Comments on: Overlooked Greatness: Across the Universe (2007)

By: Kevin Donovan

Kevin Donovan — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:54:10 +0000

And here in Liverpool we cried all the way through! Yes, call me a sentimental old Scouser (and Cavern Club member 1963), but I loved it.

By: Marcia Sharp

Marcia Sharp — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:28:31 +0000

This film is truly a gem! I've been a Beatles fan forever and I totally fell in love with this movie from the time I saw the trailers. It probably helps that I know all the words and can sing along, but it gives me a warm feeling everytime I watch it.
I remember watching the Oprah interview they did and then watching it on the big screen. Ten minutes into it, during the funeral scenes in the church, I was crying and completely hooked. I plan on watching it soon on my daughter's big screen again.

By: Martin Jukovsky

Martin Jukovsky — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:31:09 +0000

I watched this film with great awe yesterday, and I've been spreading the word about it all day since. What a great surprise — I approached the film with doubt but now feel rewarded. Joe Cocker in THREE marvelous cameos in one song. And who is this amazing Dana Fuchs? I'm 71 and vividly remember the Vietnam war, the protests, flower power, and the first time I heard the Beatles — Across the Universe really touched me.

–Marty Jukovsky

By: Jenny

Jenny — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:25:05 +0000

@Tim:

Uh? Joe Cocker? Shit?

Are you mental mate? he is a genius and 'Com Together' was awesome :D

And the Beatles songs weren't covered by complete unknowns, Bono, Joe Cocker and Eddie Izzard all copied them too! ;)

ATU was awesome, and extremely underated, but don't worry, I reckon it will become a cult classic when Sturgess and Wood become mage stars, as is inevitable…

By: danielle

danielle — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 00:29:04 +0000

I'm watching it right and yes it an amazing movie, I've always been a fan of the beatles this is the best tribute they could have ever received… Let the haters hate, and the lovers love this musical! Afterall all you need is love.

By: Xavier

Xavier — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:04:50 +0000

I agree with everything you said – loved the film, love the Beatles, etc. But why is it that people who know nothing about music always seem to claim the right to make some musical judgement about an artist? I loved almost every word of this review, until it was ruined by your 'they only played three chords' comment, which is just the absolute antithesis of the truth. The Beatles have still not been surpassed in musical complexity by a single pop band 40 years later. I know this has nothing to do with the film, but can people please check up on these things before they throw away stupid comments like that?

By: billygirdler

billygirdler — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:41:22 +0000

I disagree wholeheartedly. Greatness no maybe good. I like it as long as I don't think about it. I didn't care about anyone but jude and his girl. The covers are amazing on the cd but in the movie a lot of them fail. The cinematography isn't as amazing as everyone seems to think. It's not subtle at all. You can have that in your face stuff but you either have to constantly have it going or use very sparingly. Finally and this is the one that kills it for me. A musical with beatles music has to have been thought of before. But it won't be again because this movie was made and people will fear comparison and the studio won't produce it. You have the entire beatles catalogue to pick from and you make a good musical, It should be the greatest musical ever but it's not so the fact that it ruins the opportunity to make the greatest musical ever moves it from a good to a decent.

By: aerinpegadrak

aerinpegadrak — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:30:52 +0000

I remember first seeing the trailer for this movie, and thinking, "Oh, come on, do we really need another trippy '60s retrospective–directed by Julie Taymor? Hell, I'm game." I saw it in theatres and it blew me away, it was just gorgeous, and the arrangements of the songs were just downright amazing.

By: Viral

Viral — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:22:16 +0000

I loved this movie… especially when the kid sings that song in the chapel… its one of the most memorable movie moments for me … you were spot on about Jim Sturges… but unfortunately he's been hollywood-ised case in point see 21.. its not a bad film… nothing with spacey in it will ever be bad for me … but its just a mail in performance… not honest and sincere like in this movie… plus even if people think that the beatles "played only three chords" some of the beatles songs on this movie sound better than the originals (Blasphemy!!) I'd whole heartedly recommned this to anyone who enjoys visual-orgasm!

@Wise: i hated mama mia when i saw it in theatre loved meryl but hated the movie … but when i last saw it 2 days back on a flight i thoroughly enjoyed it… and am not ashamed not in the very least ;)

By: JM

JM — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:34:02 +0000

I really, REALLY liked this film. Loved? I'm not so sure. But really, really liked? Yes, definitely. The only thing I don't really like is that the songs don't exactly move the story along. I mean, they do some, but not as much as they could. It's a small complaint, and it does better than most musicals, but unless you're a fan of the Beatles, you'd rather the story keep moving than the songs to start up. Thankfully, the great art direction and cast makes up for anything lost in that respect.

Also… okay, now this isn't a bad thing about the movie. Using Beatles songs in a musical is a good idea. However, I'm worried it's a start of a trend. "Mamma Mia!" came out this summer with songs exclusively from ABBA. The problem? ABBA is still good, but it's a step down from the Beatles. The songs had even less to do with the story. See a pattern here? What if more and more musicals just pick a random band and try to make a musical out of their works? It worked for "Across the Universe" to some extent, but you must remember that the songs they use were never ever meant to be part of a single story. The same goes for the songs in "Mamma Mia!" The songs have nothing in common except their creator. In musicals, I feel the songs should be made for the story, not the story for the songs.

But for the most part "Across the Universe" is definitely a good movie.

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:36:05 +0000

I am a humongous Beatles fan (not very uncommon, I know), but I found this movie very laughable. I felt like the script romanticized the era way too much. I feel like the modern depiction of the 60s is too quick to paint everyone back then as a martyr. Not everyone had this dramatic cause that they were fighting for, a lot of people just wanted to get stoned and throw stuff. Also, the Beatles references (and the 60s in general) were way too obvious. If someone comes in through the bathroom window, you don't need to announce it! If you are familiar with the song, you'll get the reference. Same with the bit with the silver hammer.

I do agree with your points about the visuals, however. They were a lot of fun, and I'm a huge fan of trippy filmmaking no matter what context it's in. Also, regarding the casting, I adore Eddie Izzard, and he was my favorite part of this film. His scene was excellent!

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:52:30 +0000

Let me be the first one to disagree with all of you. Yes, this movie was entertaining but compared to what this movie could have been it wasn't very good at all, just a montage of music videos filmed to shitty covers of beatles songs. Plus joe cocker sucks.

By: Penelope Wise

Penelope Wise — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:59:28 +0000

I couldn't agree with this review more- compare the utter shit that gets churned out and this is a hidden gem which will get bigger as the years go by. All you mamma mia lovers out there be ashamed be very ashamed.

By: izzy

izzy — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:49:45 +0000

I think what I was trying to say in my previous post is that I wonder as to how it'll be received in the future, possibly like Yellow Submarine, but if that film had an extra chromosome

By: izzy

izzy — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:44:29 +0000

I enjoy this movie, it makes me feel warm inside on rare occasions, but I don't think I can honestly defend it and this is coming from a *huge* beatles fan who loves to throw on 1978's Peter Frampton/Bee Gees' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band flick to get freaked out a bit. The existence of the Sgt. Pepper movie has and probably still clouds my judgement of Across the Universe for better or worse.

Across the Universe does have some really fuckin' clever shot design and cuts but I can't shake the feeling this is like RENT: episode 1 – 1967. Instead of AIDS our young upstarts are faced with stereotypical '60s social angst and newsflash fodder… ugh am I that bitter?

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:09:37 +0000

Oh yeas…I too loved this film! Greatness! But, if you don't see it on the big screen you are indeed robbing yourself.