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Film ***1/2
A joyful day for Beatles fans everywhere was the date the
animated classic Yellow Submarine was finally re-released on
home video after having been on moratorium for far too long.
Even VHS collectors get to enjoy this funny, irreverent classic, but
for we DVD aficionados, we get the movie…and a whole lot more.
The Beatles were under contract to deliver a third motion
picture, which none of them were keen on. The idea of an
animated film was one way to allow them limited involvement, and
though the "cartoon" concept was not particularly appealing to them,
they greenlighted the project. None of the members provided
his own voice, but they did pen a few new tunes for the picture, to
go along with the many popular classics offered, including the title
track.
In the end, however, the Beatles were impressed with the
results…so much so that they decided to film a live action epilogue
to go with the movie. It's easy to see why the lads were
enthused. Yellow Submarine is a terrifically
imaginative movie, and one that has carved out a small niche for
itself in animation and pop culture history.
The art involved is as close to the spirit of Dada as a film can
get. The media that make up the images include standard ink
drawings, pencil sketches, tracings, watercolors, and even some live
action. The results are cheerfully chaotic and charming.
Thrown in the mix are a lively script, filled with puns and
witticisms that might be attributed to everything from Lewis Carroll
to Sigmund Freud. Sample dialogue:
JOHN: It's a school of whales.
GEORGE: They look too big for school.
PAUL: University, then.
RINGO: University of Wales?
And who could ever forget the songs. Many classic Beatles
tunes are featured, from "Nowhere Man" to "Eleanor Rigby" to "All
You Need is Love". And a few new songs were offered by the
boys as well: "All Together Now", "Only a Northern Song",
"It's All Too Much", and for the first time, "Hey Bulldog" has been
restored to the film.
Oh, and there's a story as well, about how the gallant lads from
Liverpool have to defend Pepperland against the music hating Blue
Meanies. Lightweight stuff, but trust me, you don't watch this
film for anything other than the spirited animation and great songs.
Disc Quality ***
Thankfully, MGM offers a good, though non-anamorphic transfer to
this animated classic. For the most part, the results are
good, with excellent coloring and sharp, crisp images…sky of blue,
sea of green, indeed. In a few darker scenes, though, and with
the live action ending, there is a bit of noticeable grain, but not
enough to detract from the overall enjoyment of the film. It
looks better than previous VHS versions. The soundtrack,
however, is very remarkable. Clean and bright, and newly mixed
for 5.1 (original mono also available), these songs have never
sounded so good…not even on CD. A thoroughly enjoyable
listening experience.
Features ***1/2
I would have been happy enough just to own the film on DVD, but
MGM has assembled a very nice features package to go with it.
There's a commentary track with Heinz Edelmann, the production
designer, a short documentary, a trailer, some storyboard
comparisons including two unused sequences, original pencil
sketches, interviews, behind the scenes photos, and a music only
track that allows you to enjoy the songs of the Beatles and George
Martin's terrific score. Oh, and play around with the
submarine on the main menu screen for some irreverent fun.
Summary:
Yellow Submarine is a fun, imaginative trip with rock's
most legendary group. The spirit of the animation and music
will no doubt please you time and time again. It's a
delightful experience on a terrific DVD. We hope you will
enjoy the show!
From DVD
Movie Review
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