Richard Lester’s 1964 satirical drama starring John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison as exaggerated versions of themselves has been digitally restored in 4K Ultra HD. The Beatles‘ A Hard Day’s Night Criterion collection Blu-ray, which presents the film and several hours of bonus content in 4K UHD with Dolby Vision, was released on Tuesday (Jan. 18).
Showcasing the start of Beatlemania in the States, A Hard Day’s Night takes place one month after the Fab Four’s first performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The film captures just 36 hours in the lives of the British band that became music idols of a generation.
Beatles pop anthems like “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “If I Fell” and the title track are featured in the film, which is available on Blu-ray ($35) and DVD ($14), and as a three-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack at major retailers such as Amazon and Walmart.
The Lester-approved, digital restoration of A Hard Day’s Night comes with three audio options: a monaural soundtrack, stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes supervised by Giles Martin, sound producer at the famed Abbey Road Studios.
Other bonus features include Things They Said Today, a 2002 documentary about A Hard Day’s Night featuring Lester and producer George Martin; the 1994 documentary You Can’t Do That: The Making of A Hard Day’s Night and In Their Own Voices, a special-edition program consisting of behind-the-scenes footage, photos and interviews with The Beatles during their 1964 American tour.
An interview with Beatles biographer Mark Lewisohn, an essay from critic Howard Hampton, excerpts from a 1974 interview with Lester and a program centered around his earlier work are also featured on the Criterion Collection release.
The year is barely getting started, but Beatles fans have lots to celebrate. A Hard Day’s Night marks the latest Beatles Blu-ray and DVD ahead of Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back documentary, which will be released on Feb. 8.
