“Help!” It’s the second smash film, from the biggest band in the world, released when Beatlemania was still at its peak. It’s filled with great - and in a few cases, top-tier - Beatles music. Its cast includes well known actors, and the director was an expert in maximizing the boys comedic, personable on-screen talents. It satirizes the burgeoning Bond franchise and, it’s in color! (Take that, Boxing Day 1967 UK airing of “Magical Mystery Tour”)

And yet the question must be asked all these years later: is “Help!” a classic? A great movie? Merely a good one? And in the grand scheme of Beatles excellence, what’s wrong with that?

UBP’s Medved and Maltin (which one’s which??) ask these questions, and also ponder:

☠ Is Poison’s “Every Rose Has Ken Thorne” the most famous power ballad about the “Help!” incidental music composer?

🎿 Are The Skitles Obertauern’s most famous skiing-themed band? No? Cool, go ahead and name a few more, since you seem to know so much about ski-bands from Obertauern. We’ll wait.

🦁 (Angry Chicago Guy): HOW COME MACCA DEEP CUT “ZOO GANG” DIDN’T GET NO LOVE AS THE THEME SONG TO ED ASNER’S SHORT LIVED 1987 NBC DRAMA, “THE BRONX ZOO”? AND HOW COME CBS DIDN’T GIVE MARTIN MULL’S “DOMESTIC LIFE” MORE TIME TO GROW AN AUDIENCE BACK IN ’85? AND HOW COME WOR SUPERSTATION OUT OF NEW YORK DON’T SHOW “DOMESTIC LIFE” NO MORE LATE AT NIGHT AFTER MARTIN MULL DIED AND DIANE STILL AIN’T HOME FROM BOWLING LEAGUE?

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