Q: Is this a total disgrace to the Beatles' legacy or what?
A: No, that would be the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band debacle from 1978. Across the Universe is no turkey. However, it's no big success, either. It's faint praise to say it's pleasant and doesn't embarrass any one (with perhaps one exception noted below), but that's probably the best I can do for it. Beatle fans that might appreciate the references the most might also be the ones who would rather just hear the original music.
Q: So what's wrong with it?
A: Director Julie Taymor has her cast singing Beatles songs as they represent the happenings of the sixties. Some of the musical numbers are quite simple, with just one of the cast singing the tune, while others are elaborate !extravaganzas! But throughout the movie, I never got a sense of emotional uplift. I personally find the Beatles' music fun and exciting. Even the sadder songs in their catalog make me feel GOOD about feeling sad. Here, Taymor has her cast members do rather sedate, downbeat versions of songs like "Something" and "If I Fell," and it robs the story of the excitement it might have had with more exuberant versions. I found that the best music had the least inspired visuals, while the best visual sequences often accompanied the less effective music.
Simply put, there is a wealth of cool images, but not much narrative momentum or build. There is a climactic sequence that takes place on a rooftop, and even that doesn't have the emotional impact Taymor is striving for--and it's a rooftop concert! Come on, you should be able to make that work in a Beatle-inspired story.
Ultimately, Across the Universe reminds you of that NBC miniseries "The 60's." It's just young people going through all the cliches of that decade, only with a unique twist on the soundtrack. The leads are a little too bland to carry it. Who woulda thunk Marilyn Manson's girlfriend would be "bland" on screen? But there you go.
Q: Are there any Beatle cameos?
A: I didn't catch any, but there were famous cameos, usually not faring too well. Joe Cocker does a good job, but his presence is distracting, given that he is already known not just for being a rock star, but for doing memorable Beatles covers. Bono is trying as Dr. Robert, but he comes off like he's doing a weak Robin Williams impersonation. Worst of all is Eddie Izzard, though, he makes an ass of himself by plodding through "Being for the Benefit of the Kite." I imagine the movie's creative team shares the blame for this, but Izzard is about the only performer who doesn't appear to respect the source material.
Q: What stand out as the best songs in the movie? The worst?
A: I mentioned my dislike of Izzard's number. I enjoyed the "rock"-ier versions done by Dana Fuchs and Martin Luther as Sadie and Jo Jo, respectively--including "Helter Skelter" and "Oh Darling."
Q: In your Fall Movie Preview, you said something about the trailer and Salma Hayek in a nurse's outfit. I don't have a question here. Just please confirm for me this made it into the movie.
A: Oh, if only her scene were longer--much longer. The brevity of her appearance is the only thing disappointing about it. Taymor stages a dizzying dreamlike number in which a wounded soldier is tended to by multiple Nurse Salmas to the sounds of--who cares what the song is? Multiple Nurse Salmas! It may be a long autumn and winter ahead of us, but that image should get many of us through the cold months.
A: No, that would be the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band debacle from 1978. Across the Universe is no turkey. However, it's no big success, either. It's faint praise to say it's pleasant and doesn't embarrass any one (with perhaps one exception noted below), but that's probably the best I can do for it. Beatle fans that might appreciate the references the most might also be the ones who would rather just hear the original music.
Q: So what's wrong with it?
A: Director Julie Taymor has her cast singing Beatles songs as they represent the happenings of the sixties. Some of the musical numbers are quite simple, with just one of the cast singing the tune, while others are elaborate !extravaganzas! But throughout the movie, I never got a sense of emotional uplift. I personally find the Beatles' music fun and exciting. Even the sadder songs in their catalog make me feel GOOD about feeling sad. Here, Taymor has her cast members do rather sedate, downbeat versions of songs like "Something" and "If I Fell," and it robs the story of the excitement it might have had with more exuberant versions. I found that the best music had the least inspired visuals, while the best visual sequences often accompanied the less effective music.
Simply put, there is a wealth of cool images, but not much narrative momentum or build. There is a climactic sequence that takes place on a rooftop, and even that doesn't have the emotional impact Taymor is striving for--and it's a rooftop concert! Come on, you should be able to make that work in a Beatle-inspired story.
Ultimately, Across the Universe reminds you of that NBC miniseries "The 60's." It's just young people going through all the cliches of that decade, only with a unique twist on the soundtrack. The leads are a little too bland to carry it. Who woulda thunk Marilyn Manson's girlfriend would be "bland" on screen? But there you go.
Q: Are there any Beatle cameos?
A: I didn't catch any, but there were famous cameos, usually not faring too well. Joe Cocker does a good job, but his presence is distracting, given that he is already known not just for being a rock star, but for doing memorable Beatles covers. Bono is trying as Dr. Robert, but he comes off like he's doing a weak Robin Williams impersonation. Worst of all is Eddie Izzard, though, he makes an ass of himself by plodding through "Being for the Benefit of the Kite." I imagine the movie's creative team shares the blame for this, but Izzard is about the only performer who doesn't appear to respect the source material.
Q: What stand out as the best songs in the movie? The worst?
A: I mentioned my dislike of Izzard's number. I enjoyed the "rock"-ier versions done by Dana Fuchs and Martin Luther as Sadie and Jo Jo, respectively--including "Helter Skelter" and "Oh Darling."
Q: In your Fall Movie Preview, you said something about the trailer and Salma Hayek in a nurse's outfit. I don't have a question here. Just please confirm for me this made it into the movie.
A: Oh, if only her scene were longer--much longer. The brevity of her appearance is the only thing disappointing about it. Taymor stages a dizzying dreamlike number in which a wounded soldier is tended to by multiple Nurse Salmas to the sounds of--who cares what the song is? Multiple Nurse Salmas! It may be a long autumn and winter ahead of us, but that image should get many of us through the cold months.
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