The first and best of the Beatles movies. MPI Home Video will soon re-release this and the other Beatle films (Help!,First US Tour, and Making Of Hard Day's Night) in a boxed set. For those who don't want to wait and have to have it via e-Bay, this review is for you. However, I have been told the boxed set will contain the exact same disc as before, with no new additions or extras.

The Beatles are on tour and preparing for a television show and this film follows the "mop top lads" as they travel by train, and car to the hotel room and studio to rehearse and otherwise prepare for the British TV show. Great supporting cast include Victor Spinetti, who would also appear in Help! and Magical Mystery Tour, Norman Rossington, as "Norm", John's sparring partner for much of the film, John Junkin as Shake, Norm's bumbling assistant, and Wilfred Brambell, as Paul's grandfather (he's very clean isn't he?). Brambbell is the foil in this light hearted romp as he is always thinking of a new plot to breakaway or create a distraction to carry out his plans, including forging the Beatles signatures and selling them to fans before the concert. The Beatles, except Ringo are wise to the old man. Brambell convinces Ringo to go out on his own-to go "paradin'" and enjoy life while he can. Ringo does just that and after disguising himself, enjoys the life of an "ordinary man", taking photographs and talking to a young street boy about how he spends his time. It's one of the highlights of the film and one of the only semiserious scenes. All in all, A Hard Day's Night is a perfect chronicle of Beatlemania and one that would be imitated at length by the other Mersey groups of the 60's, with pale results. The film launched Richard Lester's career and his trademark of humor and wit are all over this production, while keeping the flavor of Beatlemania intact.

Extras are great in this disc including British newsreels for the promotion of the film, radio spots, rare on the scene photos and film footage, an interview with Richard Lester and it even includes a short film in its entirety done by Lester "Running, Jumping, and Standing Still",starring Peter Sellers, which was a favorite of the Beatles. Additional soundtracks of French and Spanish are also included in mono, and bios of cast and crew are also included .

If you could only have one Beatle film, this is it. It not only is thoroughly entertaining, it is also a time capsule of Beatlemania at its height, told in an humorous way. This light hearted approach and Richard Lester's skillful direction made this the ultimate Beatle trip. MPI Home Video has gone all out to preserve this historical and important film for future generations to enjoy. MPI no longer holds the rights for the Beatles films. They ar enow owned by Disney. However, you may still be able to get the Beatles boxed set in stores.