Yellow Submarine (1968)

Director:

George Dunning

Writers:

Lee Minoff (story)
Lee Minoff (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

13 November 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Musical

Tagline:

The forces of good! The forces of evil!

Plot:

The Beatles agree to accompany Captain Fred in his Yellow Submarine and go to Pepperland to free it from the music hating Blue Meanies.

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | The Beatles | Song | Psychedelic | Singer

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

The Beatles	...	Themselves (as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band)
Paul Angelis	...	Chief Blue Meanie / Ringo (voice)
John Clive	...	John (voice)
Dick Emery	...	Jeremy Hilary Boob, Ph.D - Nowhere Man / Lord Mayor / Max (voice)
Geoffrey Hughes	...	Paul (voice) (as Geoff Hughes)
Lance Percival	...	Young / Old Fred (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Batten	...	George (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
George Dunning

Writing credits
Lee Minoff		(story)
Lee Minoff		(screenplay) and
Al Brodax		(screenplay) &
Jack Mendelsohn		(screenplay) and
Erich Segal		(screenplay)
Roger McGough		uncredited

Produced by
Al Brodax	....	producer
Alan Kozlowski	....	executive producer (1999 renovation)
Mary Ellen Stewart	....	associate producer

Film Editing by
Brian J. Bishop

Art Direction by
Heinz Edelmann

Production Management
John Coates	....	production supervisor

Art Department
Jon Cramer	....	designer
Dick Sawyer	....	designer

Sound Department
Peter Cobbin	....	6-track digital print mastering mixer (1999 renovation)
Donald Cohen	....	dubbing editor
Ted Hall	....	6-track digital print mastering mixer (1999 renovation)
Ted Hall	....	supervising re-recording mixer (1999 renovation)
John Keating	....	sound engineer: DTS, Los Angeles (1999 renovation)
Shane T. Keller	....	assistant sound engineer (1999 renovation)
Peter Mew	....	digital re-mastering (1999 renovation)
Michael Minkler	....	6 track digital print mastering mixer (1999 renovation) (as Mike Minkler)
Ken Rolls	....	dubbing editor
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer
Andy Tait	....	sound engineer: DTS, London (1999 renovation)
Antal Kovacs	....	dubbing editor (uncredited)
Richard Partlow	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Doug Smith	....	sound effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Brian Begun	....	digital artist: POP Film (1999 renovation)
Chris Caunter	....	special effects animator
Charles Jenkins	....	special sequences
Greg Kimble	....	image restoration supervisor (1999 renovation)
Erika Offutt	....	digital artist: POP Film (1999 renovation)
Pat Repola	....	digital imaging manager (1999 renovation)
Jeremy Hume	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan Foster	....	camera operator
Tony Haines	....	camera operator
Ian Lett	....	camera operator (as Ian Letts)
Malcolm Livesey	....	camera operator
Rex Neville	....	camera operator
Graham Orrin	....	camera operator
Bev Roberts	....	camera operator
John Williams	....	camera operator
Richard Wodynski	....	camera operator
Malcolm Bubb	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Sheldon Elbourne	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Jenny Aldridge	....	background artist
Ray Aragon	....	layout artist
Peter Arthy	....	layout artist
Alan Ball	....	animator
Robert Balser	....	animation director
Jenny Brisbane	....	trace and paint supervisor
Sue Brown	....	trace and paint supervisor (as Susan Brown)
Arthur Butten	....	background artist (as Arthur Button)
John Challis	....	animator
Hester Coblentz	....	animator
Geoff Collins	....	animator
Ian Cowan	....	animation clean-up artist
Rich Cox	....	animator
Duane Crowther	....	animator
Tony Cuthbert	....	animator
Malcolm Dakin	....	background artist
Richard Dalkins	....	animation clean-up artist (as Richard Dalkin)
Jack Daniels	....	layout artist
Alison De Vere	....	background supervisor
Malcolm Draper	....	animator
Paul Driessen	....	animator
David Elvin	....	background artist
Corona Esterhazy	....	trace and paint supervisor (as Corona Maher)
Cam Ford	....	animator
Paul Francis	....	background artist
Maggie Geddes	....	trace and paint supervisor (as Margaret Geddes)
Susan Gibbons	....	trace and paint supervisor
Ian Gordon	....	background artist
Caird Green	....	background artist
Claire Greenford	....	background artist
Alan Grey	....	layout artist
Tom Halley	....	animator
Gordon Harrison	....	layout artist
Dick Horn	....	animator (as Dick Horne)
Janet Hosie	....	trace and paint supervisor
Arthur Humberstone	....	animator
Dennis Hunt	....	animator
Dianne Jackson	....	animator (as Diane Jackson)
Muriel Jennings	....	background artist
Anne Jolliffe	....	animator
Helen Jones	....	trace and paint supervisor
Ted Lewis	....	animation clean-up supervisor
Dave Livesey	....	animator
Reg Lodge	....	animator
Geoff Loynes	....	animator
Milly McMillan	....	background supervisor (as Millicent McMillan)
Chris Miles	....	animation clean-up artist (as Christopher Miles)
Lawrence Moorcroft	....	animator
Ray Newman	....	animation clean-up artist
Ted Percival	....	animator
Ted Pettengell	....	layout artist (as Ted Pettingal)
Mike Pocock	....	animator
Gil Potter	....	layout artist (as Gill Potter)
Gerald Potterton	....	animator (as Gerry Potterton)
Edric Radage	....	additional sequence director (as Edrich Radage)
Martina Selway	....	background artist
Jack Stokes	....	animation director
Mike Stuart	....	animator (as Mike Stewart)
Robert Alvarez	....	assistant animator (uncredited)
Kimie Calvert	....	assistant animator (uncredited)
Norman Drew	....	animator (uncredited)
Jim Hiltz	....	animator (uncredited)
Mark Kausler	....	assistant animator (uncredited)
Terry Moesker	....	animator (uncredited)
Russ Mooney	....	inbetween artist (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter (1999 renovation)
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer (1999 renovation)
Torquil Stewart	....	assistant editor
Donovan Kosters	....	dcp mastering (restored version) (uncredited)

Music Department
Peter Cobbin	....	music mix engineer (1999 renovation)
Geoff Emerick	....	music recording engineer (1999 renovation)
John Lennon	....	song
George Martin	....	musical director
Guy Massey	....	music mix assistant (1999 renovation)
Paul McCartney	....	song

Other crew
Dennis Abey	....	director: live action sequence
Gareth Bowsher	....	technical supervisor (1999 renovation) (as Gareth Boucher)
Peter Franklin	....	administrator
Abe Goodman	....	production coordinator
Norman Kauffman	....	administration assistant
Sally Pardo	....	production assistant (as Sally Hyman)
Allan Rouse	....	project coordinator (1999 renovation)
Al Brodax	....	director: live action sequence (uncredited)
Renée Glynne	....	continuity: live action (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Apple Corps (presents) (as Apple Films)
• King Features Production
• TVC London

Distributors

• United Artists (1968) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1987) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• United Artists (1999) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• D&E Entertainment (2012) (USA) (theatrical)
• Capitol Records (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• EMI Music (2012) (Japan) (DVD)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (France) (re-release)

Special Effects

• Camera Effects (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  song & score track digital re-mixes by: 1999 renovation
• Triage Archival Restoration Services  film restoration
• Eque  digital restoration
• POP Sound  sound and image restoration: 1999 renovation (as POP)

Also Known As:

"The Beatles' Yellow Submarine" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

90 min | USA:85 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS (re-release) | Dolby Digital (re-release) | Mono (original release) (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:S | France:U | Sweden:11 | UK:U | USA:G (Approved No. 21851) | West Germany:6 (nf) (w) | Singapore:PG | Canada:F (Ontario) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Iceland:L | Canada:G (video rating) | Netherlands:14 (orginal rating)

Filming Locations:

Studios of TVC London, London, England, UK

Company:

Apple Corps

Trivia:

George comments "I know something about motors" when the submarine's stops working. As a matter of fact, George Harrison's brother was a mechanic, and George himself had worked as an apprentice electrician in his teens and planned to go into business with his brother.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the closed captions during the George Harrison song "It's Only A Northern Song", the captions instead read "It's Only A NORMAL Song". George used the word Northern because he wanted to complete his contract with Northern Songs.

Quotes:

John:[Frankenstein's monster has turned into John Lennon] Hey, Ringo, I've just had the strangest dream.
Ringo:I warned you not to eat on an empty stomach. Now listen to old Fred.
Old Fred:[speaking gibberish] Submarine! Explosions! Blue Meanies!
[calmer]
Old Fred:What do you think?
John:[to Ringo] I think he needs a rehearsal.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

Soundtrack:

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

The greatest film ever

The music of the Beatles had galvanized an army of very creative artists who have accomplished the impossible, and created the movie that parallels the elegance and beauty of the music that inspired it. Many people feel that this film is a miracle, and I have the same feeling, especially when I'm watching it breathlessly from the beginning to its end.

Similar to the way the Beatles themselves have created many of their masterpieces, this film is the result of a "controlled chaos". Lennon remarked that many of his imagery and lyrics were just conceived off the top of his head, which is precisely the thing that gives them the freshness and spontaneity we adore. Same is with the rich and fulfilling imagery of this film -- it is obviously an outcome of the 'shoot from the hip' approach. It sounds unbelievable, but the film's ending (the most brilliant piece of all), was thrown in during one hectic weekend! Knowing this, it is not surprising to learn that the principal artist who designed the look and feel of the "Yellow Submarine" movie, almost went blind after finishing it (he set a grueling schedule of sleeping only four hours every other night during the making of the film! -- it took him several years to regain his health)

On a personal level, this film works as some kind of revelation for me. It is impossible to put it into words, but the film stirs the deepest, most contradictory emotions in me. It transcends space and time, and has the ability to bring me into the state where the regular, everyday thoughts do not apply. In that respect, it is as strong as the best Beatles songs.

Many criticisms of this movie are sadly missing the point. To criticise the animation as being jerky and unrealistic amounts to criticising Picasso for not painting more photo-realistic canvases. Misses the point entirely. To criticise the understatement-laden dialogue is to miss the finer points of comedy, insisting on the Three Stooges slapstick only. To say that the story line is incoherent is to betray the sitcom-infested mind in the sad state of commercial-induced eating disorder.

I must confess that I had approached the viewing of this film with a huge dose of skepticism. I thought it's going to look and feel lame, with a dated and naive hippy/psychedelia cliches. Boy, was I in for a shock!

My rating: 11 out of 10