I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978)

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Directed by Robert Zemeckis.

Starring Nancy Allen, Bobby Di Cicco, Marc McClure, Susan Kendall Newman, Theresa Saldana.

The time is 1964, and the Beatles, already a hugely popular group, are about to go on the Ed Sullivan Show for the first time, an appearance that launched them into a worldwide phenomenon. Already, girls are fainting during their concerts from sheer excitement at being in the same theater with them. Pam Mitchell (Nancy Allen) is happy enough to be getting married but wants to bed one of the "Fab Four" before she does. Grace Corrigan (Theresa Saldana), a dedicated fan, is certain that if she can get some exclusive photos of the Beatles, her career as a photographer will be secured. And then there are two people who feel that the future of civilization as we know it depends on their efforts to ruin the Beatles' appearance on Ed Sullivan's show. In this madcap comedy, when these people (and others besides) descend on the New York hotel the Beatles are staying in, things begin hopping. This comedy was Robert Zemeckis' first feature. A protégé of Stephen Spielberg, he went on to direct Forrest Gump, Back to the Future, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? among other popular features. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

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by minerwerks in minerwerks Blog

loved it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"'Back to the Future' has been a favorite film of mine since I was ten years old. That was my age when it was originally in theaters and I chose it over 'Weird Science' one fateful evening. In all the years since, I've probably paid more critical attention to the film's sequels and the other works of Robert Zemeckis, mostly because the original film was nearly perfect in my mind.This past weekend, I was able to revisit 'Back to the Future' with an audience of mostly families. It wasn't screened on film, but it was a solid presentation from DVD with surround sound. I wasn't surprised that the film still held my attention, but there were some things that took me by surprise and even a couple things that made the movie seem oddly dated.For those who may not remember, 'Back to the Future' is a time-travel fantasy that follows Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) on an accidental trip back in time via a time-travelling Delorean invented by Doc Brow ... " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

is neutral about it.

This amiable period piece is essentially a dry run for the madcap comedic style Robert Zemeckis would later perfect in Back to the Future. The script, which Zemeckis co-wrote with Bob Gale, does a great job of re-creating the atmosphere of Beatlemania and is full of clever bits of period detail. Unfortunately, the characters lack the depth that would really allow the viewers to invest themselves in the story and the pacing periodically lags in the midsection due to too many divergent plot threads (no one character ever becomes the heart of the story). Despite these problems, I Wanna Hold Your Hand remains a fun and worthwhile film thanks to its contagious sense of fun. This spirit is brought to life by a game cast. Nancy Allen adds a bit of emotional weight as an engaged girl who has second thoughts when hit by Beatles fever and Wendie Jo Sperber and Eddie Deezen make the ultimate slapstick comedy couple as they lay waste to everything in their path to get their Ed Sullivan Show tickets. I Wanna Hold Your Hand further benefits from skillful direction by Zemeckis, who shows the flair for comedic set pieces that would serve him well throughout the first part of his career. In the end, I Wanna Hold Your Hand is a lightweight but likable comedy that is worth a look for nostalgic Beatles buffs and fans of Zemeckis. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide

Tags: funny , Cool , teenagers , loved , amazing
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