The Cultural Importance of A Hard Days Night - Essay Example

THE CULTURAL IMPORTANCE OF A HARD DAY’S NIGHT By Location The Cultural Importance of A Hard Day’s Night Introduction The movie titled A Hard Day’s Night produced by Walter Shenson and directed by Richard Lester in 1964 was highly phenomenal. The movie featured the four members of the Beatles rock and roll band. The year 1964 was a peak period for the band with many people being able to identify John, Paul, George, and Ringo, the four boys who made up the Beatles band. Without a doubt, the 1960s marked a critical time in history defined by numerous cultural changes. The Beatles Band contributed immensely to the cultural changes that took place in Great Britain as well as America in those years. The Beatles band had developed a unique lifestyle. Many young people developed an obsession for the Beatles band a phenomenon described as “Beatle mania”. The production of the movie afforded many young people an opportunity to experience a day in the life of the four members of the Beatles band. Richard Lester adopted a concept of realism in developing the first rock and roll film that registered a remarkable cultural impact. This paper will discuss the cultural importance of A Hard Day’s Night. The film features John, Paul, George, and Ringo on their way to London, where they were scheduled to perform on television. The film allows the audience to engage in the activities that the four members of the Beatles band indulged in before they can get to the real performance. The film features press conferences as well as rehearsals that they undertake on their way to London. Most importantly, the film goes deeper to depict the real life of the four boys making the Beatles. The Beatles band members were young and energetic. For this reason, they afforded the time to have fun amidst their official rehearsals and press conferences. As they move from place to place, they meet their fans who exhibit high levels of excitement. Notably, Beatle mania had spread to different cities, although it began in Liverpool. The audience can also see the relationship between the Beatles and their managers who accompany during their trip to London (Frontani 2007, p. 68). The film becomes more interesting as the boys interact with Paul’s grandfather who proves to be highly mischievous. The film also depicts many of the famous songs by the band. For many people, especially the youths who were obsessed with the Beatles band were able to connect more with the band members after the release of the movie. The release of the movie A Hard Day’s Night exhibited remarkable cultural impacts. In order to understand the cultural impacts of the movie, it is important to consider the1960s decade. During this period, the hippie movement had gained popularity beyond America and had been adopted in the Great Britain specifically by the Beatles band. In addition, the 1960s marked a period when the financial hardships were out-dated. Therefore, many people living in Great Britain were highly affluent. In addition, the 1960s defined a period when the generational gap between the youth and their parents became outstanding. Many young people who were able to make money and who were willing to enjoy themselves expressed their discontent with the old traditions linked to the Victorian era. The young people had an extremely different taste when it came to music, lifestyle, and attitudes. For the first time, the youth needed to express themselves. Parents were unable to understand the attitudes and the preferences of their children. The hippie movement arrived at the right time because it was associated with rebellion against the out-dated values held by parents (Glynn 2004, p. 94). The 1960s exhibited a vast difference in perspectives between the younger and older generations. Therefore, many young people willingly joined the hippie movement. The fact the society was becoming more affluent translated to the increased spending on entertainment. The young people viewed entertainment as a critical part of their life. Specifically, music became a form of expression for the young. The young people relied on music in order to challenge the traditional world order. Many youths viewed the ways of their parents as having many prejudices and being backward. The Great Britain experienced a rigorous transformation defined by high levels of tension resulting from the generation gap. The young people willingly accepted and adopted the progressive attitudes. In addition, the sexual revolution occurred in the 1960s and affected the Great Britain immensely. Without a doubt, the emergence of the popular culture happened in the 1960s. The popular culture would take over the entertainment industry and influence the young people (Glynn 2013, p. 45). The most critical aspects of the popular culture in the1960s were music. Therefore, many young people made efforts of actively participating in music and attending concerts and festivals. Without a doubt, the1960s marked a critical point in life when numerous cultural transformations took place. The release of A Hard Day’s Night served to popularize the Beatles band. Most importantly, the movies placed emphasizes on Beatle mania, the newest lifestyle of the popular culture that the band had introduced. Considering the fact that Beatle mania was at its peak in 1964, the movie caught the attention of many young people. The realism adopted in the movie created a buzz about the Beatles band. Notably, the Beatles band did not just play music. Although many young people loved their songs, they were more influential in different other aspects. The Beatles band represented four young boys who understood the meaning of fun and self-expression in a period when the youth needed to break away from the traditional attitudes. The four members of the band developed a unique lifestyle. The band’s image could be described using adjectives such as endearing, witty, arrogant, articulate, as well as interesting. The Beatles band was determined to have a good time. Therefore, the band had the potential to prove appealing to many young people in Great Britain. For many young people, the Beatles represented their heroes. In a society whereby the young people needed to express themselves and do away with Victorian values, the Beatles served as examples for the young people. Many young people highlighted that the Beatles had the confidence to defend themselves when attacked verbally. A Hard Day’s Night served to popularize and promote the brand image that the Beatles had already established (John 2014, n.p). A Hard Day’s Night served to make Beatles mania the trendiest thing in Great Britain. The band only began in Liverpool, but it had gained massive popularity, winning the attention of people belonging to different age groups. After the release of the movie, the Beatles band managed to sell thousands of records. Specifically, the movie promoted the Beatles band as a fashion trend. The fact that the band became a fashion trend served to highlight its cultural and sociological effects. In the two years following the release of the movie, Beatles mania became a hyped fashion. Although the band appealed to the young people initially, the popularity of Beatles mania saw people of different ages buying their records. Most importantly, Beatles mania became a fashion trend that determined other aspects of social life. The dress code of the four boys making the band was unique, and it made a fashion statement about them. In addition, the Beatles introduced the trend of having long hair a style that was inappropriate for men before. The Beatles wore collarless jackets that had not been a common trend in the past (King 2013, p. 77). Many young people adopted the dress code of the Beatles. In addition, men viewed long hair as more acceptable in the society. The lyrics of the songs released by the Beatles band gave attention to the generation gap issue. The movie featured these songs, a factor that made it a voice for the younger generation who were challenging the traditional values. The four members of the Beatles band depicted in the movie symbolized the new hippie movement. In one incident, the boys challenged the authority of the police. Therefore, they became more revered as heroes for teenagers (Sarris et al., 2014, p. 89). Many analysts of the cultural effects of the Beatles band have highlighted that it was the strongest band of the 1960s. There is evidence that the Beatles band contributed to changing the cultural values and attitudes. A Hard Day’s Night proved to be a trendsetter for rock movies. Prior to the production of this film, rock movies did not prove appealing to the audience. However, the strategies used by Richard Lester made the movie an outstanding film that promoted rock and roll music. The fact that it promoted the most popular rock and roll band of the time contributed to the increasing popularity of the rock and roll music. The film depicted the technology and innovation used by the band members in the development of unique beats that hypnotized many young people. Therefore, the movie served as a strong promoter of rock and roll music in the 1960s (Glynn 2013, p. 58). A close analysis of the roots of rock and roll music reveals that this genre had a close association with cultural changes. Conclusion Evidently, the impacts of A Hard Day’s Night cannot receive any form of underestimation. The film received amazing popularity and criticism. Most importantly, it promoted Beatle mania, a lifestyle developed by the Beatles band. In addition, the film depicted heroes for many young people who became a fashion statement that defined the dress code and lifestyle of many youths in the 1960s. Worth noting is the fact that the 1960s defined a period of immense cultural changes. Bibliography Frontani, MR 2007, The Beatles : Image And The Media, Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost, viewed 8 April 2015. Glynn, S 2004, A hard days night, London: I.B. Tauris. Glynn, S 2013,The British pop music film: The Beatles and beyond, Houndsmill, Basingstoke, Hampshire : Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. John, P 2014, A Hard Days Night: A Pop Artifact That Still Crackles With Energy, Fresh Air (NPR), Points of View Reference Center, EBSCOhost, viewed 8 April 2015. King, M 2013, Men, Masculinity And The Beatles, Burlington, VT: Ashgate, eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost, viewed 8 April 2015. Sarris, A, Ehrenreich, B, Hess, E, & Jacobs, G 2014, A hard days night and Beatlemania, Collected Work: The pop, rock, and soul reader: Histories and debates. 3rd ed. Published by: New York, NY, U.S.A.: Oxford University Press, 2014. Read More