
Across the Universe is a 2007 musical film directed by Julie Taymor and written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. The script is based on an original story credited to Taymor, Clement and La Frenais that incorporates 34 compositions written by members of The Beatles.
There are cameo appearances by Bono as Dr. Robert (a counter-culture shaman), Eddie Izzard as Mr. Kite (a circus ringmaster), Joe Cocker as three street characters and Salma Hayek who appears (through digital special effects) as five nurses.
- 1 Plot
- 2 Cast
- 3 Film soundtrack
- 4 Soundtrack albums
- 5 Beatles references
- 6 Other period allusions
- 7 Production dispute
- 8 Release history
- 9 Trivia
- 10 References
- 11 External links







the soundtrack
The film's end credits identify a total of 33 separate Beatles-related compositions featured in the film - either in the entirety or in part. One of the 33 officially credited songs (All You Need Is Love) includes a brief snippet of an earlier Lennon-McCartney song (She Loves You) interwoven into the latter part of its structure - just as it had been in the Beatles' original recording - making the actual total of Beatles songs featured in the film (in some manner or other) to be 34.
The 34 Beatles-related compositions were songs written between 1963 and 1969 by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr - that had been recorded by The Beatles. (The songs are invariably referred to by the public and media as "Beatles songs" though as the compositions themselves were created by, and are officially credited to, the individual writers not the group - such references are colloquial.)
30 of the 34 Beatles songs are compositions that are officially credited to the songwriting partnership of Lennon-McCartney. Three songs are credited to George Harrison. One title ("Flying") is a 1967 composition credited to all four members of the Beatles - Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starr. Of the 30 songs that bear the official Lennon-McCartney credit, 16 are titles that are customarily attributed primarily to Lennon as a writer; 10 are titles customarily attributed primarily to McCartney; the other four songs are titles which both Lennon and McCartney have confirmed were written in collaboration ("I Want to Hold Your Hand", "With a Little Help from My Friends", "A Day in the Life" and "She Loves You".)
31 of the 34 songs heard on the soundtrack feature vocals. Two of the compositions are brief instrumental versions of songs that were originally written with lyrics ("And I Love Her" and "A Day in the Life.") There is one composition that was originally written as an instrumental ("Flying").
The 31 songs (or partial songs) that feature vocals are sung by the film's cast members - backed by top session musicians. 25 of the songs are sung by the six lead members of the cast - either as soloists or in various combinations. Four of the songs are sung by stars with cameo roles (Bono, Eddie Izzard and Joe Cocker). One song ("Let It Be") is sung by supporting members of the cast. One song ("Blue Jay Way") is sung by indie Texan trio The Secret Machines.
The other three of the 34 compositions are rendered instrumentally. "Flying" is performed by The Secret Machines, "And I Love Her" is heard briefly as part of the specially-recorded orchestrated score and "A Day in the Life" is performed on guitar by Jeff Beck in a version recorded for Sir George Martin's 1998 album In My Life.
29 of the 34 compositions are seen being performed on-screen in the film. Five compositions ("And I Love Her", "A Day in the Life", "Flying", "Blue Jay Way" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds") are heard but not rendered on-screen.
In addition to the 34 Beatles compositions, the soundtrack features original score composed by Elliot Goldenthal. Goldenthal worked with critical acclaim on Taymor's previous films Titus and Frida. (Goldenthal and director Taymor have also been partners since 1982.)
These are the Beatles compositions heard on the soundtrack - listed in the sequence heard in the film. (One title "Helter Skelter" is featured twice in the film.)
- "Girl" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- "Helter Skelter" Performed by Dana Fuchs (reprised later in the film, during the "Across The Universe" sequence)
- "Hold Me Tight" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood and Lisa Hogg
- "All My Loving" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- "I Want to Hold Your Hand" Performed by T.V. Carpio
- "With a Little Help from My Friends" Performed by Joe Anderson, Jim Sturgess and "Dorm Buddies"
- "It Won't Be Long" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood
- "I've Just Seen a Face" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- "Let It Be" Performed by Carol Woods and Timothy T. Mitchum
- "Come Together" Performed by Joe Cocker and Martin Luther McCoy
- "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" Performed by Dana Fuchs
- "If I Fell" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood
- "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" Performed by Joe Anderson, "Soldiers", Dana Fuchs and T.V. Carpio
- "Dear Prudence" Performed by Dana Fuchs, Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood and Joe Anderson
- "Flying" Performed by The Secret Machines (performers not seen on-screen)
- "Blue Jay Way" Performed by The Secret Machines (performers not seen on-screen)
- "I Am the Walrus" Performed by Bono (accompanied by the Secret Machines)
- "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" Performed by Eddie Izzard
- "Because" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, T. V. Carpio and Martin Luther McCoy
- "Something" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- "Oh! Darling" Performed by Dana Fuchs and Martin Luther McCoy
- "Strawberry Fields Forever" Performed by Jim Sturgess and Joe Anderson
- "Revolution" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" Performed by Martin Luther McCoy (joined by Jim Sturgess for one verse)
- "Across the Universe" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" Performed by Joe Anderson and Salma Hayek
- "A Day in the Life" Performed by Jeff Beck (brief instrumental extract)
- "Blackbird" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood
- "Hey Jude" Performed by Joe Anderson (joined by Angela Mounsey for one verse)
- "Don't Let Me Down" Performed by Dana Fuchs and Martin Luther McCoy
- "All You Need is Love" Performed by Jim Sturgess, Dana Fuchs, T.V. Carpio and Martin Luther McCoy
- "She Loves You" Performed by Joe Anderson (brief rendition sung during the last part of the "All You Need Is Love" sequence) (see note below)
- "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" Performed by Bono (with backing vocals by The Edge. This song is played over the end credits. Performance not seen on-screen)
In the Beatles' recording of the song "All You Need Is Love", Paul McCartney sings the chorus of "She Loves You" in the fadeout as a throwaway, lighthearted salute to the band's earlier pop group incarnation. In the film "Across The Universe" the same chorus is sung at the same point in the song "All You Need Is Love" - but the lyric is used as a pivotal point of expression between two of the principal characters.
Also featured in the film (awaiting insertion into the sequential listing above)
- "And I Love Her" - brief extract incorporated into newly-recorded orchestral score
Songs featured on the deluxe soundtrack album
Across the Universe: Music from the Motion Picture (Deluxe Edition)
- "Girl" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- ’’Hold Me Tight" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood
- ’’All My Loving" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- ’’I Want to Hold Your Hand" Performed by T.V. Carpio
- ’’With a Little Help from My Friends" Performed by Jim Sturgess & Joe Anderson
- ’’It Won't Be Long" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood
- ’’I've Just Seen a Face" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- "Let It Be (Long Version)" Performed by Carol Woods & Timothy T. Mitchum
- ’’Come Together" Performed by Joe Cocker
- "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" Performed by Dana Fuchs (omitted from 29 track version)
- ’’If I Fell" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood
- ’’I Want You (She's So Heavy)" Performed by Joe Anderson and T.V. Carpio (omitted from 29 track version)
- ’’Dear Prudence" Performed by Dana Fuchs, Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess & Joe Anderson
- "Flying" Performed by Secret Machines
- ’’Blue Jay Way" Performed by Secret Machines
- ’’I Am the Walrus" Performed by Bono & Secret Machines
- ’’Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" Performed by Eddie Izzard
- "Because" Performed by Dana Fuchs, Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson, Martin Luther McCoy & T.V. Carpio
- ’’Something" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- ’’Oh! Darling" Performed by Dana Fuchs & Martin Luther McCoy
- ’’Strawberry Fields Forever" Performed by Jim Sturgess & Joe Anderson
- "Revolution" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- ’’While My Guitar Gently Weeps" Performed by Martin Luther McCoy
- ’’Across the Universe" Performed by Jim Sturgess
- ’’Helter Skelter" Performed by Dana Fuchs
- ’’Happiness Is a Warm Gun" Performed by Joe Anderson and Salma Hayek
- "Blackbird" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood
- ’’Hey Jude" Performed by Joe Anderson
- ’’Don't Let Me Down" Performed by Dana Fuchs and Martin Luther McCoy
- ’’All You Need Is Love" Performed by Jim Sturgess, Dana Fuchs, T.V. Carpio and Martin Luther McCoy
- ’’Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" Performed by Bono (Background Vocals by The Edge)
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