2008 Woodie Awards
'Across the Universe' has all the love you need
By: Caitlin Foyt
Issue date: 10/15/07 Section: Lifeline
- Page 1 of 1
Cramming 33 Beatles songs into one movie sounds like it would be inconceivable.
Yet somehow, visionary Julie Taymor creates a musical epic. One that tells the story of a star crossed romance and then follows those characters through the major events of the '60s counterculture revolution - the explosion of rock music, LSD and the anti-war movement.
And it's The Beatles lyrics that tell the story.
Jude (Jim Sturgess), comes to America from Liverpool and meets a girl named Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood).
Yes, even the characters are named after Beatles songs - "Hey Jude," "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." Other main characters are named Prudence, Sadie, JoJo and Maxwell.
The friends live through the most significant events of the era, their emotions depicted through song.
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" is sung by Prudence (T.V. Carpio) who expresses her love for another girl, symbolizing the release of the sexual revolution.
In a scene that has to be the most realistic movie acid trip of all time, Bono (Yes, that Bono) plays a psychadelic visionary when he sings "I am the Walrus."
The audience is always aware of what Jude is feeling. When he loses Lucy to her anti-war efforts, he sings "Revolution" and the audience can see his vexation; When his inspiration comes to life and the artist awakes, he sings "Strawberry Fields Forever."
At first, it is kind of awkward.
These nameless strangers are singing the music composed by the most loved rock band of all time.
And then there is a sort of inconsistency between scenes with music and those without. About half way through the feature, though, the two eventually integrate more naturally.
The characters can each sing and dance and in such a way that puts a twist on The Beatles own style. They take the band's music and make it their own.
Some of the surreal sequences don't carry the same power, but for the most part, the movie is bold and sweeps the audience with it's spunk and uncanny respect.
Four out of five stars
Yet somehow, visionary Julie Taymor creates a musical epic. One that tells the story of a star crossed romance and then follows those characters through the major events of the '60s counterculture revolution - the explosion of rock music, LSD and the anti-war movement.
And it's The Beatles lyrics that tell the story.
Jude (Jim Sturgess), comes to America from Liverpool and meets a girl named Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood).
Yes, even the characters are named after Beatles songs - "Hey Jude," "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." Other main characters are named Prudence, Sadie, JoJo and Maxwell.
The friends live through the most significant events of the era, their emotions depicted through song.
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" is sung by Prudence (T.V. Carpio) who expresses her love for another girl, symbolizing the release of the sexual revolution.
In a scene that has to be the most realistic movie acid trip of all time, Bono (Yes, that Bono) plays a psychadelic visionary when he sings "I am the Walrus."
The audience is always aware of what Jude is feeling. When he loses Lucy to her anti-war efforts, he sings "Revolution" and the audience can see his vexation; When his inspiration comes to life and the artist awakes, he sings "Strawberry Fields Forever."
At first, it is kind of awkward.
These nameless strangers are singing the music composed by the most loved rock band of all time.
And then there is a sort of inconsistency between scenes with music and those without. About half way through the feature, though, the two eventually integrate more naturally.
The characters can each sing and dance and in such a way that puts a twist on The Beatles own style. They take the band's music and make it their own.
Some of the surreal sequences don't carry the same power, but for the most part, the movie is bold and sweeps the audience with it's spunk and uncanny respect.
Four out of five stars
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