A Hard Day's Night - Beatlemania At Its Height!

You can just hear it, can't you? The loud guitars, the harmonies, the screams?

The 1964 film A Hard Day's Night is a perfect portrait of the Beatles at the height of their "boyband" days; a film which many musical groups have since tried to emulate. This was the Beatles' first -- but not only -- collaboration on film with director Richard Lester. (Lester would also direct the Beatles' second flick, Help!, in 1965.)

A Hard Day's Night showcases many famous and well-loved Beatles tunes. It has been said that this film could very well be a forerunner to the modern music video. You'll probably catch yourself singing along -- just like I did -- even if you are not a huge Beatles fan. Also, the cinematography, which is all in black and white, is very lovely and elegant, and gives A Hard Day's Night an almost Film Noir kind of quality. Does it get any better than the shots of the Beatles jumping around in that field? I don't think so! hehe!

But despite all the music montages and stylized filmography, don't go thinking that this is just a feature-film-length music video. The movie has an actual plot to it, too. It's supposed to chronicle "a day in the life" of the Fab Four, in which they are appearing on a television program. There are, however, a few liberties taken. For example, the addition of the fictitious character of Paul's Irish grandfather (played by Wilfrid Brambell).

A Hard Day's Night is also laden with a lot of really good laughs. Paul's grandfather is a total hoot (being the "king mixer" that he is). But so are the Beatles themselves. In fact, the Beatles' performances in this film have garnered them several comparisons to the Marx Brothers. (The standout to me, of course, is my favorite -- John -- but I may be biased! hehe!)

And at the same time, it also demonstrates the tediousness of the Beatles' celebrity. Like in the scene at the press conference, in which you hear a lot of repetition from the Beatles of the same lines and jokes, and the same questions from the reporters. Paul's grandfather also makes the same kind of complaint. "So far, I've been in a train and a room and a car and a room and a room and a room ... I feel decidedly straitjacketed!"

A Hard Day's Night is a great film for anyone -- whether you're a Beatles fan or not. Come for the music, and stay for the laughs!