Episode 192: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)

For this week’s entry in our “Ladies and Gentlemen … the Beatles!” series we have yet another Beatles jukebox movie, similar in some sense to last week’s “Across the Universe,” in that it has a number of characters whose names are taken from Beatles songs (Billy Sheers, Mr. Kite, the Hendersons, Strawberry Fields and many, many . . . MANY more) singing many, many Beatles songs. Be warned: this movie was nominated by the Golden Turkey Awards as “Worst Musical Film Of All Time” BUT I should point out that this movie does include Donald Pleasance, Steve Martin, and Alice Cooper and a genuine plethora of baffling guest stars in its final shot. Most importantly, I think it is safe to say this movie offers you the only opportunity you will probably get in your entire life to watch Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler attempt to strangle Peter Frampton.  Surely that alone is worth the price of admission. So does this movie offer a lot of goofy fun, or does it make us cry out “Come home, ‘Across the Universe’! All is forgiven!” Give a listen and find out.

Poll question: what musician or band’s music would you make a jukebox musical out of? Can it be done well? Is this even a good idea?

George Floyd Memorial Fund:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd

ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/

Black Lives Matter: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

Southern Poverty Law Center: https://donate.splcenter.org/

2 thoughts on “Episode 192: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)”

  1. While there are some decent examples of jukebox movies, I would say the American graffiti is one and moulin rouge was entertaining in general… please don’t. Ones that mix artists are more successful than ones that try and force a story into the catalog of some band and instead use the music as more of background character that says something about the time or place of the film. Mostly they all come off medleys in some 70s tv variety hour which I are included in the list of crimes against humanity. (Mike was spot on saying this movie was more like and episode of the Donnie and Marie show!)

    1. Thanks, Vince, not least of which for agreeing with me! Jukebox musicals split the listeners, or really, answerers this time around but that’s why we ask. Thanks for the comment and the listen!

Leave a Reply to mike Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *