I too start from the position of being a Beatles and McCartney fan, one who clearly recalls when Beatlemania first took hold in the UK.

I remember eagerly looking forward to Magical Mystery Tour on Boxing Day 1967, and being increasingly embarrassed as it went on. Even to my 15-year old Beatle-besotted brain it was clear that, excepting only the musical sequences, it was very, very bad. The lesson which came across loud and clear was that, while the Beatles were undoubtedly in a class of their own as far as writing songs was concerned, they were very, very bad at writing films. And, let’s be fair, the lion’s share of the responsibility for the Magical Mystery Tour travesty rested with McCartney.

I guess in 17 years the memory must have faded a bit, and he forgot that lesson.

Broad Street taught it to him again, though.  In spades.

You can’t write films, Paul. Stick to music.

The music is mostly fine. The Yesterday /Here There And Everywhere /Wanderlust medley is attractive but suffers, perhaps, from thematic disunity. Ballroom Dancing works as a sequence, although it leaves you wondering “Why?”. Silly love songs – interesting variation on the original arrangement, a good look spoilt by the idiotic breakdancer. So bad – a straightforward, successful group performance. Most of the covers are fairly redundant, with little variation from their sources. Extending Eleanor Rigby into a dream fantasy sequence and creating an orchestral development for it is by far the most interesting and imaginative idea in the whole film – unfortunately, the sequence itself is so corny and takes itself so seriously that it doesn’t work – marks for effort here, though.

The multitudes of old pals/guest stars who wander through the proceedings must have gone on to wonder if doing a favour for a friend was too high a price to pay for a blot of this magnitude on their CVs.

A word in favour of the US DVD – two sided, it has 4:3 and widescreen on the two sides, no extras, and WONDERFUL sound.