After the initial call for actors to play The Beatles another Yellow Submarine casting notice has now been issued. This one details some of the major supporting roles that Robert Zemeckis is looking to fill, and in between the character information there’s the odd bit of plot info as well as some telling details of design. So far, it all seems fully contingent with the original movie.
The notice opens with the following statement of premise:
The Yellow Submarine follows a singing group of four British young men that are asked to help a land that has been overtaken by mean spirited creatures. They are recruited by an escapee to come and bring joy and music back to the land.
The sides given to actors who audition for this film have scenes that have been given interesting titles - Buckingham Palace Scene, Help - Bar Scene and John, Paul, George and Ringo. There’s no Buckingham Palace Scene per se in the original film, though the building does make a brief cameo appearance. Infamously, John Lennon claimed The Beatles smoked a joint in the Buck House bathrooms when collecting their MBEs, though I’m pretty sure Zemeckis isn’t dramatising that, unless rather obliquely.
Neither is there a bar scene in the original Yellow Submarine, nor any use of the song Help. It’s now pretty clear that Zemeckis’ remake is taking some liberties with the original material, and I’m thinking that’s a really good thing.
Here’s the listing for the characters, with images of how they appeared in the original film:
[JEREMY HILLARY BOOB, PH.D.] A strange, short, brown-furred man with a blue clown face. An intellectual loner that speaks in puns, riddles, and rhymes. Lives in the Sea of Nothing…CO-STAR AGE: 30-60. STANDARD R.P. ENGLISH ACCENT
[CHIEF BLUE MEANIE] Head of the “Blue Meanies.” A rotund blue menace with erect dog ears, sick yellow teeth, and a bi-polar lashing tongue. Angry, bitter, vengeful. Hates music, Pepperlanders, and The Beatles…CO-STAR AGE: 40-60 YRS OLD - STANDARD R.P. ENGLISH ACCENT
[MAX] Chief Blue Meanie’s fearful assistant / henchman. Executes the Chief’s orders to attack Pepperland. Often the victim of Chief’s jokes, fits, and verbal abuses. Wears a large “M” on his chest…CO-STAR 25 - 60 YRS OLD - STANDARD R.P. ENGLISH ACCENT
[FRED (AKA, "OLD FRED" & "YOUNG FRED")] Captain of the Yellow Submarine. At the request of Lord Mayor, seeks out The Beatles to save Pepperland. Often breaks into fits of excited exasperation…CO-STAR 50-70 YRS OLD - STANDARD R.P. ENGLISH ACCENT
[LORD MAYOR] Mayor of Pepperland. An ancient man with deep creases in his face and a long history with the land and its population. Ancient, old and tired voice tends to sound like it creaks out of him. Tires easily. Plays the cello…CO-STAR VOICE SHOULD SOUND 80-100 YRS OLD - STANDARD R.P. ENGLISH ACCENT
There’s a lot of antipathy towards Zemeckis and his continued endeavors on the performance capture volume but not from me. What’s more, I’d expect Yellow Submarine will stand on the shoulders of Avatar, the way that Avatar stood on the shoulders of Polar Express, King Kong et al. I think we’re finally past the dead eye problems that have been causing Zemeckis so much trouble and people will start feeling a whole lot more comfortable with his pictures. That this Beatles toon is going to be so stylised and surrealistic won’t hurt either.
