I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) review

In Maplewood, New Jersey - which is a forty minute drive from Manhattan (depending on traffic) - teenager Rosie (Wendie Jo Sperber) and photographer Grace (Theresa Saldana) drag their friends Janis (Susan Kendall Newman) and recently engaged Pam (Nancy Allen) to the Ed Sullivan Show in order to see British rockers the Beatles - when they do get there they separate, with each of them trying to find a way to obtain a ticket.  Zemeckis' feature debut is spastic and grating on the nerves - the characters are loud and overacting all of the time (Rosie frequently screams and passes out, Pam has a sexual awakening while sneaking around their hotel room and starts fondling their musical instruments and belongings) and I started to feel bad for the (unseen) band, not to mention the security detail: audiences showing support for the artists they love is important, but it shouldn't turn into a riot.  Fans of the Fab Four might cling to this tighter than I did - like Janis, I'm more of a Dylan guy myself (he's always embodied artistic integrity to me)....