Tuesday, July 8, 2014

ES-Say #18 Let's Go See The Stars...

The 1st week of July was a time of celebration, not only was it America's Birthday, but the place where they broke away from (Britain) had to acknowledge the anniversary of one of their very own greatest films(directed by an American). That's right, it's officially fifty years since A Hard Day's Night was released and I can't begin to express how happy it was to see this re-released to UK Cinemas. I was able to break the self-imposed, subconscious refusal to watch the film since the late 1990s.  The British Film Institute had announced a few months ago they would screen the film. Not being a BFI member, I could not get tickets for the Richard Lester introduced screening. The general public(ie. myself) had 2nd dibs to these tickets which had sold out by the time I had tried to get them in June.

I attended a non-Lester introduced BFI screening a few days ago and this was my fourth of July. First one in the theatre, I plopped my rear in my reserved center row, center seat. Wearing a Union Jack t-shirt with Hey Jude on it, I threw all my bags under my seat and relaxed as the cinema played early Beatles hits. Oddly, I started to get annoyed at minor things. Why was the theatre playing Beatles songs that might also be in the movie about to start? Why is there so many empty seats? I didn't even like the people that were there in my closest view- a hippie and a quiet old couple.

All of my initial grumbling got thrown out the window the minute a faceless couple sat directly behind me. If I could sue them for "Peanut Gallery Offences", I would. The movie ads started, they didn't stop talking. The movie started, as the familiar guitar opening of the title song began, John Lennon and 1/2 of the couple behind me are the only two singing lead vocals. The movie gets to the first "Who's That Little Old Man?" and the couple begin to chuckle at everything said in this first train car scene. I can't be for certain, but it felt like they had both be drinking and never seen this film. However, with the rest of the audience dead silent, I was able to block out any further exchanges between the two whom eventually quieted down.

Is that to say this movie isn't funny, no it's screamingly funny and witty. the little decision to film the movie in black and white was the most daring and successful move director Richard Lester made. If you want to be transported back to 1964, this movie sticks you right there. Seeing Paul McCartney on the big screen singing "And I Love Her" makes me want to plead with Jane Asher. Ms. Asher can you strongly suggest to your boyfriend that you want him to go out with me instead? The restoration of 4K Digital Screen Remastering may have had something to do with the fact I was eventually able to feel gripped into awe with the film.

The first half of the movie, I remembered almost everything and enjoyed it. Then it felt like there were completely new bits to make me feel that the old PBS VHS copy I had watched over a decade ago had edited parts out completely. I will try and make these spoilers as general as possible.

  1. Right before the press interview scene, sitting in the lobby seats
  2. Ringo's solo excursion (much longer than I remember, especially the pub scene)
  3. Let's Split up and find Ringo(don't follow me)
  4. Paul's Batman Sound Effects(and most of the whole scene involving playing around with costume hair in the crowded dressing room)
I'm not really talking about forgetting as I did that Lesley Jackson was the name of the Magician character that Grandad encounters. I was honestly thinking "what did I just see?!??!?!?"

Walking around the lobby, I had seen a display of Richard Lester donated items from his films to the BFI. To me, to see a shooting script entitled for "Beatles Two" and original A Hard Day's Night posters were the highlights. Here's a tiny film I made of the area.



After the screening, I went to find out when I could view it again, but I couldn't attend the next available screenings. If I was honest, what will stay with me from the big screen until another 50 years have passed is the fire escape scene as it's about The Beatles how I always want to remember them- as a pure joy.

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