This concise yet comprehensive study explores the emblematic journey by four young men from Liverpool from the epicentre of teen-led youth culture to the experimentation of the counterculture and beyond. Beginning with the celebration of Britain’s own ‘youthquake’ in the joyous and genre-shifting A Hard Day’s Night (1964), the author delves into how the Beatles’ film work allows us to chart their subsequent musical maturation and retreat from the tribulations of stardom in Help!, their tentative attempts at improvised filming in the televised Magical Mystery Tour (1967), their acceptance of cartoon representations as leaders of the hippie counterculture in Yellow Submarine (1968), and the final implosion of their musical dynamic in the recording studios of Let It Be (1970). The book analyses how, as they grew with their fanbase, the Beatles’ films alternate stylistically between mimetic representation and allegorical interpretation, and switch narratively between fan-filled and welcoming worlds, to films relaying introspection and isolation. Offering an in-depth case study of the successes and failures of British youth culture in a volatile decade, The Beatles and Film is an engaging text for both scholars and general readers alike.

It's Been A Hard Day's Night, Help , Yellow Submarine, Magical Mystery Tour, Let It Be.... These were the five films made by the Beatles, films that, like the band itself, broke new ground, set new trends and became cult favorites that continue to fascinate fans a quarter of a century later. Beatles at the Movies provides detailed behind-the-scene takes on the making of these films. It describes each movie location, the antics of the Fab Four in front of -- and behind -- the camera, the day-to-day events and the sometimes unusual problems the crew encountered. It also provides in-depth information on the recordings of the songs used in each movie. Featuring a foreword by Richard Lester, director of the first two Beatles films, it gives an insider's point of view on these films that no other book has ever offered. Beatlemania has experienced a major resurgence. ABC's documentary on the band (which was re-broadcast in the fall of 1996), and the release of their two "new" singles generated tremendous fanfare. Two more double-CD sets of Beatles recordings have been released, and the Beatles are crawling all over the World Wide Web. Beatles at the Movies taps into this continuing interest, and will have tremendous appeal for movie fans and fans of the greatest rock 'n' roll band in history.

This book provides the production history and a contextual interpretation of The Beatles' movies (A Hard Day's Night, Help!, Yellow Submarine, Let It Be) and describes their ability to project the group's image at different stages in their career. It also includes a discussion of all of The Beatles' promotional films and videos, as well as their television cartoon series and the self-produced television special Magical Mystery Tour. Along with The Beatles' feature movies and promos, this analysis also contains documentaries, such as The Compleat Beatles and Anthology, as well as dramatizations of the band's history, such as Backbeat, The Hours and Times, and Two of Us.

Presents for the first time ever the complete history of The Beatles on film and television. The chronicle kicks off with a bang as the first entry details a previously undocumented colour film of The Beatles on stage in Hamburg in 1961. Then the journey continues through the band's early appearances on television In Britain, their conquest of America and the world, on to their big-screen adventures and pioneering use of promotional films. Also included are details of many private films and home movies from archives and collections around the world.

A survey of the significant body of recorded works by the Beatles that were not released includes discussions on an array of live concert performances, home demo recordings, studio outtakes, and more, in a chronologically arranged volume that includes coverage of unreleased video footage. Original.

In March of 1964 director Richard Lester began shooting A Hard Day's Night, a black-and-white feature film starring the Beatles. With slapstick humor and a fantastic soundtrack, the movie imagines the excitement and chaos of thirty-six hours in the life of the Fab Four, and stars John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, with Wilfrid Brambell portraying McCartney's grandfather. The Making of A Hard Day's Night is a collection of photographs and rare ephemera that documents the band on set and behind the scenes. This private archive captures the infectious energy and anarchic spirit of this groundbreaking film. An authoritative essay and lively captions by Beatles’ historian Mark Lewisohn provide context and explores its impact and enduring legacy.