All Together Now
(Apple, 2008)

On the one hand, a documentary on the creation of the Cirque du Soleil’s Love might seem like a good idea. On the other, many people may wonder why a film of one of the actual performances wasn’t released. Or, how about do both? If you’re not a Beatles fan, or don’t watch Larry King, maybe you weren’t aware of Love. Love is a production of the Canadian troupe Cirque du Soleil, who marry the interpretive performance aspects of theater with the spectacle of the circus, while interjecting multimedia, improvisational, and surreal elements. They, along with the Apple Corporation, have “collaborated” on a long-running show that has been playing at the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas since 2006. The show interprets, celebrates, twists, and re-imagines the songs, music, life, and career of the Beatles. While the initial idea of the show, the companion CD “soundtrack” released in 2007, and even this documentary may at first seem questionable at best, it has resulted in something that is nearly a revelation.

Although the primary gatekeeper of the Beatles’ legacy, Apple Corporation (who, in effect, consists of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Olivia Harrison, and the late Neil Aspinall), was involved in the Love production, Guy Laliberté and Dominic Champagne, the principals of the Cirque du Soleil, together with Beatles producer George Martin and his son Giles, had the most creative and conceptual control of the production.

In many respects, this documentary, which was directed by Adrian Wills and was two years in the making, is almost like an old-fashioned PBS special on the mounting of a mammoth theater production, with all the attendant struggle, joy, backstage intrigue, camaraderie, and overall smell of greasepaint in the air. Yet, for all of its modest goals, the documentary is a richly complex tableau about the story of the Beatles, their legacy, how those who survive that legacy grapple with the group’s place in history, where they fit in today, and how they will be perceived in the future.

One of the most revealing aspects of the DVD, which has had a theatrical release and will be available exclusively at Best Buy, is how little McCartney and Starr contributed to the production, preferring to let Cirque du Soleil and producer Martin do what they felt was right. By contrast, the widows of John Lennon and George Harrison were extremely involved and each was concerned that her husband’s legacy and, more importantly, songs be interpreted with the proper integrity they so rightly deserve. Olivia Harrison, whose late husband George conceived the project with Laliberté, was involved in a clear, yet wisely calm way. Ono was more direct and specific, yet ultimately gracious and generous in her involvement.

There are many other minor and major dramas that unfold here, including the poignant relationship between Martin and his son. Aspinall, who passed away in March of this year, was interviewed for the film, and no doubt was more involved than it seems, just as he was throughout the entire history and post-history of the group. The other major and minor players are only glimpsed at, with the presence of Harrison’s son Dhani, who eerily looks so much like his dad, a sad reminder of Harrison’s early death in 2001, the wounds of which are still raw. There is a warmhearted joy that is evident throughout, mainly due to the enduring music and personalities of the Beatles, but also because of the approach Cirque du Soleil took in doing this production, which was for all the right reasons. Still, the sadness of George and John being gone, the length of time that has passed since the great ride that was the Beatles, and ultimately an awareness of the long-vanished ideals of the ’60s hang over the proceedings.

Another aspect of the production that isn’t mentioned at all is how those that created or now curate the music of the icons of the ’60s and ’70s are seeking new ways to breathe life into the old songs and tracks, not by releasing best-of albums or putting out box sets with bonus material. It’s why films like Todd Haynes’ experimental biopic of Bob Dylan, I’m Not There, are made and why the video games Rock Band and Guitar Hero are so successful. Finding ways in which the music can gain a new life and, in some cases, a new revenue stream in the face of a spiraling record business, free downloading, and the next teen pop star is partly or wholly responsible for why many of these projects are undertaken. Nonetheless, this beautifully photographed film and some nice extras about the remixing of the original music, creating the 5.1 mix, and the show’s design will thrill Beatles fans, those interested in film, sound, and theater and those nostalgic for the Beatles and their time. In the end, all you need is love.

Watch: All Together Now Trailer [at thebiggerpicture.us]

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