Beatles cartoons!

[BeatleBonJoviFan]

I've just received my copy of volume 1 of the Beatles' cartoons video series, and watched them for the first time! I really don't care if this is a bootlegged or a licensed tape, but they were the actual Beatles cartoons! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/dance.gif

I know many of you have probably seen them before, but on my first viewing, I loved them! They're good clean fun, and you even get two sing-alongs! I especially liked the sing-alongs. All they needed was a bouncing ball! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/wink1.gif I thought Ringo as the prop guy was funny. My brother and I have been thoroughly entertained.

It was kind of weird to hear those fake Beatles voices, and then when they suddenly burst into song, we hear the true Beatles' voices. It only contrasted how much the actors didn't sound like The Beatles.

The only question I have is what is their fixation with Transylvania? At least three of the cartoons took place there. I thought it was kind of strange.

What is everyone else's opinions on this part of Beatles history?



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*~Jill~*

[EasternBird]

Hee, hee, hee! I love the cartoons! I mean, they're terrible, but in a good way, you know? I got the whole set on Ebay a while back, and they're so much fun to watch. I first saw them when MTV ran them in the mid-80s, and they were actually a big part of my becoming a Beatles fan, because they exposed me to so many Beatles songs for the first time. I think the cartoons are still a great way to introduce kids to the Beatles.

I agree with you about the voices - with the possible exception of Paul, they don't sound anything like the real Beatles! I read somewhere once that George sounds exactly like Frankenberry (from the cereal commercials - they were actually voiced by the same guy)! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/laugh1.gif

I never thought about the Transylvania thing, but now that I think about it, the show seemed to have only a few plots that they just recycled over and over:

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>The Beatles get chased by monsters or mean guys
<LI>The Beatles get chased by women who want to marry them
<LI>The Beatles enter a competition they have no chance of winning, but manage to win anyway (through the power of music!) http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/teeth1.gif
[/list]

There's a good book, Beatletoons, with info about the making of the cartoons. And the tapes are always up on Ebay. I highly recommend them for anyone who wants a good laugh. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/thumbsup1.gif

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[bearkat77]

I remember watching those cartoons when they first came out. They were really funny. The sing-alongs were my best part, since you got to see what they were singing.

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[jtal909]

Same here, Bearkat. When they first came out, I looked forward to Saturday mornings to watch them.
Nowadays they're not as interesting or exciting (to me) having been spoiled by watching them as a kid I think.

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[Harbidge]

Have you seen the episode with the Paul is Dead reference in it? http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/wink.gif

Someone who is a master of disguise becomes an identical of Paul or something.

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That is the "No Reply" episode with a Paul lookalike called Anyface.

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[EasternBird]

I didn't realize it before, but there's actually a pretty big "Paul Is Dead" clue in that episode! When they're trying to figure out which one is the real Paul, some guy tells the 2 Pauls to climb a big palm tree and jump off (I think. It's been a while since I saw that one!) Anyway, the guy tells them "the one who survives is the real Paul McCartney." Creepy!

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[This Message Has Been Edited By EasternBird On June 29, 2002 07:20 PM]

[BeatleBonJoviFan]

That does sound creepy! I haven't seen that one. My video only has the first five episodes from the first season.

Does the animation get better as the episodes go on? It's true with other cartoons, like the Simpsons. I'm hoping the Beatles' cartoons are the same way.

I wish I could've watched them when I was a kid. Shame we didn't have MTV when I was little. My dad would definitely have recorded them for us. Now I'm starting to think I missed out on something great when I was a kid. Oh well, I had "Help!," "A Hard Day's Night" and "Yellow Submarine."

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*~Jill~*

[EasternBird]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif">Quote:</font><HR>Originally Posted By BeatleBonJoviFan:
Does the animation get better as the episodes go on? It's true with other cartoons, like the Simpsons. I'm hoping the Beatles' cartoons are the same way.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It does, a little bit. The final season episodes have noticeably better animation. I don't like the sing-a-longs as much, though - they got too "artistic" and stopped putting the cartoon Beatles in them at all!

The older sing-a-longs crack me up, because they often took the songs way too literally. The one for "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby" is funny - a jar of honey falls on cartoon George, then some bears come, dress him up, and put a nametag on him that reads "Me." Or in "Roll Over Beethoven," Paul holds up a bust of Beethoven. I love the way they "interpreted" the songs! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/teeth1.gif

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[Tim]

The amazing thing is,the people who made the cartoons,TV Cartoons,London,also made the Yellow Submarine film.

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