Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Here's another curiosity from my childhood.  1978's SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND was an adaptation of a stage musical that of course was based on the Beatles' seminal 1967 album of the same name.  Producer Robert Stigwood, all around music guru and hot off SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, organized the filmization of the George Martin produced soundtrack with covers performed by The Bee Gees, Peter Frampton, Aerosmith, and others.  The film, directed by Michael Schultz, also features versions of songs from Abbey Road.  The covering musicians appear in the film, but have no spoken dialogue.  That is left to George Burns, who narrates and portrays Mr. Kite.  He also sings "Fixing a Hole." 

If that isn't odd enough for you, Steve Martin does "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," in a rather clumsily performed sequence.  It's amusing, but quite terrible.  At least the comedian had something to draw upon for his later, sublime number in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. 

The storyline follows the second generation titular band, comprised of Billy Shears (Frampton, whose acting is fair) and the Henderson brothers (The Bee Gees, whose acting is, uhhhhhh) as they leave their beloved Heartland for Los Angeles and a record contract with B.D. Hoffler (Donald Pleasance, fighting with the damndest of toupees).  Also left behind is Billy's girlfriend Strawberry Fields (Sandy Farina).  The band finds the expected success and excess.  Meanwhile, the villainous Mr. Mustard (Frankie Howerd) is bent on taking over Heartland, and stealing the famous musical instruments used by the original HC Band, who were so effective at spreading joy they caused a cease fire during WWI.

Schultz doesn't exactly do a bang up job with his staging, but it's colorful enough to maintain a sort of perverse interest.  The film is many things, but boring it ain't.  The production is lavish and overscaled, and that's probably how it should be.  The tonal shifts (dictated by the songs) are mostly awkward, and the entire movie just seems, weird.  Hearing Lennon & McCartney et al.'s songs out of the mouths of Frampton and the Gibbs runs a gamut of so-so to embarrassing.  But the brilliance of the music always shines through.  Even during Wowerd's cringe worthy rendition of "When I'm 64", easily the film's low point. Alice Cooper's scene is trippy.  Aerosmith's is energetic and dark.   At least Billy Preston (who actually worked with the Beatles) makes everything right during the finale.  Note also all those famous '70s faces at the very end.  Can you imagine the wrap party?