Tom Hanks on the band who made “the greatest music of any generation”
American actor Tom Hanks made his film debut in the Halloween-inspired slasher He Knows You’re Alone in 1980. However, within four years, he landed a significant leading role in the mermaid-themed romantic-comedy Splash alongside Daryl Hannah. The 1980s allowed Hanks to establish himself as a successful leading man, finding further acclaim with his performance in Big.
From Sleepless in Seattle to Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, and Toy Story, the 1990s were even more fruitful for Hanks. As he entered the 21st century, he continued to land high-profile roles, moving between serious dramas, comedies, family-friendly movies and biopics. It’s not hard to see why Hanks has become so successful, thanks to his penchant for playing loveable characters which have endeared generations of movie lovers. For many people, Hanks’ face or voice go hand in hand with their childhood, whether that be through his tenure as Woody the Cowboy or his various characters in The Polar Express.
Alongside his acting prowess, Hanks has tried his hand at directing, releasing two movies with That Thing You Do! and Larry Crowne. The former, released in 1996, was partly inspired by his love for one of the most iconic bands of all time: The Beatles. The movie follows a pop band in the 1960s, though they are much less successful than the Fab Four.
In the film, the fictitious band, The Wonders, has to replace their bassist, which was inspired by Ringo Starr’s introduction to the band as the new drummer after Pete Best was fired. According to Tom Everett Scott, who played one of The Wonders members: “[Hanks] was watching some documentary, I think, and thinking about how just changing out the drummer, putting Ringo in the band — he had this idea. It is super creative. He was involved in every single song.”
Hanks is clearly a big fan of the ‘60s rockers, once crediting them in a Letterboxd interview with creating the “greatest music of any generation”. Elsewhere, he has shared his love for their 1965 film A Hard Day’s Night, a musical comedy directed by Richard Lester that depicts the band attempting to prepare for a television performance.
He said: “If I could live inside the world of any film, it is A Hard Day’s Night by The Beatles. It was the friendship that was exemplified by these four guys who just seemed to be having the greatest time of their lives doing what they naturally love to do. It remains the most joyful movie I’ve ever seen.”
When it comes to Hanks’ favourite Beatles song, he once picked out ‘There’s A Place’ from Please Please Me while appearing on Desert Island Discs. “This is not one of their big hits, but to me this was the birth of The Beatles,” he explained.
Revisit the song below.
Never Miss A Beat
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