I Wanna Hold Your Hand
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Movie Reviews of I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Movie Review: "I wanna hold your glands..."
Summary: 4 Stars
Robert Zemeckis' I Wanna Hold Your Hand captures the time that was Beatlemania, February 1964. Who better to capture a time than Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg as executive producer helping out to bring out the authenticity to the period? The film was made 14 years after the event, and at the same time, when all the flurry of an immanent Beatles reunion was circulating around and Beatlemania was hitting Broadway. This film was a reflection of the baby boomers possibly turning 30 and their commemoration or celebration of their wild and crazy times where they lived for hysteria, that is, before the drug-hallucinations and San Francisco's Haight Ashbury would converge on the happy-go-lucky Hullabaloo and Shindig era, or in this case, Sunday night with Ed Sullivan and his circus of stars.
Nonetheless, I Wanna Hold Your Hand is not about the period of innocence, but rather the hype and the mass distribution of Beatles paraphenalia that occurred during the time - Beatles bedsheets, sneakers, or baby powder. The film had several hilarious moments as captured by the six New Jersey teenagers who hitch a ride to New York with one teenager taking his father's hearst as his only means of transportation in order to catch a glimpse of their Liverpudlian idols. For the female character played by Nancy Allen, she was the fortunate one - she was able to get into the four lads' hotel room. Unfortunately, it eventually put her in hot water as well with her fiancé where she broke off the engagement, but received two tickets to the Sullivan show. Though this is the purely a fantasy, the teenagers succeed at the end of the film.
The movie is definitely a recreation of the period with the early Beatle tunes blaring during the opening credits of the film, the screaming girls, and the general atmosphere with the cars and the clothes as well as the typical parent frowning down on these "long-haired" boys from England. I Wanna Hold Your Hand could have been any teenager's story, but with the magic of movies, these five teenagers had their dreams come true for one day and one night.
Movie Review: Fast, Fun, Surprisingly Witty Film
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a very fast-paced and humorous movie about a group of friends going to NYC to see the Beatles 1'st appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. Two scenes very early on had me hooked on the movie: the record shop scene(which introduces the main characters), and the car ride scene. Both scenes really did a great job of getting you into these characters, their situation, and their varying reasons for making this trip. The movie does a great job of presenting us with their misadventures, and ties it up neatly and satisfyingly at the end for all the characters involved i think.
The film is filled with energetic performances and some very good, witty dialogue. And no offense to Eddie Deezen fans or the other actors, but i think Wendie Jo Sperber(as Rosie) steals the movie by a long-shot. Her performance is infectious. But everyone did a great job and were perfect for their roles. For example, Bobby Di Cicco's character-type i naturally find annoying, but he does such a charismatic turn with it that he ends up taking second behind Wendie as far as stealing the movie for me. Anyway, I won't say you have to be a Beatles fan to enjoy this(i am), but it will definitely help with all the authentic Beatles music provided, including the actual performance at the end.
As for the dvd: it's in dolby digital 5.1, english/french/espanol subtitles, anamorphic widescreen 1.85:1, and only has two extras(albeit both are pretty good). There is a b&w photo gallery of the production and an interesting audio commentary with writer Bob Gale and director Robert Zemeckis. The most disappointing fact i learned from this was that the movie bombed big-time when it was released in '78. Well, hopefully this movie gets a second life on dvd. And honestly, if they came out with a special edition WITH a cast commentary, i would do that rare 'double dip' and buy it.
Movie Review: A Slapstick Beatlemania
Summary: 4 Stars
In 1978 there were two films that touched on the Beatles and Beatlemania that Beatlemaniacs were awaiting,"I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". The way films were distributed back then was different then the way they release them today. Despite good reviews from some critics, "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" played poorly in limited release in a few select cities and subsequently was shelved by the studio. Unfortunately, for anybody who has seen it, "Sgt. Pepper" didn't suffer the same fate. Back then in the pre-VCR days you had to wait until it came to commercial television (no cable either). I did not see this film until a few years later. If I recall correctly it came on after "Saturday Night Live". I enjoyed this film immensely. I have now revisited this film on DVD and while I still enjoy the film it is not as great as I remember it. Now granted, Beatlemania was a mania so we can allow for the manic, slapsticky tone of most of the film. However, Director Robert Zemeckis and co-screenwriter Bob Gale seem to be employing to a degree some of the over-the-top comedy that didn't work in their subsequent collaboration with Steven Spielberg, "1941". That said they seem to have alot of the elements right, good art direction and they were able to secure the rights to actual Beatle recordings. They have an able young cast (except for that annoying Jerry Lewis wannabe, Eddie Deezen), particularly Nancy Allen. Allen plays Pam, a soon to be married Beatles fan who stows away into the boys' hotel room. Her seductive fondling of the boys personal effects(particularly Paul's bass) is classic stuff. Kudos also have to go to Will Jordan's spot-on impersonation of Ed Sullivan and Murray the K just being himself.Movie Review: A Splendid Time is Guaranteed For All...
Summary: 4 Stars
Really, I'm serious!
I watched this film with two friends: one who loves the Beatles, one who can't stand the Beatles, and all three of us had a complete *blast*.
Why? Because it's a riotous two of hours of zany, crazy, hillarious fun. The chemistry between the kids in the film is fantastic, and it covers all angles of the events of that insane February in 1964: from the over the edge obsessed 'Rosie' to the death-to-the-beatles 'Smirko'. The film even spends time focusing on the issue of kids vs. parents in putting in a sub plot about an enraged father stopping at nothing to get his son to cut his hair like a 'marine' and not a 'girl.'
And *that* is why the film is a gem, because in two hours it beautifully capsules an entire chapter in western pop culture when everything seemed to be turned completely on its head. Even if you can't stand the beatles you will surely have a great time with the movie if for no other reason that it's a terrific and surprisingly well made romp back in time!
(And it might even convert the non-believer... my beatle hater friend softened considerably after watching the climactic 'Ed Sullivan show' segment of the film... she said it was, to quote, 'awesome.')
Movie Review: Fanatical fans and the Fab Four . . .
Summary: 4 Stars
When the Beatles landed in the US I was too young to be aware of anything except my next feeding! Over the years I've become a fan (even been to Liverpool) and like many, have read enough to know the history of their 1964 "invasion." I recently came across this movie and was curious to see how the Sullivan event would be portrayed. To me, the production value was very good. The actor playing Ed Sullivan was great, the voices of the Fab Four were a little over the top, but done in such a way that you knew exactly who was suppose to be speaking, and I was really impressed the way original footage and Beatles' music was incorporated into the movie. The movie was rated PG for a lot of unnecessary cussing. I don't know why Hollywood is so afraid to make a G rated movie (other than animated movies). The language added nothing to the movie. Anyway, a good movie for younger fans to see the all the mayhem that followed the Beatles. Adults might get a chuckle here and there, and might enjoy another Beatles related movie, The Two of Us.