Go-Go Big Beat (1965)

Although promoted in cinemas as a feature film, Go-Go Big Beat was actually made up of three shorter documentaries: Swinging UK, UK Swings Again and Mods and Rockers.

The first two were 26-minute jukebox shorts – directed by Frank Gilpin – of groups and singers lip-syncing and miming to their current singles. Featured songs include My Boy Lollipop by Millie Small, Shout by Lulu and the Luvvers,  Juliet by The Four Pennies, Don’t Turn Around by The Merseybeats, Baby Let Me Take You Home by The Animals, and Here I Go Again by The Hollies.

The songs were presented by DJs Alan Freeman, Brian Matthew, and Kent Walton.

The Mods and Rockers section – directed by Kenneth Hume – featured the Western Theatre Ballet Company performing a 27-minute modern West Side Story-style dance interpretation to Beatles compositions performed by a little-known R&B band called The Cheynes – featuring a hairy young Mick Fleetwood on drums.

Brian Epstein instituted legal action, and Go-Go Big Beat disappeared soon after its release.

The Animals
The Applejacks
The Tremeloes
The Tornados
The Cockneys
Migil 5
The Four Pennies
The Hollies
Lulu and the Luvvers
The Merseybeats
Brian Poole and the Tremeloes
Millie Small
The Swinging Blue Jeans
The Whackers
Brian Matthew
Alan Freeman
Kent Walton
The Cheynes
The Western Theatre Ballet company

Director
Frank Gilpin
Kenneth Hume