SINGAPORE — This year is the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ sophomore movie, “Help!”, which was filmed in the early half of 1965 and released in July. The movie follows the attempts of a religious cult trying to retrieve a ring worn by The Beatles’ drummer, Ringo Starr. It’s like a corny spoof of a James Bond movie, albeit without the suave hero, and hilarity, or rather, chaos, ensues as the band is chased halfway around the world. Unlike the band’s first movie, “A Hard Day’s Night”, which was shot primarily in and around London, this one saw the band heading to various locations, many of which have become must-visit sites for Beatles fans, some of whom make holiday trips just to pay homage. With “Help!’s” 50th birthday coming up, here are some locations you fans may want to check out (if you haven’t already!).

Various locations, England

A majority of the scenes were filmed in England, but two stand out. One of the most memorable scenes sees The Beatles record the songs “The Night Before” and “I Need You” standing in a field surrounded by British Army soldiers and Chieftain tanks. This was filmed at Knighton Down about 16km north of Salisbury at Larkhill on Salisbury Plain, which is, of course, home to Stonehenge.

The scene where the Fab Four are getting a drink in a riverside pub, with the Beethoven-loving tiger in the basement, is the historic City Barge at Strand-on-the-Green, which is east of Kew Bridge. The 15th-century pub (which doesn’t actually have a basement) is named for the Lord Mayor’s barge, which used to be moored nearby. Many Beatles fans visit this pub even though it isn’t in Central London because many other Beatles venues are nearby, such as Chiswick House (where The Beatles filmed the music videos for “Paperback Writer” and “Rain” in 1966) and, just across the river, the famous towpath where Ringo did his walkabout in “A Hard Day’s Night”. For a really surreal experience, visit during high tide when the riverside terrace disappears and the front bar is awash with the Thames water.

When the group hides out at “Buckingham Palace”, it’s really Cliveden House (site of the actual events recounted in the 1989 movie, “Scandal”), about 5km northeast of Maidenhead. Cliveden House, once home to the Astor family, was turned into a luxury hotel.

Obertauern, Austria

The band goof around among the snow-covered mountains while “Ticket To Ride” is heard. During their stay in Obertauern The Beatles were based at the Hotel Edelweiss. The curling rink was also the site of one of the funnier moments during the shoot. “In one of the scenes, (actors) Victor Spinetti and Roy Kinnear are playing curling: Sliding along those big stones. One of the stones has a bomb in it and we find out that it’s going to blow up, and have to run away,” said Starr. “Well, Paul and I ran about seven miles, we ran and ran ...”

New Providence Island, Bahamas

The final third of the film takes place here. The Bahamas was chosen after The Beatles’ financial adviser established a tax shelter there. Partly as a gesture of goodwill, the band agreed to film there, staying for two weeks at the Balmoral Club near Cable Beach. The film’s director, Richard Lester, also used locations in Paradise Island (Cabbage Beach, for the final sequence of the film) and Rose Island (Victoria Beach), as well as Discovery Island — for the scene in which the band performs the song, “Another Girl”. — TODAY