A Hard Day’s Night
Criterion Collection Edition #711
Directed by Richard Lester • 1964 • United Kingdom
Meet the Beatles! Just one month after they exploded onto the U.S. scene with their Ed Sullivan Show appearance, John, Paul, George, and Ringo began working on a project that would bring their revolutionary talent to the big screen. A HARD DAY’S NIGHT, in which the bandmates play cheeky comic versions of themselves, captured the astonishing moment when they officially became the singular, irreverent idols of their generation and changed music forever. Directed with raucous, anything-goes verve by Richard Lester and featuring a slew of iconic pop anthems, including the title track, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “I Should Have Known Better,” and “If I Fell,” A HARD DAY’S NIGHT, which reconceived the movie musical and exerted an incalculable influence on the music video, is one of the most deliriously entertaining movies of all time.
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A Hard Day’s Night
Directed by Richard Lester • 1964 • United Kingdom
Meet the Beatles! Just one month after they exploded onto the U.S. scene with their Ed Sullivan Show appearance, John, Paul, George, and Ringo began working on a project that would bring their revolutionary talent to the big screen. A HARD DAY’S...
Extras
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A HARD DAY’S NIGHT Commentary
This audio commentary was created from material produced by Martin Lewis in 2002 and features actors John Junkin, David Janson, and Jeremy Lloyd; cinematographer Gilbert Taylor; associate producer Denis O’Dell; second assistant director Barrie Melrose; and assistant editors Pamela Tomling and Roy...
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In Their Own Voices
This piece combines 1964 interviews with the Beatles with behind-the-scenes footage and photos.
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You Can’t Do That: The Making of A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
A 1994 documentary by producer Walter Shenson including an outtake performance by the Beatles.
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Things They Said Today
A 2002 documentary about the film featuring Lester, music producer George Martin, screenwriter Alun Owen, and cinematographer Gilbert Taylor.
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The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film
Directed by Richard Lester • 1959 • United Kingdom
This film, directed by Richard Lester, was shot over two Sundays in 1959 for a cost of about seventy pounds. Nominated for an Oscar for best live-action short, it features Lester, Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Graham Stark, and Bruce Lacey.
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Picturewise
This piece was written and produced by critic and filmmaker David Cairns in 2014. Narrated by actor Rita Tushingham, it looks at the influences on and impact of the early work of director Richard Lester.
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Anatomy of a Style
A piece on Richard Lester’s methods.
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The Beatles: The Road to A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
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Adam Gopnik on A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
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Brad Bird on A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
