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Topic: Beatles "Across the Universe" Movie Return to archive
22nd March 2008 05:21 AM
Prodigal Son Now I know what the Beatle-haters think naturally, but I want to know what those who like them think of this film from last year. I finally saw it tonight with my brother and I nearly hated it. I couldn't bring myself to hate it because the actors were trying with the aimless material, it looked nice and some, I repeat some, of the covers were good (Joe Cocker being a great example). But the movie makes Broadway plays look sensical.

I like musicals but not all. I liked "Chicago" but not for its stupid songs and I liked how the music meshed with the story in "Sweeney Todd." But this "Across the Universe" felt so surrealistic, so contrived and so much like one big music video that I couldn't wait for it to end. The songs are just there to tie the often ridiculous plotlines together and progress the cheesy love story not well expressed by mere trite lyrics or Beatle anthems. Plot, story development and characterization was all so goddamn off.

Everyone was some generic portrayal of what people think 60s kids were like. And they still seemed like pretentious, hipster whiners with no brains in their head. Worse yet, they have characters based on Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix that make you think the two were luckier to have died than seen themselves portrayed as two idol-esque wannabe rockers (ok the Jimi guy wasn't bad, just not cool or wild enough- almost like a guitar-wanking Jack Johnson take-off). It almost made me sick of the Beatles and I felt like Johnny Rotten by the end, hating the 60s for its self-congratulatory, self-indulgent, ego-stroking, drug-infested euphoria.

Boy I bet he would hate this claptrap. It was cartoonishly presented as one giant peacefest where "The Man" just wouldn't let the young folks change the world because of its violence, war and police beatings. It makes the "Woodstock" film look like a low-key gathering. Pure art and no substance. I'd give it *1/2 out of five honestly. If they made a movie like this set to Stones music, I'd be even more pissed because I'm used to mass media trying to use the Beatles music as a marketing tool to make me not like them.

It's gotten so bad that I don't even listen to their music much anymore. Too many other bands and artists left to discover. If we all spent our time over-analyzing the Beatles, there'd be no time for other artists. Sadly, it's this baby boomer hype machine that unfortunately is really overusing the Beatle legacy. Lennon would probably be ashamed at some of this. I've noticed the most wretched stuff has come out since George died. He'd probably disown this film and go into meditation after the first 20 minutes.

Only the most pie-in-the-sky hippies or modern day leftie music lovers think the Beatles music somehow was the driving force in their movement and protesting Vietnam, etc. A million other bands were directly confronting it, like Country Joe or the MC5. Beatles write ONE song about revolution or protest and they get that reputation. It seems unfair. My god, they were huge and all but people to this day pretend they are some kind of God-like messiahs and they were only around for 7-8 years. The film was also like 2 hours which only compounded my suffering. 80% of it is musical vignettes of the most abstract and retarded variety. Oh and instead of Apple Corps, the guy comes up with a painting to base some company off of, get this... Strawberry Jams. Oh the humour.

So many sly references to Beatles stuff. One scene where this lesbo Asian chick named Prudence climbs in to their apartment, has the main guy telling them that "She came in through the bathroom window." Anyone could've written that shit! Ooo I know, then they could've heard banging from upstairs as one of their angry neighbours tells them to turn down the volume. Then one guy could go "That mean mr. mustard. Such a dirty old man!" BRILLIANCE! See how easy it is.

I know how to make a quick $. I need to write a Stones movie with a bunch of songs an references like someone comes running in and explains where he was, saying "Something happened to me, something so groovy. Something happened to me yesterday." It'll have the characters Amanda Jones, Lady Jane, Ruby Tuesday, Dandelion, 2000 Man, Jumpin Jack Flash, Downtown Suzie, Parachute Woman, Street Fighting Man, Jiving Sister Fanny, Turner, Monkey Man, those whores from "Live with Me," Sister Morphine, Sweet Virginia, Angie, Negrita, Factory Girl, The Spider, The Fly and others. Wow, that would suck most likely. But not as much as ATU.

The whole thing made me sicker of nostalgia than that awful Paul McCartney tour video where they trumph him and his music up to be some kind of Beethoven-like genius as he massacres "Magical Mystery Tour" or some other odd choice for an oldie. Eeer, not so genius anymore after Wings got going. I love people who say if not for the Beatles, Wings would be seen as one of the greatest pop bands and McCartney's solo work as amazing. Uuuh, no. It would only graduate from the ranks of mediocre to average. That's like saying if Ringo hadn't been the Beatles drummer, no one would be saying his albums sucked. Uuuh, yes they would.

Ever tried listening to Ringo's Rotogravure or Ringo the 4th? Even George had spotty moments and Lennon's Sometime in NYC would be a bad album even for a guy who never was in the Beatles. Music can only be given a verbal blowjob so much until even I want to puke. If people talked about the Clash like some kind of divine force that unites people of all generations in peace, love and togetherness, I'd feel different about the Clash. But they make you wanna rock, dance around, groove and just think about the world we live in.

The Beatles never made me question things in that way. They were just a unique inventive band that made prime pop and rock music. Not messiahs and leaders of some great generation. Anyway, my point is this ATU movie bothered me. A lot of people praise it and for what I don't know. Meh, I can see how teenage girls like it. The songs are given pop idol/emo touches and the actors are all good-looking. On the surface, pretty. Under the surface, shite! Me done for the night,
Prodigal Son
[Edited by Prodigal Son]
22nd March 2008 09:32 AM
fireontheplatter i'll wait for it to come out on dvd and then hit the library and get it for free.
23rd March 2008 05:58 PM
Brainbell Jangler Prodigal;
Did you forget to get high before you watched the movie?
24th March 2008 12:16 PM
nanatod
quote:
Prodigal Son wrote:
Now I know what the Beatle-haters think naturally, but I want to know what those who like them think of this film from last year....Anyway, my point is this ATU movie bothered me. A lot of people praise it and for what I don't know. Meh, I can see how teenage girls like it. The songs are given pop idol/emo touches and the actors are all good-looking. On the surface, pretty. Under the surface, shite!


My opinion is the polar opposite of yours, Prodigal.

I and my girlfriend actually enjoyed the movie a lot when we saw it on dvd recently.

However, unlike you, I have come to the belief, and that belief has been strengthed in the years ensuing since the Beatles brokeup, that the Beatles suck. And, that goes double for anything that McCartney has done on his own.

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