Customer Reviews

Yellow Submarine

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My two kids are huge Yellow Submarine fans, so this book was a natural fit. The artwork is taken directly from the film, with some slight modifications. The storyline, however, leaves out all of the songs - which in my opinion undercuts some of the story's charm. Gone too are many of the illustrations which accompanied the songs. As a result, you really only get a partial visual retelling.

As a historical comment, since the Beatles has very little to do with the actual movie other than licensing their songs and performing in an awkward two minute appearance in the end of the film, the absence of their music in a book on the subject is both unfortunate and fitting. The absence of much of the film's breathtaking artwork, on the other hand, is inexcusable.

That being said, the actual writing is quite clever. The text does its best to weave in Beatle's song titles into the prose - I suppose as a way of giving some sort of nod to the music which inspired the movie.

The reason I gave it 4 stars is that, despite my nitpickiness, my kids love the book. And if they like it, I'm a happy dad.

My son's elementary school hosts "reading day" once a year, honoring Dr. Seuss' birthday. I attended his fourth-grade class today with this book, hoping my love for "Yellow Submarine" was all I'd need to bring film, song, and Beatle wit to kids I'd wondered even knew the group's name.

"How many here have heard of the Beatles?" I started innocently enough. Almost all the kids raised their hands, a good start. (This included my 9-year-old who, with his teenage sister, I've inoculated with their music since singing "I Feel Fine" to them as babies.). "And how many have heard the song `Yellow Submarine'?" "And how many have seen the film?" I asked to fewer and fewer raised hands.

I then introduced and read this story, faithfully summarizing Al Brodax and Erich "Love Story" Segal's whimsical, pun-filled screenplay. I could only approximate amusing British accents (especially "Nowhere Man" Jeremy and the old Mayor) and slowly emphasize John and Ringo's clever puns ("I know Frankenstein. I used to date his sister, Phyllis.") Even casual Beatles fan can hear the film's beloved soundtrack in its pages. But "Yellow Submarine"'s eye-popping psychedelic art, happy ending (the Blue Meanies are flowered, then reformed) and faithfulness to the Beatles' personalities kept this story fresh to children whose parents may not have born in 1968 when it was released.

I reached the last page and its line, "Love is All You Need." The kids applauded, my son's teacher, who smiled at points through my reading, said, "I think I enjoyed it more than they did." My son raised his hand and said "Dad, I heard a lot of Beatles song titles through the book - "Ticket to Ride," "Help," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band..."

I left happy, knowing I'd successfully shared something I loved with my son and his classmates and proved it timeless. The Beatles, with a top selling CD and sold-out Cirque du Soleil show, are again in renaissance and hardly need more promotion. But "Yellow Submarine," in all its incarnations, recalls the innocence and fun the Beatles' music and personalities continue to bring yet another generation. Highly recommended for fans of the film and group.

got this for my child who is very into the Beatles yellow submarine movie. basically, we watch it every day! So, wanted this for her to read before bedtime. It came in very good condition and I'm very happy with the purchase.

Vintage Beatles! Always fun, love the Peter Max style illustrations.....very off the wall story line but so characteristic of that happy era!

I'd suggest watching the movie first if you want to get the full "Yellow Submarine" experience.

However, this book is the perfect gift for any Yellow Submarine fan. It's the perfect thing to bring up those fond memories of the movie. :)

From a 1966 album track to a hit single to a cartoon,this has a life of its own nowadays.Leading to "Octopus'Garden" then to the film "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" which took the same theme,there's been an album which combined George Martin's incidental music,a recent reissue as the "Yellow Submarine Songtrack" which added more songs in place of the Martin music and there's a DVD of the cartoon plus one about the Making Of.
In Liverpool is the lifesize Yellow Submarine constructed at Cammell Lairds shipyard and no end of merchandizing.
Not bad for a film which only starred the Beatles for 2 minutes!

This book is like a dose of calm and warm when you read it. If you love the film you're going to love the book either. You can read it to your kids when they want to hear a strange but beautiful story before bed time. The drawings and the story are fantastic. The only problem is that you will never know how Ringo pushed the panic button.

Check out the history of the Yellow Submarine project and I believe it's not too closely linked to the minds of the Beatles. Better off with just getting the tunes; Hey Bulldog, All Together Now, etc. The gems are the songs, not the story. Even my 6 year-old is not that engaged in this silly, nonsensical, almost insultingly stupid story.