Magical Mystery Tour first aired on BBC1 on Boxing Day 1967 in black and white. It didn't go down all that well. Then it went out in colour on 5 January 1968 on BBC2 and wasn't much better received.
This was the Beatles' first major critical failure, but in part one we discuss whether it succeeded on its own terms: were they actually trying to entertain their audience, or were they more interested in challenging them? Was the film just a showcase for the songs or was there more going on?
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Part 2
FEATURED PODCAST EPISODE
Magical Mystery Tour (Part 2)
We thoroughly dissect Your Mother Should Know's choreography, and unpack the quasi-religious subtext of The Beatles playing a group of omnipotent wizards.
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