A Hard Day's Night (1964)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Sophie B

  
  As a Beatles fan this was perfect for me. It shows the boys at the beginning of their fame with some of their (in my opinion) best music. Loved it.

• Alexander D

  
  The Beatles' debut feature film (well, as a group) is a masterpiece. I can't say anything about LET IT BE or YELLOW SUBMARINE, as I have not yet seen those two, but if you are trying to decide on whether to rent this or HELP!, rent this, no questions asked. It appears… More
  The Beatles' debut feature film (well, as a group) is a masterpiece. I can't say anything about LET IT BE or YELLOW SUBMARINE, as I have not yet seen those two, but if you are trying to decide on whether to rent this or HELP!, rent this, no questions asked. It appears somewhat as a black-and-white documentary, but then you see and hear a Beatles number being performed, and it's immediately a musical. If you want a good movie from rock's best band, try this. I'm sure you'll love it.

• Spencer S

  
  For the Beatles first of many kooky and quirky feel good movies, Hard Day's Night is certainly the most beautiful and well shot out of them all. Black and white, crisp and yet fragile, the shots were picked with the precision of the gods, some amazing cinematography and… More
  For the Beatles first of many kooky and quirky feel good movies, Hard Day's Night is certainly the most beautiful and well shot out of them all. Black and white, crisp and yet fragile, the shots were picked with the precision of the gods, some amazing cinematography and innovative choices in the way this was directed. The film's premise is to follow The Beatles in a day in their life, which apparently consists of screaming fans, depraved relatives wandering off and on the stage, and some freaking awesome performances. Everyone loves their music (no arguments) so even if you can't get caught up in the dry British humor and zany antics of the foursome, then you can sit back and listen to the enticing songs and accompanying scores, sometimes playing over their silent actions, and a lot of the time taking place in a recording studio or onstage amongst a flock of mod 60's brit chicks. Along for the ride is their frantic manager, a foreign television director, and Paul's sex addicted grandfather (oh yeah). They're pretty cute, attending to their wiley needs as some ruffian kids, getting picked up by the authorities very easily, the grandfather following them around, messing up their plans with the aforethought of an advanced toddler. It's a great nostalgia trip and a look into a "realistic" day in the life of the greatest band ever.

• Anthony L

  
  I like the Beatles but I think you have to be a hard core fan to enjoy this one. It is, for the best part quite frankly awful. I never thought I'd feel sorry for old Wilfrid Brambell but he doesn't deserve the abuse he gets here. It's not very funny, there are maybe one… More
  I like the Beatles but I think you have to be a hard core fan to enjoy this one. It is, for the best part quite frankly awful. I never thought I'd feel sorry for old Wilfrid Brambell but he doesn't deserve the abuse he gets here. It's not very funny, there are maybe one or two good lines but it's fairly stupid for the rest of it. Very of its time and a little dated, give me Les Bicyclettes De Belsize over this any day.

• Tim S

  
  I'm a huge fan of The Beatles, yet I hadn't seen this until now...and I loved it. It's like comort food. It's so much fun, so clever, funny and full of Beatles music that it's hard to resist. I am extremely fond of it and thanks to Richard Lester & Co.… More
  I'm a huge fan of The Beatles, yet I hadn't seen this until now...and I loved it. It's like comort food. It's so much fun, so clever, funny and full of Beatles music that it's hard to resist. I am extremely fond of it and thanks to Richard Lester & Co. for dreaming it up. :D

• AJ V

  
  This is the first Beatles movie. I love it, it's a lot of funny, a lot of comedy, a lot of Beatles songs, and of course, it's got the Beatles themselves. If you like the Beatles, you will love this movie.

• Jennifer D

  
  I'm not really sure I completely understood what was going on, but I still totally enjoyed it. Old, slightly stuffy British humor mixed with the Beatles impish behavior. (Sometimes I forget they were ever that young!) But it's nice seeing that crossed with concert footage… More
  I'm not really sure I completely understood what was going on, but I still totally enjoyed it. Old, slightly stuffy British humor mixed with the Beatles impish behavior. (Sometimes I forget they were ever that young!) But it's nice seeing that crossed with concert footage and screaming girls that honestly make you laugh. (You know it does...)

• Kyle F

  
  No doubt it's boring, but in a delightfully entertaining way. It's slightly over-the-top without being overwhelming. I can't help but find myself enchanted to follow the Beatles throughout every pointless activity they take part in.

• erika b

  
  good music

• ♥Robyn

  
  who deosnt love the beatles!!!

• Chris W

  
  Shot documentary style in gorgeous black and white, this film is a fast-paced, fun, witty, and funny look at a 'typical' day in the life of The Beatles, featuring excellent music, a funny script, and some naturalistic performances from the band. It seems weird to me that… More
  Shot documentary style in gorgeous black and white, this film is a fast-paced, fun, witty, and funny look at a 'typical' day in the life of The Beatles, featuring excellent music, a funny script, and some naturalistic performances from the band. It seems weird to me that this film was directed by the man who made Superman II, but he does a good job here. I've always preferred their later work more, but I love and enjoy all of The Beatles' stuff. Bottom line: an influential film that shouldn't be missed.

• moon r

  
  the film that made guitar music cool to the public at large ("...aren't all musicians really just nerds...") and the english, too ("...aren't all of those limeys just fag fucks?..."), if that were possible. the whole world grew it's hair long and… More
  the film that made guitar music cool to the public at large ("...aren't all musicians really just nerds...") and the english, too ("...aren't all of those limeys just fag fucks?..."), if that were possible. the whole world grew it's hair long and men heard a sound few have ever heard live: a woman screaming like she meant it...a dream come true. the gifts of this film are many and varied, but individual as fingerprints to all who see it. untouchable.

• Daniel P

  
  Hard to argue that the original madcap Beatles movie isn't incredibly influential to both the film and music industries, but it really does not age well. At least they got a lot of shots in at "stuffy old England" while shooting this extended commercial, though...… More
  Hard to argue that the original madcap Beatles movie isn't incredibly influential to both the film and music industries, but it really does not age well. At least they got a lot of shots in at "stuffy old England" while shooting this extended commercial, though... important to watch, but less fun than I was hoping for.

• Elvira B

  
  A Hard Day's Night is a fictionalized account of The Beatles' experiences during one day of touring... throughout the film, they run inside trains, escape from hordes of screaming girls, play their songs, and try to keep Paul's "grandfather" from getting into… More
  A Hard Day's Night is a fictionalized account of The Beatles' experiences during one day of touring... throughout the film, they run inside trains, escape from hordes of screaming girls, play their songs, and try to keep Paul's "grandfather" from getting into trouble. It's shot in lovely black and white, set to the world's most famous soundtrack, and full of sudued ironic humour as well as slapstick. The first thing that must be taken in consideration when reviewing AHDN, is that if you don't like The Beatles, there is no way in hell that you will like it. This film was made to publicize the group, to define each of them and create their own individual stereotypes -which remained in the public's mind all through the end of their career-, and to highlight their records. I think the idea was to take advantage of The Beatles' wit and the sort of scruffy elegance that was to them at the time: market it, make the world love them even more. The Beatles and their team were visionaries when launching this endeavor, creating at once one of the first rock movies and also preluding their later proto "video clips", pretty recognizable predecessors of music television. Other than the "visionary" quality there is to A Hard Day's Night, there is also one related to how it captures the spirit of the sixties' entertainment business: the madness, the obsession with hipness, in an almost satiric manner. There is a combination of caricaturesque and realistic characters, a juxtaposition of sanity and insanity, that makes it very endearing and very in accordance to the wild-spirited sixties; mind you, this is before the Beatles went hippy and still wore suits, and so there is <i>also</i> a charming contradiction between their overall carelessness and their well-groomed image. The jokes are funny, but subtle, and the slapstick is not overdone. The Beatles were not the world's greatest actors, but they could deliver their lines with confidence, and whenever there is an awakward moment the script is to blame, rather than the performances. Ringo, Paul, John and George seemed to be having the time of their lives: the screen lights up whenever they appear. They buy into these stereotypes of themselves mockingly, as a lark, and exploit them. They go with the speedy flow of the film like they're so happy to be there, it's contagious. The scenes on the train kick out a fascination with the four of them that is rewarded during the final concert scenes... The experience of watching A Hard Day's Night is priceless, it's like being witness to an event that changed history. In the end, A Hard Day's Night can be appreciated <b>both</b> as a classic comedy and a sixties period piece. And even despite any acting flaws, it's impossible not to fall in love with the Beatles, so do approach the film because you like their music, or because you're curious, or because you're really into the sixties. Don't, if you for some reason hate the Beatles! Because there's nothing here for you. I turned the DVD off feeling a mixture of nostalgia for a time I didn't live and for people I didn't know, and a silly inexplicable happiness. Then, I went straight to the vinyl pile in my collection.

• Lenny M

  
  Beatles could have had a serious career in Guy Ritchie movies. Amazing.

• Eric S

  
  Brilliant look at the early rush of Beatlemania. This film shows the band members eluding rampaging fans, killing time on trains and in hotels, and performing on a TV broadcast. This film lets you see how John, Paul, George, and Ringo relate, and share their brilliance as musicians… More
  Brilliant look at the early rush of Beatlemania. This film shows the band members eluding rampaging fans, killing time on trains and in hotels, and performing on a TV broadcast. This film lets you see how John, Paul, George, and Ringo relate, and share their brilliance as musicians and friends.

• Jennifer X

  
  How are the Beatles such a multitalented group? They come out of this mockumentary as a genuinely EARNEST and FUN group. I'd so want to hang out with them. And when they sing, it's like the most amazing experience in the world.

• Lafe F

  
  A load of fun! The Beatles go around the city and cause havoc. I liked how they talked to that proper gentleman on the train. A classic. It's great in black & white. As good as "The Knack and How to Get It"...

• Michael G

  
  I kept waiting for the Beatles to take off the masks and reveal they were the Marx Brothers. A great combination of music and comedy.

• Aaron N

  
  Who's that little old man?

Read all 20 featured audience ratings