Review of Yellow Submarine (1968) by Ken S — 10 May 2012

This a truly outstanding movie in terms of its animation. With 1968's "Yellow Submarine", we get to see two great minds come together. The music of The Beatles, and the psychedelic art style of the late 1960s. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this film, it is a statement of what kind of culture this was for and how it can still be amazing after all these years. "Yellow Submarine" is a delightful treat to any Beatles fan, and to those who enjoy the late 1960s that changed the film industry forever.

The plot of this movie is very simple: The nation of Pepperland is under attack from the sinister Blue Meanies, who dislike the citizens of Pepperland for their peaceful ways, and it's up to The Beatles to stop them through the message of peace and love. That's pretty much it.

"Yellow Submarine" does not have the most complex story that The Beatles put on the screen, but it's engaging nonetheless. In fact, the story moves at a very nice pace and is told almost entirely through song. Though The Beatles themselves do not contribute to the film itself (save for the songs and a VERY short sequence at the end), the actors they got to emulate The Beatles voices is good. But what really stands above the rest is the animation used for the entire production. The timing is great, the movements of the characters are great, it's a great animated movie! The backgrounds and character designs are memorable and full of color. There is a lot of detail put into this movie.

Heinz Edelmann who designed the art and overall style of the movie gives us a look back at what the 1960s, especially the late 1960s, were all about. George Dunning, who directed the whole production, did an amazing job putting the project together. The music is fantastic, bringing the compositions of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison together in one glorious piece of film.

But the real interesting thing about "Yellow Submarine" is the fact that this movie can appeal to almost everybody. You don't have to be a Beatles fan to appreciate this movie, you can take your kids and even they will enjoy the film as well. This movie is practically for everyone, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it whatsoever.

In conclusion, "Yellow Submarine" is a fun little film that's definitely ahead of its time. The contribution that The Beatles made turned out to be the best thing ever, as they themselves did not wanted to be part of this movie until they were looking at the final production. "Yellow Submarine" is an animated gem that everyone needs to see.