a tyre
He now mates with him
Grandfather apologises to Manager for upsetting Ringo
"God knows what you've unleashed on The South"
You bastard! You've smashed my pint!
Ringo is shit at darts!!!
That gets him kicked out!
I'm arresting him for kicking fruit
Manager just blames John for everything
Who's side are you on, Shake?
Grandfather's selling forged photos to fans
Does placing coats over puddles really work?
Ringo been arrested!
Grandfather's attacking the police in jail!
I know you've just been arrested but do you fancy a cup of tea?
Grandfather's done a runner!
6p each to mess with the police!!!
Grandfather tells everyone where Ringo is
"Can't Buy Me Love" plays again as Ringo escapes jail
I'm glad you lot have the police busy! I'm gonna steal this car
If you didn't come back, they would have played The Welsh News... IN WELSH!!!
John tells Grandfather off for upsetting Ringo
How are they meant to hear what they're playing them everyone in the theatre is screaming?
Time for the live concert
Stop messing with the TV settings
The song from earlier that I didn't know "I Should Have Known Better" plays
A live concert where they only play four songs
Grandfather was handcuffed to Shake but he's escaped!
He's found the trap door in the stage!
Straight from the stage to Wolverhampton via helicopter
"A Hard Day's Night" plays as photos of the band are dropped from the helicopter as they leave
THE END
Film - A Hard Day's Night
Year - 1964
Director - Richard Lester
Staring - The Beatles
IMDb Rating - 7.7/10
My Rating - 8/10
Length - 87 min (1h 27min)
Genre - Comedy, Music
"It's Been A Hard Day's Night"
So this is Beatlemania!!!
Let's hide in these phoneboxes
Just realised that there's three of them! Where's the other one?
Did Paul always have a goatee in the mid 60s?
Hello old man!
It's Paul's Grandfather
Think John's bought that he has a broken heart
Hello Shake!
Hello manager!
John! Stop snorting coke (cola)
Bugger off, that's my arm rest
There's four of us and one of you! We have more rights than you
Did John just ask this man for a kiss?
How did they get outside the train?
Manager, Grandfather, Shake and The Beatles have a chat
Sign these photos!
I have no idea what George is saying
Grandfather's down the "you know where"
Ringo thinks Grandfather hates him
Back in the 60s you could smoke on trains
Grandfather's been found
And Paul's locked him in a cage with all the luggage... and dogs
Fancy a game of 52 card pick up
Unfortunately, as I'm too young, I have no idea what Beatles song is playing
Isn't it a bit risky leaving all your musical instruments in the luggage racks
Don't touch the hair!
Is this song meant to serrenade these schoolgirls?
Time to hide from the girls
GET TO THE CAR!!!!
You left Shake behind!!! And your instruments!
Time to relax
Time to mock Ringo's nose
One fan mail for Ringo
Nope! There's more!
Ringo gets an invite to a gambling game!
Grandfather steals it
Grandfather's eyeing up that butler
Time to hit the club rather than write fan mail
Grandfather's wearing the butler's suit!!! At Ringo's gambling game!!!
No one at this nightclub can dance
Here comes Manager and Shake to spoil everything!
George finds the butler in the cupboard in his underwear
TO THE ORGY!!!!
Grandfather only went and won £180!!!
John's like a little kid in the bath playing with toys
Shake asks George how to shake
John meanwhile sings "Rule Britania"
How did John get out of the bath without being spotted
All those fans and not one of them gave a penny to that hobo
Anyone for a tiny ham sandwich?
Paul's still going on about Ringo's nose in the interview
"How did you find America? Tell that to Greenland"
I'm assuming John wrote something rude on that notepad
George says the hairstyle is called "Arthur"
You breath on drumkit and I'll murder you
Now John's being a pest while setting up
Is this considered sound check if the TV crew is still getting set up?
Fuck sake George, don't wreck your kit! - Leave that to The Who
Tell the band to bugger off! And get my tranquilizer darts!
Leslie Jackson!
Let's escape through the fire escape!!!
"Can't Buy Me Love" plays
I'm being attacked by my jacket!!!
"You look like John Lennon" - I AM JOHN LENNON!!!!
"You don't like him at all" - Well you just lost yourself a chance of having a shag with Lennon
George winds up in a modeling agency
Me and the lads wrote rude letter to your model
Meanwhile at a German Musical
Grandfather finds himself backstage copying signatures of Paul & John
Stop being a teacher's pet, Ringo
This director is wearing a horrible jumper
John has it easy in this performance and can sit down for it
"And I Love Her" is the song for soundcheck
Now I've found the Wiki page for the film, I now know the order of the songs
Grandfather's upset about being stuck in rooms
Who's idea was it for everyone to share the same stage?
"I'm Happy Just to Dance with You"
I always thought Paul's bass guitar was always oddly shaped
"I'm a drummer! Not a babysitter"
How to made a cut look worse than it does - Pour tomato ketchup on it!
Grandfather tells Ringo off for not being a ladies man and for reading
He then tells Ringo to step up for himself and take credit for being a drummer
George tells Paul and John about everything and go after Ringo
Ringo's done off for a spot of photographing the scenery... and buying coats
Why does she sound like Alvin Chipmunk?
Shit!! I've dropped my camera in the river
He's now having a fight with a 10 year old over a tyre
He now mates with him
Grandfather apologises to Manager for upsetting Ringo
"God knows what you've unleashed on The South"
You bastard! You've smashed my pint!
Ringo is shit at darts!!!
That gets him kicked out!
I'm arresting him for kicking fruit
Manager just blames John for everything
Who's side are you on, Shake?
Grandfather's selling forged photos to fans
Does placing coats over puddles really work?
Ringo been arrested!
Grandfather's attacking the police in jail!
I know you've just been arrested but do you fancy a cup of tea?
Grandfather's done a runner!
6p each to mess with the police!!!
Grandfather tells everyone where Ringo is
"Can't Buy Me Love" plays again as Ringo escapes jail
I'm glad you lot have the police busy! I'm gonna steal this car
If you didn't come back, they would have played The Welsh News... IN WELSH!!!
John tells Grandfather off for upsetting Ringo
How are they meant to hear what they're playing them everyone in the theatre is screaming?
Time for the live concert
Stop messing with the TV settings
The song from earlier that I didn't know "I Should Have Known Better" plays
A live concert where they only play four songs
Grandfather was handcuffed to Shake but he's escaped!
He's found the trap door in the stage!
Straight from the stage to Wolverhampton via helicopter
"A Hard Day's Night" plays as photos of the band are dropped from the helicopter as they leave
THE END