Remember When: The Beatles Heard It from the Critics About Their ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ Film [Video]

The Beatles skated through much of their career, getting nothing but the most laudatory notices from the press. Their music was hailed and set apart as an ideal by music critics. But they eventually took some hits from the press about the quality of their work, especially upon the release of their 1967 television movie Magical Mystery Tour.

The group made the movie themselves and attempted an avant-garde production with a non-linear plot and trippy filming techniques. Unfortunately, the public and the press were expecting something much different. Here is the story of the rare Beatles’ project that was, dare we say it, labeled a flop at the time of its release.

Making the Movie

The Beatles’ first project following the August 1967 death of their manager Brian Epstein, Magical Mystery Tourwas planned out just a month later at a group meeting. Filming began almost immediately and continued into October. The group would record …