Why is it that some things that seem so obvious are so hard to see? Why it took me so many years to introduce this movie to my kids is beyond me. It has everything they could want in a movie: it is colorful, funny, has great music, and is an overall joy to watch.
Even the characters have fanciful names. The citizens of Pepperland are under attack from the Blue Meanies. The Blue Meanies have rendered the town band (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band) mute, and one solitary resident escapes on a Yellow Submarine to find another band of musicians to break the spell the Blue Meanies have cast. The captain of the Yellow Submarine makes his way to Liverpool, where upon he enlists the help of Beatles John, Paul, George and Ringo to come back to Pepperland with him and break the spell of the Blue Meanies. This rather basic plot is interspersed with Beatles' songs which are woven into the plot. There are also numerous amusing puns which will appeal to adults. These puns will fly over the kids' heads, but not enough that they will be derailed from the story. It is a wonderful film which does include a brief cameo from the Fab Four themselves, and gives us a wonderfully hummable soundtrack.
The movie feels unique to the 60's. It has a look that reminds us of the era, and the music and characters of the Beatles very much transport the viewer to the late 1960's. But more than that, I have been amazed by how much the music and story have resonated with my kids. I want to use this film as a springboard for what I hope will be a regular feature of this blog: talking to my children about the movies we watch together. I have three kids...a daughter (Corrie, 8) and two sons (Jack, 6 and Wes, 4). They actually have watched this movie more than I have! Here are some of their thoughts:
Joel: "What do you like most about this movie?"
Corrie: "The people in it have all sorts of adventures!"
Jack: "How the music comes and how all the Blue Meanies run away at the end!"
Wes: "I like how the Blue Meanies run away with the music!"
Joel: "What is your favorite song in the movie? Why?
Corrie: "(Laughs)...That's tricky...'When I'm 64'. I just like it. I don't know why...it's catchy."
Jack: "When I'm 64"
Joel: That's what Corrie said! Why do you like it so much?"
Jack "In the movie it counts to the 1, 2, 3, 4 until it gets to 64!!!"
Joel: "So you like the counting in the movie...Wes, what about you? You don't have a favorite song in the movie?"
Wes: (Blank stare) "The same song that Jackie likes...because it counts and it gets to 64!!"
Joel: "What happens to the Beatles during the song that's funny?"
Wes: "They grow..."
Jack: "They grow really long one of those...(points to my beard)"
Joel: "What makes this movie different from other movies that you like?"
Joel: "What do you like about it that's different from other movies."
Jack: "I don't know. They sing lots of songs."
Corrie: "That's what I like about it"
Joel: "What about you Wes?"
Wes: "Lots of songs!!"
Joel: "What else? Think about Cinderella...what is so different about the drawing?"
Jack: "It has a lot of different things...the Beatles aren't in Cinderella!"
Joel: "Who is your favorite character in the movie?"
Jack: "John...I don't know why."
Wes: "I like Paul...he sings a lot of the songs that I like (helped by Corrie)...he grows a black beard!!"
Corrie: "This is my favorite Beatle as well...Ringo..."
Wes "I like Ringo too."
Jack: "Because he's a talking door..."
Wes: "He makes himself a talking door?"
Corrie: "He helps what's his name..."
Joel: "The captain?"
Corries: "No. I don't know wat his name is. The wierd guy."
Joel: "The Nowhere Man?"
Corrie: "Yeah..because he's sad."
Joel: "How does this movie make you feel?"
Jack: "It makes me feel really good and I like watching it a lot."
Corrie: "It makes me feel adventurous."
Jack: "Yeah..that's what I meant."
Wes: "I like it too...it makes me feel good...."
Joel: "What else about the movie?"
Corrie: "It's kind of unique."
Jack: "It's like...it has a lot of action in it..."
Corrie: "It kind of reminds me of Alice in Wonderland-but I like it more.
Joel: "What reminds you of Alice in Wonderland about it?"
Corrie: "It just seems really wierd. "
Joel: "You know what really reminds me of Alice, is the Nowhere Man...remember how he says all those things...'quid pro quo, so much to know...'
Corrie: "Yeah that's what I mean."
Wes: Quid pro quo, so much to know (over and over and over)
Joel: "If you were telling another kid why you liked this movie and why they should watch it, what would you say?"
Jack: "I would tell them that it makes you feel adventurous and that it's fun."
Corrie: "It's kind of funny. Kind of funny and a lot of times I like singing along."
Jack: Sings "When I'm 64".
Wes: I like it becaue its funneee!!!
Joel: "All right guys...thanks a lot."
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