Beatles fans should be ashamed

The only response I can really make to this is that I went into ATU with the knowledge that these renditions of the Beatles' music were going to vastly pale in comparison to the originals. Considering the all-around renown and implied expectation of greatness that comes with the source material, and taking the above consideration into account, I would say the actors did a fairly decent job with the music.

While they didn't do as terrific a job bringing the turmoil of a bygone age to this one, I was kept well enough enthralled by the imagery used during the musical sequences. One of the things that distracted me from the so-so musical performances were the grandiose reinterpreting of the songs that I had never thought of before. The best example of this, I think, is the "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" sequence. I never would have thought of that as a military recruitment song...and who knows what the lads of Liverpool were thinking when they wrote it? At least for me, it all boggles the mind. I think this reimagining was where Taymor was going with the musical sequences, which is why it lacks a good amount of the elements you listed.

I can see why you'd have a problem with that (i.e if you're going to use someone's music, do them respect of using it as they would), but personally, what the creators of Across the Universe have done with my favorite songs of all time has gotten me thinking about them in whole new ways, enhancing the experience of listening to the originals. And that can't be entirely bad.



I rather liked Baines. We shared the same bootmaker.

Sadly it seems that you may have missed the point of this movie!

ATU was a love story set in a time of great turmoil and used the timeless music of the Beatles as a means to tell that story. Was it mean't to be a Beatles revival? Not hardly!

While I didn't like how they staged some of the musical numbers I think this was an entertaining movie that offered an interesting perspective on an ugly time in American history.

It's unfortunate that many of the most myopic Beatles fans look upon this movie as a slap in the face to the group that they've cannonized in their minds.

I agree with you, this movie shames me, it seems that those who are casual Beatles fans or people who don't like the Beatles but like movies or musicals are the ones who truly enjoy this thing.

Across the Universe is the worst Musical i've ever watched - in spite of its wonderful soundtrack.

Get off the high horse. So you didn't like it. Good for you, it's your prerogative. But don't you dare pontificate and call me a liar because I happen, indeed, to have cared about the characters and the way in which the music was used to tell this story.

"Thank you, thank you--you're most kind. In fact you're every kind."

I'm a huge Beatles fan and loved the movie.

Growing up, The Beatles were playing in the house all the time. It was music my parents and brothers and I could all enjoy. I have several original vinyls, had the laserdisc (remember those?) documentary, am now repurchasing the catalog in the form of the remastered stereo and mono discs, etc. My family are true fans, and the music has been the bedrock of my life's soundtrack.

When things are this dear to us, we have a tendency to make them our own by assuming some kind of guardianship or authority over them; and I'm no exception. I watched the movie when my wife was out, swearing never to admit to anybody that I had. I just knew it was going to be horrible; but I didn't want to judge something without actually seeing/hearing it.

If I never watched the movie again, I would still enjoy the soundtrack. The reinterpretations here were not at all what I expected, and would simply never have occurred to me. But I loved them. They were respectful. Cheeky? Teasing? Self-indulgent even? Sure; but I thought the music consistently treated the source material honorably.

There are purists among us for whom only the original material is acceptable, and for whom any "reinterpretation" is an insult. If you are one of those people, you are certainly entitled to your outlook; but you're not entitled to dictate that I hold the same.

I thought it was great. I thought it was respectful to The Beatles; and for what it's worth, so did Sir Paul.

Sure the Beatles music is definitely a factor that attracted a lot of people, especially my friends and me, but of course there's no way every Beatles fan is going to love this movie. I did, and so did my friends, and my brother, who's not quite as big a Beatles fan, likes it more than he cares to admit. It's not trying to be a movie about The Beatles. The songs aren't even put forth of covers - they're used in a musical, theatrical setting, so they're going to have different presentation and different power. If anyone has seen Moulin Rouge, they know that songs like "Like a Virgin" aren't covers, they're theatrical parts of the story. It's not fair to criticize the music as being a "cover", because that's not what they're doing. They're not even trying to rival the original songs, they're just trying to represent them in the context of a movie-musical. Many people who do love the songs in this movie have listened to the albums and watched the movies, some before the movie and some after.

I'd hardly consider the performances "lackluster". This is a cast with some serious vocal power, and visually, some of these sequences were amazing.

Please don't act like there's no way Beatles fans can like this movie and actually care about the story and characters. People in this thread have already proved that wrong, and Paul McCartney screened it with the director and was singing along under his breath and when she asked him if there was anything he liked, he said, "What's not to like?" And it's a musical. Of course the scenes were meant, in part, to set up the musical sequences. Scenes and songs work together in musicals hand-in-hand to build a story and characters. There's plenty of appeal and emotional investment in this movie, I just don't think you're open to it. Beatles purists need to settle down.

I think you are an idiot