On This Day In 1967 Britain Got Its First Look At 'Magical Mystery Tour'

Until December 26, 1967 The Beatles could do no wrong. Then, on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas in the UK) folks across England sat down in front of their TVs to watch the new movie from the Fabs, most expecting the irreverent style of past films like A Hard Day's Night and Help!. Instead, what they got was confusion. The concept of Paul McCartney, Magical Mystery Tour was his surreal journey into the wonderful world of psychedelia and at times, the absurd. The movie was intended for theaters capable of showing the film in color on large screens. Needless to say, the majority of households in England in 1967 had small black-and-white sets, and the movie's visuals didn't translate well. Subsequently, the movie was panned by fans and critics alike. Now, more than 50 years later the film is regarded as a cult classic, heralded by the likes of director Martin Scorsese, who in the documentary below states “For me, it certainly still holds up, the freedom of the picture was very important.” Of course the music and the accompanying soundtrack features classics like "Fool on the Hill," "Blue Jay Way", "Flying," "Your Mother Should Know," and "I Am The Walrus."