Pop Gear (1965)

Warner-Pathé Distributors (UK)
Directed by Frederic Goode
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(YouTube)

British personality Jimmy Savile hosts a retrospective of 1964 musical groups and a peak at 1965. It all starts with The Beatles, who bookend the film with live performances in front of screaming teenage girls, after their explosion onto the scene. The other groups mostly mimic them, almost all wearing suits and bowl haircuts. However, a few try to be different: The Animals lead by Eric Burdon aren't afraid to stretch things out with a prominent Vox organ, while The Four Pennies and The Nashville Teens display a harder edge and are a sign of things to come. Mostly though, it's a hilarious look at dated fashion and hairstyles as groups lip synch on sets adorned with modern art.