Popdose - Latest Comments in How Bad Can It Be?: “Across the Universe”

Re: How Bad Can It Be?: “Across the Universe”

Rob — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:15:30 -0000

I'm with you, dHardy.

I thought the reimagining made this movie, On my blog a while back, I compared and contrasted this movie to the true disaster that was "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (the 1978 movie, not the album). It was an unfair comparison, to say the least.

This is a musical, people. And it's supposed to be over the top and unbelievable – but it should also take your breath away. That's what this movie does for me. The way most of these songs were staged just blew me away. I mean, not just having Joe Cocker sing "Come Together" (truly genius) but have him play three different characters during the course of the song? Wow. How creative.

Look how fantastical all the "classic" movie musicals of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly were. Would you call those surreal ballet sequences at the end of both "An American in Paris" or "Singing in the Rain" train wrecks? No, because they were a beautiful reimagining of familiar songs. Which is what Taymor did, 21st century style. I agree that there were some bad decisions along the way (the character of Prudence was, on the whole, a mistake) but it gave me a new visual window to the songs I've grown to love.

Plus, I really became a big fan of the Jimi Hendrix stand-in, Martin Luther, who has released some cool retro-soul stuff in the vein of John Legend and Ryan Shaw.

Re: How Bad Can It Be?: “Across the Universe”

dhardy — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:26:13 -0000

I am on the lower side of baby boomer age. Loved the Beatles, and have an enduring fondness - but not obsession.

I loved this movie. LOVED it! for the chances it took, the re-spinning of the songs and the eye popping imagery. A few of the songs didn't work, but that's what goes with taking chances (i hated I Want to Hold Your Hand). I have been pressing all my friends to watch this.. Gorgeous.

Re: How Bad Can It Be?: “Across the Universe”

DwDunphy — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:38:16 -0000

I haven't seen it and, even under your advisement, I'm still not sure if I want to. I'm not a Beatle-holic, but as a student of pop music in general, there is a part of me that doesn't want these songs recontextualized, period... And especially not in some bizarro Waters/Floydian/Wall-ian way either.

Re: How Bad Can It Be?: “Across the Universe”

JonCummings — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:25:25 -0000

I believe your response was the typical one--"Gosh, that was awful, but I had a great time!" Mine was the same.

As for the (meager) audience the film scared up, I remember a newspaper article a few weeks after the movie came out, talking about how teenage girls were "discovering" it because of Jim Sturgess' earnest, not-too-threatening sex appeal. Whether that was studio marketing geniuses blowing smoke up our asses or the real thing, such was the story--though, obviously, not too many teenyboppers (or anyone else) made the discovery.

Re: How Bad Can It Be?: “Across the Universe”

BobCashill — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:21:10 -0000

A friend of mine is a dancer in the picture, under heavy costumes. He was supposed to work a few weeks on the film, and ended up doing six months, enabling him to buy his home. He loves Julie Taymor.

Re: How Bad Can It Be?: “Across the Universe”

kshane — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:57:41 -0000

Like you, I enjoyed this film, and also like you I think it's something of a train wreck. In my opinion, it's Taymor's prodigious talent that saved it.