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The story takes place in the make-believe town of Heartland where we are introduced to the original Sgt. Pepper and his Lonely Hearts Club Band. Twenty years after Sgt. Pepper dies, his grandson Billy Shears (Peter Frampton) decides to form a new Lonely Hearts Club Band with his friends, the Henderson Brothers (The Bee Gees). The film continues with the success of the Lonely Hearts Club Band, the problems the citizens are having in Heartland with Mean Mr. Mustard (Frankie Howard) taking over the town and the Lonely Hearts Club Band helping Strawberry Fields (Sandy Farina) recover Sgt. Pepper's instruments that Mean Mr. Mustard stole. They encounter many obstacles and hardships, but in the end, evil is overcome and everyone is happy.
This film was not well received when it was released in 1978. Actually, everyone, including the critics and the public, hated the movie. The film was produced by Robert Stigwood (of 'Grease' and 'Saturday Night Fever' fame) and executive produced by Dee Anthony. Stigwood wanted to make his name associated with modern day musicals and had sunk 12 million dollars into "Sgt. Pepper." He approached the project with a lot of enthusiasm and publicity. When it was released, it was a big let down in the eyes of the critics and adults (who were teenagers when the original "Sgt. Pepper" was released) who went to see the movie.
... Read more ›I am sure that everyone knows the history of this 1978 Technicolor gag fest, so there is no need to bore you with the details. But what needs to be stated is why I bought it almost as soon as It finally made its DVD debut. Beyond mere nostalgia, there is the goofiness of it all. Where else could you see Peter Frampton and Steve Martin square off in a Star Wars battle parody? And the peculiar shtick of allowing only George Burns the only speaking part? (That could be stretched; between Burns, Donald Pleasance and Frankie Howard, they might share a full octave between them, and they ALL sing.)
And speaking of the songs, most are carried off dutifully. Frampton and the Bee Gees were at their peaks; Robin Gibb's "Oh Darling" is a standout. The two groups that brought in outside producers, Aerosmith and Earth Wind and Fire, are the ones that fair the best. Aerosmith had Jack Douglas work their version of "Come Together" into a perfect rock sleaze concoction and EW&F self produced "Got To Get You Into My Life" with their customary flair.
So get this at your own peril. It rates with the same kind of goofy fun that makes me own "Can't Stop The Music" and "Rock and Roll High School."