Why We Need(ed) the Beatles

By Neil Earle
Commercial Appeal, July 5, 2018

Sunday, July 8, marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the Beatles third movie, the animated feature "Yellow Submarine" in 1968. Movie theaters all over the country will be celebrating with a special anniversary screening this week.

The film was a venture the Fab Four felt squeamish about after the mixed reviews accruing to their movie "Help!" in 1965.

The Brits were mildly receptive – especially compared to the Beatlemania of the early 1960s. In America, the reaction was much more positive with reviewers praising the film's splashy psychedelic style.