Across The Universe - Videokarma.org TV - Video

soundmotor · #1 03-31-2008, 04:48 PM

Since nothing yet has been posted on this movie, I'll bet most here had the same initial reaction to the plot outline that I did if you had any reaction at all, invisible as the film was. A 1960's Summer of Love, love story set to the Beatles catalog with an unknown cast directed by a Broadway icon with Viet Nam coursing along in the background.

So last fall my daughter wanted to take 3 of her 13YO friends to it for her birthday. She was very excited to see it but the film came & went so fast in the theater we did not see it there. (Boy, do I wish that was not so.) It finally came out a few weeks back and my wife snagged it out of the local redbox. When asked if I wanted to watch it with them I of course said "No effing way." and went on about my business. About 2/3 of the way through the film I couldn't take it anymore. I kept hearing great covers of Beatles tunes over & over. Finally I went downstairs and watched the last 30 minutes. When it ended, I watched it from the beginning. The next night I watched it again.

My sister is 12 years older than me and graduated HS in 1967. She was in the thick of the counterculture right on through having a drafted boyfriend who went to Viet Nam and was injured there. I can recall being dragged around Haight-Ashbury by her when I was younger to some places that seem incredible to me now that I was there to begin with. In some odd way I saw this film through her eyes. It really came across to me the way I recall her reactions to events that were depicted in the film which likely influenced why I liked it. In any case, I like it a lot. Visually it is a treat, the covers are fine, and some of the imagery set to them is spectacular! Not since "The Wall" or "Stop Making Sense" have I seen a music based film I've enjoyed as much as this one and it will likely be my first Blu-Ray purchase.

butch4695 · #2 03-31-2008, 05:04 PM

bought it , loved it , watched it two days in a row , and will probably watch it again soon or at least the music scenes . really liked " Let It Be " .

walkandtalk · #3 03-31-2008, 05:11 PM

My sis is a big Beatle fan, and she bought the SD DVD recently. I was eager to see the movie since I missed it at the theater. I agree that the story was ok, and the imagery was great. Comparing the draft intake scene with "The Wall" gave me chills. My only complaint was that I kept getting frustrated by not hearing whole songs.

Solution? New copies of Abbey Road, etc. They sound nice on the Bozaks...

whyaskit · #4 03-31-2008, 05:16 PM

To me, it was like a string of music videos that happen to make astory. Overall I really liked it, thought the Joe Cocker cover was really good.

Robie · #5 03-31-2008, 05:21 PM

I had kind of the same reaction as Soundmotor. I have a slightly older sister who was a Beatles fan and exposed me to all of their music.

It is a very good movie visually and certainly worth a watch. An ambitious plot that attempts to chronicle the '60s and '70s.

I was reluctant to watch it primarily because I was convinced I did not need to hear another Beatles song again. No offense intended to you Beatle fans. It is great, great music, but far too overplayed over the last 40 or so years for my taste.

However, hearing these exceptional songs by other artists makes them sound very fresh. Made me more appreciative of what amazing music the Beatles made. Definitely worth seeing.

Art K. · #6 04-13-2008, 01:18 AM

I bought it skeptically....loved it!

soundmotor · #7 04-14-2008, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Art K.

I bought it skeptically....loved it!

I raved about it to two of my coworkers, both having the same "Riiiiiiiight....!" reaction. Both saw it, both came back into working commenting how much they enjoyed it and one also bought the DVD. Yet...this film remains somewhat underground. Over the weekend I was talking to a few different people about music & film and none of them had heard of it, all are engaged, & all are Beatles and/or music fans.

MisterFishey · #8 04-14-2008, 06:00 PM

As an avid Beatles fan, I was sort of skeptical at the movie, seeing as the last Beatles-themed motion picture was one of the greatest box office failures of the century. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, anyone?

(I have actually seen it, and it was horrible. Actually, that's an understatement.)

Back to the main topic. Unlike most people, I was actually expecting a really mediocre story line crudely strung together by Beatles songs with really dazzling visuals. So it was exactly what I expected (and kind of wanted) it to be. The one part that really struck me was the overall quality of the singing used in the movie. In virtually every rock musical I have seen, there has been one bad voice that ruins the whole thing. Case in point: Tommy! Tommy's father's singing voice is atrocious. Jesus Christ Superstar! Most of the cast's voices were rather weak. Kudos for great voices!

My favorite scene was I Want You (She's So Heavy) - great visuals with lots of not-so-subtle political commentary. The music overall was nice, and not redone in a crude way, very sincere. The story also didn't revolve around the songs in a contrived way, which I really appreciated. For example: There was a character named Doctor Robert without the song Doctor Robert being in the movie. Ditto for Sadie, and the song Sexie Sadie. The All You Need Is Love ending was cliche, IMO, but hey! You can't have everything...

Mark W. · #9 04-14-2008, 11:42 PM

We rented it We loved it

thedelihaus · #10 04-17-2008, 02:27 AM

Glad to hear this. I'll move it up on my Netflix immediately.

bordeno · #11 04-17-2008, 04:31 AM

Very entertaining. Rented it, may buy it. Really enjoyed the three main characters, particularly the Brit.

soundmotor · #12 04-17-2008, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterFishey

My favorite scene was I Want You (She's So Heavy) - great visuals with lots of not-so-subtle political commentary.

I've never been a fan of contrived political overtones in film, just serve up the story straight please sans agenda. What made this film, and this scene* in particular, different (to me) was it seemed an accurate reflection of how the generation most affected by Viet Nam (or who felt they were) saw what was happening.

I recall friends of my sister talking about trying for deferments or joining the Air National Guard, and the depression her group had when someone from it was drafted. Even the boots on the ground scene with the Statue of Liberty was good. I remember how my sister talked about the US military might crushing that little country of agrarian pacifists; her words not mine. So, this film may resonate with some more than others and based directly on where you were during this time period.

*My all time favorite draft induction scene is found in "Big Wednesday".

2DualsNotEnough · #13 11-24-2008, 09:34 AM

I had created a thread about a year ago showing mock horror after seeing the preview in a theater.I saw the movie in the theater anyway,since Im a big Beatles fan.I enjoyed a lot of it,even if I thought the story was very heavy handed.My favorite scene was the "Ive just seen a face" number in the bowling alley.Im about 10 years to young to have related to a lot of the things that happened,but the whole story arc with Prudence I could relate to since I knew many people growing up in Los Angeles that went through that-closeted through nessecity usually,with a series of terrible relationships until the lightbulb finally went on.
Jimmy

ozmoid · #14 11-24-2008, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whyaskit

To me, it was like a string of music videos that happen to make astory. Overall I really liked it, thought the Joe Cocker cover was really good.

Apt description. Excellent versions of the music, much better overall (storyline) than I was expecting. Bought it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robie

I was reluctant to watch it primarily because I was convinced I did not need to hear another Beatles song again. No offense intended to you Beatle fans. It is great, great music, but far too overplayed over the last 40 or so years for my taste.

However, hearing these exceptional songs by other artists makes them sound very fresh. Made me more appreciative of what amazing music the Beatles made. Definitely worth seeing.

Excellent reaction - even for a dyed-in-the-wool fan

, good fresh versions of the songs are always welcome, and can be very illuminating.

MichaelJ · #15 11-24-2008, 02:09 PM

My 21 year old step daughter never liked the Beatles. She thought anything that was recorded that long ago wasn't worth listening to. We rented the film about 6 months back when she was home from college. Now she's a huge fan and has had me record everything I have for her including "Beatle" solo work. We all enjoyed the film and better yet, it made her a fan.