Beatlemania is trying to remain alive and well with an upcoming re-release of the film, The Magical Mystery Tour. The Beatles had just released the highly acclaimed Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band when Paul McCartney came up with an idea to make a film based upon The Beatles and their music.
The film was to be unscripted and feature various “ordinary” people who traveled along with the band in a coach (or what us Yanks call a bus). The story highlighted the travelers who had unspecified “magical” adventures along the way and introduced us to six new Beatles songs (“Magical Mystery Tour”, “The Fool on the Hill”, “I am the Walrus” “Flying”, “Blue Jay Way” and “Your Mother Should Know”) .
The movie was shot in color, but was broadcast in black and white on BBC-TV over the 1967 Christmas holidays and was immediately ripped by the critics. The original Rolling Stone review of the movie was comprised by a one-sentence quote from John Lennon: “There are only about 100 people in the world who understand our music.” The album reached #1 on the US charts, but was only able to reach 31st on the British charts. The soundtrack was better received than the film winning a Grammy Award for best album in 1968.
The film never was distributed in the US and saw limited distribution around the world. Now it’s being restored and released onto DVD and Blu-Ray on October 9. Apple will also have screenings of the 53-minute film for the first time ever on the big screen in the U.S. and around the world. You’ll be able find screening locations and times at www.thebeatles.com.