I recently saw the film "Across the Universe," which is a history of the 1960s that uses the music of the Beatles to navigate its way through the decade.
I have read several outstanding reviews of the film, including a four-star review from Roger Ebert in the "Chicago Sun Times." However, the film didn't reach me to that degree. It was a film where the sum of the parts just did not equal a whole.
The film was well made and is quite visually striking. The acting was good, and the singing was first rate. So, what was the problem?
I am a big-time Beatles' fan, and I have been disappointed in the past by artists who have tried to interpret their music. I think this is where the film went wrong for me. While sitting there watching it, I couldn't stop thinking that I wished they had just used the Beatles' music instead of letting actors interpret it.
The music sounded too "Broadway" to me. Don’t get me wrong; Broadway plays are an exciting form of entertainment. In this case, merging this style with the Beatles didn't work for me.
Then again, the problem may be me because everybody I know who has seen it has liked it a lot. So keep that in mind.
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1 comment:
"[I]nstead of letting actors interpret it."
Exactly why I have no intention of viewing the new Bob Dylan biopic, which features male and female actors assuming the role of Dylan.
What dumb bee-yotch can feign stepping into Dy
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