Blue Meanies (Yellow Submarine)

The Blue Meanies are a fictional army of fierce, if buffoonish, music-hating creatures in the surreal 1968 Beatle's film "Yellow Submarine".

Description

They are set on the occupation (and silencing) of the colourful, musical world of Pepperland. The majority are furry, six-clawed creatures, but some are humanoid- albeit with blue faces, and a taller stature.

History

The Blue Meanies arrive in Pepperland and do everything they can to oppress the place. This prompts one of Pepperland's sailors, the newly-appointed Lord Admiral "Old Fred" (or "Young Fred" according to the even older Lord Mayor) to fly out in the Yellow Submarine of the title to find the Beatles, who, as musicians, would be able to restore harmony (and indeed melody) to Pepperland. The Meanies, in his absence, cause Pepperland to turn into a very dull and oppressive place, wrought with thorns and thistles.

Later in the story, a Meanie abducts the Beatles' companion, Jeremy Hilary Boob, the Nowhere Man, and we see, when the Beatles arrive in Pepperland, how they have laid waste and petrified the natives. The Beatles find the stored-away instruments and their doubles, the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and bring music back to Pepperland. This restores colour to the hills and plants and life into the natives (who had been petrified by various weapons in the Meanies' possession). With their spell thus broken, the Meanies cease to have a hold on Pepperland: even their guns start shooting flowers instead of missiles. Those that do not flee are invited by the Beatles to stay and "mingle" and they make peace with their former enemies.

Weapons and species of Meanie

* The Common Blue Meanies: These, it seems, are a sub-species of their Chief's origin. They have navy blue woolly bodies and Mickey Mouse-ear-like hats (with the exception of the Chief Blue Meanie himself and his sidekick "Max", whose hats look more like Goofy's ears). They have six claws on each hand, and wear yellow-and-orange striped tights. They are also able to make their eyes glow so that they can see in the dark, which makes their whole head switch from looking like Mickey Mouse to a video projector. These particular Meanies carry guns that fire pale-blue jagged arrows which, on contact, drain the victim's colour and petrifies him or her - although it seems to varying degrees or only temporarily, because several victims in the film are seen to cry, smile, or look up, and several natives of Pepperland are seen to back off at the sight of The Glove (see below).

* The Apple Bonkers: These are tall, thin Meanies who can walk from hill to hill at a stride. Their weapons of choice are giant Baldwin apples, which they drop on people's heads and which have the same effect of the jagged arrows. But, if one can reach high enough, they too can be knocked out by such weapons, as the Beatles later discover. When looked at closely, their faces bear a near striking resemblance to Abraham Lincoln.

* The Butterfly Stompers: These are wide, bullying Meanies with cat-like faces. They each carry a number on their chest - and for whatever reason they find it entertaining to destroy butterflies. One of them also stomps upon Max's head at the Chief's behest.

* The Countdown Clowns: These are tall, fat Meanies whose heads can spin round and round, and who shriek very loudly when ready to attack, or when they feel the need to alert other Meanies, as the Beatles soon discover. If their noses are pressed, wherever they look there will appear an explosion. They have no hands or arms themselves, however, and so another Meanie has to press their noses for them — often needing to prop a ladder up against them, or sit up on their shoulders when doing so, because they are so tall. When the Meanies' spell is broken, they end up simply producing positive words such as "Yes" and "OK" in block capitals when they try to blow something up.

* The Hidden-Persuader Men: These are large, fat Meanies who are constantly smoking cigars and carrying martinis which appear to have eyes on the glass. These men appear to be harmless, but upon closer inspection, have an extra hand inside their shoes, which typically wields a pistol and shoots whenever the toe of the shoe is raised. If the shoe is closed at the right time, however, they can be made, quite literally, to shoot themselves in the foot. They are one of the rarest seen Meanies. When the Meanies' spell is broken, we see them proposing toasts to each other and using their third hands to shake.

* The Snapping-Turtle Turks: Possibly the most pettily cruel of the Meanies, and dressed like stereotypical Turkish men (though otherwise incomparable). These are comparatively short Meanies, but are fat, with stomachs that are huge faces with loads of sharp teeth to eat whatever they like. We see one of these eating a little girl's paper windmill, just to make her cry.

* The Jack-the-Nippers: These are tall, muscular Meanies who wear green tail-coats and sunglasses and have reptilian heads for hands. Much like the Snapping-Turtle Turks' stomachs, these hands are used for fierce biting, but if startled can bite their own tongues, causing extreme pain. They are the least frequently seen of all the Meanies.

* The Four-Headed Bulldog: There is possibly just one of these, but that hardly matters, as it has four heads, each with very sharp teeth. It is extremely strong, and its handler is no match for it if it doesn't want to travel in the same direction as him. It is ultimately defeated when the Beatles and their doubles, the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, sing "Hey Bulldog" and run in opposite directions to disorientate it.

* The Dreadful Flying Glove: The Chief's fiercest and strongest fighter. Though there is only one glove, it is a force to be reckoned with; crushing, squashing, or "o-blue-terating" whoever or whatever its master directs it to. It is ultimately defeated when John sings "All You Need is Love" and covers it with the letters of all the words that spring from his mouth as he sings.

Other Media

* A Blue Meanie was seen in Lemon Demon's online video "Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny".

* A Blue Meanie was in the "South Park" Imaginationland trilogy amongst the good creatures.

* Blue Meanies were featured in "Across the Universe (film)" doing a dance with Mr. Kite.

* Mad Mod transformed into a stylized "Union-Jack" Chief-like blue meanie temporarily during an episode of Teen Titans. He did this just after adjusting his rectangular sunglasses, suggesting some kind of hidden shape-shifting ability.

ee also

* Yellow Submarine
* Chief Blue Meanie
* Jeremy Hilary Boob