Beatle-mania is totally making a comeback.
In the much-anticipated expanded release of Across The Universe (Revolution Studios), a film set to the British boys’ influential tunes, Jim Sturgess stars as Jude, the film’s main character.
Universe is the story of a young man from Liverpool who comes to America in the late ’60s and proceeds to fall into the drugs, love, peace and rock ‘n’ roll mantra that make up the youthful revolution. All of this emotion is accompanied by stunning visual compositions under the helm of director Julie Taymor, who won several Tony Awards for her work on Broadway’s The Lion King.
Sturgess said that when he auditioned for the part of Jude, he had not known who was directing the then-untitled Beatles-themed project. Shortly afterward, he was treated to the double surprises of receiving the part and of Taymor’s involvement. After hearing more about her creative vision, Sturgess said that he “trusted her completely.”
From there, Sturgess took his first step into becoming Jude. Like his character, Sturgess was picked up from England and dropped in New York.
Having never seen the city before, he said that he was “blown away by the place.” Over the eight months of rehearsals, studio time and filming, Sturgess was able to sink deeper into his role and the recreated culture of the ’60s.
In one scene, filmed on New York’s Fifth Avenue, Sturgess and co-star Evan Rachel Wood stood at the front of a protest march. Extras all had signs and costumes that made it seem as though the actors had stepped back in time. Sturgess said that the energy of those marching was so strong that his knees buckled and he almost fell several times as the force of the crowd pushed him forward.
Another great memory Sturgess took away from Universe was an on-location shot done at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. With the crew packed into the small building, and heavy smoke hanging over costumed actors, Taymor might as well have turned the clock back the moment when the Beatles themselves first took the stage there in 1961.
However, when asked to name his favorite day during production, Sturgess immediately recalled the “day they shot the strawberries.”
On the 25th anniversary of John Lennon’s death, Taymore brought Sturgess into a room full of empty canvases and red paint.
Putting “Strawberry Fields Forever” on a repeating loop, the actor became the emotional Jude, exploding with creativity as he painted countless incarnations of the boldly colored fruit. In fact, the strawberry shape surrounding the two actors on the official movie posters is one painted on that day.
If that type of experience cannot convince like-minded Beatles fans to go see the energy woven into such classic songs, then this movie is not for you.
For those that want to see a real spectacle of sight and sound, Universe is clearly your ticket to ride.
Sturgess hopes that viewers will be left “moved, entertained, question[ing], more creative.” After experiencing what Sturgess has, there is little reason to doubt that his hope will come true.
