All This and World War II

The film features clips from Nazi German army newsreels, various films from 20th Century Fox and other studios, and from other propaganda films featuring Jack Benny, Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, Milton Berle, Humphrey Bogart, Richard Burton, Neville Chamberlain, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Clark Gable, Betty Grable, Adolf Hitler, Bob Hope, Joseph P. Kennedy, Laurel and Hardy, James Mason, Carmen Miranda, Benito Mussolini, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin, and James Stewart.{{cite web|url = http://www.thevideobeat.com/rock-roll-movies/all-this-world-war-ii-1976.html|title = All This and World War II 1976|publisher = The Video Beat|access-date = June 28, 2011}}{{cite web|url = https://www.filmthreat.com/features/1222/|title = The Bootleg Files: 'All This and World War II'|first = Phil|last = Hall|author-link = Phil Hall (UK writer)|date = October 1, 2004|publisher = Film Threat|access-date = June 28, 2011}}

The film was produced by Sanford Lieberson, who produced Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?, a 1975 documentary, and researched by Tony Palmer who had previously released All My Loving, a history of 1960s music (1968), and the 17-part rock history documentary All You Need Is Love: The Story of Popular Music.{{cite web|url = https://www.axs.com/wacky-beatles-tribute-all-this-and-world-war-ii-gets-makeover-and-new--90865|title = Wacky Beatles tribute 'All This and World War II' gets makeover and new title|first = Steve |last = Marinucci |date = July 12, 2016|publisher = AXS|access-date = October 16, 2018}} He remade the film in 2016 as The Beatles and World War II.[https://nowtoronto.com/the-beatles-and-world-war-ii/ NOW Magazine][http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2016/7/13/new-dvdcd-the-beatles-and-world-war-ii-features-star-studded.html New DVD/CD "The Beatles and World War II" Features Star-Studded Collection of 1970s Fab Four Covers - Music News - ABC News Radio]

The musical director was Lou Reizner, who also produced the soundtrack album.

Although it was rumoured that Terry Gilliam turned down the offer to contribute animation to the documentary, Russ Regan, who conceived the film, has stated that Gilliam was never asked.

All This and World War II was panned by critics, prompting 20th Century-Fox to withdraw the film from distribution. New York Daily News wrote that the film's PG rating must have stood for "Positively Ghastly". In 1977, the film was screened out of competition at Cannes.{{cite newsgroup|title = All This and World War II|author = Burridge, Shane|date = 2005|newsgroup = rec.arts.movies.reviews|url = https://www.imdb.com/reviews/351/35177.html|access-date = July 17, 2011|archive-date = March 21, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150321172450/http://www.imdb.com/reviews/351/35177.html|url-status = dead}} It has since occasionally been shown at film festivals and on cable TV in the US.

The film has gained a small cult following in the UK since being screened by BBC2 as part of their fifteen-hour themed broadcast "Rock Around The Clock", which ran from the afternoon of 27 August 1983 into the early hours of the next day.{{cite web | url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/550ef15a00fe43fa90b6d0e4ff951c41 | title=BBC Programme Index | date=August 27, 1983 }}

On 1 June 2007, the film played a single midnight show at Landmark's Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles.{{cite web|url = http://www.filmjerk.com/reviews/article.php?id_rev=1142|title = All This and World War II|first = Edward|last= Havens|date= May 30, 2007|publisher = FilmJerk|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305054415/http://filmjerk.com/reviews/article.php?id_rev=1142|archive-date= March 5, 2016|access-date= March 26, 2016}}

All This and World War II has never been officially released on home video in any format, but pirated copies of the film are available from several collector-to-collector resources. A fairly high-quality transfer is also available as an unofficial DVD release.{{cite web|url=http://www.revengeismydestiny.com/cult_movies_war_is_hell.html |title=War is Hell! |work=Shocking Videos |publisher=Mark Johnston Enterprises and Shocking Videos |access-date=September 5, 2011 |quote=ALL THIS AND WORLD WAR II (76) Finally available! |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821150330/http://www.revengeismydestiny.com/cult_movies_war_is_hell.html |archive-date=August 21, 2011 }} A version of this film, entitled The Beatles and World War II, was released as a DVD plus two-CD set by Gonzo Multimedia in 2016. However, this is a revised edition by original director Tony Palmer, using different footage and a different soundtrack.

{{Infobox album

| name = All This and World War II

| type = Soundtrack

| artist = various artists

| cover = ATAWW2.jpg

| alt =

| released = 25 October 1976

| recorded = 1974–1976

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Rock

| length = 98:45

| label = Riva (UK), 20th Century (US)

| producer = Lou Reizner

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

| misc = {{Singles

| name = All This and World War II

| type = Soundtrack

| single1 = Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

| single1date = 18 November 1974

| single2 = Let It Be

| single2date = 21 November 1975{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1975/Music-Week-1975-11-22.pdf|title=Music Week|page=60}}

| single3 = Get Back

| single3date = November 1976

| single4 = We Can Work It Out

| single4date = November 1976

| single5 = Magical Mystery Tour

| single5date = January 1977{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Ambrosia&titel=Magical+Mystery+Tour&cat=s|title=Ambrosia singles}}

}}

}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/all-this-and-world-war-ii-r230229/review|title=All This and World War II|website=AllMusic|access-date=4 December 2011}}

| noprose = yes

}}

The original intention of the filmmakers was to use actual Beatles music in the film. The decision to use other artists covering Beatles music was made by the film's producers after they realised additional money could be made through a soundtrack album.{{cn|date=October 2024}} (The soundtrack actually generated more revenue than the film.) The album was released on 25 October 1976, and the film was released on 11 November 1976.Billboard 30 Oct 1976 (page 82)

The album reached number 23 on the UK Albums Chart, with a total of seven weeks on that listing, and number 48 on the Billboard Top 200.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1977-01-01?page=9 |title=Top 200 Albums |publisher=Billboard |date=January 1, 1977 |access-date=June 7, 2017}}Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums, 1955-2001, {{ISBN|978-0634039485}} It also made number 14 on the Australian album charts, number 17 on the Dutch album charts and number 37 on the New Zealand album charts.{{cite web|url=http://www.dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Soundtrack&titel=All+This+And+World+War+II&cat=a|title=All This and World War II|website=Dutchcharts.nl|access-date=June 21, 2018}} The soundtrack is notable for featuring the solo recording debut of Peter Gabriel, formerly of Genesis, singing "Strawberry Fields Forever". The album was nominated for NARM Awards "Best Selling Movie Soundtrack".page 10, Record World, 19 February, 1977

A live concert featuring many of the artists who appeared on the soundtrack and album was planned for London's Olympia. However, the idea was abandoned due to difficulties in getting a date that all or most of the artists could make.page 4, Record Mirror, 8 January 1977

The LP was also released in 1979 with the title The Songs of John Lennon & Paul McCartney Performed by the World's Greatest Rock Artists,{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-All-This-And-World-War-II/release/4301900|title=Various – The Songs Of John Lennon & Paul McCartney Performed By The World's Greatest Rock Artists|website=Discogs|access-date=April 24, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Songs-Of-John-Lennon-Paul-McCartney-Performed-By-The-Worlds-Greatest-Rock-Artists/release/9700792|title=Various – The Songs Of John Lennon & Paul McCartney Performed By The World's Greatest Rock Artists|website=Discogs|access-date=April 24, 2018}} and two of the tracks ("Let It Be" performed by Leo Sayer and "Because" performed by Lynsey de Paul) were released on the Beatles cover version CD album With A Little Help that was issued in Europe in 1991.{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-With-A-Little-Help/release/8084833|title=Various – With A Little Help|website=Discogs|access-date=April 24, 2018}}

The album was finally released on CD in 2006 on the Hip-O Select label{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-All-This-And-World-War-II/release/3796019|title=Various – All This And World War II|website=Discogs|access-date=June 21, 2018}} and again in 2015 as a limited-issue release on the Culture Factory label, complete with the original gatefold sleeve.{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-All-This-And-World-War-II-Original-Soundtrack/release/6850391|title=Various – All This And World War II – Original Soundtrack|website=Discogs|access-date=June 21, 2018}} In 2016, a box set featuring the DVD of the film and the soundtrack on two CD's was released by Gonzo Multimedia with the title The Beatles and World War II.https://www.discogs.com/release/10446784-Various-The-Beatles-And-World-War-II

• Elton John’s rendition of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", when previously released as a single in 1974, became a US and Canadian number-one hit.{{cite web |url= http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.3899a&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=u9874ano8k0c5b6bkp4r8qrbp3 |title= Lucy in the sky with diamonds in Canadian Top Singles Chart |publisher= Library and Archives Canada |access-date= 18 July 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141213020612/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.3899a&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=u9874ano8k0c5b6bkp4r8qrbp3 |archive-date= 13 December 2014 |url-status= dead }}
• Rod Stewart’s version of "Get Back" was subsequently released and became a UK hit single (#11).
• Ambrosia's cover of "Magical Mystery Tour" reached #39 on the US Billboard Hot 100.Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - {{ISBN|0-89820-089-X}}

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Lennon–McCartney

| extra_column = Artist

| title1 = Magical Mystery Tour

| length1 = 3:52

| extra1 = Ambrosia

| title2 = Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

| note2 = Features John Lennon (under the pseudonym "Dr. Winston O'Boogie") on lead guitar & backing vocals

| length2 = 6:15

| extra2 = Elton John

| title3 = Golden Slumbers" / "Carry That Weight

| length3 = 3:17

| extra3 = The Bee Gees

| title4 = I Am the Walrus

| length4 = 3:49

| extra4 = Leo Sayer

| title5 = She's Leaving Home

| length5 = 3:07

| extra5 = Bryan Ferry

| title6 = Lovely Rita

| length6 = 1:13

| extra6 = Roy Wood

| title7 = When I'm Sixty-Four

| length7 = 2:36

| extra7 = Keith Moon

| title8 = Get Back

| length8 = 4:24

| extra8 = Rod Stewart

| title9 = Let It Be

| length9 = 3:43

| extra9 = Leo Sayer

| title10 = Yesterday

| length10 = 2:44

| extra10 = David Essex

| title11 = With a Little Help from My Friends"/"Nowhere Man

| length11 = 6:56

| extra11 = Jeff Lynne

| title12 = Because

| length12 = 3:24

| extra12 = Lynsey de Paul

| title13 = She Came In Through The Bathroom Window

| length13 = 1:54

| extra13 = The Bee Gees

| title14 = Michelle

| length14 = 4:00

| extra14 = Richard Cocciante

| title15 = We Can Work It Out

| length15 = 2:39

| extra15 = The Four Seasons

| title16 = The Fool on the Hill

| length16 = 3:37

| extra16 = Helen Reddy

| title17 = Maxwell's Silver Hammer

| length17 = 3:27

| extra17 = Frankie Laine

| title18 = Hey Jude

| length18 = 4:58

| extra18 = The Brothers Johnson

| title19 = Polythene Pam

| length19 = 1:30

| extra19 = Roy Wood

| title20 = Sun King

| length20 = 2:03

| extra20 = The Bee Gees

| title21 = Getting Better

| length21 = 2:19

| extra21 = Status Quo

| title22 = The Long and Winding Road

| length22 = 4:47

| extra22 = Leo Sayer

| title23 = Help!

| length23 = 3:07

| extra23 = Henry Gross

| title24 = Strawberry Fields Forever

| length24 = 2:30

| extra24 = Peter Gabriel

| title25 = A Day in the Life

| length25 = 4:04

| extra25 = Frankie Valli

| title26 = Come Together

| length26 = 4:08

| extra26 = Tina Turner

| title27 = You Never Give Me Your Money

| length27 = 3:04

| extra27 = Wil Malone & Lou Reizner

| title28 = The End

| length28 = 2:26

| extra28 = The London Symphony Orchestra

}}

• Barry Gibb – vocals
• Robin Gibb – vocals
• Maurice Gibb – vocals
• Nicky Hopkins – piano
• Les Hurdle – bass
• Barry Morgan – drums
• Ronnie Verrell – drums
• Wil Malone – orchestral arrangement
• Harry Rabinowitz – conductor
• David Measham – conductor

• List of artists who have covered the Beatles
• Across the Universe, a 2007 musical film that also used the concept of using Beatles songs to tell a story
• Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, a 1978 film featuring Bee Gees covers of Beatles songs
• Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?, a 1975 documentary from the same producer that utilized a similar concept, but with contemporary music for the period
• The Atomic Cafe, a darkly satirical 1982 Cold War documentary similar in content

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|0132679}}
• {{rotten-tomatoes|id=all-this-and-world-war-ii|title=All This and World War II}}

{{Beatles filmography and videography}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1970s American films

Category:1970s British films

Category:1970s English-language films

Category:1976 documentary films

Category:1976 films

Category:20th Century Fox films

Category:20th Century Fox Records soundtracks

Category:American documentary films

Category:The Beatles in film

Category:British documentary films

Category:American collage films

Category:British collage films

Category:Compilation films

Category:Documentary films about World War II

Category:English-language documentary films

Category:Jukebox musical films

Category:Riva Records albums

Category:Documentary films about Adolf Hitler