It took nearly 30 years of research, interviewing and compiling to complete, but Inside the Yellow Submarine has arrived to set the record straight on the conception and creation of 1968's groundbreaking Yellow Submarine. Dr. Robert R. Hieronimus brings to his book a genuine enthusiasm for documenting the circumstances surrounding Yellow Submarine's production and dispelling commonly held misconceptions about the film, like widespread drug use among the animators, Peter Max's influence and the Beatles' contribution to the film.

As Hieronimus wrote in an e-mail to the reviewer, "Getting to the truth from the co-creators was a very long and costly process, but I stuck to it because when I learned that it wasn't The Beatles who created this enduring work of art, I realized that these under appreciated artists deserved to have their story told for posterity."

Like A Diary
The book is written in a unique, absorbing style; largely comprised of accounts from the film's creators in their own words, it reads as if Hieronimus has uncovered a diary kept jointly by all of Yellow Submarine's co-creators to record their experiences.

Though the unusual style sometimes fragments the book, it would have significantly less value if Hieronimus had fashioned the often contentious and conflicting first-hand accounts into a more conventional format. You're getting the details straight from the mouths of those who brought Yellow Submarine from concept to screen, complete with all the conflicting accounts and failing memories of the personality clashes, creative differences, logistical problems and countless other tribulations faced by the film's creators. Hieronimus cleverly organizes the accounts and provides just enough guidance and commentary to allow readers to reach their own conclusions of who among the film's creators were Blue Meanies and who were Pepperlanders.

As such, Inside the Yellow Submarine is an indispensable companion to the movie. One cannot fully appreciate the film until learning the remarkable story behind its creation.

Those frustrated with the power struggles and art-stifling financial oversight that often plague animated productions will take solace in the experiences of TV Cartoons London in creating Yellow Submarine. As Hieronimus writes, the book demonstrates that "the creative process is a struggle. Some of your best ideas and work can be lost because of corporate decisions, creative stress, lack of funding and time."