In August 1964, The Beatles released their musical comedy hit movie “A Hard Days Night” in the United States.
By the time the “Fab Four” set their sights on cinemas, The Beatles had already conquered the airwaves both on radio and on television and now it was time to conquer movies.
Coupled with the hit song, and hit album, the film ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ took the world by storm depicting 36 hours in the life of world’s biggest rock n’ roll band.
The movie which was thought of at first as just another promotional exercise turned out to be one of the most influential movies of the mid 1960’s with its use of auteur style and madcap pacing it marries the spy movie craze and the pop culture atmosphere unlike any other film of its time.
‘A Hard Days Night’ would go on to break box office records in London, spawned three monster hits including the title track, “I Want To Hold Your Hand”, and “Can’t Buy Me Love” while also earning two Oscar nominations to boot.
The movie was such a massive success The Beatles would go on to make four more movies, none of which lived up to the original, of course the band would break up in 1970.
And the connection to Bond you may ask…
Well YES Connery’s Bond lamented, in ‘Goldfinger’ the need for headphones to avoid hearing the “Lads From Liverpool”
Two of the 1960’s biggest pop culture icons, started on the exact same day – that day was October 5th, 1962.
The Beatles released their first song “Love Me Do” while the first James Bond movie ‘Dr. No’ was released, and they were released just a few miles from each other?
Did you know that Bond producer Harry Saltzman turned down the chance to produce ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ a decision he would regret for years and the inspiration for getting Paul McCartney to pen the title song for EON Productions 1973 Bond film ‘Live & Let Die’?
Harry said, “I won’t turn Paul down a second time” and man are we glad he didn’t as the song is considered by most fans as the best Bond song ever recorded.
Want to learn more about the Beatles and more about Bond? Check out The Latch Key Kids podcast series “Breaking Bond” especially “Breaking Bond Part X: Live & Let Die” available on Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and now on iTunes!