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The
idea was to create another hit group by starring them in a film and
producing records. Guest was introduced to the four members of the newly
formed Toomorrow group, Olivia Newton-John (age 21) on vocals, Karl
Chambers (age 22) an American drummer, Ben Thomas (age 24), an American
vocalist and former Tom Jones pianist Vic Cooper on keyboards. Saltzman
had formed a new company called Sweet Music Productions, but as soon
as Guest agreed to direct the movie, problems arose. The script had
been penned by novelist David Benedictus, but Saltzman asked Guest to
re-write it.Guest then started receiving notes from Kirshner in New
York, almost daily, suggesting new story additions. After he’d worked for several weeks without the promised payments, Guest found that Sweet Music Productions was in financial trouble. Apparently, Saltzman had put up part of his share in the Bond films as collateral, but Broccoli pointed out that there could be no other partner in the James Bond Eon Productions, so no more finance was available. Guest sued, won the lawsuit, but never received his money. Although he allowed the film's premier to take place at the London Pavilion in August 1970, he slapped a writ on the production saying that the film couldn’t receive any more showings until he received his money, which he never did. So, the film closed after only a week and Kirshner is said to have distanced himself from it and wouldn’t allow it to be shown again during his lifetime. It is believed that there is one remaining copy of the film in private hands that was shown once in 2000 at a Los Angeles film festival. There was a vinyl album ‘Toomorrow’ issued on RCA LSA 3008. The tracks were: ‘You’re My Baby Now’; ‘Taking Your Own Sweet Time’; ‘Toomorrow’ (instrumental); ‘Let’s Move On’; ‘Walking On Air’ (instrumental); ‘If You Can’t Be Hurt’; ‘Toomorrow’; ‘Walking On Air’; ‘Spaceport’; ‘Happiness Valley’; ‘Let’s Move On’ (instrumental); ‘Going Back.’ Two singles were also released: ‘I Could Never Live Without Your Love’ c/w/ Roll Like the River’ and ‘You’re My Baby Now’ c/w ‘Going Back.’ |
The
film’s publicity synopsis read: John Williams is an Alphoid, disguised
as a human being, who has been on Earth for thousands for years. To
normal humans his present occupation as an anthropologist has attracted
no undue attention. 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 a sterility of sound, Williams is given the job of tracking down the cause. 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 career 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 – Toomorow 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 realise – 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 antagonises the
staff. They decide to use the same tools as the students; they organise
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
a unique situation that the Alphoids cannot resist. The Alphoids beam
Toomorrow back up to space but has this all been a dream for the members
of Toomorrow? No one is sure. The film’s publicity blurb also announced: “No film with a title like ‘Toomorrow’ would be complete without a bevy of beautiful girls. Heading the futuristic glamour parade is blonde and beautiful Tracey Crisp, 25, a Londoner born and bred, who has an abundance of good looks with talent to match. She plays Dr. Suzanne Gilmore, a prim and proper professor of music who finally lets her hair down and removes her spectacles to revert to her natural sparkling self in romantic scenes with Ben Thomas. Vital girl-power is also provided by shapely Imogen Hassell, as a ballet student, and busty blonde Margaret Nolan, sent from outer space on a mission of seduction. With-it fashions for the girls of ‘Toomorrow’ were created by leading London costume designer Ronald Patterson. |
This
was Olivia’s second movie and her boyfriend at the time, Bruce Welch
of The Shadows, was to say, “The film was a disgrace. It was reminiscent
of so many of the low-budget pop pictures that were made during the
early Sixties, and the biggest let down of all was the music. It was
all so lightweight. There were no hit songs – the numbers were naïve
and instantly forgettable.” Olivia is quite glamorous in the role wearing tight shorts and mini skirts throughout She did confess that she was asked to do one scene in her underwear, but refused and actually burst out in tears when they asked her. As for the music, the blurb read: “The music for ‘Toomorrow’ was composed and conducted by famed American Hugo Montenegro. The brand-new songs were penned by the brilliant chart-topping composing team of Brooklyn born Ritchie Adams and Mark Barkan.” |
Bruce
Welch was also to comment, “Instead of going for the best songwriters
available, Kirshner had simply handed the job to some unknown writers
he had signed to his publishing company and, of course, it couldn’t
possibly work.” Bruce, in fact, gathered together a number of his friends
and composers to watch the film and see if they could rescue it by writing
some better numbers, but realised that it would have cost too much money
because a number of scenes would have had to be re-shot. |