In the last few weeks I have seen two movies that use the Beatles anthology as soundtracks. The first film, "I am Sam" was decent once I got over the whole Sean Penn is mentally challenged thing. (sidenote: I have a hard time with actors pretending to be mental. Reference the abomination entitled "The Other Sister". I broke up with a girl because she loved it.) The second film, "Across the Universe" is a visual musical based on the 60’s “experience”. Despite some plot holes including a bizarre side story of an Asian lesbian singing “I want to hold your hand” to a fellow cheerleader, I liked it, too.
Here is the rub.
How do I really know whether I liked the films or the epic Beatles music accompanying them? See I love the Beatles, period. My recurring thoughts during both films was, “Those Brits are amazing… how many freakishly good songs did they create?”
Is my suspense that Sean Penn gets his daughter Dakota Fanning back or that I can hear Ben Harper cover “Strawberry Fields?”
Is my anticipation that Jude and Lucy get back together or the chance that they might sing “All you need is love” upon reuniting?
Regardless I have realized that it would be easy to disguise a lousy movie by having great music playing throughout. I may never know whether these movies are actually good but in the meantime my house is full of humming Beatles tunes and the occasional lyric.
In fact, Heidi is sitting on the couch behind me as I type this and twice now she has spontaneously sung in her cute hushed voice, “Nothings gonna change my world.”
(I heard on the news yesterday that the pedestrian on the right standing in the back ground passed away yesterday. You can click on the picture to see it bigger. It's a pretty cool story, he discovered after the fact it was him and became a pseudo celebrity in England. Rest in peace Abbey Road pedestrian. You are immortalized on one of the most famous photos in history.)
17 comments:
Those Brits are freakishly amazing. Let me put a plug in for "Across the Universe." I loved the music, (although John Connors does the best "I've Just Seen A Face" cover EVER! Look for his CD in 2008...right John?) I would give anything to be able to belt out some Beatles tunes like Jim Sturgess.
I acutally have purposely opted NOT to see that movie because I worried it would hurt the music if it wasn't good enough. Silly me...don't I know by now Beatles music overcomes a lot....see, I have the same problem with actors playing mentally challenged people as well.
I've also been thinking about the Beatles lately because Hamilton and I have danced to Revolver about a dozen times...calms him down like a dream!
I just saw a typo...sorry.
ACTUALLY
Really? Across the Universe was good?
i haven't seen it, I think I would get bored, that kinda stuff is hard for me to watch/enjoy.
I am kinda sad though that Mom and Dad didn't raise us with Beatles music. Shame on them. I had to learn about it from friends and you, trav.
hahah. I remember when we went to disneyland and you had us watch that cover band for like an hour. Oh bless you Travis, bless you.
i felt the same way about the oc at first. but, as it turns out, I loved the oc for so much more than the music. so much more...
You know what, I loved Across the Universe, and as a fellow Beatles fan I can see how you could think that. However I really liked Across the Universe, I think it was really well done, and since the whole focus of the movie was on the music of the beatles, even if that is the only reason you liked it, it was the biggest draw for people. Besides there are a lot of movie people like more just because of the music. I bet half as many people would like Moulin Rouge if it didn't have the music it did/
Is there a movie based on Skynard now that is something i could sink my teeth into
heidi- you're freakishly amazing and in love with Jim Sturgess. I wish I were a greasy brit with nice pipes!
Kalex-hamster likes revolver... nice. Which song is his fav?
Whit-you would get bored and eventually would run out of things to make fun of:)
ashley-what russell crowe jr.'s hot bod?
jacko-thanks for commenting period. I am surprised you were able to type from your death bed.
matt-you are something I could sink my teeth into.
are you drinking my milkshake yet?
It is not a piece of poo! It is quali-tay. You just don't like it because everyone thinks it is like the most philosophical, spiritual movie and reads to much into it. I just like it because it's different, and I really like Drew Barrymore's character in the movie.
I'm just making your milk shake right now. This milk shake will be better than any oreo or rasberry shake i ever made at the trolley.
Hey Trav. I must say that we are friends for a reason. Cam would never have his own blog let alone post such a random deep thinking thought. It is great to have friends like you guys. Sure wish that we lived close to you guys.
Wait a minute here...The Other Sister...an abomination? I believe the actual word you were looking for was masterpiece.
As perhaps the only person involved in all these blogs who has actually seen a Beatle (George Harrison standing in line for the Matterhorn at Disneyland when I was a teenageer), not to mention watching their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show,I feel I must respond to this discussion.
(George, by the way, was sporting his bearded, long-haired "All Things Must Pass" look, but without the lawn gnomes, so he was hard to recognize. We had nodded to one another as we passed in line, but when I was looking right in his eyes, I suddenly recognized him. My face must have betrayed my sudden revelation because George just smiled a little smile at me and nodded his head slightly. It wasn't exactly like seeing God, but it was pretty close.)
John Connors' cover of "I've Just Seen a Face" is, indeed, brilliant, with no apologies to Paul McCartney. I just downloaded Richie Havens' live cover of "Here Comes the Sun." Check it out if you haven't heard it. It's terrific.
However, there are more terrible covers or adaptations of Beatles songs than good ones, so be careful. For example, that "Love" show on Broadway and in Vegas quite simply sucks.
[Aside: Right now I'm trying to restrain myself from cursing that freak Michael Jackson who owns quite a bit of the Beatles catalog. Until he sells it back to McCartney his life will continue to be hell and his plastic surgeries will continue to unravel before his very eyes. God doesn't like to be mocked.]
Nevertheless, I think that the songs are out there for anyone to mess around with. As John Lennon once sang, "Whatever Gets You Through the Night Is Alright." However, that doesn't mean that everyone's messing about with the Beatles is of equal value. I think we need to be judicious in our listening and viewing of Beatles-themed productions.
Finally, here's the big reason why I'll never, ever see the film that takes its title from the greatest song Lennon ever wrote, "Across the Universe":
I much prefer the memories of my own life, lived largely to a Beatles soundtrack, to anyone else's production.
P.S. I'm also grateful that when i stand before the judgment bar of God, He won't have to ask me why I didn't teach my children and grandchildren about the Beatles.
I've been excitedly searching back blogs for dad's new comments...I've been QUITE rewarded. I love this one especially (never get tired of the George Harrison story), and I'm VERY glad you taught us about the Beatles!!
Phil's comment needs its own comment link. What a return!
p.s. the fact that George Harrison was standing in line makes me like him even more.
I wish I had read this story before I went to disney last week. I could have used the "if george did it I can do it too" encouragement.
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