‘A Hard Day’s Night’ 4K Ultra HD movie review

While immersed in the recently released Blu-ray set “The Beatles: Get Back,” fans looking for a perfect complement will appreciate a look at the early days of the group when they also donned the roles of movie stars in the ground-breaking A Hard Day’s Night (Criterion, not rated, 1.75:1 aspect ratio, 88 minutes, $49.95), available in the ultra-high definition format.

Of course, the Fab Four took the world by storm in the early 1960s and cemented their place in pop culture with director Richard Lester’s 1964 black-and-white, musical comedy that mixed avant-garde humor, frenetic dialogue and music video-style segments while all delivered in a documentary style format.

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr play themselves nearly at the pinnacle of their career and start their nonstop shenanigans with the iconic scene of the boys running and stumbling away from their fans to the film’s famed theme song.

Roaming around England, they catch a train to London to play a concert at an Ed Sullivan-style television program getting in trouble with the meticulous director (Victor Spinetti).

During the entire adventure, Paul gets saddled with his feisty and grumpy grandfather (Wilfrid Brambell) who causes trouble while tagging along.

He even encourages Ringo to enjoy life away from the band, causing the drummer to disappear and then reappear just in time for the Beatles to perform in the live show.

Fans of the group as well as fans of Marx Brothers-style comedy will relish watching the musicians on screen who are obviously having too much fun.

Moments such as The Beatles dancing to their own music in a discotheque and Lennon playing with toy boats while taking a bubble bath mix with plenty of snappy dialogue.

For example, a reporter asks Harrison “what do you call that haircut?” He does not even blink as he responds, “Arthur.”

The comedic chaos gets dutifully anchored by some of the best pop songs ever written. The certified hit parade includes “If I Fell,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “She Loves You,” “Tell Me Why” and, of course, “A Hard Days Night.”

4K in action: The meticulous 2160p restoration actually occurred back in 2014 for Criterion’s Blu-ray release of the movie.

Approved by director Richard Lester, the digital transfer was created in 4K resolution from the 35mm original camera negative and two 35mm fine-grain master positives with extensive work done to remove any scratches, dirt, debris and blemishes.

The result is a perfectly toned, vibrant masterpiece that not only reveals detail down to the boys’ perspire but nearly looks like it was shot with the intense crispness of 1960s video cameras.

Best extras: Criterion offers the 4K and Blu-ray disc of the film with Blu-ray collecting all of the goodies culled from the 2014 release.

Start with an information-packed compilation optional commentary track (produced by Beatles historian Martin Lewis in 2002) that includes actors John Junkin (Shake), David Janson and Jeremy Lloyd, assistant editors Pamela Tomling and Roy Benson and cinematographer Gilbert Taylor just to name a few of the 15 individuals taking part.

Next, watch a nearly hourlong retrospective from 1994 hosted by Phil Collins (who actually appeared in the movie’s TV audience as a child), featuring Lester, producer Walter Shenson, screenwriter Alun Owen, Spinetti, costume designer Julie Harris and film critic Roger Ebert that also includes an extra song from the show “You Can’t Do That,” They all offer loads of memories and plenty of production details.

Keep going with a 36-minute documentary from 2002, again loaded with production nostalgia, that offers another overview of the film with interviews from Lester, George Martin, Mr. Shenson, United Artist VP David Picker, Mr. Owen, associate producer Denis O’Dell, assistant editor Roy Benson, hairdresser Betty Glasow, still photographer/poster maker Robert Freman, club dancer Jeremy Lloyd, actress Anna Quayle, cameraman Paul Wilson and Mr. Taylor.

Next, dive into 27 minutes on Lester’s career and even nine reasons why he was the best choice for the director role including his experience with using frantic television techniques learned while working on The Goons (a famed British sketch comedy legends) show.

Viewers can also watch his 1959 Academy Award-nominated short “The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film,” starring Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan no less.

Round out the immersion with 18-minutes of the group doing interviews about the film in 1964 as they touch on writing “A Hard Day’s Night,” giggling during takes and their comfort level seeing themselves on a large theater screen.

The cavalcade of extras also has an analysis of five of the songs and a 28-minute interview with Beatles author Mark Lewisohn conducted in 2014.

Additionally, deep breath, the package contains an 80-page, photo-illustrated booklet that includes an essay by film critic Howard Hampton, a vintage interview with Lester and some explanation on the restoration.