It hadthe Beatles, drug trips, Vietnam War protests, cameos from rock stars likeBono, and more. 2008’sAcross the Universeis an experimental, visually stunning movie musical that pays homage to the ’60s biggest bandand the chaotic decade that they blossomed in. Right now,Sabrina Carpenteris one of the most popular pop stars and the most daring. Often harnessing the aesthetic of the mid-21st century across music videos for “Espresso” and her most recent single, “Manchild,” she often sports pinned-up curls, vintage film grain over her shots,and the production value of old-timey musicals.It makes sense, then, that she loves the Beatles, and thatone of her favorite movies isAcross the Universe, which consists only of Beatles songs, as it serves as the framework for the ’60s-set film.
StarringEvan Rachel Wood,Jim Sturgess, andJoe Anderson, alongside real-life musicians who play fellow ’60s rebels, the film was directed byJulie Taymorand is the 21st century’s boldest musical, in its surrealist storytelling, embracement of ’60s culture, and wild production design that jumps from the jungles in Vietnam to New York rooftops and traveling circuses. It was a success at the box office andwas praised for its lead cast’s vocal performances covering Beatles classics and Taymor’s experimental direction.An underrated jukebox musical, 18 years later it remains a joyful, stimulating celebration of rock and roll, romance, and the decade of free love.
What Is ‘Across the Universe’ About?
Set in the ’60s, Sturgess stars as Liverpool resident Jude, who leaves for America to find his birth father, who is a janitor at Princeton. It’s there he runs into the freewheeling student, Max (Anderson), who inducts him into his carefree, partying lifestyleand brings him home to his upper middle-class family.Jude then meets Max’s sister, Lucy (Wood), whose high school sweetheart has just shipped out to Vietnam to fight in the war. When he dies in combat,it steals away Lucy’s innocence, and she and Jude fall in love as the two of them, and Max, run away to New York City. While there, they meet rock and rollers, protesters, revolutionaries, and more,as Max also tries to avoid his inevitable draft to Vietnam.Traveling across the country, the trio, alongside the rest of the cast, cover a total of 34 Beatles songs in a film that explores the price of war and peace.
Sabrina Carpenter Has Cited ‘Across the Universe’ and the Beatles as Major Influences
It’s no small task covering the works of a band as iconic as The Beatles. Formed in the early ’60s in Liverpool, England, the band consisted ofJohn Lennon,Paul McCartney,George Harrison, andRingo.Across the Universeis filled to the brim with The Beatlesand even references them without their songs, with character names like “Jude” and “Lucy,” which are winks to songs “Hey Jude” and “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.“Carpenter has always been vocal about her love of The Beatles, from their songwriting to their groundbreaking melodies, and cited herself as a massive fan. While being interviewed on the YouTube talk show"Hot Ones,“hostSean Evansacknowledged Carpenter’s love for the filmand quizzed her on Beatles lore, which she easily answered. He remarked, “You cite ‘Across the Universe’ as one of your favorite movies. The White Album as one of your favorite records. Meeting Paul McCartney, one of your career highlights.”
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Carpenter has a lot to say when it comes to her critics.
In addition toHot Ones,in her recent Rolling Stone cover story, Carpenter also acknowledged the influence the Beatles had on her growing up. She revealed how she was introduced to them at an early age by her mother, along with fellow classic rock groups likeQueenandRush. For anyone who loves the history of rock and roll and its effect on society with all that it stood for, thenAcross the Universeis its vesselas a dedicated, historical rock musical that highlights how rock doubled down as a protest during the Vietnam War.It makes perfect sense that it’s one of Carpenter’s favorite filmswith its jam-packed usage of rock, with many characters inspired by fellow rock icons likeJimi Hendrix,Janis Joplin, and more.
‘Across the Universe’ Is an Homage to ‘60s Rock, and Celebrates a Changing Society
The ’60s marked one of the 20th century’s most important decades, as it was filled with revolutions. It marked the start of the second wave of feminism, the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War,the LGBTQ+ movement,and more.Across the Universecontains all of that through its vignettes in different cities across the country as Jude, Lucy, and Max travel around.The breakout star of the movie was Evan Rachel Wood,who debuted her deep alto, powerhouse voice and effortlessly covered Beatles classics, like “Blackbird,” “If I Fell,” and “Dear Prudence.“Wood herself is a lifelong Beatles fan, and her passion is evident throughout the film, as she and Jude become star-crossed lovers amidst a dangerous world while fighting for peace. In its celebration of the Beatles and rock itself, it features unforgettable cameos from rock stars like Bonosinging “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and a scene-stealingJoe Cockersinging “Come Together"in a fantastic ’60s period piece.
Across the Universe
