Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

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Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

PG

1978

1h 51m

Musical

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

11%

Tomatometer

28 Reviews

44%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

This musical, set to late-period Beatles hits, recounts the story of Sgt. Pepper's famed musical group, which found success during World War I bringing music to weary soldiers in the field. The band's leader has since died, and now it's up to his grandson, Billy Shears (Peter Frampton), to carry on the group's traditions. To this end, he recruits the Henderson brothers (Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb) to help him defend the group's magic instruments from nefarious crook B.D. Hoffler.

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Critics Consensus

I thought you might like to know that the Beatles (aka the act you've known for all these years) are ill-served by this kitschy, aggressively whimsical fantasy film that's most certainly not a thrill.

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K.C. Summers

Washington Post

02/26/2019

Frampton sings the Beatles' songs "as they've never been sung before," it says in the press release. Well yes they have been, as a matter of fact. And better.

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Variety Staff

Variety

09/10/2007

A totally bubblegum and cotton candy melange of garish fantasy and narcissism.

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Jennifer Selway

Time Out

02/09/2006

This crass moral pantomime is plain embarrassing.

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Sean Burns

Crooked Marquee

Feb 6

I saw a film today, oh boy.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

10/03/2021

1/4

The best moment? Aerosmith offering a chilling rendition of "Come Together." The most love-it-or-leave-it moment? Steve Martin doing his comic shtick while performing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer." The worst moment? A million-way tie between everything else.

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David Aldridge

Radio Times

02/26/2019

2/5

A daft attempt to further conceptualise the classic Beatles album by linking its songs via a contrived connective storyline. The attempt fails miserably.

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Grace L

@RT91088023 May 12

This movie is a blast! While the plot is a bit lazy, and the acting isn't wonderfully done, I think this movie is so much fun to watch. Knowing that this is a comedy jukebox musical, I was not expecting something 10/10 plot-wise, and I was certainly not expecting a life-changing story. The music, the sets, and the production ARE 10/10 and I have laughed! I would recommend highly.

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Mr. Blue S

@RT10963682 Aug 17

I can't help it! I love this movie! Sure, it's cheesy and over the top, but it's cheesy and over the top, I would at least stay for the songs. Unlike "Xanadu," I can see people's problems with this movie, but it's all part of the narm charm.

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Tim R

@trickert2002 Aug 4

This movie makes GREASE 2 look like THE GODFATHER I. It's just dumb! I'm embarrassed for everyone who got shafted into having anything to do with it

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John K

@RT80198918 02/19/2025

This is a bizzare semi-acid trip, and it also includes many of the stars of the 70's. Wild, weird, entertaining, and the music is decently performed by the various groups and individuals. Beetles purists need to understand that the Beetles signed off on this and the album--so please take your noses out of the stratosphere and have some fun.

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D M

@JoeyBidunce 01/27/2025

Perhaps one of the worst movies in the history of motion pictures and a career killer for Peter Frampton. The bit with George Burns singing was pretty far out however. Dee Anthony, the inept manager of Peter Frampton and Robert Stigwood both should have served prison time for this monstrosity.

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MariofanAlex445 T

@RT47678067 01/18/2025

This film was strangely hard to follow. Mostly because the film stopped using actual dialogue to progress the story, and they just let the actual music do the talking. So we just gotta be like “oh, they’re there now” lol. It’s still a great time though, and if you like the Beatles you get really faithful covers from everyone in the movie. Should be rated high to be honest. 2.5/5 stars.

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Michael Schultz

Director

Peter Frampton

Billy Shears

Barry Gibb

Mark Henderson

Robin Gibb

Dave Henderson

Maurice Gibb

Bob Henderson

Donald Pleasence

B.D. Hoffler

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Synopsis

This musical, set to late-period Beatles hits, recounts the story of Sgt. Pepper's famed musical group, which found success during World War I bringing music to weary soldiers in the field. The band's leader has since died, and now it's up to his grandson, Billy Shears (Peter Frampton), to carry on the group's traditions. To this end, he recruits the Henderson brothers (Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb) to help him defend the group's magic instruments from nefarious crook B.D. Hoffler.

Director: Michael Schultz
Producer: Robert Stigwood
Screenwriter: Henry Edwards
Production Co: NF Geria II Filmgesellschaft m.b.H.
Rating: PG
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 7, 2015
Runtime: 1h 51m
Sound Mix: Surround