A Hard Day's Night 4K UHD (1964)

[JediJones77]

I'm amazed anyone wouldn't recognize how groundbreaking The Beatles were. I don't think I heard a lot of their music until the 2000s when I went though all the albums. But the genius there is unmistakable. I had heard Yellow Submarine and just about any of their songs that would typically show up in TV and movies like Twist and Shout and Can't Buy Me Love growing up in the '80s and '90s. Later on I found out certain songs I liked from hearing on the radio were actually Beatles songs, like the Drive My Car song. Listening to all the albums back-to-back is a revelation though. They went through a major evolution from albums full of love songs to their later stuff like Get Back, Let it Be and Hey Jude which STILL sounds not just NOT dated, but ahead of OUR time now. The Sgt. Pepper's album is their greatest masterpiece I think, with many other contenders.

[punisher]

I saw this in the theaters as a teenager when it first came out. I still have the original soundtrack on vinyl lp with the red cover, Mono of course,that I actually bought b4 seeing the movie. I cannot really say what 4k will do for this film. The Criterion blu ray is excellent. ..and you just know the sharks here are already circling the waters to tear it apart.

[Shawn1968]

I’ve lost track of the various audio formats in this movie’s home video releases; will this forthcoming Criterion 4K UHD disc use the original mono (and not a fold of a stereo mix, nor a modern mono remix or some other manipulation relative to the original audio)? I’m referring to both the songs as heard in the film and the dialog etc.

[Egbert Souse]

Excited for this since while the 2014 Blu-ray is excellent, I'm always up for more classic B&W in 4K and it's one of my all-time favorite films. For those on the fence or haven't seen it before, you're in for a really special film.

And if anyone needs some nudging, this is a 4K release of a film shot by the legendary cinematographer Gilbert Taylor. If you're not familiar with him, these are some of the other films he shot:

The Dam Busters
Dr. Strangelove
Repulsion
Cul-de-sac
Macbeth (Polanski)
Frenzy
The Omen
Star Wars '77
Flash Gordon

Originally Posted by Shawn1968

I’ve lost track of the various audio formats in this movie’s home video releases; will this forthcoming Criterion 4K UHD disc use the original mono (and not a fold of a stereo mix, nor a modern mono remix or some other manipulation relative to the original audio)? I’m referring to both the songs as heard in the film and the dialog etc.

The original mono tracks seem to be poorer quality, which is why the 2014 restoration needed a full reconstruction of the mono from multiple sources. The original prints had the soundtrack boosted too much to make them louder and it also seems like Richard Lester's mixing preferences were at odds with UA or the producers. The liner notes certainly indicate the three tracks were mixed specially, not just folded down from 5.1.

Only nitpick I have is that the harmonica intro to "I Should Have Known Better" doesn't have the edit fix that was applied to the UK mono album mix, but not the UK stereo. Of course, that edit may have only ever been applied to the mono album and the film always used the "raw" version to fit in with the documentary style.

[Shawn1968]

Originally Posted by Egbert Souse

Excited for this since while the 2014 Blu-ray is excellent, I'm always up for more classic B&W in 4K and it's one of my all-time favorite films. For those on the fence or haven't seen it before, you're in for a really special film.

And if anyone needs some nudging, this is a 4K release of a film shot by the legendary cinematographer Gilbert Taylor. If you're not familiar with him, these are some of the other films he shot:

The Dam Busters
Dr. Strangelove
Repulsion
Cul-de-sac
Macbeth (Polanski)
Frenzy
The Omen
Star Wars '77
Flash Gordon



The original mono tracks seem to be poorer quality, which is why the 2014 restoration needed a full reconstruction of the mono from multiple sources. The original prints had the soundtrack boosted too much to make them louder and it also seems like Richard Lester's mixing preferences were at odds with UA or the producers. The liner notes certainly indicate the three tracks were mixed specially, not just folded down from 5.1.

Only nitpick I have is that the harmonica intro to "I Should Have Known Better" doesn't have the edit fix that was applied to the UK mono album mix, but not the UK stereo. Of course, that edit may have only ever been applied to the mono album and the film always used the "raw" version to fit in with the documentary style.

I believe the existing Criterion mono audio has mono versions of the songs ‘dropped in’ on top of the film’s true mono soundtrack. For example, during ‘If I Fell’ in the original film audio you can hear Ringo adjust his hi-hat stand and the noise that was originally heard when George Harrison bumps his guitar amp is missing.

[punisher]

no harmonica problems here..a bit scratchy but a lot of time has passed since I went to Woolworth's to buy this

[kevin87]

I was wondering what happened with this, wasn't it supposed to have been in November? Glad it's coming out, definitely getting it. I hope the packaging is better than the BD though, I never understood why the digipak was so large just to put the book inside it. I'd prefer a standard case if I'm honest.

Just please God don't let it be a digibook.

[Egbert Souse]

Originally Posted by kevin87

I was wondering what happened with this, wasn't it supposed to have been in November? Glad it's coming out, definitely getting it. I hope the packaging is better than the BD though, I never understood why the digipak was so large just to put the book inside it. I'd prefer a standard case if I'm honest.

Just please God don't let it be a digibook.

It was announced as among their first UHD releases back in August. We got one extra on top of the initial six (Uncut Gems upgraded from Blu/DVD only to also having a UHD), with this being the last one.

November: Citizen Kane, Menace II Society, Mulholland Dr., plus a late addition of Uncut Gems
December: The Red Shoes
January: The Piano, A Hard Day's Night

Probably will be like Breathless, with a figure eight holder inside a digipak. Just a bit narrower like how Red River and Fantastic Mr. Fox were slimmed down quite a bit.

[Deciazulado]

A Hard Day's Night 4K Blu-ray

[gates70]

Blind buy lol

[NoFro]

Originally Posted by gates70

Blind buy lol

Do you like The Beatles?

[spaceball-one]

Putting aside any talk of the historical significance and groundbreaking context of this film and the Beatles in general, this is just a f***ing HILARIOUS movie.

"I can get you on stage."
"Ooh, how?"
"Well, you turn right here..."

[gkolb]

Originally Posted by spaceball-one

Putting aside any talk of the historical significance and groundbreaking context of this film and the Beatles in general, this is just a f***ing HILARIOUS movie.

"I can get you on stage."
"Ooh, how?"
"Well, you turn right here..."

For its time, it’s genius!

I wasn’t old enough to see it on my own when it was released, but saw it on a re-release. It was and still is bloody whip-smart.

[gates70]

Originally Posted by NoFro

Do you like The Beatles?

Yes I do.

[Deciazulado]

Love me do

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by NoFro

Do you like The Beatles?

Even if you don’t, this movie will make you a fan.

[Egbert Souse]

Originally Posted by Scottie

Even if you don’t, this movie will make you a fan.

Oddly enough, Help! was my entry to The Beatles when I was a young teenager. Loved the movie while seeing it at a friend's house on TV, came back to tell my father and he gave me his copies of the UK album, the "red" and "blue" compilations, and Abbey Road on CD. Obviously, I was hooked. Ended up loving AHDN when I first saw it during AMC's premiere of the then-new restoration.

[LanceLHall]

Are they going to fix the open fader on "If I Fell" where Paul trips up really bad?

That screw up is NOT audible in the original 1964 mixes only Giles Martin's remix.

How that got past quality control is baffling.

[Salamurai]

augh I'm gonna have to buy this for the fifth time, you bussards

[JackStraw]

Currently on sale in amazon for 34.99. No brainer for that price.