Sgt. Pepper movie on DVD

Well, it's out, or maybe unleashed! Sgt. Pepper the movie, the critic's favorite... to bash! Anyone get it yet? It's in 5.1 and DTS - has there been a real remix of the music? I might get it, just for surround versions of the Aerosmith, Earth Wind and Fire and Sandy Farina songs.

 

It sucks. I'll be going to BB to buy it tomorrow.

 

Damn, that's scarier news than the blackout.....

Presumably they got the Panavision letterboxing correct....might rent that just for giggles....really an awful film, though, because 1)none of 'em can act, and 2)none of 'em are the Beatles. Even the better songs can't redeem this bomb.


ED

 

I'm going to pass on this DVD. I remember actually planning a Sunday afternoon around watching this movie. I had just become a full-fledged Beatles fanatic, and I saw that Encore was playing this movie called "Sgt. Pepper" so I had to check it out. I had no idea who was in it, or how bad it bombed.

I practiced self-torture by watching the entire movie, I was pretty ticked off by the time it was over. Thankfully it's a distant memory now and I never have to experience it again.

 

I'll pass...90 minutes of my life I'll never get back...

 

I happen to enjoy train wrecks, myself...and am curious about that DTS track....


ED

 

Oh, come on. Isn't the dressy performance of Berns and Preston enough to buy it?

 

Only Aerosmith's performance rescues this turkey. Gawd, I was unlucky enough to see this bomb when it first came out. I still hear Alice Cooper croaking "Because" in my nightmares.....

Evan

 

That's strange...I'm at the office right now and as I am reading this thread the radio is playing Aerosmith's "Come Together." Is this a sign to go out and buy this one immediately?!?

 

No.....it's Satan telling you to run away, as fast as you can....!

Evan

 

Rumor has it that this DVD will include as "easter eggs" the original mono/stereo mixes *plus* a 5.1 SS of the album. JUST KIDDING!

 

THAT'S IT!!

Now I have the line-up for my next "Bad Movie Night" all set!

Battlefield Earth
Glitter
and...
Sgt Pepper!!

I was going to go with Mahogany, but I kinda had to disqualify it, because it was actually a reasonable commercial success. Now I'm all set... at least, until Gigli comes out on video, which should be in a week or so.

 

While you're waiting for Gigli, why not go with From Justin to Kelly, due out tomorrow? Should fit the bill nicely!

 

Is it truly laughably bad though? There are plenty of movies that just plain suck; few that are entertainingly wretched.

FWIW, my first Bad Movie Night event featured "Showgirls", "Black Belt Jones" and "Can't Stop The Music" (which remains the worst movie ever IMO).

Perhaps Sgt Pepper belongs to my planned "Inexplicable Movie Night", for which I have Lisztomania and Zardoz lined up...

 

There was a neat article in the newspaper locally....about this summer season to be filled with "turkeys". I tend to agree, but the shockwave makes its way to Christmas for most DVD releases via normal timing.

So Thanksgiving will come late, and the DVD/home releases will ripple into retail. Just by default, these movies will sell.

I just had a strong feeling that it's the summer movies that end up under the Xmas tree in the following winter season. I'll be hoping for the Bugs Box though. J.Lo & Ben can wait a long time.

Betcha more Hollywood news gets juicy when the home video comes out.

 

Well, I took the plunge and.............I love it! Sorta.

Here's the good, the bad and the ugly.
The good:
1. Sound and picture are crystal clear, and the surround (yes, most of it is remixed into DTS) is great at times, although sometimes there's not much in the back speakers. Standouts: The white noise on I Want You (She's So Heavy) is all over the place and the orchestral part on A Day In The Life. I don't think the Aerosmith and Earth Wind and Fire tracks were remixed, though. Sony'll have to do that.

2. The album is pretty worthless on its own, but the visuals provide some context, even for George Burns' Fixing A Hole, Alice Cooper's Because and Steve Martin's Maxwell's Silver Hammer (that's the ugly part).

3. Even though they were at the height of their drug excesses, Aerosmith looked good.

4. Sandy Farina's singing is not bad, but her Here Comes the Sun drags.

5. The backing vocals are a little too far back in the mix.

6. The movie can be seen as a parody of '70s excess. Even RSO Records is parodied, the movie's record label (BD Records) resembles its symbol.

7. Frampton's and the Bee Gees' renditions aren't bad, but we could lose the horns on some songs.

8. The movie's a real '70s artifact!

(Bracing for onslaught of negative comment!)

 

Other points:

Maurice Gibb had potential as a Ringo Starr-type actor.

Barry Gibb's A Day in the Life wasn't bad at all.

Some of Sandy Farina's changes to Strawberry Fields Forever sounded like the Beatles' first take of the song.

Mauirice's voice was not unlike that of Barry Gibb's.

Dig all the guest stars they got for the final sequence — loads. (Probably all friends or clients of Robert Stigwood or Dee Anthony.

The movie would have been something really special if it was directed by Ken Russell (Tommy).

Good gimmick: Opening scenes with Sgt. Pepper's original band from1918-1958 in mono, then open it up into surround for Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees.