# Why no Help? \[Beatles Movie\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [December 12, 2022, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420 "2022-12-12T20:48:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/41 "2022-12-13T15:41:40Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > For the DVD and VHS versions, the title on the page is “He !” They misspelled “Eight Arms to Hold You”. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/42 "2022-12-13T15:41:56Z")
> [@sb1953](#): > > they were pretending to use boy-scout signal flags spelling out “help” but in reality, in the UK release they were spelling NUJV, which is the abbreviation of bad Swahili for “Paul has been dead for ages, honestly” or NVUJ in the American release, which is bad Swahili for “Have you a water buffalo?” ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/43 "2022-12-13T16:02:19Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > _While on the subject of the album, can we all agree that it was the biggest con Capitol Records ever foisted upon American Beatles fans?_ Capitol scammed Beatles fans in the USA from the start, removing songs from the British versions in order to package them together for additional albums. It wasn’t until “Sgt. Pepper” that they stopped, and only because the Beatles insisted that the album was to be released exactly as it was in Britain. They also frequently had Capitol producers re-edit George Martin’s carefully-planned monaural production by adding fake stereo to the American versions. Capitol was a lousy record company when it came to Pop music. They only lucked into the Beatles through a distribution agreement with EMI in Britain. And even then, they dragged their feet on releasing the Beatles in America. An example of how clueless they were involved “A Hard Day’s Night.” The movie was released by United Artists, which also had a record label. Capitol gave away the rights to the album of the movie soundtrack to UA, because they thought that by the time the movie was released, the Beatles would have fizzled-out. UA had offices in Britain and knew what was happening, and happily accepted Capitol’s misguided gift. ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/44 "2022-12-13T16:54:59Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > “All You Need Is Cash” was a full length feature film with the Rutles, particularly Eric Idle. It was a TV special, not really a feature film. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/45 "2022-12-13T16:56:09Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I was disappointed to find it wasn’t the boys doing the voices in Yellow Submarine. Come on! Most viewers don’t notice that two different people did the voice of George Harrison in the movie. (Three if you count Harrison himself appearing in the end scene.) Peter Batten was originally hired to play Harrison. But midway through the production he was arrested and Paul Angelis (who was doing Ringo Starr’s voice) stepped in and did the rest of Harrison’s lines. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/46 "2022-12-13T17:24:40Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > They only lucked into the Beatles through a distribution agreement with EMI in Britain Capitol was _owned_ by EMI in Britain! Their obsequious attitude toward their subsidiary in the early 1960s was a corporate curiosity. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2022, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/47 "2022-12-13T22:58:43Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > Capitol scammed Beatles fans in the USA from the start, removing songs from the British versions in order to package them together for additional albums. Well, yeah, except “Beatles 65” is arguably a better compilation than the concurrent British releases. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/48 "2022-12-14T00:08:01Z")
I read once that the Beatles chose not to provide their voices for the YS movie because they were disappointed in those crappy Beatles cartoon shorts. But when they they saw pre-release portions of YS and realized that it was quality work, they agreed to appear as themselves in the brief live-action epilogue. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/49 "2022-12-14T00:09:50Z")
What kills me is that the voice of Paul is done by none other than Hyacinth Bucket’s brother-in-law, the eternally sleeveless Onslow! (Geoffrey Hughes) ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/50 "2022-12-14T01:39:28Z")
My good friend and I saw _Help!_ at the now-defunct Texas theater on Houston Street in San Antonio when we were seniors in high school. We sat through it three times because we liked it and because we couldn’t understand a word the boys were saying. Now, after 50 years of Masterpiece Theater, not to mention in more recent years, AcornTV and Britbox, we do better with non-RP UK accents. * * * * * * > [@blondebear](#): > > I guess I’m one of the few that like _Help!_ better than _A Hard Day’s Night_. I suppose it’s because I saw it first and just loved it. The music set pieces are still among my favorites; “You’re Going To Lose That Girl” in the studio with Ringo smoking up a storm, “Ticket To Ride” with all the snowy shenanigans, “The Night Before” with them freezing their butts off on the Salisbury Plain (and that great “bass-cam” angle), and “Another Girl” in The Bahamas (where they’re also freezing, but you can’t really tell). I agree with every word of this. “Say no more.” _“I shall say no more.”_ ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/51 "2022-12-14T02:44:44Z")
This movie is the source of about half of out family catchphrases ( **Princess Bride** being responsible for most of the rest). In addition to “Say no more.”/“I can say no more.” and “Fiendish thin **g** y” (remember the hard “g”) mentioned above: - “Go to the ~~window~~ {insert destination}.” - “I’m going to miss the sacrifice!” - “Ho! Ho ho! Ho ho ho!” - “There’s more here than meets the eye.” - “With this {whatever} I could — dare I say it — rule the world.” Also my reaction when presented with a ridiculous/impossible assertion: “It’s the brain drain. My brain’s draining.” ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/52 "2022-12-14T03:20:14Z")
> [@Jaycat.again](#): > > Well, yeah, except “Beatles 65” is arguably a better compilation than the concurrent British releases. (hijack) I wouldn’t call that a compilation. It was 60% of the contemporaneous UK album _Beatles for Sale_, 20% covers, 10% the single of the time (“I Feel Fine”), and 10% a great song left off the US version of AHDN (“I’ll Be Back”). But I know what you mean, and I sort of agree. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/53 "2022-12-14T03:44:16Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > his movie is the source of about half of out family catchphrases “All the blood’s rushing to me 'ead!” Though it’s been so long, I hope I’m quoting it right. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/54 "2022-12-14T05:00:55Z")
A stick of gum: “Is it habit-forming?” “Only if you swallow it.” ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/55 "2022-12-14T14:08:20Z")
As noted by @teelabrown in a post above, the [trivia page on _Help!_](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059260/trivia/?ref_=tt_trv_trv) at the IMDB has tons of interesting little tidbits. Likewise the quotes page (the page before). > [Ringo](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823592/?ref_=tt_trv_qu): What was it that first attracted you to me? > > [John](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006168/?ref_=tt_trv_qu): Well, you’re very polite, aren’t you? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/56 "2022-12-14T14:51:46Z")
This thread is getting pretty long, I think it’s time for an intermission. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1nNrWZQcR4s/maxresdefault.jpg "'Help!' Intermission & Part Two") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nNrWZQcR4s) ---
**Author:** ![Kzbre5m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kzbre5m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kzbre5m)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/57 "2022-12-14T19:40:47Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > As long as we’re on the subject, has anyone else noticed that Ringo is the one that sets the plot in motion in all four Beatles movies? Ringo does something (decides to skip rehearsal/wears a sacred ring/takes a bus ride with his aunt/agrees to help Fred) and the others follow him into the story. Raises hand. It’s a trivia question I ask. Though with _A Hard Day’s Night_, I go with Ringo created the title. > **long rambling story** > > The story goes they went outside after a long session, Ringo said something like “That was a hard day…” Looked up, saw it was dark. “… night.” Later, when they were trying to think of a movie name, they mentioned it to the producer, who got the approval, then told John one evening, “You gotta make a song now. Can’t have a movie title without a song.” “About what?” “A hard day’s night.” “What’s it about?” “I dunno – you’re the song writer.” So John and Paul came back the _very next morning_ with a full song. The movie was already done, so it’s the only song they didn’t sing on camera. I like _AHDN_ better than Help! – if only because it was more realistic Beatles (though not really). _Help!_ was a cartoonish version of the Beatles. Though their combined flats were pretty cool, between the bed pit, the organ coming up, the food machines, and the grass floor. Oh, and _“He’s very clean.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/58 "2022-12-14T22:19:35Z")
> [@digs](#): > > You kids with your mosh pits and Who concerts; we were living with danger before you were even born. I think Who fans and Beatle fans are the same age. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2022, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/59 "2022-12-14T22:38:03Z")
True but irrelevant. I was making fun of the harmless-ness of a bunch of twelve-year-olds packed together for a Beatles movie, and went for the most extreme example of people packed together getting into an event. Looking for a _reductio ad absurdum_, I went all the way to the Who concert [(in Cincinnati)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Who_concert_disaster) where people were crushed trying to get in. ---
**Author:** ![Hermione1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d07c76/32.png) [@Hermione1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermione1)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420/60 "2022-12-15T05:23:29Z")
I’ve noticed the same. I think it’s because Ringo’s the everyman of the group. (Even HE said once in real life, “What’s a scruff like me doing with all this lot?”) He’s not the genius songwriter/performer that the other three are (or at least, that wasn’t his image in pop culture at the time…later he’d show that he was a capable songwriter). He’s more the regular guy that lucked into a place in the greatest band of all time…and, as such, is easier for the audience to relate to. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-help-beatles-movie/976420.md?page=4)