The Apple

PG

Released Nov 21, 1980

1h 31m

Sci-Fi

Music

List

27%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

48%

Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

Young singers Alphie (George Gilmour) and Bibi (Catherine Mary Stewart) have big musical dreams when they leave Canada to compete in the Worldvision Song Festival. Though the festival's organizer, Mr. Boogalow (Vladek Sheybal), rigs the contest for others to win, he shows an interest in Alphie and Bibi, offering to sign them. But then Bibi is taken in by the evil, wild world of rock 'n' roll, and Alphie is determined to save her -- even though Boogalow says he owns both her and her soul.

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

'The Apple' is the kind of nutty project that bad-movie love is all about: it's clearly the product of a singular, insane vision, unperturbed by any notion of good taste, good sense, or good storytelling.

Aug 6, 2017

Full Review

Eric Henderson

Slant Magazine

Noxious.

Rated: 1/4

Aug 24, 2004

Full Review

Jason Shawhan

Nashville Scene

Cannon Films producer/mogul Menahem Golan made this beautiful and tacky allegory in a way that predicts the whole "dance like there's no one watching" aspirational mentality, and I grow more grateful for it with each day that passes.

Nov 22, 2021

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The Apple is of course awful as a movie but fabulous as a camp classic -- like Ed Wood's output, it's the sort of film that triggers amusement rather than anger at its ineptitude.

Rated: 1/4

Nov 8, 2021

Full Review

Austin Trunick

Under the Radar

Part Biblical allegory, part 1984, and entirely one of the best camp musicals ever committed to film, The Apple features incredible, Busby Berkeley-esque dance numbers and some of the best sci-fi fashion of the 1970s.

Oct 18, 2017

Full Review

Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

A completely unadulterated bundle of the worst of cinema all spun up into one ball of madness. It cannot be described, and it can barely be experienced.

Rated: 2/10

May 17, 2015

Full Review

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Cetx E

A reverse "Rocky Horror Picture Show" where self-realisation is evil, and a weird hippy/Christian mix of vague purity is virtuous. What plot that exists only exists to serve the belabored allegory. Amazingly bad.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/26/23

Full Review

Peter P

Sure, the movie is a mess. The 'hero' is boring and not really likable, but the villain, the diabolical Mr. Boogalow is great, and his gang is also quite fun. The songs are mostly mediocre, but some are still catchy. The settings and costumes makes this still quite entertaining to watch. Recommended for people who like campy musicals and generaly weird movies.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/29/23

Full Review

paxnor b

this is one of the most perfect movies of my childhood. that should explain everything. ideal love, good guys, bad guys, happy endings, redemption...it is a fairy tale born from the strung out dregs of post-70's hippies waking up after a better living through chemicals kind of weekend...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/24/23

Full Review

S S

Probably one of the worst musicals ever made that's what makes it such an amazing classic then a movie like this actually exists it's just mind-boggling it's so bad you have to watch it

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/19/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Unfunny and unromantic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The ratings of this film are mind-bogglingly absurd. I'd have bet the critics below 5, and the audience below 10. And I was even in it! (well, as an extra driving one of the ridiculous cars). I was in the US Army stationed in occupied West Berlin where at least some of it was filmed. I'd probably have just given half a star but they fed us a really great lunch, much better than the Army mess hall :)

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

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Menahem Golan

Director

Catherine Mary Stewart

Bibi

George Gilmour

Alphie

Allan Love

Dandi

Vladek Sheybal

Boogalow

Joss Ackland

Mr. Topps

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Synopsis

Young singers Alphie (George Gilmour) and Bibi (Catherine Mary Stewart) have big musical dreams when they leave Canada to compete in the Worldvision Song Festival. Though the festival's organizer, Mr. Boogalow (Vladek Sheybal), rigs the contest for others to win, he shows an interest in Alphie and Bibi, offering to sign them. But then Bibi is taken in by the evil, wild world of rock 'n' roll, and Alphie is determined to save her -- even though Boogalow says he owns both her and her soul.

Director: Menahem Golan
Screenwriter: Menahem Golan
Production Co: NF Geria II Filmgesellschaft m.b.H.
Rating: PG
Genre: Sci-Fi, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 21, 1980, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2016
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Surround