At the height of their fame, a black and white tribute to Beatlemania, the soundtrack for A Hard Day's Night was released in Britain on this day in 1964.

"Many critics attended the movie and prepared to condescend," explained critic Roger Ebert, "But the movie could not be dismissed: It was so joyous and original that even the early reviews acknowledged it as something special."

Directed by Richard Lester and written by Alan Owen, the film celebrated, with exuberance, a fictionalized average day in the life of the Fab Four, capturing the unique personalities of each Beatle.

The innovative Lester created a semi-documentary film using fast cuts and imaginative hand-held camera work which inspired the music video generation.

"Do you think these haircuts have come to stay?" a reporter asked Ringo Starr. "Well, this one has. You know, it's stuck on good and proper now," he replied.

Re-released in 2000, A Hard Day's Night opened with the unforgettable jangling, resonant chord created on George Harrison's new 12-string guitar. The breakthrough soundtrack featured all-original music. John Lennon wrote five of the seven songs and showcased his maturing songwriting ability.