Beatles Movies

As stupid and brainless as the Beatles' movies may be, they are still some of the best known and loved movies of all time. Even today, 35 years after the release of thier first movie, the Beatles' movies are quoted, copied and shown on a regular basis. Here are my personal summaries and comments on all the Beatles' movies. (Keep in mind that I have only seen 3 of them once.)

A Hard Day's Night
(1964)

The first Beatle movie appeared in March of 1964. It was brainless and funny. They ran from thier screaming fans through the whole movie!!

It was produced in black and white. It's original title was Beatlemania. After a hard day of work on the set, the tired Ringo flopped down on a couch in the Beatles' trailer and exclaimed, "A hard day's night." John was immediatly inspired by this "Ringoism" and ran home to write the theme song for the movie before Paul. The next day John presented director Richard Lester with the song and the movie's title was changed from Beatlemania to A Hard Day's Night.

It was also during this movie that George met his first wife, Patti Boyd. He was turned on by her charm and beauty. It would be about 2 years or more before they were actually married. Also during the filming of A Hard Days Night director Richard Lester got to know the Beatles and learned their personalities quickly. This would be something that would clue him into their drug use during the filming of Help! a year later.

(1965)

"Help!, the follow-up film to the Beatles' fantastically successful A Hard Day's Night, is a fun-filled adventure that takes us back to a simpler era - a time when the Beatles and a whole generation took themselves less seriously....

Help! follows The Fab Four on a worldwide jaunt around the globe. When a fan sends Ringo an ancient sacrifical ring that becomes stuck on his finger, he becomes targeted by a group of hilariously demented Oriental mystics, as well as an ambitious scientist who has his own plans for the ring. ON the run, the Beatles are chasedfrom London to the Swiss Alps to the Bahamas, outwitting their pursuers, singing great songs and having a ball."

(This was taken from the video box. Help! is my favorite Beatles movie.)

Original Film Soundtrack:

Help!
You're Gonna Lose That Girl
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
Ticket to Ride
I Need You
Another Girl
The Night Before

(1967)

"AWAY IN THE SKY, beyond the clouds, live 4 or 5 Magicians. By casting WONDERFUL SPELLS they turn the Most Ordinary Coach Trip into a MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR. If you let yourself go, the Magicians will take you away to marvellous places.
Maybe YOU'VE been on a MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR without even realising it.
Are you ready to go?
SPLENDID!"

Magical Mystery Tour was released on BBC television on Boxing Day 1967. It was critical flop. Paul was quoted in saying, "You can hardly call the queen's speech a gas," after hearing the hard criticism. *?* Magical Mystery Tour was also the first Beatle movie NOT arranged by their manager Brian Epstien. He died of a sleeping pill overdose a few months previous. Although all the Beatles took credit in making the film, it was produced, directed, and written mostly by Paul. The U.S. album seemed to do better criticaly than the movie.

Magical Mystery Tour is best watched "high or drunk" (thank you for that inspiring quote Eddie Hatcher). It's wierd and hard to follow. But....the Bus is awesome!

Songs and Music from Magical Mystery Tour starring the Beatles:

Magical Mystery Tour
The Fool on the Hill
Flying
Blue Jay Way
Your Mother Should Know
I Am the walrus

Songs Also Included on the U.S. Album:

Hello Goodbye
Strawberry Fields Forever
Penny Lane
Baby You're a Rich Man
All You Need is Love

Yellow Submarine
(1968)

Yellow Submarine is children's movie--believe it or not. It's a happy, bright movie full of adventure and laughs. The Meanies--the bad guys--are all blue and more of a stupid mean than a mean mean. The Beatles embark on an adventure to save Pepperland, the home of the Yellow Submarine. Lead by Sgt. Pepper and encouraged by Ringo, they make their way through the Sea of Time, the Sea of Holes--"There's a hole in me pocket!" Ringo--, and the Sea of Monsters until they reach Pepperland and turn everything back from stone with love.

The Beatles produced Yellow Submarine mostly to get United Artist off thier backs and finish their 4 movie contract with them. United Artist didn't accept Yellow Submarine as a Beatles movie becuase they contributed very little, not even thier own voices. As a whole, only 5 new songs were added to the soundtrack, the others being from Sgt. Pepper. However, after seeing the success of the movie, United Artist accepted Yellow Submarine as one of the 4. today, 31 years later, it is one of the best loved children's movies...and songs...of all time.

Songs From the Movie Yellow Submarine:
Yellow Submarine
Hey Bulldog
Only a Northern Song
It's All Too Much
All Together Now
All You Need is Love

Plus Songs From Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band