Help! (1965)

Disc 1 (96 minutes)

-HELP! Theatrical Movie

-Digitally restored and newly created 5.1 soundtrack.

Disc 2 (57 minutes)

The Beatles in Help! 30 minute documentary about the making of the film with Richard Lester, the cast and crew. Includes exclusive behind the scenes footage of The Beatles on set.

- A Missing Scene Featuring Wendy Richard

- The Restoration of Help! An in depth look at the restoration process

- Memories of Help! The cast and crew reminisce

- Theatrical Trailers 2 US trailers and 1 Spanish trailer

- 1965 US Radio Spots - Hidden in disc menus

Amazon.com

 Help!
I got the movie just in time and in the condition they said it was in. Fantastic! May 14, 2008

 Sleepwalking Beatles
In spite of being in the right place at the right time, Richard Lester never was (and still isn't, I suppose) all that great of a director. He has ruined many a possibly good film with cornball theatrics.

While it is extremely important culturally (and a far superior film than HELP!), I'm not much of an avid fan of A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, either (the Beatles movies don't really get good until MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR - yes, that one is flawed too, but it's still a fascinating, psychedelic home movie). When Lester just allows the Beatles to be the Beatles in both films, they are pretty sublime. When he actually makes them do stuff, they come off as really stilted. The best moment in HELP! comes early, when the Beatles are just hanging out in their one-room/four-bed flat, or later when they are hanging out in Buckingham Palace, somewhat sordidly talking about chopping Ringo's finger off.

In contrast with these fleeting moments, the cheap parody of James Bond action and iconography that comprises the rest of the film is joylessly uninspired. To see the Beatles at the mercy of a half-baked romp just feels like a massively wasted opportunity. The great cast (especially Eleanor Bron) is similarly stranded with little to do. The Monkees did a much better job with this kind of mediocre material.

After having seen the film on this recently restored dvd (and the film does look great, especially all the musical numbers, which make viewing/owning the dvd worthwhile), I was struck by the near-paranoid anti-Indian xenophobia of the film. This is only months before George Harrison began embracing Indian music and philosophy; of the four bandmates, I imagine he hated this film most of all. April 29, 2008

 Help
It has been a long time since I saw Help, but thoroughly enjoyed just as much this time as I did the first time. Absolutely worth buying. April 18, 2008

 Frankly, This Movie Stinks
The Beatles were at the height of their fame when this movie was made, so it was guaranteed to get big box office, which it did. A Hard Days' Night was excellent, this sorry excuse for a follow-up is an abomination. There are a few funny scenes and of course the music is good, although the lip-synching and pretend instrumentation are reminiscent of The Partridge Family. John Lennon is clearly overweight and they all look like they're half-stoned alot of the time. I'm a Beatle fan, but this is a clunker. It's not that it hasn't aged well. It wasn't good to begin with. Pass. April 15, 2008

 Beatlemovie
The Beatles IN COLOR!
Welcome Americans to the world in which only the Beatles could have a great time!
Get ready!
Experience cults and their shotfalls!
See sultry seduction in the form of a beautiful actress.
A super powerful supporting cast!
And comedy!
You will laugh and sing.
Great fun!
Do buy this!
The video quality is quite acceptable too! April 9, 2008

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