The Rutles (1990)

In the annals of musical parody, the soundtrack to Eric Idle's brilliant 1978 Beatles mockumentary, The Rutles, is about as sincerely flattering as imitation can be. In keeping with the project's subtle and droll near-authenticity, music director Neil Innes skillfully plundered the Fab Four's song catalog to create entirely plausible alternatives to the real thing. From ''Hold My Hand'' and ''Ouch!'' through ''Cheese and Onions'' and ''Get Up and Go,'' the 20 delightful tracks (including six not on the original All You Need Is Cash album) are remarkable simulations, atwinkle with gentle humor and almost-familiar melodies. Is it real or is it Rutlex? A