Magical Mystery Tour

[poliphilo]

It's a mess- but a coherent mess (if that makes sense). There's no story. Things happen- some funny, some weird, some rather beautiful, some daft and inconsequential. Then it ends. The tone remains consistent- authentically dreamlike- and the musical interludes- including the performance by the Bonzo Dog Doodah Band-  are fab. It's been compared to Un Chien Andalou (another provocative piece of cinematic doodling) and- yeah- why not? Both were hated at their unveiling. Both are the work of amateurs. Both demonstrate a fearlessness that comes from barely knowing one end of a camera from the other. Here are the differences:  Un Chien Andalou is cold and Magical Mystery Tour is warm. One is Spanish, the other Scouse. Both leave you feeling "What the fuck?" but only one of them sends you away with a song in your heart.