You might have seen at least one of them, but did you know that the Beatles participated in no less than 5 movies?
This seems an amazing feat, especially when you consider the hectic nature of their touring schedule from January of 1963 to August of 1966.
Because they were in such demand, it seemed logical (and profitable!) for the Beatles to offer another outlet for the mania which had taken over the world.
What follows is a list of the history and the highlights of these movies.
I. A Hard Day’s Night. Released on August 11, 1964, this favorite movie of John Lennon focused on the public personas the Beatles had in their early career.
The brilliant plan of manager Brian Epstein was to bring out the personalities of all four, instead of following the 1950s tradition of having the lead singer be the star while the others in the group remained virtually nameless.
The personas of the Beatles-John being smart, Paul being cute, George being shy, and Ringo being funny-were used to great effect in A Hard Day’s Night. It was a matter of giving the public what they wanted.
A Hard Day’s Night sought to showcase how “Beatlemania” was thought of at the time. The Beatles electrifying stage presence and the overpowering screams of fans were highlights of this exciting movie, making it a favorite of many people.
II. Help. Released on August 25, 1965, this movie is noted for following the same pattern which manager Epstein had already found successful.
Certainly, having a summer movie after recording songs and touring for most of the year must have been difficult for the weary Beatles, but their success can be greatly attributed to the loyalty they felt to their manager and to each other.
In the movie Help, this friendship continues to come across on the big screen with many hilarious moments and great songs.
One of the highlights of the movie is John Lennon’s “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away.” He was letting himself branch out as a songwriter, offering more of his personal emotions in the same way that Bob Dylan was doing.
III. Magical Mystery Tour. Released on December 12, 1967, this movie is significant in the Beatles’ history because it was one of the first projects they attempted after the death of Brian Epstein on August 27 of that same year.
It was the movie which showed the first signs of wear on the Beatles’ unity. As Paul McCartney explained, people expected the movie to have a plot, but it didn’t have one.
John Lennon also called it the “most expensive home movie ever made.” The Beatles on a bus traveling around with no particular direction on what was regarded as a Magical Mystery Tour seems to make Lennon’s comment all the more real.
Even so, Magical Mystery Tour is the only place you will ever see the Beatles performing “I Am the Walrus.” This is a highlight for which it is definitely worth waiting!
IV. Yellow Submarine. Released on November 13, 1968, Yellow Submarine is noted for bringing back the goodwill of the public, affection for the Beatles which had been temporarily lost by Magical Mystery Tour.
The Beatles had continued by this time to become more individual in their respective interests, yet they were still hanging on to the loyalty of earlier times.
Significant to the success of this animated movie were the efforts of director George Dunning and producers United Artists and King Features Syndicate.
According to George Harrison, all people at some point go through their Yellow Submarine phase of life. The movie, in this sense, has become a type of cult classic.
One of the highlights of Yellow Submarine is the appearance of the real Beatles at the end. They are laughing together, reminding us that they haven’t disappeared from the colorful palette of our imagination.
They still seem like the innocent people we want them to be.
V. Let it Be. Released on May 20, 1970, this movie stands as a document to the way even a famous rock group may become totally disenchanted.
According to John Lennon in a later interview, “The Beatles didn’t break up because they were not friends; they broke up because of boredom, and boredom creates tension.”
In no other Beatles movie is this tension more obvious. Filmed in January of 1969, Let it Be shows that the Beatles had gone far into individuality, with personal interests that no longer depended on whether they even showed up to record.
Still, the film has the highlights of great songs, some of them written in the 1950s by Lennon-McCartney and other early rock heroes.
The rooftop concert at the end is also interesting regarding the Beatles’ history. Even though it seemed to cause a traffic jam in the streets below, it was the last concert the Beatles ever gave.
In fact, whatever your opinion of Beatles movies, they offer insight into a unique period in history. As one London girl said, “There will never be another Beatles.”
The movies are only one part of this phenomenon.
Citation: www.beatlesmovies.co.uk/
