MARK LEWISOHN: A Private Archive of A HARD DAY'S NIGHT |

In this book review, I look at Mark Lewisohn's A Hard Day's Night: A Private Archive. This coffee table book is a fascinating look at the behind the scenes of the making of the Beatles film A Hard Day's Night. Unreleased photos, scripts, and Mark Lewisohn's deep research make this book essential for Beatles fans. This book came into being in conjunction with Lewisohn's research for the extensive Beatles biography, All These Years: Volume II.
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[@david-stewart]

Who needs a TV with online content like this

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you, David. High praise indeed.

[@leeforsythgriffiths]

As a Beatles obsessive, I would like to say “thank you”, as you give a genuinely intelligent, and unbiased viewpoint that is totally on point... Wonderful.. Thank you TLFG

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you Lee, that is very kind. Plenty more to come!

[@LearnMusclescom]

It’s all great, but Fact #10 is priceless!!! Absolutely priceless. It will be one of my favorite Beatles trivia facts forever!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

That is a great one. Totally Beatles.

[@tonearmgray9537]

Hi Matt, Great video. Did you also know that the constant references to Paul's grandfather (played by Wilfrid Brambell) as being "very clean" were a bit if an in-joke? At around the same time as the AHDN film, Brambell was co-starring in a hugely successful British TV comedy about two junk men called "Steptoe and Son" (which was adapted for US TV as "Sanford and Son") in which he was continually referred to, by his son, as a "dirty old man". In fact, the "in joke" worked both ways as, in a later episode of "Steptoe...", Brambell's character can be heard humming "A Hard Day's Night"!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Yes, I came to learn about that inside joke, which I hadn't known before. Such a great film! Thanks for the comment ToneARmGray!

[@johnjfoster]

I’m so glad I came across your channel. Thanks very much for all your work.All the best to you!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you John! More to come.

[@donaldmoore4412]

This is one of my favorite channels by far. So much great content and information. Matt does a bang up job.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks again, Donald!

[@miked6335]

I still want to know how George gets up seemingly unbloodied when he takes that header into the sidewalk in the first few seconds of the movie! I think he then gets his face mashed into the sidewalk when the Beatle (Ringo, I think. John is in front laughing.) behind him trips on top of him.

[@LearnMusclescom]

I have often marveled at that. Because, as I understand it, that actually happened.

[@brentnoury7626]

Matt has spent more $$$ on Beatles paraphernalia than I've made in my life. And I think that's cool!

[@jean-marieboucherit4716]

Very good. Beatle studies are coming of age.

[@raulmacias1311]

Matt, as always, great upload! Keep up the great work!

[@bobburroughs6241]

Thanks Matt - sat through it twice when it was released in London!

[@wyliesmith4244]

Matt, I am a bit shocked that I could enjoy one of your videos that is basically not about music. But I am a bit of a nut for history, and your videos always provide either new facts and/or new perspectives. I am so pleased that i saw this one. And my brother and I went to see "A Hard Day's Night" when it came out and he noticed that he had not heard 'Beatles' mentioned. It was years before we saw it again, partially to check our memories.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

I never notice it until it was pointed out to me by Lewisohn. What a film.

[@wyliesmith4244]

@@popgoesthe60s52 I can't really say that I noticed it either, but my brother was a real film geek, even at age 13. He could identify all the actors, of course, but also the director, producer, and cinematographer as well. After seeing the videos on Lewisohn, I am really impressed by his attention to detail (and subject matter, of course).

[@davidpollard6322]

Great breakdown. Well done and thank you.

[@drewsturgeon9511]

Enjoying these Beatles videos!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you Drew! Plenty more to come.

[@davidheafield1436]

Great production values , I enjoy your output

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you so much! More to come.

[@matthewstreet1961]

Great looking book from Mark. I need to look into it!

[@gordonmorris6359]

One of the funny scenes in Help! is when you see John's bookshelf (around his sunken bed) filled with only copies of his book 'In His Own Write/A Spaniard In The Works' as he fingers across them as if to be selecting something to read, he pulls one out and kisses it. Just fyi, for those that MAY not 'get' the title(s), they're both examples of Lennon's use of play on words which feature throughout his stories therein (with his comical drawings), playing upon the expressions 'in his own right' and 'a spanner in the works' (a 'spanner' is British for 'wrench', as in 'to throw a wrench in the works').

[@jimhuxley9643]

As an Australian but born in Lae, PNG; I remember watching this film in the brand new Stewart theatre in Lae in the middle of 1964 . I was seven but clearly remember it. Interesting that Ma Stewart was the matriarch of Lae and Errol Flynn in the late 1920s/early 30s was working on the goldfields of Bulalo (above Lae in the highlands) . On the weekends he would visit Lae and frequent Ma Stewarts Hotel Cecil: apparently he was a gigolo. On leaving PNG soon after he left large unpaid debts at the hotel. With his fame Ma wrote to him in Hollywood asking for the cash. She received no cash but an autographed photo- Dear Ma Love Errol. The photo had pride of place in the Stewart Theatre!

[@jasontheoldmillennial7197]

I just watched A Hard Days Night again a couple of days ago. I have to admit not all the humor hits for me. I think the sillyness is a big trademark of British comedy in the era. It makes sense that they used a fellow Liverpoolian to write the script but I did struggle at times understanding what they were saying. Still a lot of fun watching the movie and seeing The Beatles personality come through. I’m really looking forward to Lewisohn’s next volume.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Jason Berger I agree about the British humor - not always for me but over all it works wonderfully even if I miss some of the quick banter.

[@billythedog-309]

Obviously it wasn't as brilliantly sophisticated as all American comedy, but which bits struck you all particularly silly?

[@popgoesthe60s52]

@Billy the dog - American comedy of that time can be equally silly but in a different way. In other words, both are dated, but beautifully so. I just watched A Hard Day’s Night a week ago and personally, the Grandfather bit seems too silly for me. American audiences (including myself) didn’t appreciate Wilfred Brambell’s star power and probably didn’t get the “very clean” joke but I still found that funny and witty, even not knowing Brambell played a “dirty old man” on British TV. Thank you for commenting!

[@jasontheoldmillennial7197]

Billy the dog - When The Beatles appear on the outside of the train all of a sudden and one of them is riding a bike I believe. Lennon playing in the bathtub then disappearing under the water for example. I guess you can probably point to American comedy as being silly like Jerry Lewis. I would compare A Hard Days Night to Peter Sellers movies.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

@@jasontheoldmillennial7197 I've often fantasized of Peter Sellers in the Beatles movie HELP! as the Clouseau character. Ringo gets kidnapped and Clouseau has to impersonate / stand in for Ringo. Ah, to dream.....

[@areamusicale]

Also, they call Marylebone "Paddington Station".

[@sixstring3639]

Just subbed! Great channel this will be exciting!

[@markwilliams2434]

The interesting artifact I own , is the souvenir booklet that you received, when you went to see the film. My sister Belinda took me to see it when I was 3 years old, and the thing she never explained to me is, during the scene where they are playing in the field , why is there someone portraying john for a bit.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

That's a great piece of memorabilia, Mark. I missed the JL double - I'll have to rewatch! Thanks for the comment.

[@mikewa2]

The way things are going I won’t be around to see the release of Mark Lewisohn’s 2nd book let alone the 3rd

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Hang in there Mike - we are probably 15 months or so away from Vol 2. I've had quite a few older folks express vitriol and anger at Lewisohn for not completing these faster. So I ask them if they would trade living through the Beatles in real time for being born 15 years later just so they could read Lewisohn's books? I may live long enough to read them but I will never experience the Beatles energy or full impact because I didn't live through it. There is a Lewisohn channel here on You Tube and he discusses plenty of stuff from 1963-1969 so it's like getting a preview of vols 2&3.

[@peterjohnson1761]

Hard day’s night is a really good movie and a great record too. In fact, I like it more than Sgt pepper ! ( am I allowed to say that? 🍷)

[@popgoesthe60s52]

You are allowed on this channel! Thanks for the comment, Peter.

[@westfield90]

I just noticed in that photo, John is standing in a hole in the floor.

[@raulmacias1311]

Matt, I have a suggestion. Can you do a comprehensive evolution of the Promotional Singles video in Pop/Rock music history? I understand when teenagers, back in the Fifties, would go to the local malt shop, there would be small TVs where one would insert money and view the latest hit Single. Can you please consider this. I would like for you to strictly highlight the visual promotion of a Pop Single. Best Wishes! hi

[@popgoesthe60s52]

That’s a great idea. I believe those video jukeboxes began in the late 40s. I think many were released on DVD about 10 years ago. Yes this is a worthy topic and I will add it to the list! Thank you Raul.

[@raulmacias1311]

@@popgoesthe60s52 AWESOME!

[@SuperGogetem]

"Grotty".

[@lookbovine]

I’d stop saying “they” didn’t want to be in an exploitation film when Ringo’s caveman thing exists.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

I had forgotten about that atrocity!

[@billdufour1630]

Paul was always the weakest of the four when it came to acting...

[@popgoesthe60s52]

I didn't realize that. In the interview Lewisohn said that Paul has never really been comfortable in front o the camera.

[@arnesaknussemm2427]

@@popgoesthe60s52 he tried too hard

[@leecoulson4224]

Maybe he’s too self conscious and focused on how he’s coming across to let himself go and become in the moment, an essential facet of acting.

[@soarornor]

I think they were all superb in the film. For people that were not actors with that kind of training, they came across very natural. And the addition of Wilfred Brambell was pure genius.