A little masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (2 December 2005)

I was in high school in Australia when this movie was released in 1964. I was not a fan then, although I had heard of the Beatles and seen them on TV a few times. I did not become interested in music of any kind until after I first listened to "Seargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" in 1967. Within three years I had seen all the Beatles films and heard every album and single and within 5 years I was playing electric guitar and electric bass and singing in a rock-and-roll band. Their records certainly had a profound influence on me.
Two hours ago, I saw "A Hard Day's Night" on Korean television forty-one years after this film was originally released in theatres. What a wonderful, joyous, charming, wacky piece of work. It was much much better than I remembered.
A day in the life of the Beatles was almost certainly nothing like the portrayal in this "documentary-style" film shot in black and white. Even in 1964 they were well into alcohol, amphetamines and girls, so naturally all that was cleaned out or up. After all, this movie was obviously produced as a marketing medium for their music and their personalities, and what a brilliant job of directing Dick Lester did to showcase both.
It is a cleverly crafted screenplay and an amazingly effective film considering none of the band could act. As their musical recording producer George Martin has said, "I knew that their charm alone would sell them", when he was talking about why he recorded them at EMI in the first place. This film clearly illustrates what he meant.
And of course the music in "A Hard Days Night" is stunning, not to mention the reaction of the young female audience. The professionalism and skills of the band are on clear exhibit, including Ringo's much deprecated but original and innovative drumming. The Beatles in full flight.
I love this movie and will be showing it to the kids a little after the eldest one reaches the age of ten.
A ground-breaking pop classic!