Very well executed

good back-story, and good acting

Admirable film.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

The Beatles have delighted and enchanted audiences ever since their long lasting run in the 1960s and early 70s, so it's no wonder they would have some movies based off their success: one great (A Hard Day's Night), one sub par (Help!), and then this flick. Requested by producer Al Brodax to be animated, this feature was put into an 11 month production with a shoe string budget and animator George Dunning helming the director's chair. Upon the film's release, not only was it both a big commercial hit and a critical darling, but to this day, many consider it to be one of the greatest animated films ever made, and I couldn't agree more.The basic plot summary revolves around the Blue Meanies terrorizing the peaceful Pepperland, causing a captain named Young Fred to recruit the Beatles to help save it. That's the best way to describe the "story", because believe me, this movie lacks a lot of coherency in its narrative. However, the basic goal of the film is not what this movie is actually about; instead, the crazy surreal environments that the Beatles go around are the film's true center of attention. Whether it'd be a land of monsters, a strange psychological creature named Jeremy Hillary Boob, or even a sea of time, the film embraces all the zany worlds that the fab four go to. With all the illogical logic that comes afloat, it helps give the movie an unpredictable edge where everything psychedelic always flows at an enjoyable/breathtaking pace, rather than becoming obnoxiously tiresome.Now the characters aren't fully dimensional, but they don't need to be; they just need to be as strange as the movie itself. The Beatles themselves are very basic in terms of characteristics, although Ringo exhibits a kind hearted nature that helps carry the film, while also having great chemistry with John, Paul, and George. As for the rest, Young Fred is the abnormal sailor trying to guide the Beatles to Pepperland, Jeremy is very knowledgeable but lacks a proper point of view, and the Blue Meanies are fantastic representations of nasty people who hate everything peaceful and happy. The leader himself is very tumultuous, mainly by how he can switch from being calm and subtle to very loud and pompous. Given the film's themes of love over hatred, we could always try spreading peace and harmony to those who can't stand it, and that's what makes the characters so endearing albeit straightforwardGiven that this is a Beatles film, there are plenty of songs that appear, and despite the large amount, they actually help construct the story to feel relatively complete. Some are used as plot elements like All You Need is Love, others describe a certain character like Nowhere Man, or are based on a specific scenario like When I'm 64 and Eleanor Rigby. That being said, each musical number works perfectly as its own separate music video, particularly Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds for its versatile usage of styles and harmonious lyrics that fit perfectly with the film's surreal nature. In addition, there are a few songs that debuted in this film such as All Together Now, Only a Northern Song, Hey Bulldog (which was initially cut from the film's U.S. release), and It's All Too Much, so I'm sure die hard fans were as ecstatic to these new songs as much as everyone else. The songs in the film have already been deemed classics, and they emulate the film's psychedelic nature and joyous tone to amazing heights. Besides, they're Beatles songs, who could ask for more?As for the animation, the biggest form of art that this film embraces is pop art, which makes it arguably the most colorful animated feature ever made. While the designs are relatively simple, there are several artistic touches and details that make them stand out well on their own. The character animation can be choppy at times, but it works for the film's surrealistic reality that gets away with everything. The backgrounds all feel like surreal paintings come to life, and I'm sure every artist has looked at some of them at one point. Also, every song featured in the film displays at least one iconic visual highlight, such as the usage of rotoscoping in Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, the experimental usage of bizarre artistic visuals in Nowhere Man, and even a distinct pop art style in Only a Northern Song. It's not everyday where you see an animated film embrace the artform as much as this.Sure, this movie makes no sense, but that's what makes it so special, and I love every minute of it. Yellow Submarine not only embodies the Beatles superbly, but is one of the several animated features that treats itself as a legitimate work of art, complete with its luscious animation, charming characters, and timeless songs. If you're a huge fan of the Beatles, you're into the psychedelic age, or you just love animation and art house films, this film is a must watch for all of you, if not everyone in general. There has never been a surrealistic film like this where practically everything flows on screen at an unforeseeable flow, and even if you don't get it at first, it'll still be one hell of an entertaining ride. As a monument to both the history of animation and the Beatles' legacy, it still remains a dated/timeless classic for all the right reasons.

Yellow Submarine (1968): Dir: George Dunning / Voices: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Dick Emery: Outstanding and brilliant animated musical masterpiece that seems to symbolize bizarre forms of joy and peace within one's mind. Peaceful Pepperland has been invaded by the ruthless Blue Meanies who are out to turn everything blue. Help is on the way as the Beatles sail through aboard a yellow submarine amidst several striking musical numbers, some pointless while others interlock themes that all deal with feel and emotion. Pepperland is made up of various images that don't make any sense yet somehow add to its mind reference. The Beatles are perhaps the most famous band in music history. They are John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison, all of whom are heard singing in animated form although voice talents are provided by other actors who give fine imitations of the foursome. Besides the Beatles there are other strange looking characters including the Blue Meanies and the Nowhere Man who has no sense of direction. Excellent directing by George Dunning as a great tribute to the mannerisms of the Beatles as well as present very colourful animated scenery and a world created out of the bizarre. This film is a striking greatness about the feelings of joy, love and a celebration of music and animation. Score: 10 / 10

Hadn't seen in in 25 yrs. Being a student of; and huge fan of animation in general(Johnny Quest being about the peak) ...and found myself in a charitable mood... and also a huge fan of the Beatle's music late 60's, when I popped the remastered tape in the VHS.... . I was truly ready for a tuned-in, turned-on, late 60's psycho-social, flower-power flashback.That said, I found it tedious, foolish, sopho-moronic, amateurish, and.... deadly dull. I can't remember the last time I was so glad for a movie to end.You had to be stoned out of your gourd to like this sh*t.I give it a 1.3. Pop in "Toy Story" and be transported to enjoyable fantasy land.I guess that makes me a Blue Meanie.Or a jaded videophile.Or a friend of humanity.

I saw this movie on TV as a child. It actually wasn't that much weirder than many other cartoons from that era.Later in life, I would see "Help!" and "A Hard Day's Night", the live-action Beatles movies. Both were romps with interruptions for scenes where the Beatles would perform their various songs. None of them were deeply meaningful-or purported to be. They were like extended versions of "The Monkees" television shows.So what makes "Yellow Submarine" different? Mainly, the animation and the fantasy elements and pictures that could not be placed in their live-action movies. They appear in the flesh briefly in the end, and one of them comments, "That was a nice little party." I'm certainly nobody intended for this to be anything else.