Though beloved by fans today, the Beatles’ 1967 television film Magical Mystery Tour was largely regarded by the British press as the first failure of the band’s career. Considering its developmental context, the circumstances under which it was first broadcast, and the expectations of the British viewing public, the negative reception becomes not only understandable, but also possibly inevitable.
Magical Mystery Tour, billed anodynely in the listings as a coach trip around the West Country with the Beatles, was an hour-long television film that aired as a special on BBC1 at 8:35 p.m. on December 26, 1967. The psychedelic production followed a group of people on a British mystery tour and loosely focused on Mr. Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr) …show more content…
They had become the most successful songwriters and performers in the history of popular music and believed that their approach to creating music could also be applied to the art of filmmaking. So, instead of acquiescing to anyone else’s leadership, and to preserve the Beatles’ momentum, Paul McCartney took charge of the decision making. Lennon and McCartney had become the most prolific songwriters of their generation without any formal music education, so with misguided aplomb, they believed they could conquer film with an equal lack of training. The difference is that the previous two films were made under the supervision of the large, well-established United Artists Corporation. Under UA’s supervision, months would have gone into preparation for a film, with every detail taken care of, including daily call sheets, location scouting, accommodations, casting, and more. McCartney’s approach ignored most of these …show more content…
The holiday season was one such time, and Boxing Day television audiences were among largest of the year. So, while this seemed like an opportunity for unprecedented coverage, Magical Mystery Tour simply did not fit the typical mold for what was expected of British holiday television. BBC Christmastime programming generally consisted of more traditional and often religious entertainment like holiday music specials, variety shows, and classic films. For example, the BBC1 afternoon and evening programming on Christmas Eve that year included popular classics like Hansel and Gretel and Les Miserables along with religious holiday specials like Carols from King's College, Sir Malcolm's Carols from Stamford, and Midnight Mass of Christmas from the Roman Catholic Church of St. Alban and St. Stephen, St Albans. However, not all programming was so conservative and formal. It was also common for Christmastime programming to include a selection of variety and comedy shows. For example, BBC1 Christmas Day programming that year included “The Ken Dodd Christmas Show,” a comedy special featuring beloved comedian Ken Dodd, who was recognizable by his unruly hair and buck toothed grin. Programs aired during this time were typically created especially with the British
Magical Mystery Tour, billed anodynely in the listings as a coach trip around the West Country with the Beatles, was an hour-long television film that aired as a special on BBC1 at 8:35 p.m. on December 26, 1967. The psychedelic production followed a group of people on a British mystery tour and loosely focused on Mr. Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr) …show more content…
They had become the most successful songwriters and performers in the history of popular music and believed that their approach to creating music could also be applied to the art of filmmaking. So, instead of acquiescing to anyone else’s leadership, and to preserve the Beatles’ momentum, Paul McCartney took charge of the decision making. Lennon and McCartney had become the most prolific songwriters of their generation without any formal music education, so with misguided aplomb, they believed they could conquer film with an equal lack of training. The difference is that the previous two films were made under the supervision of the large, well-established United Artists Corporation. Under UA’s supervision, months would have gone into preparation for a film, with every detail taken care of, including daily call sheets, location scouting, accommodations, casting, and more. McCartney’s approach ignored most of these …show more content…
The holiday season was one such time, and Boxing Day television audiences were among largest of the year. So, while this seemed like an opportunity for unprecedented coverage, Magical Mystery Tour simply did not fit the typical mold for what was expected of British holiday television. BBC Christmastime programming generally consisted of more traditional and often religious entertainment like holiday music specials, variety shows, and classic films. For example, the BBC1 afternoon and evening programming on Christmas Eve that year included popular classics like Hansel and Gretel and Les Miserables along with religious holiday specials like Carols from King's College, Sir Malcolm's Carols from Stamford, and Midnight Mass of Christmas from the Roman Catholic Church of St. Alban and St. Stephen, St Albans. However, not all programming was so conservative and formal. It was also common for Christmastime programming to include a selection of variety and comedy shows. For example, BBC1 Christmas Day programming that year included “The Ken Dodd Christmas Show,” a comedy special featuring beloved comedian Ken Dodd, who was recognizable by his unruly hair and buck toothed grin. Programs aired during this time were typically created especially with the British