Indian movies have the standard of having five to six songs regardless of the nature of the film. Musical in other world is quite different. I did not see “Chicago” or “Moulin Rouge!” or “Dream Girls” but I watched “Once” which a different musical of its own is. “Across the Universe” is the first official branded musical I watched and it was not good. It had its colour and cheers but soon faded off into a lethargic motion of melodrama.
The time period the story set is the sixties and how the young and energetic Jude (Jim Sturgess) falls for Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood). It is a Beatles mania with the twist of change in handling of vocals and in some case mood itself. Beatles songs are all easy going and relaxing. It does not take much of a discovery path in to the darkness. Which is the reason they attracted and pulled in much wide range of listeners. Even in the current trend of music lovers, their variety and diversity in handling the mood across it is a musical exuberance. I liked the initial introduction and how Max (Joe Anderson) and Jude get along, the thanksgiving dinner in Max’s family where Jude meets his sister Lucy, their travel to New York and those happy days. It worked nicely because it reflected the mood and style of the Beatles as such, as I explained before. It is a happy land with beauty and youth bubbling out.
The disaster creeps out in mellowed fashion when the attempt of paving loss and pain into this sweet tale of two lovers. The songs become dull and I agree on the reasoning behind it. When the expression of sadness is expected, it should hit the viewers. It should not make them think why there is a stagnant stale mate of events in the screen. In fact I was even able to bear when the group takes on the crazy bus ride where we get to hear and see Bono of U2 sing “I am the Walrus”. It takes its slow demise after that. I stopped feeling for the characters of Jude, Lucy, Max, and every other associated with them.
And the colour and energy did not liven up as it is aimed for. If for the take of war and its hatred causing the fall of humanity is the focus, the mentality of Max in some good songs would have elevated it. Max’s war sequences are used as a way of distraction and a common distress with other characters. And the fight which separates the lovers can be as childish, low and stupid to be possible to be precise. Or is the genre of musical is prone to have the clichés of these kinds as it is expected in blockbuster summer mindless action movies? Even then it is how the film sets the expectation as the minute goes by than a settled moviegoer.
Director Julie Taymour’s attempt in giving an ensemble display of colourful themes with the cheering quality of Beatles’ sweet snippets of relaxing simplicities is a good idea but fails to carry it all across the movie. Even for a Beatles fan it would be hard to embrace the whole film to relate with the scenes, emotions or colour. I would not give up on musical but “Across the Universe” is a bad start for me.
The time period the story set is the sixties and how the young and energetic Jude (Jim Sturgess) falls for Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood). It is a Beatles mania with the twist of change in handling of vocals and in some case mood itself. Beatles songs are all easy going and relaxing. It does not take much of a discovery path in to the darkness. Which is the reason they attracted and pulled in much wide range of listeners. Even in the current trend of music lovers, their variety and diversity in handling the mood across it is a musical exuberance. I liked the initial introduction and how Max (Joe Anderson) and Jude get along, the thanksgiving dinner in Max’s family where Jude meets his sister Lucy, their travel to New York and those happy days. It worked nicely because it reflected the mood and style of the Beatles as such, as I explained before. It is a happy land with beauty and youth bubbling out.
The disaster creeps out in mellowed fashion when the attempt of paving loss and pain into this sweet tale of two lovers. The songs become dull and I agree on the reasoning behind it. When the expression of sadness is expected, it should hit the viewers. It should not make them think why there is a stagnant stale mate of events in the screen. In fact I was even able to bear when the group takes on the crazy bus ride where we get to hear and see Bono of U2 sing “I am the Walrus”. It takes its slow demise after that. I stopped feeling for the characters of Jude, Lucy, Max, and every other associated with them.
And the colour and energy did not liven up as it is aimed for. If for the take of war and its hatred causing the fall of humanity is the focus, the mentality of Max in some good songs would have elevated it. Max’s war sequences are used as a way of distraction and a common distress with other characters. And the fight which separates the lovers can be as childish, low and stupid to be possible to be precise. Or is the genre of musical is prone to have the clichés of these kinds as it is expected in blockbuster summer mindless action movies? Even then it is how the film sets the expectation as the minute goes by than a settled moviegoer.
Director Julie Taymour’s attempt in giving an ensemble display of colourful themes with the cheering quality of Beatles’ sweet snippets of relaxing simplicities is a good idea but fails to carry it all across the movie. Even for a Beatles fan it would be hard to embrace the whole film to relate with the scenes, emotions or colour. I would not give up on musical but “Across the Universe” is a bad start for me.
2 comments:
Not much good said about this movie, I had such high hopes.
Sorry Stace :-) ! I did not like it but taste differs rite :-).
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