A Hard Day's Night

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie, Disappointing DVD
Review: The new Miramax release of A Hard Day's Night is a long-awaited release for Fab fans everywhere, but it let this fan down. I have the old MPI release and in this case older is better. Here's why:

1) THE FRAMING: This new widescreen release actually shows less of the picture than the old standard screen version. Compare the 2 side by side and it's obvious they made a letterbox image by cutting off the top and bottom of the picture. You get a little more on each side, but you lose more on the top and bottom than you gain.

2) THE PRINT QUALITY: It's good, but it's better on the old release. At several points throughout the film there are noticible scratches and specs that aren't on the earlier disc. Why was this "restored" anyway? It under went a highly publicized restoration for the previous release. There was even an AMC special/documentary about the restoration of AHDN and Help. The old print is cleaner and sharper.

3) THE EXTRAS: It's loaded with 'em, but most aren't worth the time. The 40 minute documentary is very good, but the entire second disc is made up of interviews with people few would care about: the movie's hairdresser, the tailor's son, actors in incredibly small parts (the croupier, the jumping dancer, the dance choreographer). Other than a few segments, mainly George Martin and Dick Lester, it's pretty dispensable. The old disc didn't have nearly as much, but it did have the trailer (missing here) and 2 newsreels actually featuring the Beatles plus an interview with Dick Lester.

4) THE SOUND: No real problems, but no real improvements either. The music has been remixed into 5.1 surround, but it's darn hard to tell. Plus for some reason there's a lot of extra reverb in the concert sequence. Why?

In short, I had my old release for sale on ebay the day this went on sale. I cancelled the auction 2 days later and kept it. The new release has fancier packaging and nice menus, but not much else to recommend it. If you can find the out-of-print MPI version, you'd be better off.

Rating:
Summary: Who authorized the audio remaster for this reissue?
Review: OK, here goes. The rantings of a musical purist, in what I hope reads somewhat like a review.

The supplemental materials on both discs are very well done. Some goodies from the previous DVD edition are missing, however (see below). Especially enlightening were the Klaus Voormann and George Martin interviews.

And the film is in WIDESCREEN! FINALLY! This Beatles geek was very excited to re - experience the new reissue of the film that many years ago changed his life.

And then, I heard the familiar opening suspended chord to the title song. I knew immediately the something was not right.

I was stunned to hear a chorus/flange effect over the entire music track. Not just on the guitars, but EVERYTHING. Cymbals, vocals, all of it. Nothing subtle at all about this effect, in the way it swoops through the frequencies. All the Beatles songs appear to be treated to the same sweeping chorus noise. For this musician, it took some of the enjoyment out of seeing the film again.

I stopped the DVD and rechecked my english audio options: 5.1 surround. No stereo mix is available on this DVD. My question then is, who OK'd this audio remaster? Why isn't there a 2 Channel mix available, or even (gulp) the original MONO?

For comparison, I put in my older MPI DVD version in the player. Stereo, punchier remix. Alas, the video on it is only reformatted for TV. Few extras on it, but I'll take that MPI's 2 channel music/dialogue mix over this new anniversary edition 5.1.

It would have been nice for Miramax/Buena Vista to have included the deleted concert track (You Can't Do That) or the '82 Reissue Prologue (I'll Cry Instead). Maybe it's on the DVD rom portion, I have not accessed it yet.

All in all, I believe that the supplemental material is what will keep me busy with this DVD. I'm indeed very disappointed with the audio remix of the film itself. In my mind, what should have been a 5 star reissue of the film itself, is now an average 3.

Tim Longfellow

Typhoon Productions
Norton, OH

Rating:
Summary: a hard days night
Review: I have looked forward to the remastered d.v.d. and as far as the actual film restoration goes for disc 1, it is brilliant.
The audio has also improved. What i am most disappointed with is disc 2, in as far as bonus footage is concerned. Where are the original 1964 trailers for the film? One has the beatles sitting in baby carriages telling us to see hard days night in our local theatre, plus there was another one made specifcally for the united states for the film release. Also, there were on set interviews made with beatles during a break in filming and an original 1964 documentary that was not included on the d.v.d.
Also, it would have been nice to compile all the behind scenes footage into one section instead of running spordically throughout all the new interviews with the cast and crew. I understand the beatles do not own this film, that is why there were no new beatle interviews with paul and ringo. Other than those moot points, it's a d.v.d. worth getting.

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable
Review: I still remember the first time I saw this film. I've been a fan of the British style of humor ever since. These guys were fearless, natural, and very talented. The documentary style of the file was a brilliant choice and Paul's Grandfather was genious. Reading the reviews posted here, there seems to a huge base of fans and just a few people who seemed to miss the point altogether. These people seem to want their entertainment served up with all the blanks filled in, a cardboard plot instead of a reflection of life. For those of us who like to think, who like to wonder, who can figure things out for ourselves, who like nuttiness combined with subtle humor and surreal images, who have open minds, and an appreciation for good music and groundbreaking film, this movie is very satisfying.

Rating:
Summary: Fake Widescreen
Review: Not that most of you will care or notice...

But the DVD IS presented in "fake widescreen," meaning that black bars have been applied to the top and bottom of the picture, actually COVERING UP some of the image.

That's why the tops of people's heads are so often chopped off, and in extreme cases, even their eyes aren't visible (see the extreme close-ups during the performance sections of the movie, or the kid watching Ringo at the end of the "parading" sequence).

Don't believe me? Just compare the full-frame footage in the "making of" specials to the film itself.

They did this to "The Last Waltz," "Touch Of Evil," and many other good films, but people don't notice it and the studios keep getting away with it. If you truly are a Beatles fan, you'll raise a ruckus, because they've marred a truly great movie.

Rating:
Summary: Back To Mono: Disney Screws Up A Classic
Review: I am a first genoration Beatle fan and I am very disappointed about the way Disney released this DVD.
First, if you are planning to hear this DVD in 2 channel stereo sound, you are out of luck. The sound is in mono when hooked up to a stereo TV or a stereo system. There is no 2 channel stereo audio track on this DVD. I would rather have a 2 channel audio track than a 5.1 French audio track. If I wanted to hear the songs that are in the film in mono, I'd listen to the CD.
Second, The DVD claims that everyone that was involved in the making of the film is interviewed for this DVD. Everyone involved is intervewed except... the Beatles. There are no interviews with the Beatles talking about the film, not even in various press confrence footage.
I also noticed that this two DVD set wasn't released in
co-operation with Apple Corp. Ltd., the Beatles company that releases Beatles merchandise.
Ohter than these two very big problems, this two DVD set is great.
But if you are a hardcore Beatle fan like me and want to hear this movie in 2 channel stereo sound, avoid this DVD and look for a copy of this film on VHS tape from MPI Home Video. At least this copy is in stereo Sound.

Rating:
Summary: Pass on this version of A Hard Day's Night
Review: The film is brilliant. We all know that. The big question was how would it fare in it's latest digital incarnation. Not very well, I'm afraid. For starters, pass on this version of AHDN until they fix the sound. It's mono, which is fine because the film was originally, but the music sounds horrible. The heavy compression makes it sound like they've put a huge amount of flanger on the whole audio track. I thought John only spent one scene in the bathtub. It sounds like the entire music score was recorded in the bathtub, under water.

The extras are nice. Nice interviews with actors and actresses and technical people who worked on the film, but how often will you watch that. All interviews are very informative, but not enough to make you forget what is missing. How about the Phil Collins hosted "You Can't Do That"? How about the You Can't Do That performance? How about the extras that are on the MPI VHS version? It just makes me think about what could have been.

Now the picture? It's LBX. It wasn't originally. It adds a little on the sides, but crops too much on the top and bottom. Full screen is fine. Even a video file would rather have the full aspect ratio rather than loosing more than what is gained.

Stay away from this release and hold on to your VHS or LD versions until the audio is corrected.

Rating:
Summary: How Dare They!!!
Review: I just purchased the DVD of A Hard Days Night by The Beatles. I've have been waiting with anticipation for this DVD for quite some time. I was appauled when I put the disc in and found that the top and bottom off of the film to make it appear as though it's in a widescreen format. I've been viewing this film for years and to see the tops of the Beatles heads cut off throughout the movie is frustrating, disappointing and quite unforgivable. The distributors could have simply offered the viewer a choice by placing both of the versions (the shameless chopped version and the original full screen version) on the disc as is available with so many DVD's. Instead they've opted to change history and not for the better in my opinion. What were theye thinking. Did the Beatles approve this and feel it was a good idea to make a wonderful movie unwatchable?

I can't believe that I've read all of the other reviews on this site and no one has noticed this. I viewed my original video and compared it to the new improved DVD and there seems to be alot of the tops of the Beatles heads missing on the DVD. Appaulling!!... My only hope is that they release a full screen version of the DVD at a later date. Otherwise about 25% of history has just been rewritten. I guess George Orwell was right, history is remanufatured everyday and no one even notices. Ah, the days of Oceana.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT Picture! GREAT Sound! Packaging STINKS!
Review: This is a BEAUTIFUL transfer of the film and GREAT to see LETTER-BOXED! The sound, especially on the songs is prestine! When the DVD was first advertised, it was pictured with a wonderful cover featuring elements of the original one-sheet movie poster. I can't understand why MIRIMAX would chose to re-design the cover in this very un-attractive and disfunctional cover? Did they think they could improve on the original 1964 Movie poster? These kind of things always amaze me. It was probably decided by a focus group of non-fans? A Small complaint to a GREAT DVD! I will be glueing the one-sheet (Reduced of course) over the front of this box. Rick Goldschmidt RANKINBASS HISTORIAN

Rating:
Summary: Fab -- A very clean old movie
Review: "A Hard Day's Night" makes most critics' best-ever lists. It's widely considered an electrifying mix of great music and hip comedy, both a time capsule of the swinging '60s and a timeless entertainment. Roger Ebert calls it "one of the great life-affirming landmarks of the movies."

Respect hasn't led to respectful treatment. Legal wrangling followed "A Hard Day's Night" throughout its home video life, resulting in oddities like the "tribute to John Lennon" musical prologue tacked on for VHS. The first DVD version, from MPI in 1997, disappeared after a few months of distribution.

Here, finally, is an up-to-date rendition worthy of the film.

"A Hard Day's Night" looks and sounds about as good as could be expected. The carefully lit black-and-white images should please most viewers -- even though they're on the flat side, with persistent minor speckling. The stereophonic songs swing as they must, smoking the tracks on Capitol's (shamefully outdated) soundtrack CD. (The MPI video had significantly worse sound but deeper contrasts.) Try this: Put on the Capitol version of "Tell Me Why" and then play the movie version. Perhaps Capitol can tell us why they continue to sell 15 year old Beatles CDs.

The film, shot in 35mm, is presented in widescreen, letterboxed with a ratio of about 1.66:1, enhanced for 16x9 televisions. The spiffed-up audio comes via Dolby Digital, with the musical numbers in stereo.

The first disc contains the movie as well as "Things They Said Today," a new promo film that gives the big picture. The second disc is all interviews, arranged by category (cast, crew, etc.).

Martin Lewis, a Beatles historian and pal to most of the filmmakers, conducted 30 video interviews for the package. They include key players -- Martin, director Richard Lester, United Artists exec David Picker, cinematographer Gilbert Taylor ("Star Wars") and Beatles publicist Tony Barrow -- as well as those who were just lucky to find themselves working on a film project "at the center of the universe."

The reminiscences get infusions of energy from upbeat clips, some amplifying the talkers' points and others making Beatle-esque visual jokes. The production was extensively filmed and photographed, with hours of that material first seen in this collection. The interviews are tightly edited, surprisingly focused and often a great deal of fun. It becomes clear that contributing to the film profoundly changed the lives of most of these people.