Magical Mystery Tour (1967) (TV)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Directors:

George Harrison
Bernard Knowles
(more)

Writers:

George Harrison (written by) &
John Lennon (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 December 1967 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

The Beatles charter a special bus for a surreal mystery tour.

Plot Keywords:

Beatles | The Beatles | Paul Mccartney | Song | Tour Bus

Cast

John Lennon	...	John / Ticket Salesman / Magician with coffee / Narrator
Paul McCartney	...	Paul / Major McCartney / Brown Nosed Magician
George Harrison	...	George / Magician looking through telescope
Ringo Starr	...	Richard Starkey / Talkative Magician
Vivian Stanshall	...	The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
Neil Innes	...	The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
Roger Ruskin Spear	...	The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
'Legs' Larry Smith	...	The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
Sam Spoons	...	The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
Rodney Slater	...	The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
Jan Carson	...	The Stripper
George Claydon	...	Little George the Photographer
Ivor Cutler	...	Buster Bloodvessel
Mal Evans	...	Magician standing in the corner
Shirley Evans	...	The Accordionist
Nat Jackley	...	Happy Nat
Derek Royle	...	Jolly Jimmy Johnson the Courier
Jessie Robins	...	Mrs. Starkey, Ringo's Auntie
Victor Spinetti	...	Army Sergeant
Mandy Weet	...	Miss Wendy Winters the Hostess
Maggie Wright	...	The Lovely Starlet
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nichola	...	Little Girl
Magic Alex	...	Himself (uncredited)
Vernon Dudley Bowhay Nowell	...	Bass Player, Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (uncredited)
Angelo Muscat	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
George Harrison		(as The Beatles)
Bernard Knowles
John Lennon		(as The Beatles)
Paul McCartney		(as The Beatles)
Ringo Starr		(as The Beatles)

Writing credits
George Harrison		(written by) &
John Lennon		(written by) &
Paul McCartney		(written by) &
Ringo Starr		(written by)

Produced by
George Harrison	....	producer
John Lennon	....	producer
Gavrik Losey	....	assistant producer
Paul McCartney	....	producer
Denis O'Dell	....	producer
Ringo Starr	....	producer

Original Music by
George Harrison
John Lennon
Paul McCartney

Cinematography by
Ringo Starr		(director of photography) (as Richard Starkey, M.B.E.)

Film Editing by
Roy Benson

Production Design by
Roger Graham
Keith Liddiard

Production Management
Gavrik Losey	....	production leader

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Andrew Birkin	....	first assistant director (as Andrew Burkin)

Sound Department
Gordon Daniel	....	sound editor
Allan Haynes	....	boom operator
Michael Lax	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Anthony Busbridge	....	camera operator (as Tony Busbridge)
Aubrey Dewar	....	camera operator
Daniel Lacambre	....	camera operator
Mike Sarason	....	camera operator

Music Department
Ringo Starr	....	composer: song "Flying"

Production Companies

• Apple Corps

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1973) (USA) (theatrical)

Runtime:

55 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo (1988 re-release)

Certification:

UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Atlantic Hotel, Newquay, Cornwall, England, UK

Company:

Apple Corps

Trivia:

After the premier showing in December 1967, Ringo Starr apparently rang up the BBC complaining that the poor ratings were due to them showing "this colorful film" in B/W. The BBC responded by transmitting again, this time in glorious color a few days later. It still bombed.

Goofs:

Continuity: Some of the linking shots of the bus driving along country lanes are obviously shot at a later date when the bus is empty of passengers. This is confirmed by Neil Aspinall in The Beatles "Anthology" book, where he describes taking the bus back out on the road again after filming had finished, purely to shoot some external links which had been forgotten.

Quotes:

Mrs. Starkey, Ringo's Auntie: Now shut up!
Richard Starkey: Shut up- to me? I've had enough of it! I can't stand it any more! I'm gettin' off! Off!
Mrs. Starkey, Ringo's Auntie: Don't get historical!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Across the Universe (2007)

Soundtrack:

Your Mother Should Know

great music, good drunk fun

Such sourpusses out there! Anyone telling you that Beatles fans should pass this movie up is, well...NOT A BEATLES FAN. They are what John Lennon would refer to as a "day tripper". A part-timer. Not in it for the long-haul. Anyone truly fascinated with the Beatles' music and legacy, especially after thirty years hindsight, ought to be downright thrilled that these four amateur filmmakers could pull off such an original, amusing and tuneful homemovie (not to mention long-form video WAY before it's time) on their spare time between recording Sgt. Pepper and the White Album, no less. They got drunk, got on a bus and filmed away. They were free spirits with tons of love, and it shows. They obviously knew exactly what they were doing, and rough edges and all, it's quite charming after all these years. My father took me to see a double feature of Yellow Submarine and Magical Mystery Tour when I was eight, and I just can't believe how it holds up. Love them warts and all. Just as they made "Hey Jude" and "She Loves You", so did they make "Revoluton #9" and "Within You, Without You". Just as they made tight, economical movies, so did they make experimental ones like this. Four Stars(****), if not just because there's nothing like it, and never will be again.