Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! The Beatles are back with “ A Hard Day’s Night,’’ which is debuting in a beautiful digital restoration on Blu-ray June 24 — and will be back in theaters in July — to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about this classic, courtesy of Janus Films and the Criterion Collection:
‘A marvelous title’
John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote “A Hard Day’s Night’’ in one night, basing it on a Ringo-ism. “During a lunch break, John Lennon mentioned to me that Ringo misused the English language,’’ producer Walter Shenson recalled.
“When I asked for an example, he said, ‘Ringo called an all-night recording session a hard day’s night.’’ John laughed, but I said, ‘My God, that would make a marvelous title.’’
No George or Ringo songs
The sound track to “A Hard Day’s Night’’ was the band’s first record not to include any cover songs, and is also the only all Lennon-McCartney LP in their catalogue.
A.k.a. ‘Os Reis Do Lê-Lê-Lê’
The film was titled “Yeah Yeah Yeah’’ in Germany, “Tutti Per Uno’’ (“All For One’’) in Italy, “Quatre Garcons Dans le Vent’’ (“Four Boys in the Wind’’) in France, “Yeah! Yeah! Tassa Tulemme!’’ (“Yeah! Yeah! Here We Come!’’) in Finland, and “Os Reis Do Lê-Lê-Lê’’ (“The Kings of Yeah-Yeah-Yeah’’) in Brazil.
A future superstar
A thirteen year-old Phil Collins is an extra in the Scala Theatre scene.
An uncredited screen debut
Charlotte Rampling is one of the dancers in the nightclub scene, watching her then-boyfriend.
The short and the tall
The characters of Norm and Shake were based on the Beatles’ personal assistants Neil Aspinall (Norm) and Mal Evans (Shake).
Director’s cameo
During the performance of “Tell Me Why,’’ director Richard Lester can be seen briefly toward the end of the song, walking by the end of the stage.
Not even at the press conference
The words “The Beatles’’ are never spoken throughout the course of the movie.
Liverpool premiere
Shot, edited and mixed in only four months, the film premiered on July 6, 1964, at the London Pavilion Theatre, with Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon in attendance.
Four days later, the film had its Liverpool premiere, where the band greeted over 200,000 fans.
Oscar snubbed
“A Hard Day’s Night’’ competed for two Academy Awards, losing in both categories: best screenplay (Alan Owen) and best adapted score (George Martin). None of The Beatles’ original songs was nominated.