1964
Directed by Richard Lester
This is such a strange movie and I can't see anything like this being made today. The film stars The Beatles as themselves, though it is scripted, and follows a "typical" day in the lives of the singers, which apparently for Ringo includes getting arrested with Paul's grandfather.
Okay, seriously, who doesn't like the Beatles? I feel like if someone told me they didn't like their music, it would take a lot of convincing on their side to make me believe they weren't simply trying to be contrarian. And, although this is more of a topic for my music blog, A Hard Day's Night was one of their best albums and with this film we get to experience all of our favorite songs. On a side note: Rubber Soul will always be my favorite Beatles album.
Surprisingly, this isn't just random clips of our favorite superstars with a Beatles album playing in the background. It actually works great as a comedy and I was laughing out loud at several points in the film. The experience was a bit bittersweet since the happy camaraderie between the four of them clearly didn't last.
I have never seen one of the concert movies on current singers which are quite popular now but I can pretty much guarantee that they are nothing like this, which is a damn shame.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
The people chasing The Beatles at the beginning are actual fans.
Ringo was heavily hungover during the canal scene.
Trailer:
I loved this movie and now your review is making me want to see it again! It was silly and strange and funny! Good review. :)
ReplyDeleteRingo did look hung over in those scenes. It actually explains quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteLoved this movie. It does indeed make you happy.
More Steptoe and Son on the movie blog!! What on earth did American audiences make of the running joke about Paul's grandfather being very clean?
ReplyDeleteI like Rubber Soul. Not sure that the corresponding album to this was much better than 'fairly good'. Going further off topic for a moment, isn't Sergeant Pepper very overrated? I remember seeing an exhaustive list of the greatest albums ever made on television which had it at No. 5 and I was thinking "It's not even the 5th best Beatles album!"
Anyway, I quite liked the film. They've all got enough wit and personality to get by even if none of them are really owning their scenes. BTW, wasn't it a bit odd that "the talent" they're trying to chat up on the train are all schoolgirls in uniform?
Does Spiceworld count as a film like this being made today?
Just throwing this out there, but is this film basically 8 1/2 remade with four scousers?
Some good points raised there Dessie...
ReplyDeleteI guess Sergeant pepper has dated, badly..
Stunningly new and innovative in it's day .. but now? When did I less play it? No idea... probably not in 20 years...
Oh 'Spice world' is decidedly the modern day equivalent .. Which is decidedly a comment on the modern world.. but, I guess, at least without the 'sexy school girl' trope...
As for a remake of 81/2. .. mmmmm.. see your point, but I'd say pushing it a bit...