Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band Movie

Published on December 10, 2005 By Jamie Burnside In Entertainment

Just as I was winding down for the evening, I caught the early-middle part of the 1978 movie "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band" starring Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees. The movie caught my attention, and I ended up watching it to the end. (I even scheduled it on my DVR for the next time they play it on the Sundance Channel.)

I remember the first time that I started watching the movie. I was a teenager, and the movie was on Saturday afternoon TV. I gave the movie a shot, watched it for five minutes, and turned it off. Disco and the Bee Gees weren't particularily cool at that time.

Boy did I miss out! New and stylistic takes of classic Beatles songs. Tons of cameos. Influential performances by Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, and Earth Wind and Fire. It was a fun movie. (Plus, one can't argue with the thigh-high striped socks, jogging shorts and tube top look. Its a winner!)

I'd rate this "Sgt. Pepper" as being a half-step ahead of a lot of the late 70s/ early 80s rock n' roll cheesefests like: "Kiss and the Phantom of the Park", "The Village People Movie", "Xanadu", and "Rocky Horror Picture Show."

The replay on Sundance is recommended by me. It isn't great cinema, but it certainly is a fun movie. See how many celebrities (past and present) you can spot in the final ensemble piece.

**After writing this, I found a pretty good summary of how the movie made me feel (although about 25% harsher than what I would write.) Link

Here's another REALLY good one.

Comments

Gene Nash

on Dec 10, 2005

"The Village People Movie"

You mean Can't Stop the Music with Valerie Perrine and Bruce Jenner?

I remember liking that movie as a kid, even though it probably killed the Village People's career. I don't know what I'd think of it now. I'd like to re-evaluate it, but it's not exactly an easy thing to find.

As for Sgt. Pepper's, never seen it. I'll check it out, though, if I ever get the chance.

kingbee

on Dec 10, 2005

i guess nothin can be all bad. but i'm not so sure frampton would be that forgiving.

i got good news that don't involve geico.

if you liked sgt pepper, you may also enjoy 'be cool'.

billed as a sequel to 'get shorty', it's a series of cameos (including some sgt pepper vets) apparently intended to ruin uma thurmon's career. i used to really like elmore leonard (nearly as much as i liked the beatles) and a few of his books somehow managed to become not-too-bad films.

the best i can say about this one is the same thing i'd say about sblhcb. one need never worry about all the copies being already taken any time you wanna watch it

kingbee

on Dec 10, 2005

"The Village People Movie

whatta fabulously perfect shade of puce!

ParaTed2k

on Dec 10, 2005

When watched from the viewpoint of, "Yeah, it's a terrible movie, but that's what makes it so much fun!" Sgt Pepper isn't a complete cinematic stinkfest. The acting was horrible, the storyline was pathetic and one could argue that the directing couldn't have been worse if Michael "I can't keep a TV job to save my life" Schultz had jumped from "Greased Lightning" (1977) to "Scavenger Hunt (1979) without ever showing up to the Sgt Pepper set. ((But hey, he did give a 1 episode of "What's Happening"!). What more could anyone ask for on B-Movie night??? ;~D

I will agree with you, the soundtrack had a few highlights. Aerosmith's "Come Together" belongs in the "Covers Hall of Fame"; Peter Frampton's "The Long & WInding Road" & The BeeGees "Day in the Life" were great (sadly they represented the only decent covers by either); and Billy Preston's "Get Back" and Alice Cooper's "Because" are well worth a listen. Of course, Steve Martin's performance of "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" makes it worth renting the video!!!

"Fun" would be a good word to describe it... as long as you consider bad movies "fun". ;~D

Jamie Burnside

on Dec 10, 2005

You know... "Scavenger Hunt" is one of my favorite comedies.

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