Rating: 
Summary: Best Music Video of All Time
Review: This classic is a "must" for any DVD collection. END
Rating:
Summary: The quintessential rock 'n' roll film
Review: One of the greatest rock 'n' roll movies ever made. This was the best film the Beatles ever made, having both an excellent script and terrific music. The film shows an exaggerated day in the life of Beatlemania, with all the hilarious hijinks and superb music that entailed. END
Rating: 
Summary: Seriously Lacks Originality
Review: An overrated band starring in an overrated documentary. I was under the impression that the goal of a film such as this was to convey a sense of time and place, and realism, but apparently the cliched "flop tops" couldn't be bothered for that. In 90 minutes, these third-rate musicians skip a television rehearsal almost ruining the entire program, neglect responding to fan mail, harass their manager, harass young women, harass old women, harass the police, encourage school drop-out, endanger the elderly, and let's not forget play horrible generic pop music (which is obviously lip-synched, completely destroying any realism the director might have been going for). I'm surprised they weren't arrested, seeing as how all of their deeds were caught on film. If anyone had a Hard Day's Night from this film, it was me from the nightmares I had after seeing it. God bless Aaron Carter - now there's a candidate for a documentary!
Rating: 
Summary: A highly creative classic: the original music video
Review: "A Hard Day's Night" is one of those movies that never seems as dated as one would expect, primarily because the artistic vision and the social documentary behind it are so unique. The plot can only loosely be called a story: the Beatles are trying to get ready for a televised appearance, but distractions and obstacles abound. The running gag of Paul's grandfather is both humorous and absurd, tucked around the adventures of the Fab Four like a commercial break. Although the music may not be as crisp as one might like, you can always listen to the recordings on CD. The real reason for viewing this film is for the revolutionary cinematography and concept. (I had forgotten how avant-garde the field sequence was; it alone is worth watching this movie.) Part documentary, part musical, part comedy - "A Hard Day's Night" succeeds on levels no one at the time thought possible.Don't buy this for the special features; they are only mildly interesting. Buy it for the film itself.
Rating:
Summary: An Original
Review: This could have been a "B" movie exploitation film of a short lived pop group. Instead, it turned out to be the precursor to MTV and music videos, shows what made the Beatles so much fun and manages to play a few of their great tunes at the same time. The plot is minimal, consisting of the Beatles entourage getting the Beatles to a live television show on which the Beatles are to perform. Nearly from the beginning to the end, the Beatles are chased by pimple faced young teens, the police, their handlers, and everyone else. And throughout the film, Paul's grandfather, played by William Brambell (a very clean old man), keeps stirring up problems. The nominal plot allows the Beatles natural likeability to shine. This film established the personas of the individual Beatles (as portrayed to the media) -- Paul -- straightforward and good natured, John -- incessantly sarcastic, George -- subtle with a dry sense of humor, and Ringo -- quiet, shy and introspective. The movie is irreverent, inventive, funny, droll, deadpan, filled with non-stop movement, and some great, if dated, rock-n-roll! A wonderful film showing the exuberance of youth, the innocence of an earlier time, and Beatlemania in all its glory! The DVD's extras include interviews with about everyone still living who participated in the film except the surviving Beatles. While it is nice to have all of the insiders reminiscing about the film, it would have been nice to hear from some of the Fab Four.
Rating:
Summary: And Why Wasn't I Alive in '64???
Review: Critiquing this film as a piece of cinema, and not as a collection of Beatles tunes is a difficult task. Richard Lester creates some truly beautiful black and white images. Though sometimes the camera can't seem to find its focus. And the images obviously taken on a helicopter as they boys play in the grass outside the television studio shake wildly and distract from the fun being had. The boys, though essentially playing themselves still play it a little stiff as if they are not sure how, exactly, to be themselves. The jokes, for the most part, are still funny, and what little plot there is, still works to give a glimpse into what it was like to be a band on the verge of universal stardom.
To take the movie without the songs is well beyond the point, though. The movie is essentially a market ploy to get the songs heard via a different media. One might not be so forgiving if the songs were not any good, but the music shines throughout. The title song that starts the movie off starts with a struuuum that is instantly recognizable and jumps out and smack you in the face. That is followed by what is arguably the Beatles best tunes. When you add in such songs as: I Should Have Known Better, Tell Me Why, I'm Happy Just to Dance with You, the simple, sweet "If I Fell" and the sing along favorite "Can't Buy Me Love" to the soundtrack then you have a musical that is just shy of remarkable.
The movie was released just before the Beatles came to America and appeared on Ed Sullivan which brought on the madness known as Beatlemania. By this time they were extremely popular as can be seen in the crowds reaction while the boys sings on the television show. It is still shocking to see images of teenage girls screaming, crying and shaking in a manner previously only known to the Pentecostal religion. The soundtrack periodically allow the girls screaming to take over the music allowing us to glimpse what it must have been like to be there. No wonder the boys gave up playing live shortly thereafter.
A Hard Days Night is an excellent glimpse of the Beatles on the cusp of World Stardom. This was before the summer of love, drugs, and the sitar where the Beatles were just trying to be the best band in the world and writing songs that made them so. It is a joy to see them cutting up and being their goofy, hilarious selves. I dare you not to sing and dance along as you watch it.
Rating:
Summary: The first time I saw this, I was about to bust a gut.
Review: A Hard Day's Night is a Beatles classic, and it was high time for it to be spruced up as it is now. With tons of extra stuff, this is just all a Beatles fan could want.
But about the plot, this film is a whole movie of goofs and inside jokes thrown in with some songs. This is why it's funny and influential in it's own little way. The Byrds for example found great inspiration for what they wanted their band to be like after seeing this film.
My only disturbance is that I just don't get some of the jokes, but hey it's still good (and maybe being British helps a bit, although maybe not.)
If you love the Beatles then you'll love this, otherwise you should still like it.
Rating:
Summary: I'm using my dad's account again... THIS MOVIE ROCKS
Review: BUY THIS MOVIE NOW. That's all I have to say. It has the humor of every single Beatle, and it ROCKS. Paul's grandfather is really funny, and the way they handle him cracks me up. This movie is A CLASSIC. IT IS A MUST NEED. It has hit songs AND awesome quotes. Buy it. It's worth every penny.
"I now declare this bringe open." -John
"If you've lost him, I'll cripple ya!" -Paul
"You're a grown man and you've never used a safety razor?!" -George
"But I'm Ringo Starr! I've got a show to go to! I'm Ringo!" -Ringo. "You know how much I've heard that?" -officer
...and so many more fabulous quotes. Buy it for the comedy, music, quotes AND to see those wonderful boys at it again! (and don't forget about their Liverpool accents!!)
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious
Review: I am one for British humor, like Monty Python. When I saw this movie it had me in stitches, especially with John! He was completely wacky, flirty and I love the tape measuring scene. This is a must see movie for any Beatles fan. Filmed during the hype of Beatlemania. Also just as good the Yellow Submarine, though for some it will seem a little strange. You have to look at it with an artistic view to fully appreciate it.
Rating:
Summary: Mr.Cranky? but seriously...
Review: I don't know if Mr. Cranky is for real of if this is supposed to be humor. If it's humor, it's about as stale as the line that some people cling on to: "did you know that Paul McCartney was in a different band before Wings?"
I don't have anything to compare other than my VHS copies (1988 and 1998 versions, I think). What I'm going by is the film itself, which I saw for the first time when I was 11. It came on TV, and it was the first time I remember being glued to the set and cursing the commercials to be over and the program to resume. I am also going by my feeling that there is no rock and roll movie better than this. The Kids Are Alright is a great film as well, but that's more of a documentary.
A Hard Day's Night captures John, Paul, George, and Ringo at the point in their career as Beatles when they were so busy and frantic that they didn't have time to pose or fake anything. What you see is natural charm, and a magic of film making. And this is the amazing thing, because it was directed by Dick Lester, the same director of Cuba, one of the worst films I have ever seen - it ranks right in there with the flat acting in The Flamingo kid.
A Hard Day's Night is the reason why all the films about the Beatles fail. It is absurd to try and recreate any performance scene, because the Beatles were an aberration. The excitement was real, the talent was difficult to match, their humor was fairly natural, and their charm went hand in hand with an excellent script.
If you're serious about music, and you have an understanding that rock and roll is about angst, energy, rebellion, and fun as well, then you'll appreciate this film as the classic that it is. If not, then maybe West Side Story is more your speed.
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