Across the Universe

Just got back from a screening of Across the Universe, a new musical film directed by the otherwise incredibly talent Julie Taymor.

Now let me start this with -- I'm a HUGE Beatles fan. HUGE. Raised on them. My ear glued to our stereo speakers so I could hear the slightest nuance in every guitar string and every breath of every song. So I cringe each time I learn somone has done a cover of their song or, worse yet, a movie based on all their music. In order for me not to be repulsed, the cover MUST be brilliant. and most of the time it is not.

The film started out reeeeeeaally great- Jim Sturgess staring at us while sitting alone on a beach singing one of my faves, Girl. The song is already built with creepy nuance and his delivery added more dark shadow in it's focused simplicity.

I was really excited!

then it came.

the rest.

now keep in mind I've recently decided I'm not a big fan of Broadway musicals. Not any more. In addition to my sisters Beatles and Simon/Garfunkel LPs, I grew up on my mom's West End and Broadway soundtracks and, well, listen to the original West End production of Cabaret vs. this year's Tony Award winner and you'll hear the difference. Today's Broadway shows seem geared to the white-washed, upper-middle class middle American who can't stomach more than Wonder Bread.

So if you like Wonder Bread, you'll most likely enjoy this film.

I do not like Wonder Bread. Never did. Always a sprouted whole grain or pumpernickel girl...

And both John and Paul had such dark sides to them, it would seem to be relatively easy to make this a dark, surreal trippy trip through their songs, NYC, and Liverpool. What made the Beatles brilliant and immortal was their fearless risk. Ms. Taymor’s greatest betrayal was her inability to take risk in this film.

Instead we got Wonder Bread in Iowa.

Some good points were:
Opening scene
Joe Cocker - but only when he's homeless
Bono's 10 minutes (his improved moments were brilliant) - and the magic bus
Eddie Izzard improvising
I dug Helter Skelter, Matt did not
Daniel Ezralow's choreography --- I was DYING to work with him when I was a dancer, alas I never got the chance
casting 2 actors who looked just like Paul and Linda circa 1970 (when camera was far) -- I was looking for a Jane Asher or Yoko Ono reference, but I guess that was too much for a mainstream stomach

Most obvious is Julie Taymor's inability to work with actors in dialogue. She's pretty ok with the song and dance numbers. But once everyone stops singing and dancing, she fumbles and fouls.

What made the evening worse was the q&a that followed. I normally dont' stay if I hate the film but....c'mon! Julie Taymor!!! I was going to blow off the chance to hear Julie Taymor talk about her work?! However, she MODERATED the q&a so what followed was 1/2 hour? 45 min? of masterbation by her and her young cast.

Here's a review that best summ's up my experience with this film-
Something that would have been a bad idea for an Off-Broadway concept show has inexplicably been turned into a bloated two hour and eleven minute movie musical. - Pete Hammond, Maxim
Full Review by Pete Hammond

Best moment:
"They ALL really liked it!" - Julie Taymor referring to "The Beatles" response after seeing the film
"ALL? All TWO of them??" - Matt's disgusted response