'Yellow Submarine'
(The Beatles, et al / DVD / NR / (1968) 2012 / Capitol)
Overview: The Beatles’ classic 1968 animated feature film, 'Yellow Submarine,' has been digitally restored for DVD and Blu-ray. Released this May (in North America), the film’s songtrack album will be reissued on CD at the same time.
DVD Verdict: Currently out of print, 'Yellow Submarine' has been restored in 4K digital resolution for the first time by Paul Rutan Jr. and his team of specialists at Triage Motion Picture Services and Eque Inc. Due to the delicate nature of the hand-drawn original artwork, no automated software was used in the digital clean-up of the film's restored photochemical elements. This was all done by hand, frame by frame.
And the result is incredible, truly incredible. And not only because 'Yellow Submarine' is - without question - my favorite animated movie of all time, but they have not f**ked it up in any way! The visuals and sound are as good as ever, thankfully.
As for the movie itself, if you're a Beatles or animation fan (or hopefully both) and have never seen this film then you owe it to yourself to do so. The Peter Max-esque artwork is spectacular fantasy fun, the script is highly amusing, and the Beatles music chosen for the film sounds as good today as when it was new.
Though the Beatles had little to do directly with the film and their voices are impersonated till the live footage of them singing recorded for the end of the film their sensibilities are all over this project and they did compose three new (at the time) songs for the film, all of them terrific.
In truth, the VHS copy of 'Yellow Submarine' that came out ten years ago (or perhaps more) was the most watched movie in our house! I simply never got tired of it, no matter how many times we collectively (as a family) wanted to watch it. But now with this newly-restored version on DVD and crisp Blu ray, well, it's gonna have a new viewing lease of life in our family! This a Widescreen Presentation (1.66:1) and come with the Special Features of:
Feature film [TRT: 89:00] - Fully restored in 4K and presented in the original aspect ratio of 1:66-1
Audio Options:
English 5.1 DTS
German 5.1 DTS
Italian 5.1 DTS
English Dolby Stereo
Original Mono
Audio Commentary – Heinz Edelmann (Art Director) and John Coates (Producer)
Subtitle Languages (feature only): English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Finnish, Japanese
Extra Features:
Mod Odyssey documentary [TRT: 7:30]
Original theatrical trailer [TRT: 3:30]
Storyboard Sequences:
- Sea of Monsters (split screen footage) [TRT: 4:20]
- Battle of the Monsters [118 images]
- Pepperland [64 images]
Interviews:
- Paul Angelis (voice of Ringo and Chief Blue Meanie) [TRT: 1:39]
- John Clive (voice of John) [TRT: 2:03]
- David Livesey (key animator) [TRT: 1:11]
- Millicent McMillan (Heinz Edelmann’s assistant) [TRT: 1:12]
- Jack Stokes (animation director) [TRT: 3:42]
- Erich Segal (co-writer) [TRT: 1:38]
Original Pencil Drawings [29 images]
Behind-the-Scenes Photos [30 images]
Yellow Submarine Songtrack [CD]:
1. Yellow Submarine
2. Hey Bulldog
3. Eleanor Rigby
4. Love You To
5. All Together Now
6. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
7. Think For Yourself
8. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
9. With A Little Help From My Friends
10. Baby, You're A Rich Man
11. Only A Northern Song
12. All You Need Is Love
13. When I'm Sixty Four
14. Nowhere Man
15. It's All Too Much
www.thebeatles.com