ACROSS THE UNIVERSE -- Julie Taymor, dir

©2007
studio: Sony Pictures
production company: Revolution Studios, Team Todd, Gross Entertainment, Prologue Films
director: Julie Taymor
cast: Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson (VI), Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther (II), T.V. Carpio, Bill Irwin, Joe Cocker, Bono, Eddie Izzard, Salma Hayek
screenplay: Dick Clement (screenplay) & Ian La Frenais (screenplay), Julie Taymor (story) & Dick Clement (story) & Ian La Frenais (story)


The music of the Beatles and the Vietnam War form the backdrop for the romance between an upper-class American girl and a poor Liverpudlian artist. [imdb.com]

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I knew that creating plays based on a series of music by an artist or group was quite the rage, but I wasn't familiar with the same being done for films. When I heard about this, I was rather excited. Beatles music. Love it! Julie Taymor direction. Love it!

Unfortunately, this film fails to succeed. I don't mind the variations on the music. Although jarring at times due to their uniqueness, it tends to work. The problem here is 1) trying to create a cohesive story around the music of the Beatles. Cohesive being the key word. And 2) combining the allegorical and very creative direction with the cohesive story.

Some of Taymor's images are absolutely outstanding! Nearly every aspect of the Army induction scene works so well. from the Plastic-looking soldiers, the great choreography of the dance, to the wild, almost Monty Python/Terry Gilliam-like imagery. But then it goes on a tad too long. And while Eddie Izzard is fantastic and the Blue Apple Pickers dance is a whole lot of fun, the scene doesn't blend in well with the rest of the movie.

On an individual basis, all works well, but mixed together, it is flat, wandering, obtuse.