BURBANK, Calif.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--July 15, 2002--
Special Edition 2-Disc DVD Packed With Bonus Features;
Includes New Footage to Be Released September 24
Fall 2002 marks the 40th anniversary of a key event in the story of The
Beatles' phenomenal success -- the recording and release of their first
record, "Love Me Do." Saluting that landmark anniversary will be the major rel
ease of The Beatles' A HARD DAY'S NIGHT on DVD and VHS from Miramax Home
Entertainment on September 24, 2002. This incredible DVD 2-disc edition, with
rare and new footage, is likely to appeal to the same vast audience which
purchased the last major release of Beatles material -- their greatest hits
album "1" -- which has sold in excess of 28 million units worldwide since its
November 2000 release.
A HARD DAY'S NIGHT on DVD includes The Beatles' breakthrough first movie "A
Hard Day's Night" joined by the major new production "Give Me Everything!" --
a companion anthology to The Beatles' first film. The original film has been
digitally enhanced from the original 35mm negative, and the original mono
soundtrack is the enhanced version that provided such great listening
pleasure during Miramax's theatrical release of this historic film. (2-Disc
DVD $29.99 S.R.P.).
On VHS, A HARD DAY'S NIGHT includes a new half-hour documentary about the
film "Things They Said Today..." (VHS $14.99 S.R.P.).
The A HARD DAY'S NIGHT DVD includes the bonus disc "Give Me Everything!" --
an extensive new production which presents a huge amount of vintage and
contemporary material relating to the 1964 film. The content will appeal to
the broad mass of Beatles lovers, a fan base which now stretches across three
generations. Included is material that will also appeal to film buffs, to
lovers of comedy, and to the vast legions of young people who have discovered
the fun of the 1960's through such popular vehicles as the "Austin Powers"
films.
In addition to a new half-hour documentary about the film ("Things They Said
Today..."), there are many extras that add to the appeal of the DVD,
including thirty interviews with most of the surviving cast and crew members
as well as close friends of The Beatles. These include specially filmed,
in-depth interviews with director Richard Lester, the film's two Academy
Award(R) nominees -- Musical Director Sir George Martin (Best Music 1964) and
Screenwriter Alun Owen (Best Screenplay 1964) -- and leading co-stars John
Junkin and Victor Spinetti.
A HARD DAY'S NIGHT features twelve now-famous Beatles compositions, including
three of their biggest hits -- "A Hard Day's Night," "Can't Buy Me Love," and
"She Loves You" -- all of which were worldwide number one hits. Other
familiar titles include: "All My Loving," "And I Love Her," "If I Fell," "I
Wanna Be Your Man," "I Should Have Known Better," "Tell Me Why," "Don't
Bother Me" and "Ringo's Theme," George Martin's orchestral arrangement of
Lennon-McCartney's "This Boy" -- part of his Academy Award(R) nominated
score.
A HARD DAY'S NIGHT was a massive commercial success upon its Theatrical
release. The film, which had been prejudged as a standard teen jukebox movie,
received almost universal critical acclaim upon its release from serious film
reviewers. The film became a major factor in propelling The Beatles from
their already massive teenage following into the stratosphere of worldwide
fame and popularity transcending all generations.
The film's groundbreaking shooting, editing and directing style is widely
considered to have been the forerunner of music video. In the 1990's MTV
declared A HARD DAY'S NIGHT director Richard Lester the "father of music
video." (Lester quipped that he demanded a paternity test!)
The 40th anniversary in fall 2002 of the release of The Beatles' first record
is likely to generate significant media coverage. That first record paved the
way for their eight years of mega-stardom between 1963 and 1970 -- and the
unprecedented thirty-two years of subsequent perpetual fame that has kept The
Beatles as famous, newsworthy and successful today as they were at the height
of Beatlemania.
Street Date: September 24
Direct DVD prebook: July 30
Distributor DVD prebook: August 13
VHS prebook: August 13
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 formatted for 16x9 screens
Rated: "G"
DVD bonus features unrated.
Run Time: Approximately 87 minutes
Suggested Retail Price: $29.99 (DVD) $14.99 (VHS)
Miramax Home Entertainment is distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment,
Inc., a recognized industry leader. Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. is
the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone,
Hollywood Pictures, Miramax, Dimension and Buena Vista videocassettes and
DVDs.
These press materials are available in electronic form at
www.BVHEPublicity.com
Note: A Photo is available at URL:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.071502/bb5CONTACT:
Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc.
Chris Bess, 818/560-5751
SOURCE: Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc.
