Even for a culture vulture like myself, the Internet is still, of course, one big teaming cauldron of “I did not know that” [said like Johnny Carson]. This morning, I stumbled across something that I simply must get my hands on: In 1970, pop impresario Don Kirschner (the man behind the Monkees and The Archies) teamed up with James Bond producer Harry Saltzman for a sci-fi rock film called Toomorrow. Today, this obscure film is most notable for starring a young Olivia Newton-John. It was directed by Hammer director Val Guest (who also helmed The Quatermass Xperiment) and easy listening great Hugo Montenegro wrote some of the music.

The film flopped badly-apparently it was only in release for two weeks before Val Guest got an injunction against it (he’d not been paid). Allegedly Don Kirschner hated it so much, he refused to allow the film to be screened during his lifetime (although it was shown at the LA Film Festival in 2000, with the only known print being flown in from BFI for the event). Needless to say, this movie is difficult to see. So far only a Japanese bootleg of Toomorow has turned up. Is it possible that it could be more shit even than Xanadu???

Here’s a description of the film, taken from the Only Olivia fansite:

“John Williams is an Alphoid disguised as a human being who has been on Earth for thousands of years. To normal humans his present occupation as an anthropologist has attracted no undue attention. But John Williams is unhappy with his work as an observer on Earth. He feels he is wasted on a planet that prays for peace and makes war to obtain it. A visit to an Alphoid space craft, hovering above the clouds, provides him with an interesting new assignment. A remarkable and powerful vibration has been discovered on Earth and become known to the Alphoid Galactic Control. Its power is curative, not destructive, and as a growing malady in Space is sterility of sound, Williams is given the job of tracking down the cure.

It is not easy, but Williams eventually tracks it to a tonaliser, a weirdly-constructed amplifier, that a young music student, Vic has built to his own specification. Vic is one of the group of four studying at the London College of Arts. They live in Chelsea where Olivia acts as “den mother” and chaperone to the other three, Karl, Ben and Vic. To finance their studies they form themselves into an amateur pop group called Toomorrow, but when it seems that they are making headway in their musical careers with a guest appearance at a Pop Festival at the Round House, personal problems beset the quartet. Turbulent days also exist at the College when the students demand participation in the administration. The students vote for a sit-in, but this develops into a dance-in owing to Toomorrow’s musical activities. Williams offers the group facilities to rehearse in the conservatory of his Hampstead home. After one groovy session, the group are just leaving when a beam whisks them up to the Alphoid space-craft. Complete with their musical instruments and Vic’s tonaliser Toomorrow learn that their task is to educate the space people, as Astral music has lost its potency. Emotion and soul is lacking in the Alphoids’ computerised music. For Toomorrow the environment is wrong something which the Alphoids soon realize and they allow the group to escape back to earth.

Matthew, a young admirer of Olivia and leader of the Student Action Committee, is instrumental in settling the differences between the students and the Administration at the London College of Arts. But the agreed compromise antagonizes the staff. They decide to use the same tools as the students, they organize a lock-out. This proves a great embarrassment to Toomorrow. With only hours before they are to make their important debut at the Round House, they discover their instruments are locked inside the college. Using his masculine charm on Dr Suzanne Gilmore, the attractive doctor of music and one of his many girl-friends, Ben instigates the retrieval of the instruments.

Time is short. A hectic car chase ensues across London to the Round House. By this time each of the group has attracted a road manager. Vic has the serious ballet student and pop convert, Amy as his road manager. Olivia has brought along Matthew, Karl has become attracted to Sylvana. And Ben? He has several girls in tow, including Suzanne and Francoise. Even Williams has got in on the act. Johnson, a beautiful girl he has conjured from Space and brought to Earth on a mission of seduction, partners him to the Round House. It is a splendid and fitting debut. The group soon have the place grooving and swinging. The environment is ideal. It is an unique situation that the Alphoids cannot resist. The Alphiods beam Toomorrow back up to space but has this all been a dream for the members of Toomorrow? No one is sure.

 

 
Aliens, rock and roll and a very pretty leading lady… how could this have been a flop?

Below, Olivia Newton-John and the group perform “Takin’ Our Own Sweet Time”:
 

 
The entire film, broken in to several parts, can be seen on YouTube. Here’s a scene with the aliens:
 

 
Update: Toomorrow is for sale at Mod Cinema!