NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Criterion state that this is a 'new 4K digital restoration, approved by director Robert Zemeckis and cowriter Bob Gale'. And what a restoration this is! The 1.85:1 presentation is housed on a dual-layered Blu-ray with an impressive maxed out bitrate. There is nary a scratch to be seen here, and the colors are vivid. This looks like it could have been shot yesterday. There is the usual amount of grain that is to be expected and the contrast levels are exceptional, showing a ton of detail in darker scenes. Though transfers like this are what we have come to expect from the folks at Criterion, this is still a home-run.

As for the audio, this IS a movie about the Beatles, and the numerous classic tracks sound fantastic here on this 24-bit 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio track. Beatles fans (i.e. everyone) should be pleased that this picture has many, many more songs than just the eponymous track, 17 tracks to be exact. There are optional English subtitles on this Region 'A' Blu-ray.

First off, there is a great commentary with director Robert Zemeckis and cowriter Bob Gale. This track was recorded in 2004. The director has a great memory of the shoot, and shares a lot of interesting facts throughout the picture. Zemeckis talks about the impetus of the picture; a late night with Bob Gale listening to the Meet the Beatles record and reading about Beatlemania on the sleeve. A discussion ensued and the rest is history. Having not listened to this track, I never would have realized that the opening of the film is a take on the iconic "Patton" intro. And that is just the start of another great commentary. Criterion have included a 42-minute discussion between Zemeckis, Gale, and executive producer Steven Spielberg. The three friends and colleagues have a great rapport and talk about everything from their first meeting to 1941 to "I Wanna Hold Your Hand". The filmmakers talk about the influences of Frank Capra, Billy Wilder and the 3 Stooges on the film. Interesting that the 4 lead characters in the film share the same 4 initials of John, Paul, George and Ringo. It is a great watch, and fans will love this talk. Also included here is a 22-minute interview with actors Nancy Allen and Marc McClure. Allen talks about wanting to take a role that is nothing like her role in de Palma's Carrie. McClure talks about how there was a lot of laughter on set. The two talk about working for Robert Zemeckis, sharing a lot of fond memories from the shoot. This is another great extra from Criterion. 2 of Zemeckis' early films are also here on this Blu-ray, The Lift (1972) and A Field of Honor (1973). The latter being interesting as it is described in the interview with Spielberg as the film that brought the three filmmakers together, as well as being a somewhat anarchic riff akin to Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. The film's trailer and some radio spots are also gathered on the disc. There is also an included essay by critic Scott Tobias.

"I Wanna Hold Your Hand" is a wild and frenetic farce set amongst one of the most iconic television appearances of all time. Executive Producer Spielberg clearly had good taste in having Zemeckis direct this feature, and it is here in an all new 4k restoration that is pretty stunning. Glad to see Criterion taking some interesting curatorial choices as of late. Hope that this film gets some more love, check it out!

Colin Zavitz