Appreciating the campy delight that is Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)


This post is my contribution to the fun Beatles Film Blogathon hosted by Steve over at Movie Movie Blog Blog. To read the other entries, click here. For the benefit of Mr. Kite, please do.

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Ever since I can remember, I've been aware of the Beatles. The amazing thing is I think almost everyone can say that. I didn't really appreciate them until one summer I listened to a Greatest Hits cassette tape that was my dad's, a tape that I played over and over until the stereo I used went kaput. And then a great thing happened to me: I took a class last semester on the history of 1960's rock music. I thought I knew the Beatles, knew their songs, appreciated them. Uh, no. Not even close. After discussing the band in class for two weeks, I immediately bought all but two of their albums and I knew I was in love. But before I could worship the Beatles for their more-than-impressive catalog and cooler-than-cool image, my mom introduced my sister and I to 1978's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. I was in the seventh grade when my mom told us about this mythical film starring Peter Frampton, the Bee Gees, Aerosmith, and many more. The universe clearly wanted us to see the movie when not a week later, my mother randomly found a DVD copy of the film while running errands. One viewing was all it took for my sister and me to become obsessed.

Before I go into plot details and whatnot, there are a few things I need to get out of the way. First of all, I have never encountered another person who appreciates Sgt. Pepper's (the film, not the album). Just type in the title and "1978" into Google, and you'll get nothing but hate-filled rants about why the movie is the worst of the worst of the worst. Which breaks my heart to no end, because it's honestly in my top 10 all-time favorite films. Could this be because it's bonded me with my sister and mom? Sure. But it's also because I genuinely think Sgt. Pepper's has gotten unfair treatment, simply because it dared to use Beatles songs, a particularly gutsy move since it was released only eight or nine years after the group disbanded. Maybe the reason why I didn't discount the movie straight away was because I was watching it for the people involved, not because it was associated with the Beatles. When I heard Robin Gibb singing "Oh! Darling," I loved it like I would any other song from any other musical. I wasn't saying "How could they?! There's no way this is as good as Paul McCartney's vocals!" This is all my long-winded way of saying that if you want to appreciate Sgt. Pepper's, you've got to see it with an open mind. Seriously.

Because the film is weird. I'm not going to lie to you guys about that. For one thing, its actors are a who's who of popular musicians from the time: Frampton, the Bee Gees, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Billy Preston. The narrator/Mr. Kite character is none other than George Burns, a fact that amazed me once I learned more about Burns. If you think about it, the movie's cast reminds one of when MGM or whoever would put dozens of stars in one film to really sell it, such as Till the Clouds Roll By or It's a Great Feeling.

Another interesting thing about Sgt. Pepper's is the fact that the only dialogue comes from Burns. Everyone sings, but the narrator is the only one to speak. All the songs come from the album it shares a name with and Abbey Road, which means that the soundtrack is fantastic. The cast may not be Paul, John, George, and Ringo, but the songs are definitely done justice. The last thing I want to say before I finally dive in: the plot is extremely flimsy. I know this. Everything is goofy and silly and sometimes creepy, and yes, the acting isn't Oscar-worthy. I feel like I'm losing you now...

The town of Heartland has one pride and joy: the famous Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. During World War I, Sgt. Pepper and his band's music brought the opposing sides together, ending the war. Through the years, Sgt. Pepper's Band helped people weather the changing times, from the roaring '20s to WWII. Everyone loved the band, so when Sgt. Pepper himself died during a performance, the town was heartbroken. Without Sgt. Pepper as their leader, the group faded away, leaving their instruments on display in the town hall building.

We learn all this information from Mr. Kite (Burns), who tells us that recently Sgt. Pepper's Band came back together, only this time it's led by the sergeant's grandson, Billy Shears (Frampton). The rest of the members are Mark, Dave, and Bob Henderson (Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb), and Billy's stepbrother Dougie (Paul Nicholas) manages the band. Billy's girlfriend Strawberry Fields (Sandy Farina) is their #1 fan. Everything is rosy, or as Mr. Kite says, "Heartland loved the boys and the boys loved music. Billy and Strawberry loved each other, and Dougie loved making money." But wait. What's that sketchy van that has sneaked its way into town? It's mean Mr. Mustard (Frankie Howerd), a conniving ex-realtor who works for a mysterious villain named FVB. His assignment: steal the precious instruments from town hall and corrupt Heartland.


Unaware of Mr. Mustard and his evil plan, Dougie records the new Sgt. Pepper's Band during a jam session and sends the tape to B.D. Records. They get an enthusiastic reply from the company and immediately head for Los Angeles, via hot-air balloon because that's how sane people travel. Heartland is ecstatic for the boys, except for Strawberry -- she's kind of sort of super depressed about the whole thing. Her worry that Billy will forget about her manifests as soon as the band is picked up at the airport by B.D. (Donald Pleasence) and his lover, Lucy (Dianne Steinberg). Lucy leads B.D.'s #1 group, Lucy and the Diamonds, but she also plays chauffeur, secretary, and fellow schemer to the big boss. She immediately sets her sights on Billy, and Dougie only has eyes for her. It's quite funny, actually. Lucy gazes lustily at Billy as she sings "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" and out of nowhere, you hear Dougie singing to her and staring at her, which makes Lucy as uncomfortable as Billy.

Once the gang arrives at B.D.'s estate, Lucy and her Diamonds work their magic as they wine and dine the guys, the goal being to get them so drunk and, um, amorous, that they'll sign their contract without reading it. Drugs are inhaled, huge glasses of liquor are gulped, and an orgy is definitely implied. The only one putting up some resistance is Billy, but once B.D. spikes his drink, he's a goner too. It doesn't take long for Sgt. Pepper's to become a massive success. Like the Beatles, they're consumed by screaming girls, recording sessions, and performances.

Back in Heartland, things aren't going so well. Mr. Mustard not only has designs on the town, but on Strawberry too. Once he steals the instruments and ships them off to various followers of FVB, he begins buying property and turning Heartland into the sleaziest place you ever saw. Strawberry becomes very worried (her name really should be Worrywart) and she runs away from home so she can tell the guys what's plaguing their hometown.


Strawberry manages to find B.D. Records and is horrified to see Lucy blowing kisses to Billy, who is clearly not resisting the woman's advances. In one of my favorite moments, Dave is recording "Oh! Darling" as Strawberry informs Billy of Heartland's problems. One by one, each instrument drops out as each band member is told what's going on. The gang rushes from the booth, only to remember that no one told poor Dave, who just keeps singing his little heart out. They pull him one way, but his headphones pull him the other way. I may or may not crack up every time this happens...


Outside on the street, Billy and Co. notice Mr. Mustard's van. He had followed Strawberry and it's his job to stop the group. He's your typical blundering villain, though, so in no time the gang hijacks his van, which is equipped with helpful robots and monitors that tell the gang exactly where to go to retrieve the instruments. Their first stop? The evil Dr. Maxwell (Steve Martin, I kid you not), "a small-time quack who became a big-time specialist, turning ugly, old, corrupt people into handsome, young, corrupt people." Steve Martin may be the only one who got any praise for this movie. Critics enjoyed his performance, which is kooky and hilarious. Not so hilarious? The lyrics to his song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer." Despite the doctor's efforts and the goofiest fistfight you ever saw between the Hendersons and the nurses, the gang is able to steal back the coronet. They also find the drum already in the van. Two more instruments to go!


Their next stop is the brainwashing headquarters of FVB, run by a former school crossing guard who goes by the name Father Sun (Alice Cooper). In what's probably the creepiest scene from Sgt. Pepper's, FVB's followers watch a weird music video starring Father Sun and they chant "We hate love! We hate joy! We love money!" Once again, the band and Strawberry are able to retrieve another instrument, but unfortunately during a scuffle with the followers, Billy was knocked unconscious. Inside the van, Strawberry sings to him -- what else? -- "Strawberry Fields Forever" and he magically wakes up. It's corny and sweet and a chance to stare at the perfection that is Peter Frampton, so I can't complain.

During all this craziness, Dougie is still at B.D. Records. Because the boys ran off, B.D. was forced to cancel dozens of concerts. He's quickly losing money until Dougie convinces B.D. to throw a giant music festival in Heartland. Billy and the Hendersons come back for the festival after hitting a snag in their mission (re: Bob got pissed and kicked the van's computers, causing them to break down and thus cutting off their source of information).

The festival is a smash, especially since you've got Sgt. Pepper's, Lucy and the Diamonds, and Earth, Wind and Fire appearing. By now a money-hungry couple, Lucy and Dougie are thrilled with the ticket receipts, so much so that they dance and sing as they literally roll in dollar bills. This is another of my favorite moments. Lucy and Dougie are a perfect teaming, a complete foil to the
all-American boy-and-girl-next-door coupling of Billy and Strawberry. They're sexy and lusty and totally unapologetic. Hearing them sing "You Never Give Me Your Money" is wonderful. Whenever my sister and I count out loud for whatever reason, we'll instantly go "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven! All good children go to heaven!" Of course, we have to sing it high-pitched like Lucy does. The twosome grabs as much cash as they can and store it in Mr. Mustard's van, which they plan to take too. They're quickly interrupted, though, when the festival's crowds allow Mustard to sneak back into town and subsequently kidnap Strawberry.


Billy and the Hendersons get in their hot-air balloon and the chase is on! Mr. Mustard tries to console Strawberry, but it's more frightening than anything else ("When I'm Sixty-Four"). He's all kinds of uncomfortable. And because he's also an idiot, Mustard goes to the lair of FVB, leading the boys right to the source of the villainy. Now, this is where the film gets completely outrageous: FVB stands for Future Villain Band, and it's none other than Aerosmith. Strawberry is tied up and subjected to Steven Tyler thrusting and shimmying all over her as he sings "Come Together" in an attempt to seduce Strawberry to the dark side. (I doubt I'd be resisting prime 1970's Steven Tyler, but that's just me.) In what was surely many a fan girl's dream in 1978, Tyler and Frampton physically fight over Strawberry. Then legitimate tragedy strikes -- Strawberry pushes Tyler off of Billy, making Tyler fall to his death and loosening her restraints so she accidentally falls as well. That's right. Strawberry DIES.


We cut to her funeral in Heartland, and it is depressing as hell. I get teary-eyed every time, it is that sad. Billy sings "Golden Slumbers" to Strawberry's coffin ("Sleep little darling, do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby..."), and as they carry her to the wagon that will take her to the cemetery, the chorus sings "Carry That Weight," which perfectly captures Billy's guilt ("Boy, you're going to carry that weight, carry that weight a long time"). Inconsolable, Billy goes to Strawberry's house and cries in her old room. Outside, Mark reflects on the sad day and how just weeks ago, everything was going great ("A Day in the Life"). As the music gets more intense, Mark and his brothers look up in time to see Billy jumping from Strawberry's third-story window.

Now this is when the movie will probably lose you (if it hadn't already). Before Billy can hit the ground, Billy Preston pops up and uses literal magic powers to stop Billy and put him back on the roof. Yeah. It happens. Dressed in shiny gold, Preston (and special effects) changes all of Mustard's corruption back to the way Heartland used to be while singing "Get Back." Not only that, he also brings Strawberry back to life. Everyone's happy, everything's good. The end.


For any other movie, this ending would be beyond bizarre, but it fits perfectly here. Plus, how often have you seen a character die at the end of a film and wish they would magically come back? It's pretty satisfying, I must say. I know some would argue that it makes no sense, but to that I say "It. Is. A. Movie. None of this is real." Can you tell I get defensive when I really like something? There are just so many little pieces in the movie that delight me every viewing... Bob slapping away Billy's hand when they're trying to figure out Mustard's computer, Billy finding the drum in the van, Dougie and Lucy's interactions throughout the story, George Burns dancing and singing "Fixin' a Hole," the boys breaking the fourth wall as they sing about Lucy during "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", the boys hilariously propelling their hot-air balloon in an effort to catch up with Mr. Mustard and Strawberry...


I don't want to give the impression that I love everything about Sgt. Pepper's. There are little things I would change, such as the very sketchy vibes from Mr. Mustard, his robots that you can barely understand, and Father Sun's brainwashing video. Those are all pretty minor, though, compared to the character of Strawberry Fields. Sandy Farina did the best she could, but Strawberry... well, she has the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old girl. When she gets sad over the success of Billy's band, she goes up to her room, snuggles a stuffed animal, and her walls are covered in pictures of Billy, including a cardboard cutout of him. She also can't save herself when Mr. Mustard kidnaps her. That being said, Strawberry takes charge when it comes to helping Heartland. And she kills Steven Tyler before he can kill Billy. For such a flimsy movie, her characterization does make you think.

As you've probably gathered from the beginning of this post, Sgt. Pepper's was not a success in any way. It flopped at the box office and critics more than despised it. How it came to be released on DVD is a serious mystery -- that's how much flack this poor film gets. It used to be on Netflix's instant streaming, but alas the Netflix gods took it away. I couldn't find it on YouTube either, so instead of linking to the movie, I'll just link you to the movie's soundtrack here. Give it a listen; you might be surprised. I really hope my post inspires at least one person to seek Sgt. Pepper's out, either for a first viewing or a re-watch. If there was ever a flick that deserved a second chance, I believe it's this 1978 gem. And remember: be good-natured about it and have an open mind. The love you take is equal to the love you make, after all.









Comments

  1. Very nice post! I am afraid I'm one of those countless detractors of the movie to which you refer, but I greatly appreciate your spirited defense of the movie, and if you like it, that's all that matters! Nicely done! (P.S.: I've always wondered whatever happened to Sandy Farina after this movie.)

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    1. Well, thanks for providing me the platform to defend this movie! I understand why some (okay, many) don't like the film. We'll just have to agree to disagree. I too wonder about Sandy Farina. Any relation to Dennis?

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    2. It's her married name. Here's her bio from August 1978!

      http://people.com/archive/the-movie-may-be-all-wet-but-here-comes-the-sun-for-sgt-peppers-sandy-farina-vol-10-no-8/

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  2. Ha-ha, I think you and I might be the only ones out there! I love this movie too! Great job!

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    1. You love it too?! Oh my goodness. I'm going to have to write this date in stone. This is
      exciting!
      Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. Michaela Ann: I've nominated you for a Liebster -- I hope you will have a chance to respond soon! http://bit.ly/1J9YS09

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    1. Thank you so much! I'll get on it right away!

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  4. I first saw this on cable in 1980 at the age of four; I'd been into the Beatles for a year by then, and I knew who the "new band" consisted of, and I thought it was great. I didn't know who george Burns was at the time, but thought of him as a sort of Mr. Hooper figure of the movie.
    For a movie that was not terribly well-received, it was always available on VHS, Beta, "DiscoVision" LaserDisc, DVD, and online, not to mention occasional airings on cable.
    I remember being depressed for a few days after first seeing it, after what happens to Strawberry, and her subsequent funeral, as she was my first cinematic crush. I knew it was "just a movie", and she does magically come back, but--boy, what a downer that was. Sandy Farina is doing well, and apparently has done so in the years since then. I have her as a Facebook friend, and although I don't pester her about the movie, there's so many questions I would love to ask about making it!

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    1. Good observation regarding the film's availability. I was absolutely gobsmacked that my mom was able to find it so quickly, and at our local CVS which is so random.

      Thanks for letting me know about Sandy Farina! Her funeral in the film is really touching, in my opinion -- for such a goofy film, it's got a dark side. I would be tempted to ask Ms. Farina loads of questions, too! This movie is something no one talks about, so it'd be cool to hear what her experience was like.

      Thanks for reading!

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    2. She had an album on MCA, released in 1980, called "All Alone In The Night". I haven't found it anywhere, but one can always get it off of eBay.
      She also sang the song "Body Talk" for the 1985 cult favorite "The Toxic Avenger", and the song itself has a bit of a cult following on YouTube.

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    3. Rock critic Dave Marsh gave 'All Alone In The Night' zero out of five stars in the Rolling Stone Record Guide. He would have given her album one star, but he docked it as punishment for appearing in the 'Sgt. Pepper' movie. :-o

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    4. Ouch. Very "ouch". I'm sure that was spectacularly unhelpful, but that's "Rolling Stone" for ya, especially Dave Marsh. I found a cassette copy of it, and there are some great songs on it. The title track was made into an interesting video here:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtrt69s15gM&t=35s

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  5. My sister and I watched this movie over and over again it is one of my all time favorite movies, what I can't understand is why anyone would hate it!!! I think the music is awesome and I love the Bee Gees and Peter Frampton singing the songs I head a huge crush on Peter!! I loved everything about it!!

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    1. I'm right there with you! I think it's just because it's the Beatles -- people take the band very seriously and I don't think they appreciate how the film appropriates the music and everything. Personally, I love that we get to have people like Peter Frampton, the Bee Gees, Steve Martin, etc. singing Beatles tunes! I will always have a major crush on Frampton after seeing this movie. Such a gorgeous, talented man.

      Thanks for reading!

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  6. "Would you believe in a love at first sight? Yes...I'm certain that it happens all the time."
    And that's exactly how I feel about this film. Star Wars. Flash Gordon. And Sgt Peppers. Best of the best in my book. I grew up in the 70s (obviously) and I remember possibility...hope...and joy. These things were real in the 70s. Even though every Millennial wants to attack this beautiful time (and this movie) they are just missing out...too busy trying to be cool than to really be cool. You're so right about what you have to say and it's refreshing. I only differ in that I love those girly bots with the cool robot voices. But I'm a guy right? What the detractors are missing is that Sgt Peppers was more a movie length music video than a musical...waaaay ahead of its time. It was ALL about feel good and good vibes. In a word...it was FUN! But most of all ... it was about HEART. It was a good movie about goodness. It always tells me more about the mind of the detractors than this movie. Critics be damned. This movie is soul medicine.

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    1. Agreed! Many people completely miss the point of this movie. It's so much fun, and I love that we get great covers of great songs. It's just a sweet, goofy gem. Thanks for reading!

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  7. You are not alone, Michaela! I myself went to the same theatre 5 or 6 times to see SGT. PEPPER when it was first released... I loved the film and the entire experience THAT MUCH! Mind you, just the previous year when STAR WARS first hit the world stage, I went to see it for the first time (thought it was so-so) and then returned to see it 2 or 3 more times with small groups of different friends and I remained completely aloof and reasonably nonplussed with each successive viewing! But, mind you, SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND simply got better and better each and every time I saw it. Now, 39 years later(?!?!) I will pop on my laserdisc or VHS tape of the film and continue to enjoy it just as I had all those years ago. Please don't misunderstand my stance, like you, I KNOW it's a terrible fucking movie, as movies go, anyway... But, it is an awful film that I simply, unashamedly adore just as it is! Forget about popular opinion, those moronic zombies voted in Trump, have sacrificed every last shred of excitement, interactive hands-on life-experience and daily shelve-out selfies of their under-age pussies to complete strangers, all as homage to their only god and obsession: that stupid little electronic device permanently attached to the palms of their hands, which they live exclusively out of twenty-four hours a day! You and I are right about this one, and nobody need even attempt to argue the point with us!

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  8. I remember going to our small town theater on the square (almost like Heartland ��) and seeing this because I was a huge fan of both The Bee Gees and the Beatles. I was in my mid teens and was not looking for a great cinematic experience. I went for fun. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I loved the music and the campiness of it all! I still enjoy the soundtrack just because it's a different and fresh approach to much loved songs. Most are close enough to the originals that you can sing along but still a different enough to enjoy in a new way. Fast forward 40 years - I'm renewing a love for The Bee Gees and order this little gem for nostalgia sake and find new ways to enjoy it again as an adult. Who cares about thin plot lines - I see that in so much television today. It's just a feel good movie with funny moments and great music. I love so many of the scenes you mentioned in your review. My particular favorites are the scenes with the boys getting Dave into the balloon and the "morning after" hangover car ride. I think they did some hilarious stuff when given the chance. I love seeing the clothes and hair styles and thinking "my gosh - did we really dress like that ��". I think if people would watch it today just for those nostalgic reasons - they might find out it's not so bad after all. And if not ... who cares - I'll keep on enjoying it for them. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thanks for the great comment, Barbara! I love that I wrote this post a few years ago and it's still getting wonderful feedback. It's lovely to know I'm not the only Sgt. Pepper's fan! It's the loss of others that they can't enjoy this movie. There are just so many little things that contribute to making this film a fun, feel-good experience. Sometimes I can't believe it exists!

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  9. Hi!! I have to say that not only did I see this movie in the theater in 1978 (I was nine years old), I truly felt that I was the only person in the entire world who loved it--that's right, I LOVED it and I was obsessed with it as I owned the soundtrack (on 8 track, no less) as well as a novelization (yup), a set of trading cards (yup, yup) and a behind the scenes making-of book called a "Scrapbook."--I really wonder if any of these things still exist in my parent's house...

    Anyhow and yes, this film brought me to The Beatles and even better rock films like "Tommy," but that said, I adored this movie for precisely what it is and I have always been troubled by the criticism, which I felt was so excessively harsh--especially as this film is essentially a fairy tale, a fable, a candyfloss cartoon dream. No more, no less...and frankly, I still it holds up MUCH better than "Across The Universe."

    I had been toying with writing my own blog piece about the film for quite some time. Your post has inspired me to do just that!

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    1. What a great little collection you had! My sister bought me the soundtrack on vinyl a few years ago. She didn't realize until she gave it to me, though, that the second disc had been replaced with The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour album!

      I tried to watch Across the Universe once and I couldn't do it. I felt so bored. With the Sgt. Pepper's film, I'm thoroughly entertained from beginning to end. I'm not sure why critics felt they had to completely obliterate this movie. It's one of my favorite underrated gems.

      I'm glad I could inspire you! Thanks so much for the comment!

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  10. I used to like the movie, but I no longer do. I used to own the soundtrack record, but I ditched after getting the original 'Sgt. Pepper' and 'Abbey Road' albums. Not only do I think the movie misrepresents the Beatles to some extent - they were never "good boys" like Brian Epstein wanted them to believe, even as Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees play clean-cut types here - but it retells and rips off the story of 'Yellow Submarine,' a 'Sgt. Pepper'-based movie that worked because it combined fantasy and music with killer animation. The 'Sgt. Pepper' movie just had so much '70s excess. Aerosmith, Billy Preston, and Earth Wind & Fire ("Got To Get You Into My Life") give the best musical performances, and the best parts in the movie are the sexy ballerina mimes twirling about in the circus parade scene and Alice Cooper dunking his face into a pie - TWICE! :-D He seemed to be in a death match with the pie while, ironically, watching - a boxing match????

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    1. I totally understand how this movie isn't for everyone. I'll admit that I haven't yet gotten the chance to see Yellow Submarine (I know -- for shame!), so I'll have to keep an eye out for similarities once I finally do watch it. Even though you don't like the film anymore, I appreciate your comment! (And I'm sorry for the lateness of my reply! For almost a year, Blogger stopped sending me comment notifications and so comments on my older posts were slipping by without me noticing.)

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    2. No problem, Michaela. Oh, dear, though, I did notice a typo in my original comment - it should have read that the Beatles "were never 'good boys' like Brian Epstein wanted US to believe . . ." I don't know how that happened - sorry.

      And I'll bet Alice sure did love that cream pie. :-D

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  11. I was one of those people who went and saw the movie when it came out. I liked it. To be honest, I don't remember anything about the storyline. I was only in the 8th grade (we were less worldly back then) so a lot of it surely flew right over my head anyway, but what I do remember, is singing all of the way home and for days...Maybe even weeks! I'm singing now! Lol :)

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    1. What a nice memory! Every time I watch this movie, I get the songs stuck in my head, too. The Beatles were such superb craftsmen. Thanks for commenting!

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  12. Another SPLHCP lover here! I can sit and watch that movie over and over again. The movie definitely has a bad rep but as you said it is a campy delight!

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    1. It really is! So glad another fan has found my post! I was convinced my sister, mom, and I were the only ones in the world, so it's been wonderful hearing from others who find the film as delightful as we do.

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  13. It breaks my heart every time Peter Frampton dismisses this movie. It was THE movie for me and three girlfriends that summer. They each loved a Bee Gee and I loved Peter Frampton. It was a fun movie. And Aerosmith OWNS "Come Together"! And Frampton's version of "Long And Winding Road" is just heart tugging. I have VHS, DVD and Digital of the movie and vinyl, CD and digital versions of the soundtrack. I will forever be a fan.

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    1. It breaks my heart, too! I got his new autobiography for my mom this Christmas and I skimmed through it to find any mentions of this movie. He REALLY wasn't a fan of it, was he? I was also upset when I watched the new Bee Gees documentary on HBO Max, which completely skipped the movie altogether. (Other than that, though, I do recommend the documentary!)

      That's awesome that you still love Sgt. Pepper's and have all those copies. I actually just bought on eBay a set of 66 trading cards that were sold with bubblegum to promote the movie when it came out. I'm pretty excited for them to arrive!

      Thank you for commenting!

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  14. I just stumbled upon this movie on a classic movies cable channel, and was mesmerized by it. I grew up in the '80s and have listened to the Beatles all my life, but I was unaware of this movie's existence until now. I understand it's not everyone's cup of tea; but I can't understand how anyone could HATE it! For one, the musical performances of legendary Beatles songs are outstanding; a real time-capsule of late-70s pop, an era that gets overshadowed by the Disco craze. For two, the campy style is fun, colorful, creative, and not meant to be taken particularly seriously. Three, the message of the movie is wholesome, and an honest take on where the music industry was trying to take society and culture in the future. The Alice Cooper scene was creepy but bang-on. Same with the Steve Martin scene - fun but also a bang-on comment about the emerging obsession with plastic surgery and the unsavoury frankenstein underworld of the medical community. Seeing a giant flat-screen TV in Heartland was a jaw-dropper, 30 years ahead of its time. Including video games and mortgage lending as part of the corruption and degredation of humanity, that's some high-level stuff for 1978. The artificial intelligence of Mustard's computer and robots, way ahead of its time. Mustard as the Minion of a shadowy higher-up issuing cryptic and anonymous orders, that's probably a pretty accurate representation of how our power structure works, in entertainment, banking, politics, etc right down the line. Creepy minions used to do the bidding of others above them. Mustard using his AI robots to give him massages and mix him drinks, so typical of creepy minions. So much to say about this thing! Bottom line, it's hella enjoyable. Critics probably hated it because of its wholesome message and accurate critique of the sleazebag back-room side of the media-entertainment complex. Thanks for your review Michaela, this kind of blogging is what the internet should be all about.

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    1. Thank you so much! Your comment gave me a lot to think about that I hadn't considered before. For one thing, I love that you pointed out how it encapsulates late '70s pop. I've become a big fan of the Bee Gees over the years because of Sgt. Pepper's and it is shocking to me that so much of their work has been overshadowed by their brief foray into disco. (HBO's recent Bee Gees documentary really opened my eyes to this -- although I'm still miffed that the doc didn't even mention Sgt. Pepper's.)

      I'm glad you pointed out the film's wholesome message, too. It is a surprisingly sweet movie, and that's not often a popular thing. It's much easier to scoff at a film like Sgt. Pepper's than it is to embrace it -- but it's much more fun to embrace it!

      Thanks again for reading and commenting!

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  15. Hello from Finland!

    I collect music related movies, but deterred by the murderous reviews SPLHCB gathered dust on the shelf for years - until I read your review! Definately not a masterpies of cinematic arts, but most decidedly great fun. I only wish I could see it in a movie theater (although the popcorn is quite a lot cheaper in my living room). Thanks for the eye-opener, Michaela!

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    Replies
    1. Thank YOU for the comment! I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it. It certainly isn't a Great Film, but it is a lot of fun and I will always defend it. I'd love to see it on the big screen, too! I work for a cinema, so I hope someday I'll be able to program it there.

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  16. Me again!....I just picked up a copy of the movie on Blu-Ray, which came out a few years ago (and from what I've heard, it's already gone out of print!). At first, I was a little annoyed with the Blu-Ray medium; I thought everything would be crystal-clear, but instead you really see the grainy-ness of the film, which makes it "look old"...but once you get past that, you begin to notice how uniformly clear and sharp everything really is. I noticed so many things I'd never noticed before throughout the movie, but very noteworthy is the "grand finale" at the end, with the special guest stars. I noticed some people in there that I'd never saw in there before, such as guitarist Adrian Gurvitz, and I finally located Yes drummer Alan White (front row, *far* right), and also noticed that someone had a dog on the floor at the right-hand side of the front row. My only gripe was that the audio commentary should have included Sandy Farina and Dianne Steinberg, which would have made for some good listening.

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    1. I appreciate the review! I remember being shocked when I heard this was getting a Blu-ray release considering how reviled it (undeservedly!) is, but I've only recently started buying Blu-rays and haven't picked this up yet. Although it sounds like I'll have to go to eBay to get a copy since it's OOP...

      Delete
  17. Hi...it's me, yet again!
    Two more things worth mentioning that go along with the movie are 1) the tie-in novelization by Henry Edwards, which must have been based off an early draft of the script, which actually has dialogue spoken by band and cast members, but goes off into some "neither here nor there" territory when it comes to the villains. Weirdest of all is when Mustard steals the instruments, which somehow come to life and start trying to get away from his evil clutches. And 2) the comic-book adaptation which was supposed to have been released by Marvel, but ended up being dropped after the movie's poor box-office reviews and showing. I've seen it posted online in its entirety, and if the movie had been more like this version (more action and comic-book thrills!), it might have done better.
    https://downthetubes.net/how-a-1970s-lost-marvel-comic-still-takes-beatles-fans-on-a-magical-mystery-tour/
    Lastly, Eric Alper on Twitter asked his tweeters what death scene in a movie hit them the hardest; someone tweeted about Strawberry's death in the movie, and Peter Frampton himself (!!!) had this to say about it: "Sandy Farina played Strawberry Fields in Sgt Pepper movie. I know as I was there and so was Sandy." Talk about a mind-blower, that one...he NEVER mentions the movie!

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    1. Hi, Mike! I've seen the novelization on eBay and finally bought it last year, but I still need to read it. Sounds like it's got some interesting deviations! And I had no idea that Marvel was tied into the film's promotion like that, thanks for sharing.

      I wish the film had been a better experience for Frampton and the Bee Gees so they talked about it more (and in a more positive light). It's tough to love something that the people who helped make it abhor, but so it goes with Sgt. Pepper, I guess. At least the fans know it's good. ;)

      Thanks for the latest comment!

      Delete
  18. Here's my review of the movie on YouTube!

    https://youtu.be/tbrKZmTYh4c

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  19. Hi - This is Donnie. I write blogs and books on movie history. I was extensively on this set from the modification of Heartland on the MGM backlot to the entire principal photography.
    I will have a book on this more towards next year with tons of pictures of filming and stories from the set.
    Follow me on Facebook
    PhantomoftheBacklots or on YouTube
    I will take you on set through pictures and stories including Staying Alive, the Bee Gee Rock video shot while the band made this film on the MGM lot.
    The bands families visited the set.
    These performers were at their zenith during this time.
    Stay tuned for a behind the scenes extravaganza.
    Cheers Mates!

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    Replies
    1. Can you identify the sexy ballerina mimes in the parade sequence? They were HOT! :-D

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  20. I am a child of the 1990s and had only heard a few Beatles songs as a kid. I saw the St. Pepper's movie about five or six years ago when it was streaming on Netflix and absolutely loved it. When it comes to movies I don't have a problem with schlock or camp as long as it is enjoyable and entertaining - TO ME - we're all different. I watched it at least half a dozen times and over the past few years thought of it from time to time. Then I and happened to come see it mentioned today while reading a news article and decided to go watch it again, only to find that it's no longer streaming for free on Netflix. I found a torrent on the internet archive (archive.org) website and after watching again still enjoy it. Saw this blog post, and decided to comment. I like this film and the music.

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  21. R.I.P. Sandy Farina
    July 16, 1955 - November 15, 2023
    The news was just posted on her Facebook page by close friends.
    She will be missed.

    ReplyDelete

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