The Making of The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour TV Film

In this video we look at how the Magical Mystery Tour project was conceived, filmed and released and find out why despite including some incredible songs, it was considered The Beatles first failure.

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[rundoetx]

The Capital release of the Magical Mystery Tour album has long been one of my all-time favorite Beatles releases.

[DavidLPeel]

The BBC made 2 mistakes. Firstly, the BBC showed it in black and white instead of colour. Secondly, it was never intended for prime time tv.

[icex]

MMT wasn’t a flop in America because we just received the full album which was considered one of the best ever, especially side 2. The movie was not in wide release here, but in retrospect it’s an important forerunner to rock videos & MTV. Oh, and it’s pronounced Ken Kee-zee. You do great work, Andrew, and we’re lucky to have your channel.

[denniswood]

The Magical Mystery Tour film doesn't really work or go anywhere as a narrative story. However, as an audio-visual vehicle for the incredible, mind-blowing music that's featured, it is wonderful to see and hear.

[DavesTVZone]

My favorite part from MMT is the scene on the beach where Mr. Bloodvessel is showing Ringo’s aunt his love for her to the tune of All My Loving by drawing a heart in the sand, it was a very moving scene for me.

[jonothanthrace]

When I was growing up my mom had a Betamax recording of The Compleat Beatles, which summarized MMT as "The Beatles on a trip with a busload of friends, freaks and celebrities and filming whatever happened. Unfortunately, nothing did."

[darins]

One reason editing took so long is that during the filming, the Beatles appreciate why clapboards were used and thought they could be dispensed with. It was tedious work to sync up the sound during the editing of the film.

[billleary]

I have always loved the Magical Mystery Tour album and was happy that it got a CD release in 1987 along with the other UK albums making it part of the official Beatles canon. My first copy of the album had the last three songs in duophonic stereo and did not include the booklet which had been discontinued by the 1980s. I didn’t see the movie until 1990. Although not my favorite Beatles film I am glad I have it at least to see the I Am The Walrus sequence. Thanks for another great video Andrew!

[robertfontaine]

Two elements conspired to make the Magical Mystery Tour film a flop.
1- It was broadcast in B & W by the BBC. Much of the attraction of the film lies in the wildly colourful musical sequences.
But much more importantly:
2- The Beatles (and Paul in particular who was de facto "director") made the same mistake that numerous so-called avant-garde "filmmakers" made in the sixties, i.e. they took off without a flight plan. What the film desperately needed was at least the germ of a story - a script.
They got a bunch of people together on a colourful bus, and set off on a psychedelic charabang ride to film whatever wonderful things happened, only nothing much did happen.
The film was influential in the early evolution of the music video however.
I received the American MMT album for Christmas and loved it!
Cheers and thanks for the video Andrew.

[gxios]

Here in the US, the Beatles reputation was not rocked by the film, as no one saw it for years. I awaited its broadcast for months, and couldn't find out any reasons why it wasn't, other than it got a few bad reviews. It would still have gotten good ratings- it was the invincible Beatles. I didn't see the film until the early 1970's at a university showing. The print quality was so bad I asked the presenter why he even bothered showing it. I didn't want to pass judgement until I saw a decent print, but that was well into the 1980's before that opportunity arose. I like it very much, but it does not work in black and white.

[theStranger]

I got tired of hearing how bad Magical Mystery Tour was... In 1967 I was enthralled and hadn't seen anything like it. I was gobsmacked seeing I Am the Walrus performed (mimed), while my mum liked seeing the Beatles in white suits doing a soft shoe shuffle to Your Mother Should Know...Also great telly then was the first screening of the Prisoner, also featuring Beatles music, with both MMT and this series having little Angelo Muscat in the cast. Great memories, and both of these TV shows have stood the test of 🕒

[paulg]

I still love Jimmy's "ah, but if you look to your right" intro to Flying ... That part really works well in my opinion

[mikezinza]

This was the one thing Capitol got right. The MMT album was superior to the double ep set and it is now used as the official CD. Great one Andrew keep it up you're the best Beatles content creator. Your fan, Mike Zinza

[TheDunc]

How can it be a flop? Still popular today. It was ahead of its time.

[alanlinfield]

Very appropriate to mention the "crisis meeting" at Paul's house. In "Good Ol' Freda, " Freda Kelly reveals that after the death of Brian Epstein, Paul felt that if the Beatles didn't put out something straight away they'd be finished.
During the 70s when I was in high school I got to see "Magical Mystery Tour" for the first time. It played at a local theater as part of a (past) midnight matinee on a double-bill with a Jimi Hendrix feature. I snuck out of the house to see them!
Then about a year or so later I saw a VHS copy of the Magical Mystery Tour film in my local record store for $80. I couldn't afford a VCR in those days, much less an $80 video tape. Probably my first big disappointment as a Beatles collector.
Another great video, Andrew! I always look forward to Sundays.

[LapsangTe]

I think the main reason why it was a flop was that people were expecting a cozy Christmas film and got a psychedelic avantgarde movie. I live in Sweden and to this day it has never been shown on Swedish television. The first time I got the chance to watch it was when it was released on VHS in the late eighties. To my surprise I really liked it, and I still do.

[stevekirk]

I used to work in Bodmin so used to walk past several film locations in Higher Bore street to catch the bus. I noticed they were filmed out of sequence. I usually manage to bore the pants off my family, pointing out various landmarks whenever we wander around Newquay. It's the little snippets at the beginning...Treningle Garage and Innis Downs that I find fascinating. Cornwall is lovely, I'm glad they came.

[intrepidtraveller]

(most) Fans, critics and the general public hadn't been "experienced". It was a film made by head's for heads essentially. It wasn't a flop with them, they understood it perfectly well. It's bloody brilliant, and captures the feeling of the medicine journey fantastically.

[conorfurlong]

Imagine working in a chipper in August 1967 and one day the 4 lads just stroll in…!

[clevebaker]

MMT is one of my favorites!! No such thing as a bad Beatles song, album or film!! They are the template for bands!! But mainly because they are the greatest talent in rock and roll!! Great work Andrew!👏✌️🥳