Set against the backdrop of Beatlemania, I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) centers on the comical quest of six New Jersey teens to see the Beatles at their 1964 performance on the set of the The Ed Sullivan Show. Robert Zemeckis’ directorial debut imagines the power of a musical phenomenon to shape a cultural moment. One of the first collaborations between writers Zemeckis and Bob Gale and producer Steven Spielberg, I Wanna Hold Your Hand is the story of fans whose persistence is matched only by a musical revolution that won’t be stopped.
Actress Nancy Allen (Carrie, Robocop) and co-writer Bob Gale (Back to the Future) will join moderator Joe Palladino (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) for a post-screening discussion.