Across the Universe (2007)

As I wrote in my very first post, I am a film junkie, and one of my favorite "drugs" of choice is the musical. Give me Astaire, or Kelly, or Rogers and Hammerstein and I'm a happy camper. I'll even admit that "Xanadu" (1980) is a guilt pleasure, and if the kids make me watch "High School Musical" (2006) one more time, it's not so bad. It could be A LOT worse. I was a big champion of "Moulin Rouge" (2001) when it first came out and hoped that maybe it would revive a genre that except for a few Disney films in the early 90's had pretty much become nonexistent. During the 1970's studios considered it taboo and a waste of money to make a musical. It was a waste of money because they were making bad movies, not because they were musicals. But the genre has made a comeback in the 2000's, even winning some big awards, "Chicago" (2002) and "Dreamgirls" (2006) to name a few. There's been some bombs along the way as well, but you can say that about any film genre.

The place where Hollywood finds most of its material for the musical is of course Broadway, and one of the recent treads of the last decade has been the creation of shows around a specific artist or group's catalog of music; "Mamma Mia" (Abba), "Jersey Boys"(The Four Seasons) and "Movin Out" (Billy Joel) as some of the more successful examples. It makes sense, since the audience is coming into the show already knowing the music. Although these productions can be entertaining, its really about the music. Artists doing karaoke versions of the songs people already know and love. The closer the music is to the original artist the higher the approval of the audience. Sometimes it works great, others crash and burn. A few artists are just such originals (Sinatra for one) that to try and impersonate it is just not possible (Note to Rod Stewart, please stop trying). So when I heard a film was being made in which no-name actors would be singing Beatles songs I thought blasphemy. Why even attempt something which shouldn't be done. That's like thinking someone would be stupid enough to do a shot by shot update of "Psycho" but in color...wait...oh never mind.

I began to write this film off until I heard who was going to attempt such a task, Julie Taymor. I became a big fan of Taymor when I was in college. She was a performance artist who worked a lot with puppetry, a little passion I had as a kid. Most people would know her more as the person who created the costumes and directed Disney's "The Lion King" when it came to the Broadway stage. A purely one of a kind production that is totally unique. Taymor works in many different arenas and media including film, which she began experimenting with in the 90's centering around Shakespearean themes. Her most famous film to date is "Frida" the 2002 movie staring Salma Hayek, which won 2 Oscars and was nominated for 4 more. Taymor is a very visual person, she definitely has the artist's eye to create something visually appealing, but was she embarking on a subject that just shouldn't be tackled?

The movie is a fictional story of 6 characters, each with names pulled from Beatles songs, as they journey through the 1960's in America. It begins with Jude, a young shipyard worker, heading off from England to America in search of the G.I. dad he never knew. He'll met and become friends with Maxwell, fall in love with Max's sister Lucy, and rent an apartment from Sadie, an aspiring singer. Other tenants include Jojo, a guitarist who arrives after his younger brother is killed in the Detroit riots, and Prudence, a Midwest cheerleader who is trying to understand the strong feelings she has towards a fellow girl on her squad. The story then follows the group as they try to survive the tension, love and violence that was the 1960's. The plot is nothing unique for a tale set during this time period. You'll be seeing the usual subplots of characters heading off to Vietnam, protesting and experimenting in the psychedelic world. If you have any background knowledge of the Beatles you'll also see lots of direct references to their history, such as Jude coming from Liverpool, a "Magical Mystery Tour" bus, and a concert on a New York City rooftop, or slight offshoots like Strawberry Records replacing Apple Records. There are also copies to other icons of the time with two of the characters clearly channeling Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. Even though the story is nothing special, I must admit it worked for me. It came across not as a realistic telling of the time, but as someones memory of the time period. The details weren't specifically there, but the overall feel and look of the story made me understand that era more than most documentaries. It became a 21st century telling of a time and place that is now 50 years past. It also had somewhat of a place-less quality to it. Even though we are told it is New York City, there were none of the usual NYC landmark shots, that continues to place you there. Instead it comes across as a tale that could be taking place in any city across America at this time. In fact, many of the themes could be taken from current news reports which gives it a timeless quality as well.

But the main player in this film is the music. It was the one element that would either make or completely ruin this project. I didn't want to see an "American Idol"- karaoke version of these songs. Either make it your own, which is the hardest thing to do, or play the originals. Well, I'm happy to say that huge props go out to Taymor and Elliot Goldenthal, the musical director. They were able to take these classic songs and add new life to them. Some were stripped down to acappella or acoustic versions, others sped up or played out through ordinary elements like windshield wipers. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is sung like a eulogy to Martin Luther King and "Let it Be" is turned into a full blown gospel rendition. To some this may be sacrilegious, I thought it was extraordinary. Even a simple, joyous song such as "I Want to Hold Your Hand" is turned into lament by someone longing for a love they can not have. This not only shows the talents of the musical director, but is a testament to the genius of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr in crafting such beautiful songs.


The movie incorporates some great cameos. These aren't the usual "Oh look who it is" stunts most film's use, but are perfectly cast roles for characters. Joe Cocker switches between a homeless man, a pimp, and a hippie as he sings out "Come Together." Bono of U2, plays Dr. Robert, a typical 60's West coast guru to psychedelic "tuning in." Mr. Kite, a circus conductor is portrayed by the comedian Eddie Izzard, and Taymor's friend Salma Hayek returns as the heavenly hallucination of a nurse taking care of returning Vietnam soldiers. The main cast is filled with unknown actors and musicians except for Lucy, played by Evan Rachel Wood of "Thirteen" (2003) fame, but who all do a very good job, especially in the singing department.

The visual elements also have there own special quality to them. Taymor's artistic eye brings a different perspective to this film compared to current movie releases. There are quite a few special effects used throughout the film, but not the overblown CGI effects (there are a few) now used in blockbusters that tend to overshadow the story. In fact, many of the effects are used to help express the feeling or tell the story. As the characters begin their psychedelic trip, so too does the visuals take on a surreal quality; the use of puppetry and masks, cut-outs, multiple exposure, solarization, filming underwater and blue screen techniques are used. A scene such as "Strawberry Fields" is wonderfully crafted without any CGI. Jude and Max are singing a duet, from opposite sides of the planet. This is accomplished with multiple images, some shown on T.V. screens in the background and some projected on to the actors themselves. This was all done on the set and filmed all together, with inter cut shots of strawberry bleeding down walls and blowing up like napalm bombs. Few directors would be creative enough to think of, let alone try something like this. One scene which I find humorous is an early montage as Jude and Max begin their friendship singing "High with a Little Help from my Friends." If Taymor actually showed what appeared to be marijuana joints she would have been instantly slapped with an "R" rating. Instead, the actors pretend to hold something up to their mouths to simulate smoking, but when they exhale, real smoke does come out. This just pokes fun at the stupidity that is our American ratings board.

When I did a quick search to see what other critics thought of this film I was actually a little surprised to find so many negative reviews, many of who complained about the music. Well, to each there own. Nothing will replace the initial recordings of these songs. But Roger Ebert gave it a glowing review and commented about it being the only film he went back to see a second time at the Toronto Film festival. "It's the kind of movie you watch again, like listening to a favorite album." I couldn't agree more, besides for picking up the soundtrack (there have been 3 different versions released already), I have a hard time watching just parts of it. It's the type of movie that sucks you in or you have on in the background only to be sidetracked from other tasks to end up sitting down and watching. It is a beautiful movie for both its visuals and its sound, and I believe it will have a bigger following in the future. Ebert also suggests watching the Beatles "A Hard Day's Night" (1964), a film that holds up very well and showcases the charisma of the Fab Four. These two movies would be the perfect double feature for a cold and rainy night!