Review: 21306 The Beatles Yellow Submarine
Posted by Huw,Love them or loathe them, there is no disputing the fact that The Beatles have had a significant influence on popular music over the last 50 years.
The 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine, which features many of their most loved songs, perfectly portrays the psychedelic nature of popular culture at the heyday of their fame. The submarine itself has become a iconic symbol of the era and of The Beatles themselves.
It is probably because of this that the project passed review although its success is perhaps surprising given that the film is now nearly 50 years old and is said by some to contain illegal drug references, and while people under 30 may be aware of it, I suspect not many have actually seen it.
We have been sent a copy of the set ahead of its release on November the 1st, so read on for the first English-language review on the 'net...
First, let us remind ourselves what the original Ideas submission by Kevin Szeto looked like:
Here is the artwork that inspired it. I have not been able to find views of other angles of the vessel so I assume that it is only ever shown side-on in the film.
Box and contents
The box is exquisite; the distinctive visuals of the animation adorn the box inside and out.
Parts are sub-divided into five numbered bags which signals a building experience free from excessive part-hunting.
In addition to the instructions, the 140-page booklet contains information about the film, the project creator and LEGO designer Justin Ramsden, who turned the original idea into the set.
There are numerous re-coloured parts in the set, in particular many of the flame yellowing orange ones. Exactly how many will become evident when the inventory is published when the set is released.
I am delighted to tell you that all decorated elements are printed, as one would expect from a premium product, although as we know being such a set does not guarantee that it is free of stickers these days.
There are spares of each of the 1x1 round tiles, and of the clock, for some reason.
Minifigures
The minifigures are to be found one in each bag. For comparison with their counterparts in the film I have used images from Blue Jay Way.
All the figures have double-sided heads and printing on the back of the torso but, except in the case of Ringo Starr, it is limited to a collar at the top.
John Lennon
John Lennon seems to be sporting a some sort of psychedelic shirt and black jacket. His rather goofy appearance seen here is well captured on one side of his head. His legs have stripes printed down the sides.
His hairpiece first appeared in Indiana Jones sets, I believe, used there for Mutt Williams.
Paul McCartney
Paul has his distinctive kipper tie and I am guessing some sort of purple jacket that extends below his waistline so is printed on his legs. The printing is a little off-centre on my figure.
The original male hairpiece from the 1970s has been used: I guess it is as good as any.
George Harrison
George is somewhat more conservatively attired than his companions, in a side-buttoned brown jacket with green collar. I am not familiar with the hairpiece but I am sure one of you reading will be able to tell me if it is new or not.
Ringo Starr
Ringo's kipper tie and stripy shirt have been rendered perfectly in minifigure form. Like John, he also has stripes on the sides of his legs. His hairpiece was first used for Ron Weasley, in 'ginger' of course.
The Fab Four
As has become customary in sets of this type, a display stand is provided, complete with printed tile label.
They are each equipped with an accessory. The green thing George is holding is a submarine motor, apparently.
Jeremy Hillary Boob
According to Wikipedia, "Jeremy is a strange, gopher-like little brown-furred man with a blue face, pink ears and a fluffy, rabbit-like tail. He has an extremely eccentric and flamboyant personality."
A Nexo Knights Scurrier body has been re-purposed to represent him.
Construction
The images below show stages of construction as you progress through the five bags.
The underside has been finished off with the relatively new 1x2 curved inverted slope to give the hull a nice curved profile.
Bag three contains most of the printed control panels which are, of course, mounted inside the vessel.
Perhaps my favourite part ot the build is the use of sausages for the (what I presume are) handrails around the top of the tower.
The front of the tower is neatly constructed using half-arches on their sides and a smattering of the new 1/4 circle 1x1 tiles to give the corners a neat rounded finish.
Orange and yellow versions of the newly redesigned tubular macaroni piece (25214, Design Shape W/ Tube, Crosshole) are used for the periscopes.
Finally a base is constructed using primarily circle and quarter-circle white plates.
The completed model
It's big, bright, colourful, sturdy and a joy to behold. The essence of the Ideas submission is evident but Justin has done a great job in making it look much more sleek and curvaceous and closer in appearance to that in the film.
What I particularly liked, which is not that evident in the pictures above, is that many of the 'marker' pieces (those odd coloured ones that are used to make building instructions easier to follow and which are covered up later in the build) are as bright and colourful as the vessel itself: purple, pink, aqua, lime and so on.
Although most will display the model with the minifigures on their stand, they can all be fitted inside. There is even a compartment at the back for their accessories, but it is a bit of a squeeze to fit them all in though.
Verdict
I have never been a Beatles fan, in fact I would go so far as to say that I hate them. I think that is partly because they were a product of my parent's generation and, of course, it's not cool to like the same music as your parents. I have never seen the Yellow Submarine film and have no plans to watch it any time soon.
So, I was expecting not to like this set at all, but I have been pleasantly surprised. At a time when most LEGO sets involve conflict or have wheels or walls it comes as a welcome change from the usual fare.
The submarine is bright and colourful, whimsical, solidly built, well designed, packed with lovely parts, without a sticker in sight and I can't really find any fault at all with it. The minfigures are faithful representations of the screen versions and are instantly recognisable as who they are supposed to be, so overall this is pretty much the perfect LEGO set. The fact that I do not like the source material has not dimmed my enthusiasm for it one bit.
I am not sure there is mass appeal for it for the reasons I state at the start but whether you are a Beatles fan or not, I think you will enjoy building and admiring it.
The 550-piece set will be available from shop.LEGO.com and in brand stores from the 1st of November priced at $59.99, £49.99 or €59.99 which seems like pretty good value to me.
Thanks to Cherry at iCrossing for arranging for the set to be sent to me. The review is an expression of my own opinions and not those of iCrossing or LEGO.
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57 comments on this article
It's Sabine Wren's hairpiece from Star Wars Rebels but recoloured!
That Scurrier... thing... is an abomination.
Otherwise, decent set for Beatles fans. Makes me want a Ronnie James Dio figure (Denzil the Dragon, anyone?).
It's a very good representation of it, but holds no interest for me at all.
Looks groovy, not a Beattles fan but appreciate their music and impact they had on the genre.
Was never really a fan although think this may be a fun model to own regardless.
Looks great, though it seems to be a bigger departure from the submission than most ideas sets
Never seen the film, but I like their music well enough I want the set. (Ironically it seems my generation views The Beattles as "retro cool" music, the opposite of Huw's view...)
Looks like a fun set. Might have to but it after the holidays are over.
I think it looks great! Can't wait to get it - just disappointed I can't make it to the store on November 1 to get it right away.
Good to see your still an ideas completist Huw, thought this one was going to beat you.
I've gotta get this for my dad.
As fantastic as this set is I have reservations about its relevance. I'm familiar with the cartoon and of course the Beatles themselves, but I'm not sure why this was chosen...? I'm 33 and admittedly not much of a Beatles fan, but even beyond my own tastes I just can't see where there was much justification for this given the Ideas sets that were passed over in favor of this one. Again, it looks stellar and they did a wonderful job start to finish...but the Beatles in Lego? I felt the same about Big Bang Theory as well. Oh well, not every offering is made for every individual.
That video they uploaded clearly indicates why LEGO chose this concept. It's a perfect match with the company's brand values such as all the vibrant colours and playfulness of the concept!
I anticipate mass quantities of this set going to folks who haven't bought a Lego set in decades. It's a slam dunk, for sure. And I think the sub is lovely. Kudos. No matter that I'll never be able to get over my own Beatlemaniaphobia...
I think I will spend "a day in my life" building this!
I think this will sell really well to a lot of people who wouldn't normally buy a Lego set, can definitely see it adorning many a front room mantelpiece and shelf. Not sure I'll buy one but it is very appealing.
If you haven't watched the film then I do recommend it, not because it's particularly great as a film but it's a fantastic and evocative period piece in terms of the animation and art style.
Still looking for an Ideas product I'm interested in...
The minifigs, the submarine and the low price point makes this a must-have for me. My favourite fig is George, the minifig really captures the look of him in real life very well.
Thanks for the great review, we're eagerly awaiting this in our household. My son, aged 7, is a massive Beatles fan and adores the Yellow Submarine so this is a meeting of two of his ideals! Luckily we are in Liverpool and the Lego Store is hosting a meet the designer event on 29th October and will be selling the set on the day so we definitely be there for that. I've heard that the store fully expect to be very busy on the day.
I love the look of this set, and given there is not likely to be other Beatles sets this is going to be quite collectable I'd think. It's on my wanted list!
Massive Beatles fan. Massive lego fan. A match made in psychedelic heaven, dude!
Really nice set, and excellent review - really nice to see the construction phases.
That is Sabine Wren's hairpiece from Star Wars Rebels.
As good as this build is... I have never liked the Beatles. I am not going to buy it.
I'm Liverpool-born but haven't really had many ties to the place for the last 30 of my 50 years. I have a few Beatles albums amongst my music collection, but it's just a smattering. I've seen the film maybe half a dozen times over the years, but I don't own a copy on DVD or have any intentions to get one.
And yet, despite my less-than-enthusiastic thoughts about the source material, this is likely to be the first Ideas set that I double up on. It's a truly iconic image and as bad as the song is it's still one that everybody knows. The sub's been beautifully rendered and the minifigs (except for Jeremy) are spot on.
An absolute definite must-buy.
Like Huw, I'm no Beatles fan, although my parents weren't fans despite being of the right generation. But I'm getting this set, for certain. I think it looks great!
I can't imagine anyone not being a fan of the Beatles if you appreciate music of any genre. Those people are appperently out there though. Anyhow, their loss, even more so if the pass up on this fantastic set. My parents like the Beatles, my wife and I (both in our 40s) love them and my daughters (11 & 9) listen a lot to Yellow Submarine, Straberry Fields, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and Nowhere Man. So we clearly hit the demographic for this set. Hope someone comes up with an Ideas set for Prince' Love Symbol guitar. Or an Elvis Las Vegas show!
As an AFOL who was most certainly around in 1968 (I was 11) and was, is and always will be a Beatles fan, I am delighted to see this model become a superbly rendered LEGO set. I made one myself way back in 2010 and exhibited this at 'STEAM' (GWBS these days) next to a very impressive and huge USS Intrepid. It is a pity that I'm at the Brick Live 2016 event in Birmingham (UK) this weekend as otherwise I would be in the queue at the Liverpool store on Saturday (29th November, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm) to get one and have the box signed by the designer Kevin Szeto. When it is acquired, it will take pride of place amongst my collection of Yellow Submarine memorabilia. :-D
i once watched Yellow Submarine everyday for two weeks... needless to say i'll be getting this
^^ I sincerely hope you're not serious...
Great Review. I will be definitely be picking this up as I am a Beatles fan, and also since I watched the movie last week when this set was announced. HOWEVER, the price is steep here in Australia. It costs $80, the same price as the Doctor Who set (which I own) minus around 70 pieces. (Doctor Who has 625 I think where as this has only 553) Rip Offffff.
^ I was *really* surprised to find that it'll cost "only" NZ$90. Still a mark-up on other markets, but I was fully expecting it to be announced as over a hundred, especially considering the licensing.
Like Huw I'm really not a Beatles fan, more my parents generation although they were never that keen on them either!!! I much prefer a bit of dubstep or other bass heavy EDM.
Anyway, I'm rambling now. I really like the bright and colourful nature of this set and it's box, it looks great fun to build and a nice display piece, it's different as there isn't many Lego submarine sets and for £49.99 it is reasonably priced so I will be picking this up. Great review as always Huw.
Never actually heard of the film, and have almost no interest in the source meterial.
But its still a must have. Thanks for another excellent review.
As a under-thirty Beatles fan who has seen the film at least five or six times, this ship is spot on. I've always wanted a LEGO Yellow Submarine, and now I can have one! thanks Huw for the review, though I must say to all the people who haven't seen it: watch it or at least listen to the album, it very interesting.
I am a Beatles fan, but not of everything they've done. I found Yellow Submarine to be hard to watch, the colors, the plot, the humor, all of it made my skin crawl. And I only really liked one song from the album. So this set, however well done, is not for me.
So I really hope that more than one set is made using the Beatles licence. I would instantly buy a set based on the Abbey Road album cover. Abbey Road is one of my favorite albums and is nearly perfect except for the two awful songs on side one. I think it would look great in Lego and be a great display piece. I'd also love a set based on their rooftop concert.
Great set and review! Now, where's the David Bowie Tribute set? :)
This set looks amazing! Big Beatles fan, and huge fan of this movie thanks to watching it for my History of Animation course.
Also, a better improvement to when K'NEX tried their hand on this theme. They might have gotten the Blue Meanies, but their sub and figures fell really flat. XP
Although not particularily a beatles fan, I had my first cathartic moment as a six year old listening to a Beatles song - quite a defining moment 40 years ago in my life.
Never looked back :-)
Day one purchase for me.
(and strangley enough the song was A Little Help From My Friends, Ringo on the vocals - an odd one out for the Beatles. Playback was on a panasonic slimline portable casette player)
Wow, the memories!!
love the film and love the submarine, though not so keen on the minifigs, especially that one of jeremy. that globe/stick piece for his cottontail just looks weird
Great review, thank you, and so early! I think this just looks fantastic, and I can't wait to get it. I'm also excited because it's the first time real musicians have been portrayed in Lego, and I'm hoping for more of that. So glad this passed review and was made. Great job Lego!
I'm not a huge Beatles fan, but this really is delightful; they seem to have represented the submarine and the Beatles' outfits from the film really well! I think it'll be a big seller this Christmas.
I've seen the movie and have it on VHS. I have the OST and the 2001 compilation. I also have a Yellow Submarine lunchbox :D.
I must have this set. It's a No-Brainer.
Unfortunately this is a case of 'fantastically designed set', 'zero interest in the source material' for me. Although I recognise that the Beatles were important to music, I had it played to me to death from my dad and don't have a clue what the lyrics are actually talking about most of the time (at least from their later albums). However, I will concede that there's a chance I'll get the model for him, not me.
I have a feeling a huge amount of sales of this set will be dad or grandad presents, that's what a few of the retailers I've spoken to are saying.
Why would they have someone who doesn't care about the Beatles and has never even seen the film review this set? It's a drag to see so many Lego fans consider the Beatles and their music outdated. Everything the did was new and different from anything the did before it, so how can you say you don't like ANY of their music. Aw, who cares? More sets for me then. I guarantee this set will be a terrific investment.
I like how this can mix with the music store of the Assembly Square 10255 and its intruments, including the drum set for Ringo. Parking the sub at its door really would capture the cultural clash of the Beatles at their time.
Never realized that Lego fits so well for MOC-ing 60's Psychedelia graphic style. Could be a colorful topic for a contest!
I was already sure I would get this, and the review - thank you very much @Huw for putting aside your dislike of the source material for the time being ;-) - just reconfirmed my choice for me.
I think this is a wonderful set, even though I too have never seen the full film. What I particularly like is the choice of "psychedelic" colours for the "filler bricks" that are not seen but used in the construction.
Its a really nice set, but not one I would buy seeing as I'm in no way a fan of the Beatles, but non the less I feel that anybody could enjoy this set regardless.
Most IDEAS sets are sunk, the reasons for which are not articulated by LEGO reps - but - which we assume to be a combination of too big or too few sales (despite to 10k arbitrary popularity barrier).
Some are purportedly not within the LEGO sphere (violence or inaccessible IP).
Would be nice to add another category--"your submission isn't refined enough". This looks only vaguely like the original submission.
Not a real fan of the process. No bone to pick with the set as it is now and it does not appeal to me.
Two of my favorite things in one!
Buy it now on eBay.co.uk before it's released!
http://r.ebay.com/wXJmdZ
Jeremy actually looks a lot like the original character but what have they done to his tail? Its supposed to be like a rabbits tail. Wouldn't the ice cream swirl piece be a better choice?
I'm a Beatles fan but not interested in this, maybe because I haven't gotten into their movies.
I'm not a huge Beatles fan, they were about 15 years before my time. As I grew to appreciate music, I grew to appreciate The Beatles. They have some great songs. I've never seen the movie, but I may watch it now and I'll definitely own this set. I remember singing this song in grade school.
@eiffleman: The ice cream swirl piece couldn't connect to the Scurrier body. It has a hole, but no stud.
I'm 49, love The Beatles, and can't wait to get this set. The final product is gorgeous, the packaging is really cool. This review was great too...very interesting to read a non-fan's perspective.
@Aanchir, thanks for the info, I've not seen the Scurrier body, but I now see they probably had no choice other than using the 'globe' piece.
AWESOME SET! I have to hand it to Lego on this on the attention to detail... In my opinion definitely worth the steep price tag!
I found the film at a music shop the other day, though of this, and bought Hammerfall instead.