4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Richard Lester Edition


4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to the legendary director, Richard Lester!  It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Richard Lester Films

A Hard Day’s Night (1964, dir by Richard Lester, DP: Gilbert Taylor)

Help! (1965, dir by Richard Lester, DP: David Watkin)

Petulia (1968, dir by Richard Lester, DP: Nicolas Roeg)

The Three Musketeers (1973, dir by Richard Lester, DP: David Watkin)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Happy Birthday, Richard Lester!


4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

Today, retired director Richard Lester is 88.  Richard Lester made films about everyone from The Beatles and the Three Musketeers to Robin Hood and Superman and, along the way, he changed the face of pop culture forever.

Despite being forever associated with the swinging London of the 60s, Richard Lester was born in Philadelphia and started his career directing episodes of a western television series called Action in the Afternoon.  After moving to London in the 50s, Lester went to work for the BBC and directed episodes of The Goon Show.  In 1959, he directed the Oscar-nominated short film, The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film.  One huge fan of that short film was John Lennon and, when the Beatles were looking for someone to direct their first movie, it was Lennon who suggested Richard Lester for the job.

And the rest is history.

4 Shots From 4 Films

A Hard Day’s Night (1964, directed by Richard Lester)

Petulia (1968, directed by Richard Lester)

Robin and Marian (1976, directed by Richard Lester)

Superman III (1983, directed by Richard Lester)

 

Rockin’ in the Film World #7: The Beatles in A HARD DAY’S NIGHT (United Artists 1964)


gary loggins's avatarcracked rear viewer

beatles1

(It’s a Sunday night, February 9, 1964. Everybody’s watching THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW to get a peek at this new phenomenon called Beatlemania. The adults in the room are disgusted, saying things like “They look like a bunch of girls!”, “They must be sissies!”, and “Yeah yeah yeah? What the hell kind of song is that??” They just don’t get it.  But the six-year-old kid watching along does, and a lifelong obsession with rock’n’roll is born…)

beatles2

From the opening shot of the Fab 4 being chased down the street by screaming teenyboppers to the final clanging guitar notes of the title tune, A HARD DAY’S NIGHT makes a joyful noise introducing The Beatles to the silver screen. John, Paul, George, and Ringo come off as a mod version of the Marx Brothers with their anarchic antics, guided by the deft hand of director Richard Lester. Shot in cinema verite style, this zany, practically…

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