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Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $10.49
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Can't Get You Out of my Head
Review: I loved this movie! I was not born during the Beettles time, I love musicals and this one blow my mind. I have been looking for this movie for over a year. I now have a daughter that is also into musicals and i wanted her to view this one and be able to appreiciate it as I and my sisters have.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A musical memory that comes to life
Review: As expected in reading the reviews, I find that people either loved or hated this movie. I'd like to look at this movie from two perspectives, first details on the disc itself.

The audio is presented in both DTS & Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. The video is presented in anamorphic widescreen 2.35:1 on the dual layer disc. Overall they did a decent job of encoding this title. The video is clean and crisp and only rarely do artefacts appear. An example of how 'bad' this movie could have been without the job done to clean it up can be seen during the close-up of the spinning weather vane near the end of the movie. As it 'transforms' into Billy Preston, if you slow-mo or pause-step though it, you can see an example of artefacts that were not removed during processing. (although it is not noticeable by most people since the scene transitions quickly) Overall, even when zoomed at 2x, the video quality remains good given the age of the content. Audio is clear and dynamic. While effort was put into the video quality, no effort was put into the extras. Just an original trailer (loaded with artefacts) and scene access are provided.

Now on to my opinion of the content. As you may see by looking at other comments, there is a marked difference of opinion about this title. I think the first mistake that some people made was in calling it a movie when it really isn't one. I tend to agree that this is really a time capsule of sorts, giving those who didn't see it when it was released a glimpse into the past. One of the big problems with the critics of this title was in the music. Not because the music was bad, but because the music was old Beatles songs. In many ways some people consider the use of these songs by anyone but the Beatles to be sacrilege. With an attitude like that I could have told you they were going to hate it before they watched it. If you are a big Beatles fan and aren't comfortable with people doing remakes of their music, then you may be wise to avoid this title.

On the other hand, I enjoyed it. It's a fun musical treat that you don't have to think about. Campy? Sure. Steve Martin's bit almost comes off like an old 'Saturday Night Live' routine, but you can't help but enjoy it. The loose storyline doesn't live up to a being considered a plot, but nevertheless one can still feel that this is more than a loose group of songs. Don't believe the critics that say this title ruined the careers of anyone who worked in it, since that just isn't the case. A brief look at some of the other acts like Areosmith, Earth, Wind & Fire, Alice Cooper & Steve Martin says that this just isn't the case. They all did quite well after this title's theatrical release.

Overall this offering tends to fall into the same category as titles like Xanadu, Phantom of Paradise, The Wiz etc. None of them were box office smashes, but they all have strong and loyal followings. In the end Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is a title in its own time. It captures the essence of music in the late 70's and puts it on screen. This title shouldn't be judged by today's standards since it will never measure up. Enjoy it for what it was, not for what others felt it should have been.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I'm Happy that I bought the DVD!
Review: I reviewed this movie last year in October 2002 and since I recently bought the DVD and just watched it today I thought I would write a new review. Okay, so this movie wouldn't win an Oscar but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the pure campy silliness of this weird but entertaining movie. I saw this movie in a theater back in 1978 when I was a 13 year old girl old and I really did enjoy it and wound up getting crushes on Peter Frampton and Maurice Gibb and later also Barry and Robin Gibb. Like I said in my old review it's like a weird disjointed dream but so much fun. And though there are movies I liked when I was a child that I have recently watched and I wound up hating them and saying why did I ever like This? But I can't say that for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band because I enjoyed it just as much now as then and I found myself smiling, laughing, singing along and just having a great time. Yes it would have been nice if the DVD had more extra features besides the original trailer and the previews for The Blues Brothers, The Wiz and Xanadu but I'm just happy the movie is finally on DVD because I really didn't think that would happen any time soon when I wrote my review last year and when I looked up this movie again on Amazon and found out it was now available on DVD I literally did a double take and when I did indeed confirm that it was really on DVD I was like Wow, I can't wait to buy it and when I watched the movie on DVD today I loved every minute of watching it and enjoyed it's trippy, campy 1970's fun. One reviewer seemed to be annoyed that people have called this movie campy, yeah maybe some people used campy in a negative way but not all of us, I think it's a good, fun highly entertaining campy movie and I highly recommend this wonderful widescreen DVD and yes maybe the vibrant colors of the movie could have been restored a little but the colors are still pretty amazing considering the movie is over 20 yers old. If you love this movie and want to buy the DVD then go for it! I give this 5 stars for the shear fun of watching this delightful movie!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: "We hate joy. We love money"
Review: Is that a quote from one of the movie's villains or an inter-office memo from the production team? Though this movie appears to us now as hopelessly dated, "harmless" kitsch, it's important to remember that the primary reason for making this film was profit, plain and simple. The producers wanted to cynically cash in on their audience's nostalgia of the Beatles and long-faded hippie ideals.
What results is a bizarre, cartoonish funhouse mirror of those cynical ambitions. Sgt. Pepper and his band can end wars, their instruments can "make dreams come true" but they can't help George Burns' Golden Throats-worthy singing or help our heroes' acting ability. They get seduced by dreams of Hollywood fame and really skanky women, while their town is befell by the corrupt Mr. Mustard, who turns "Heartland" into a hellish haven with a giant greasy cheesburger and (gasp!) a video game arcade. Then Strawberry Fields comes to the rescue and a benefit (for Mr. Kite!) is held, although that devolves into some more bizarre set pieces, and ends when Miss Fields bites the dust. But wait, then Frampton tries not to come alive, and the original Pep does a reverse Michael Jackson and comes back as a black guy, played by Billy Preston. He sings about "California grass" and does some funky dancing, and helps our villains discover Jesus. Then, Pow! a large scale recreation of the Pepper's album cover appears, this time with more C-list celebs. If you thought the original Sgt. Pepper's album was missing disco beats and vocoders, and want to see some trippy set design, try to sit through this movie. I dare you.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Quite possibly the worst movie ever made
Review: It is hard to believe that they have released this piece of crap on DVD. The only thing about the 1970s that I regret is paying to see it.

Avoid at all costs.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The Movie and Reviewing Reviews
Review: First, I grew up in the 1970's. I was a senior in high school when this movie came out. I was disappointed,but for none of the reasons people, younger than I,who weren't old enough to remember
the 1970's, have said here or in other places. ( I love when
people try to review something from an era, before their time)
"Sgt Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band" "was" a superficial attempt by Robert Stigwood to capitalize on the "huge" popularity
of Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees, by having them star in and sing "covers" of classic Beatle songs...all in the framework of a "rock opera". Stigwood had been successful in 1973 with Jesus Christ Superstar, a "true" rock opera...This effort was "halfassed", and ill timed. People were insulted by the movie,that many, critics and public alike saw, as an effort to
"trivialize" the Beatles by having Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees perform their songs in a "schlocky" film...It may have been made with the intention of having some fun...It was bad.
I saw it then,and bought the soundtrack which I still think is better than the film. I agree with an earlier reviewer, the film is a "good" example of late 1970's films,and a nice piece of nostalgia, for an era that was superficial...but, "fun"...
I love the Bee Gees, and liked their covers of some songs...
Peter Frampton never topped "Comes Alive"...Aerosmith did a nice cover of "Come Together". For a good rock opera from the 1970's
refer to "Jesus Christ Superstar", not "schlocky"...and better
all the way around. I gave Sgt Pepper a high rating mostly due to my own love for "nostalgia"...If you like the 1970's...you might agree. BTW, the effort to pay "tribute" to the Beatles might have been a better idea...today....I don't think this one
was a "tribute"...it was a "bad one" if it was...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It's So Bad It's Good
Review: Sure, this is a terrible movie. But can't something be terrible in a really fascinating and cool way? This is my favorite movie of all time. Where else can you see Barry Gibb knocking out Alice Cooper? Or Peter Frampton getting his butt kicked by Steven Tyler of Aerosmith? These are classic moments in cinematic history!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Nostolgic, but nothing more
Review: I saw this movie in the theater when I was a teen. I had hoped for more then, and I hoped for more now. It was not bad, but it will not appeal to anyone who is not a Beatles fan. My kids got a kick out of it because of the shiney 70s look, and they knew a bunch of the music.

This movie is a loosely strung together series of later Beatles music, and a few inside jokes for the fans, but other than a trip down memory lane, the movie is not worth watching. I can even remember being dispointed in Alice Cooper's rendiditon of "Because" as a teen even though I was a huge AC fan. Still, Aerosmith's "Come Together" is as good now as it was then. Billy Preston doing "Get Back" was the most appropriate selection for a performer (Beatles fans will understand why).

Unfortunately the movie lacks any real substance. It may be worth a rent for a trip down memory lane, but not worth owning. The chances I will watch this again this decade are pretty small.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Lively Pice of Memory
Review: Ah, yes, the critics trashed it, but now this innocent film brings back all the memories of an era that is gone. It's very light and silly, but the music is (mostly) good (Bee Gees are excellent) and the colors are fun. The story line is well, surprise yourself.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great music and handsome guys!
Review: If you are a huge Bee Gees and Peter Framptom fan as I am you will enjoy this! The Bees Gees and Frampton sing wonderful versions of Beatles songs and they are such good looking guys to watch!! I also enjoyed seeing Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, and Earth Wind and Fire. I got a big laugh seeing Maurice Gibb and Alice Cooper punch each other LOL! Seeing Peter Frampton sing in the hay barn was very dreamy WOW! I wish Andy Gibb was also in this!


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