Magical Mystery Tour, starring The Beatles, is an hour-long television film that initially aired on BBC1 on Boxing Day in 1967. Upon its initial showing, the film was poorly received by critics and audiences, but is now considered something of a cult classic. Much of the premise for this movie was conceived under the influence of LSD^{[citation needed]}. Image File history File links Beatles_MMT_dvd. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... Lifes like that sometimes, isnt it? — Stanshall prepares to sing The Sound of Music with the Bonzo Dog Band on Do Not Adjust Your Set. ... Malcolm Mal Evans (27 May 1935 – 5 January 1976). ... Ivor Cutler (15 January 1923 – 3 March 2006) was a Scottish poet, songwriter and humorist. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... New Line Cinema, founded in 1967, is one of the major American film studios. ... is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Help! is a 1965 film starring the The Beatles and featuring Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, John Bluthal and Roy Kinnear. ... For the song, see Yellow Submarine (song). ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... “Telefilm” redirects here. ... BBC One (or BBC1 as it was formerly styled) is the oldest United Kingdom, and indeed, the world. ... Boxing Day is a public holiday observed in many Commonwealth countries on 26 December. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... “LSD” redirects here. ...

Plot

There was no script for the film; the film proceeded on the basis of a (mostly handwritten) collection of ideas, sketches, and situations, which Paul McCartney called the 'Scrupt'. The basic plot involves a group of people on a British charabanc bus tour, focusing mostly on Mr. Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr) and his aunt, Mrs Jessie Starkey (Jessie Robins). Other group members on the bus include the 'tour director' Jolly Jimmy Johnson (Derek Royle), the tour hostess Miss Wendy Winters (Mandy Weet), Buster Bloodvessel (Ivor Cutler), and the other Beatles. Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942) is an Academy Award and Grammy Award winning English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who first gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles. ... A charabanc (pronounced sha-ra-bang) is a kind of open-topped bus common in Britain during the early part of the 20th century. ... Richard Starkey Jr, MBE (born 7 July 1940), known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an Academy Award and Grammy Award winning English musician, singer, songwriter and actor, best known as the drummer of The Beatles. ... Derek Royle (1929—1990), was a British actor born in London, UK. His face was probably better known than his name to British viewers, but he was acting in films and TV from the mid-sixties until he died. ... Ivor Cutler (15 January 1923 – 3 March 2006) was a Scottish poet, songwriter and humorist. ...

During the course of the tour, 'strange things begin to happen' at the whim of 'four or five magicians'. Four of the magicians are played by The Beatles themselves, the fifth by long-time road manager Mal Evans. Malcolm Mal Evans (27 May 1935 – 5 January 1976). ...

During the tour, Starkey and his aunt argue considerably. Meanwhile, Mrs Starkey begins to fall in love with Buster Bloodvessel, who displays eccentric and disturbing behaviour. The tour involves several strange activities, such as an impromptu race in which each tour group member employs a different mode of transportation (some run, a few jump into cars, a group of people have a long bike they pedal). The tour also goes through a long crawl tunnel which leads to a set-up projector theatre, and involves a strange scene where the group walks through what appears to be a British Army recruiter's office. The film culminates with the group splitting up to see strip shows.

Musical interludes include The Beatles performing "I Am the Walrus" wearing animal masks, and George Harrison singing "Blue Jay Way" while waiting on Blue Jay Way Road. Music sample I Am the Walrus ( file info) Problems? See media help. ... Blue Jay Way is a song written by George Harrison; it was first released by the Beatles on their Magical Mystery Tour album and EP. The track was recorded on September 6, 1967 with vocals overdubbed September 7. ...

At various times, an audience is seen when something funny or unexpected happens; For example, when John asks Nicola if she wants him to blow up a red balloon for her, she exclaims a straightforward 'NO', prompting John to pull a face that says 'Why Do I Bother?' The scene interludes with "I Am the Walrus". Music sample I Am the Walrus ( file info) Problems? See media help. ...

Distribution

The film was first shown in the United Kingdom as a made-for-television film on the BBC; it was shown in black-and-white on BBC1, then in colour on BBC2 a few days later. The poor critical reaction to the telecast soured American television networks from acquiring the film, while its one-hour running length made it commercially unviable for theatrical release. It wasn't seen in the US until 1976, when New Line Cinema acquired the rights for limited theatrical and non-theatrical distribution; it wasn't seen on American television until the 1980s in syndication. The critical reception in 1967 had been so poor that no one had properly archived a negative, and the re-release version had to be copied from poor-quality prints. By the end of the 1980s, MPI (via rights holder Apple Corps) had released the movie on video, and a DVD release followed many years later. The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... Black-and-white or black and white) can refer to a general term used in photography, film, and other media (see black-and-white). ... BBC One is the primary television channel of the BBC, and the first in the United Kingdom. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... New Line Cinema, founded in 1967, is one of the major American film studios. ... Apple Records logo, featuring a Granny Smith apple. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Size comparison: A 12 cm Sony DVD+RW and a 19 cm Dixon Ticonderoga pencil. ...

Criticism

The British public's reaction to the film was scathing. Hunter Davies, the band's biographer, said: 'It was the first time in memory that an artist felt obliged to make a public apology for his work.' McCartney later spoke to the press, saying: 'We don't say it was a good film. It was our first attempt. If we goofed, then we goofed. It was a challenge and it didn't come off. We'll know better next time.'[1] However, with the passage of time, McCartney's view of it has changed: 'Looking back on it, I thought it was all right. I think we were quite pleased with it.' Hunter Davies (born 7 January 1936) is a prolific British author, journalist and broadcaster, best known for his books about The Beatles. ...

Filming Locations

Much of the film was shot in and around RAF West Malling, an airfield in Kent that had recently been decommissioned. [2] Many of the interior scenes, such as the final ballroom sequence for "Your Mother Should Know", were shot in the disused aircraft hangars. The exteriors, such as the "I Am the Walrus sequence, and the marathon race, were filmed on the runways and taxi aprons. RAF Air Training Corps cadets can be seen marching in some scenes, and during "I Am the Walrus" an RAF Avro Shackleton is seen orbiting the group. RAF West Malling was a Royal Air Force station near West Malling in Kent, England. ... Your Mother Should Know is a song by The Beatles from their 1967 album Magical Mystery Tour, released in the US as a LP on November 27, 1967 and in the UK as a double-EP on December 8, 1967. ... Music sample I Am the Walrus ( file info) Problems? See media help. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Music sample I Am the Walrus ( file info) Problems? See media help. ... The Shackleton was a Royal Air Force long-range patrol bomber developed from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage. ...

The mystery tour itself was shot throughout the South of England, including Devon and Cornwall, [3] although most of the footage was not used in the finished film. The final striptease sequence was shot at Paul Raymond's Raymond Revuebar, and the sequence for "The Fool on the Hill" was shot around Nice, in France. Paul Raymond is the alias of Geoffrey Anthony Quinn, who was born on 15th November 1925 in Liverpool, England and raised by his mother in Glossop. ... The Raymond Revuebar was a small theatre in Soho, specialising in striptease and nude dancing. ... The Fool on the Hill is a song by The Beatles. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Songs

• "Magical Mystery Tour"
• "The Fool on the Hill"
• "Flying"
• "I Am the Walrus"
• "Blue Jay Way"
• "Your Mother Should Know"
• "Hello, Goodbye" (finale played over end credits)
• "Death Cab For Cutie" (written by Vivian Stanshall and performed by his band, the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band)
• "All My Loving" (orchestrated, as background music)
• "She Loves You" (played during the marathon with a carnival-style organ)

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Fool on the Hill is a song by The Beatles. ... Flying is an instrumental song by The Beatles which first appeared on the late-1967 Magical Mystery Tour release (two EP discs in the UK, an LP in the US). ... Music sample I Am the Walrus ( file info) Problems? See media help. ... Blue Jay Way is a song written by George Harrison; it was first released by the Beatles on their Magical Mystery Tour album and EP. The track was recorded on September 6, 1967 with vocals overdubbed September 7. ... Your Mother Should Know is a song by The Beatles from their 1967 album Magical Mystery Tour, released in the US as a LP on November 27, 1967 and in the UK as a double-EP on December 8, 1967. ... ... Death Cab for Cutie is a song composed by Vivian Stanshall and performed by himself and his Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, which was included on their 1967 album Gorilla. ... Lifes like that sometimes, isnt it? — Stanshall prepares to sing The Sound of Music with the Bonzo Dog Band on Do Not Adjust Your Set. ... The Bonzo Dog Band (also known as The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Bonzo Dog Dada Band and, colloquially, as The Bonzos) was a band created by a group of British art-school denizens of the 1960s. ... All My Loving is a song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney, but credited to Lennon-McCartney, from the 1963 album With the Beatles. ... She Loves You is a hit song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, originally recorded by the The Beatles for release as a single in 1963. ...

Release history on VHS and DVD

Videography

USA

UK Bottom view of VHS cassette with magnetic tape exposed Top view of VHS cassette with front casing removed The Video Home System, better known by its abbreviation VHS is a recording and playing standard for analog video cassette recorders (VCRs), developed by Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC) and launched... Sonys Betamax is the 12. ... Laserdisc (LD) was the first commercial optical disc storage medium, and was used primarily for the presentation of movies as to be viewed at home. ... Sir George Henry Martin CBE (born 3 January 1926 in Highbury, London, England) is sometimes referred to as the fifth Beatle—a title that he owes to his work as producer of almost all of The Beatles records. ... Size comparison: A 12 cm Sony DVD+RW and a 19 cm Dixon Ticonderoga pencil. ... Size comparison: A 12 cm Sony DVD+RW and a 19 cm Dixon Ticonderoga pencil. ... Best Buy is sometimes called the big blue box because of the prominent design on Best Buy stores. ...

Sir George Henry Martin CBE (born 3 January 1926 in Highbury, London, England) is sometimes referred to as the fifth Beatle—a title that he owes to his work as producer of almost all of The Beatles records. ...

External links

• IMDB entry for Magical Mystery Tour (1967)

Multimedia

• Complete Film