Across the Universe is a 2007 American musical romantic drama film
directed by Julie Taymor, produced by Revolution Studios, and
distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film's plot is centered on songs
by The Beatles. The script is based on an original story credited to
Taymor, Dick Clement, and Ian La Frenais. It incorporates 34
compositions originally written by members of The Beatles.
The film stars Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood, Joe Anderson and T.V.
Carpio, and introduces Dana Fuchs and Martin Luther McCoy as actors.
Cameo appearances are made by Bono, Eddie Izzard, Joe Cocker, and Salma
Hayek, among others.
Opening to mixed reviews, Across the Universe was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award.
The film's release date and release pattern became the subject of some
media and public discussion. The film had been originally scheduled for
release in 2006. The release was postponed as the editing process became
extended and internal disputes arose. The film was subsequently
scheduled for a wide release on approximately 1,000 U.S. screens on
September 28, 2007. In early September 2007, Sony announced that the
release would be brought forward to September 14, 2007, with a "platform
release" pattern starting on a small number of screens—with additional
screens to be added in subsequent weeks.
The film received its world premiere on Monday, September 10, 2007, at
the Toronto International Film Festival. The film was then given a very
limited "platform release" on 27 screens in the U.S. on Friday,
September 14. The film had the second-highest "per-screen" average on
its opening weekend. In the following three weeks, the release was
gradually expanded to select regions. After four weeks in limited
release, on October 12, the film was elevated to a comparatively broader
release on 954 U.S. screens, breaking into the U.S. box office top ten
at #8.
The DVD, UMD, and Blu-ray formats were released on February 5, 2008.
The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics. Rotten
Tomatoes gives the film a score of 53% based on 154 reviews. Metacritic
gives the film a weighted average score of 56%, based on 29 reviews.
oger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times was extremely positive towards the
film, giving it four stars, calling it "an audacious marriage of
cutting-edge visual techniques, heart-warming performances, 1960s
history and the Beatles songbook" and calling Julie Taymor an "inventive
choreographer".
The film appeared on a few notable critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2007