Magical Mystery Tour (1967)

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

Directors:

George Harrison (as The Beatles), John Lennon (as The Beatles)

Stars:

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison

Cast

Complete credited cast:
The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band	...	(as Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band)
Jan Carson	...	Stripper
George Claydon	...	Photographer
Ivor Cutler	...	Mr. Bloodvessel
Shirley Evans	...	Accordionist
Nat Jackley	...	Rubber Man
Nicola Hale	...	Little Girl (as Nichola)
Jessie Robins	...	Ringo's Aunt (as Jessie Robbins)
Derek Royle	...	Jolly Jimmy
Victor Spinetti	...	Army Sergeant
Miranda Forbes	...	Hostess Wendy Winters (as Mandy Weet)
Maggie Wright	...	Starlet

Storyline

The Beatles first movie since Help! (1965) was largely Sir Paul McCartney's project. The story follows a bus load of eccentric characters on a magic journey through the English countryside. Rather than a unified narrative, it becomes a series of psychedelic clips promoting various songs including "The Fool on the Hill", "Blue Jay Way", "Your Mother Should Know", "I Am the Walrus", and "Magical Mystery Tour". The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band are seen in a strip club playing "Death Cab for Cutie".

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Plot Keywords:

hare krishna | running after a bus | instrumental music | dwarf | man wears eyeglasses | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The soundtrack recordings were issued in England as a double EP with accompanying booklet. Capitol Records in the U.S. added stereo (and mock-stereo) versions of recent Beatles singles, and issued an LP with an enlarged copy of the booklet. The LP sold better as an import in England than the EP, and a British version was issued in 1976.

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Goofs

Throughout the bus tour, George Harrison wears a fedora-type hat with a wide band. When the passengers file into the cabaret and take their seats, he wears a wool/tweed driving cap.

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Quotes

Buster Bloodvessel: I am your friendly Courier. Mister Bloodvessel is my name. Buster Bloodvessel.

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Crazy Credits

Made in England by The Beatles

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Alternate Versions

The 1988 home video release featured re-mixed stereo versions of the songs and restored & re-mastered "Visual" (pictue) & dialogue (sound).

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Connections

Referenced in Preacher: Last Supper (2019)

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Soundtracks

Hello Goodbye
(uncredited)
Performed by The Beatles
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Published by Capitol/EMI Records

User Reviews

Magical Mystery Tour (1967) **1/2

It's hard to accurately rate this unusual film, since I cannot honestly say I'd consider it "good movie-making," but it certainly still can be fun here and there, which is the whole point. It was rather haphazardly strewn together by The Beatles themselves as a self-made project not long after their manager Brian Epstein died in August 1967. It was originally shown on British television in December of that year but was harshly criticized and has always bore the notorious distinction of being the Beatles' first and only flop. It didn't help matters any that this very colorful psychedelic mind bender was incorrectly broadcast in black and white at that time, either. These days, however, MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR has aged a lot better as a piece of sixties history and a look back on those wild and exuberant times.

There isn't any plot to speak of here; we see Ringo Starr and his ever-quarreling fat aunt Jessie boarding a special tour bus consisting of the three other Beatles and a zany cast of misfits and oddballs. From there, things get crazier and crazier as the bus travels from one absurd situation to the next. Some of the highlights involve Ringo and his tubby aunt's constant bickering, which is amusing to watch, and a surreal dream sequence written by John Lennon which has himself in the part of a maniacally grinning restaurant waiter who literally shovels heaps of spaghetti onto the table of the overwhelmed fat woman. One thing that may always be counted on within any Beatles movie are great songs, and here we're treated to early MTV-like vignettes of John's I AM THE WALRUS, Paul's FOOL ON THE HILL, and George's BLUE JAY WAY. In truth, the I AM THE WALRUS segment along with a special grand finale featuring the four Beatles spoofing it up by doing a dance routine down a ballroom staircase to the tune YOUR MOTHER SHOULD KNOW are worth the price of admission alone. **1/2 out of ****

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 December 1967 (UK)

Also Known As:

Gira mágica y misteriosa

Filming Locations:

Atlantic Hotel, Newquay, Cornwall, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Apple Corps, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

55 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Stereo (1988 re-release)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1