Yellow Submarine (film)

Yellow Submarine is a 1968 British animated feature film based on the music of The Beatles. It is also the title for the soundtrack album to the feature film, released as part of the Beatles' music catalogue. The film was directed by animation producer George Dunning, and produced by United Artists (UA) and King Features Syndicate. The real Beatles participated only in the closing scene of the film, with the fictional counterparts of the Beatles voiced by other actors.
== Plot ==
In the beginning of the story, Pepperland is introduced by a narrator as a cheerful music-loving paradise under the sea, protected by Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which falls under a surprise attack by the music-hating Blue Meanies, who seal the band inside a music-proof bubble, turn the Pepperlanders into statues, and drain the countryside of colour.
In the last minute before his own capture, Pepperland's elderly Lord Mayor sends Old Fred, a sailor, (whom the mayor calls "Young Fred") off in the Yellow Submarine to get help. Old Fred travels to Liverpool (whose scene is set by "Eleanor Rigby"), where he follows the depressed and aimless Ringo and persuades him to return to Pepperland with him. Ringo collects his "mates" John, George, and finally Paul. The five journey back to Pepperland in the yellow submarine, passing through several regions:
*Sea of Time – where time flows both forwards and backwards to the tune of "When I'm 64",
*Sea of Science – where they sing "Only A Northern Song",
*Sea of Monsters – where a monstrous "vacuum cleaner beast" sucks up the entire landscape and then itself, freeing them.
*Sea of Nothing – where they meet a rather helpful "nowhere man" named Jeremy Hilary Boob Ph.D, and sing the song "Nowhere Man" in reference to him. As they leave, however, Jeremy starts crying and Ringo takes pity on Jeremy and lets him join them aboard the submarine.
*Foothills of the Headlands (or Sea of Heads) – where they are separated from the submarine and John sings "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds",
*Finally, the Sea of Holes – where Jeremy is kidnapped by one of the Blue Meanies patrolling the outskirts of Pepperland. When Ringo jumps on to a green hole, it turns into the Sea of Green and they arrive in Pepperland.
Reunited with Old Fred and the submarine, they look upon the landscape: a sorry sight. The beautiful flowers have become thorns, the once happy landscape now a barren wasteland. Everyone is immobilised and made miserable by the evil Blue Meanies, only able to move when permitted (such as when the Meanies feel like bullying them). The Beatles, after taking out some "Apple Bonker" Meanies, dress as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and proceed to steal some instruments (their own instruments were lost in the Sea of Monsters) from the tall tower that they've been hidden away by the Meanies. They are discovered at the last second and a clown Meanie sounds the alarm, causing the Beatles to beat a hasty retreat from the Meanies' vicious, multi-headed (and multi-bodied) dog. Once in the clear, the Fab Four proceeds to "rally the land to rebellion", singing "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", forcing the Blue Meanies to retreat. The Chief Blue Meanie proceeds to retaliate, sending out the Meanies' Glove, but John defeats it by singing "All You Need Is Love". Pepperland is restored to colour and flowers re-bloom, as the residents, brought new life by the Beatles' music, rise up and take up arms against the now fleeing Meanies. The original Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band are released (thanks to a hole carried in Ringo's pocket from the Sea of Holes) and Ringo rescues Jeremy. The Beatles then have a rematch with the Meanie dog, singing "Hey Bulldog", with the Beatles victorious once again. The Blue Meanies are forced to retreat, and the Chief Blue Meanie tries to save face by killing Jeremy, but Jeremy performs some "transformation magic" on him causing the Meanie to sadly concede defeat. John extends an offer of friendship, and the Chief Blue Meanie has a change of heart (partly due to the "transformation magic" performed by Jeremy) and accepts. An enormous party ensues, where everyone sings "It's All Too Much" with everyone living happily ever after.
At the end, the animation is replaced by live-action with the real Beatles, having returned home, playfully showing off their souvenirs, of which George has the submarine's motor, Paul has "a little 'LOVE'" and Ringo still has half a hole in his pocket (having supposedly given the other half to Jeremy, "to keep his mind from wandering", a reference to "Fixing A Hole"). Looking through a telescope, John announces that "newer and bluer Meanies have been sighted within the vicinity of this theatre" and claims there is only one way to go out: "Singing!". The quartet obliges with a short reprise of "All Together Now", which ends with translations of the song's title into various languages appearing in sequence on the screen.
== Voice cast ==
* Paul Angelis - Ringo / Chief Blue Meanie
* Ringo Starr - Ringo (singing voice)
* John Clive - John
* John Lennon - John (singing voice)
* Dick Emery - Jeremy Hilary Boob a.k.a. Ph.D Nowhere Man / Lord Mayor / Max
* Geoffrey Hughes - Paul
* Paul McCartney - Paul (singing voice)
* Lance Percival - "Young/Old" Fred
* Peter Batten (uncredited)Yellow Submarine (1968) - Full cast and crew - George
* George Harrison - George (singing voice)
==Notes==
* Peter Batten was arrested during voice recording because he had deserted the British army, so Paul Angelis finished recording his part.
* Percival also provided the voices of Paul and Ringo for the ABC TV Beatles cartoon.
== Songs ==
All tracks written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney except where noted. In order of appearance.
*"Pepperland"
*"Yellow Submarine"
*"Eleanor Rigby"
*"Love You To" (George Harrison) (excerpt, played during George's entrance)
*"A Day In The Life" (excerpt, orchestral swell played as the Sub takes off)
*"All Together Now"
*"When I'm 64"
*"Only A Northern Song" (Harrison)
*"Nowhere Man"
*"Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"
*"Think For Yourself" (Harrison) (short excerpt, a line is sung a cappella to revive the Lord Mayor)
*"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
*"With A Little Help From My Friends" (short excerpt, the beginning after Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is performed)
*"All You Need Is Love"
*"Baby, You're A Rich Man" (excerpt, played as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band are, due to Ringo's "hole in his pocket", set free from the anti-music missile that the Blue Meanies set upon them; the recording of the song is expanded for the American-released version, and the scene with the expansion of the recording of the song leads to a scene that replaces the Hey Bulldog sequence due to the latter sequence being anti-climactic)
*"Hey Bulldog"
*"It's All Too Much" (Harrison)
*"All Together Now"
== Trivia ==
Category:Movies
Category:The Beatles
Category:The Beatles' Films