50 films: 1964 - A Hard Day's Night

Ringo walks towards Kew BridgeCoincidentally one of the first films I watched in 2014 was made in the year I was born, which got me thinking that what I'm doing to records I could do for film.

I love The Beatles, and mostly I love the sweet innocent charm of the early Beatles, and A Hard Day's Night is just 90 minutes of sweet innocent charm, maybe it was innovative in the way it was made, and maybe it was the "godfather of MTV" ("I've demanded a blood test" said Dick Lester when confronted with that), and maybe with the sweet and charming Beatles we didn't really want to waste anything on a story - but maybe I wouldn't have minded a wee bit more substance.

Ringo with the Brentford gas works

But what I liked most was seeing little glimpses of West London in the year I was born (in West London). Kew where I work now, Brentford, where I worked for many years previously, Hammersmith Odeon where I found my own music when I was 15, and lots of London I don't know but love all the same.

I think watching 50 films from 50 years might be trickier than listening to 50 albums, so don't be surprised if this series fizzles out at some point!