The Beatles Yellow Submarine Framed Limited Edition Sericel Print

Each color used in the re-creation of this image has been screen-printed with exact precision, one color at a time, onto the cel. The lithographed background accompanying this cel has been printed on premium acid-free paper.

This work of art is from a general edition of 750 sericels, and conforming to the standard practices of fine art printing, the elements used to create the edition will be destroyed when the edition is closed. This is an officially-licensed Beatles collectible and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. The prints are created, designed, licensed, manufactured and distributed by the DenniLu Company, and these collectibles are officially authorized and licensed by Apple Corp, Ltd.

The original art cels for both the cel and the background are archived with the publisher. No additional multiples of the sericel version of this image, including proofs, have been produced in this limited edition except only as necessary to replace pieces in this edition that are damaged in production or shipment, but still maintaining the stated edition size.

Released in 1968 and nominated for a Grammy for its Soundtrack, Yellow Submarine was a departure for The Beatles from the live-action films they had made to that point. Using a very simple animation technique and a psychedelic palette of colors, the film and its animation was directed and supervised by George Dunning, the director of The Beatles’ TV cartoon series, and was art directed by Heinz Edelman. It took a production team of over 200 over 11 months to create the sequences used in the film.

Some of the other artists, animators and voice-over artists who worked on the film (which featured many who also worked on the TV series) include Ron Campbell, Paul Angelis, Peter Batten, John Clive, Tony Cuthbert, Jim Hiltz, Geoffrey Hughes, Dick Emery, Cam Ford, Anne Jolliffe and Paul Driessen. Contrary to popular belief, Peter Max did not participate in the production, although it seems clear that his approach to painting was greatly influenced from that point forward by the film’s style and color palette.

The film’s plot was simple and in keeping with the band’s peace and love through music world view. A magical, musical place under the sea – Pepperland – is attacked by an army of music-hating Blue Meanies, who seal Pepperland’s protectors – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – inside a bubble and then go about their business of paralyzing the populace and draining the land of all its color.

In an effort to enlist help to save the land, Pepperland emissary Old Fred sets off for Liverpool in a yellow submarine to try and convince The Beatles to come back with him. The journey back takes them through the Seas of Time, Science, Monsters, Nothing, Heads and, finally, through the Sea of Holes (meeting many strange travails and characters along the way), arriving back in Pepperland, where the band disguises themselves as the imprisoned Sgt. Pepper’s band and sets off to rescue all of the hostages and return music and color to the land. Using a hole that Ringo had taken from the Sea of Holes, they release the real band from their bubble prison and Pepperland is saved, but rather than vanquish the Blue Meanies, John offers them friendship, which so moves the Meanies that they accept and everyone lives happily ever after (music, flowers and color, included!).

In the film’s final, live-action scene, The Beatles return to Liverpool loaded with souvenirs (including the Yellow Submarine’s motor!), but John announces to the theater audience that another band of Blue Meanies has been spotted outside the theater and that the audience would need to sing – “all together now” – if they wanted to make it out safely. The lyrics of the song appeared on-screen (in many languages) and, we can assume, audiences the world over sang along.

Sir George Martin composed the film’s instrumental score, and in addition to the title song, other songs featured included “Baby You’re A Rich Man”, “Hey Bulldog”, “Only A Northern Song”, “When I’m Sixty-Four”, “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” and the previously-mentioned “All Together Now”.