Across the Universe

[Menolly]

Set, setting, and dose. Was that Leary or Terrance McKenna?

Anyway, this is one instance where it absolutely is not flower-power mysticism to claim that your mindset can control the experience. This isn't mind-over-matter jingoism. You truly do control the experience. All you have to do is have the right mindset going in, an appropriate, conducive setting around you, and you shouldn't have a bad trip. If you want to do more than simply avoid a bad trip, if your aim is the ecstatic experience, that's where the third criterion comes in--a sufficiently high dosage.

*nod*
but I still advise someone being close by.

Also, I thought Av posted that strychnine was a myth.

Possibly.
but it was definitely cut with something different than anything I had experienced before...
...and not in a pleasant way.

[Zarathustra]

*nod*
but I still advise someone being close by.

That would fall into the "setting" category. I do think it's a good idea for newbies. But not necessary for the experienced . . . unless you're just talking about physical protection.

Possibly.
but it was definitely cut with something different than anything I had experienced before...
...and not in a pleasant way.

Whether or not there was something else in it, I don't know. But I seriously doubt it. Av needs to post those links again, I think it would put your mind at ease. I was trying to say that it's entirely possible to have very, very bad trips on the same exact paper that someone else has a mind-blowing positive trip. (It's also possible for two people to feed each other's paranoia.) So while it's not impossible that you got some tainted stuff (I guess, I've never heard of it happening with anyone I know), I think it's a lot more possible that you either had more than you're used to (dose), or your attitude/concentration wasn't right going in (set), or you were doing it in a chaotic, unfamiliar, paranoid-inducing place (setting).

[[Syl]]

That was me telling Av. Article on it at Erowid (always a good source for that kind of thing). The effective dose is so small that it doesn't make much sense to smash it. About all you can hope to do is dilute it, and then... YGWYPF. If you believe in homeopathy, maybe, but... Far more likely that your mental state and physical condition have more to do with bad trips and body load.

Heh. Just keep in mind that the psychedelic stuff doesn't come on screen until about 2/3 of the way through the movie.

[matrixman]

the film is a loving tribute. It's about as far from the travesty that was Sgt. Peppers as a film could possibly be.

Yeah, the Sgt. Pepper movie was what I was thinking. Glad it's not anything like that!

I just have to convince Ki to watch it with me. After getting burned with Moulin Rouge, she's in no mood to watch another musical ever again. Not that I can blame her.

I was suspicious that this film was another Moulin Rouge, too, in addition to being another Sgt. Pepper. I hate Moulin Rouge.

Also, my 2 cents on Elvis: I admire the man, just not the people that surrounded him and controlled his career and life. By all accounts, Elvis was a true gentleman. That's something I value in a world full of rockstars who behave like a**holes. And while the Beatles' music is more personally meaningful to me, I'd find it hard to understand how anyone could hate Elvis if they loved rock 'n' roll.

[Cagliostro]

I really enjoyed Across the Universe. I have a few issues (such as how it just kinda ends), and think it climbed inside it's own butt a few times, but it is often beautiful and poignant and clever. There are several renditions of Beatles songs that are just wonderful; stripped down to their bare essentials. The bowling alley scene is one of my favorites for some reason. So joyful and fun.

With that said, I felt about the same about Moulin Rouge. I think the story of the movie is kinda dumb, but what they did with music throughout that movie was fantastic - from the Elephant medley to Like a Virgin to Roxanne. Ewan McGregor was the star of this flick, and his singing throughout it was what makes it for me. He's the one that rips my heart out; not Nicole Kidman.

And I was a kid when the Sgt Pepper movie came out, and I loved it. I haven't seen it for years, but it was kinda my introduction to the Beatles, sadly enough. That and the Chipmunks. But yeah, I still have a problem hearing "She's Leaving Home" without the Cylon voices.

[Zarathustra]

We finally rented this. As soon as it opened with the guy looking at the camera and singing . . . we both had a sinking feeling that we've rented another turd. High School Musical: The Beatles Years.

So we just kind of skipped around. I agree that Strawberry Fields was amazing. I am the Walrus was trippy. A few others were okay. I might give it another try today, but I quickly lost patience with the story.

One thing I have to say, my god this looks beautiful on Blu-ray!!! The trippy colors made me feel like I had dropped some acid. When Bono gets going on IATW, while they're still in the club, the way people start moving is just like the beginning of a trip, when you can tell it's going to be a hell of a ride. Kind of a stuttered, staggered, "Did I really see that?" kind of movement. And then the kaleidoscopic bus ride. Blu-ray is essential for this scene. Wow.

But not only are the colors amazing, but the high resolution surround sound offered by Blu-ray is a thing of wonder. I've never heard music on a sound track sound this good. Beatles music is perfect for this 3D effect.

And what The Dreaming was saying about Beatles music really becomes obvious in this movie. Hearing these renditions are really eye- (ear- ?) opening. Some of the versions are stripped down so that you can really appreciate the melodies these four Brits composed. So beautiful, so instantly recognizable. Perfectly "catchy" in a pop music sense, but at the same time elevating that genre beyond anything that has been produced since. I Want to Hold Your Hand has never been one of my favorite songs, but I found myself marveling at how brilliant that simple melody was in this version.

Okay, I think I've just talked myself into watching the whole thing. If I can get past the feeling that I'm watching High School Musical: TBY, I think I'll be able to get through it all this time.

[Alex]

This was a grand tribute to one of the greatest bands ever formed. I love this movie, have watched it at least a dozen or so times.

[sindatur]

Malik...High School Musical: The Beatles Years? I've never HSMs, but, I get the impression from the commercials that's an insult. There's some very deep threads in the plot of Across the Universe, dealing with the Chicago riots, the Vietnam War, partying in the 60s, and Love.

[Zarathustra]

Malik...High School Musical: The Beatles Years? I've never HSMs, but, I get the impression from the commercials that's an insult. There's some very deep threads in the plot of Across the Universe, dealing with the Chicago riots, the Vietnam War, partying in the 60s, and Love.

Oh yeah, there are plenty of deep themes . . . depicted by young, attractive, bright-eyed people looking directly at the screen and singing sweet melodies to you about these horrible dark times. It would be like Brian Williams suddenly singing about the crackdown in Iran on NBC's nightly news program.

I like music. I like movies. I just don't like when characters stare at you and sing, and then resume whatever they were doing as if we're all supposed to forget the extremely self-conscious nature of what just happened. Maybe it would go over better live. For me, it completely breaks the audience-performer divide, ends suspension of disbelief, and falls apart in a big "wink at the audience" cuteness. It would be like Covenant saying, "Hey, you readers out there, you know what I'm talking about, right? Hellfire!" It was just too artificial and contrived for me to take seriously, despite the deep themes.

Maybe I'll never be the kind of guy who likes musicals.

[Menolly]

I was just going to ask you to list which musicals you do enjoy, Malik...

I am much more into the classic ones rather than the style you described that seems more common now a days. Give me Rogers and Hammerstein with good direction anyday. To this day, my breath is taken away whenever I watch The King and I or Carousel. Although I do still want to see Across the Universe eventually.

...and I still like Rocky Horror, because of its campiness...
But then, technically, I guess Rocky Horror could probably be called an "opera."

[Zarathustra]

I did like the South Park movie. Does that count?

I think you're right about the campiness. Maybe it's comedy in general that has a better time getting away with this.

[sindatur]

Malik...High School Musical: The Beatles Years? I've never HSMs, but, I get the impression from the commercials that's an insult. There's some very deep threads in the plot of Across the Universe, dealing with the Chicago riots, the Vietnam War, partying in the 60s, and Love.

Oh yeah, there are plenty of deep themes . . . depicted by young, attractive, bright-eyed people looking directly at the screen and singing sweet melodies to you about these horrible dark times. It would be like Brian Williams suddenly singing about the crackdown in Iran on NBC's nightly news program.

I like music. I like movies. I just don't like when characters stare at you and sing, and then resume whatever they were doing as if we're all supposed to forget the extremely self-conscious nature of what just happened. Maybe it would go over better live. For me, it completely breaks the audience-performer divide, ends suspension of disbelief, and falls apart in a big "wink at the audience" cuteness. It would be like Covenant saying, "Hey, you readers out there, you know what I'm talking about, right? Hellfire!" It was just too artificial and contrived for me to take seriously, despite the deep themes.

Maybe I'll never be the kind of guy who likes musicals.

LOL, yea, you have a point about the action stopping and actors just breaking into song arbitrarily (I like to call this "Cop Rock Syndrome"), that's really bothered me in some modern musicals, but, I kinda try to suspend disbelief, because I do enjoy alot of musicals aside from that aspect.

Menolly, the King and I is fantastic (You're talking the Deborah Kerr/Yul Brenner version, right? The others I believe are called Anna and the King). Carousel pretty good too. A couple of my Faves are Anchors Away and Showboat

[Cagliostro]

Still, no matter what is said about the movie, there is still a scene with multiple Salma Hayeks in it.



HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NURSE!

[Menolly]

Menolly, the King and I is fantastic (You're talking the Deborah Kerr/Yul Brenner version, right? The others I believe are called Anna and the King). Carousel pretty good too. A couple of my Faves are Anchors Away and Showboat

*nodding*

Even though Yul Brynner, like Rex Harrison of My Fair Lady and Doctor Doolittle, doesn't sing a note. I just think in The King and I and Carousel, the musical numbers are more seamless than in many others.

Cag, as I stated earlier, I have yet to see Across the Universe. But I assume the Salma Hayek number must be to Maxwell's Silver Hammer, yes?

[The Dreaming]

Happiness is a Warm Gun - The movie plays with its stagings in some pretty creative ways.

[Cagliostro]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that song (Maxwell's Silver Hammer) was in Across the Universe. Anyone?


And was it because of this?

[sindatur]

There was no Maxwell's Silver Hammer, just a character named Max, and a comment from (Sexy) Sadie something like "For all I know you could've killed your grandmother with a hammer", when he and Jude were looking to rent a room at her flat

[Menolly]

I haven't seen the film yet, so have no idea which songs are included. But yep, the Steve Martin number from Sgt. Pepper definitely influenced my question.

[Cagliostro]

I haven't seen the film yet, so have no idea which songs are included. But yep, the Steve Martin number from Sgt. Pepper definitely influenced my question.

I had a strange memory of it being played in the movie, is why I asked, but then I couldn't remember how well it went. I love Steve Martin, and it is a fun version, and why I wanted an excuse to post a picture of him in it, but it was a particularly silly moment in the movie.

[Zarathustra]

LOL, yea, you have a point about the action stopping and actors just breaking into song arbitrarily (I like to call this "Cop Rock Syndrome"), that's really bothered me in some modern musicals, but, I kinda try to suspend disbelief, because I do enjoy alot of musicals aside from that aspect.

I'm glad you read that as me trying to be funny instead of me trying to make fun of your love of this movie.

I did really enjoy the parts I watched.

Still, no matter what is said about the movie, there is still a scene with multiple Salma Hayeks in it.

Damnit, I missed that one! I might have completely revised my opinion otherwise!!