Nikki Finke Explains What’s Wrong With Across the Universe

Just the other day, David Carr in the NY Times admitted what we already knew: New Yorkers don’t understand show biz all that much. And today, Hollywood’s own Nikki Finke tears into Sharon Waxman’s version of events surrounding art-chick Julie Taymor’s battle with Joe Roth over some musical romance movie called Who Signed Off On This?, Across the Universe.

The musical uses songs by the Beatles, now owned by Michael Jackson and Sony. Sony Pictures is distributing the movie. Waxman didn’t bother to mention this little detail, but does go on about Taymor’s MacArthur grant.

Finke points out that Taymor’s movies haven’t been (a) very good and (b) profitable. Joe Roth, who Finke thinks should have known better with a girl like Julie, cut his own version of the movie, and it’s not all that hot either. And the songs aren’t performed by the Beatles, they’re covered by the actors, including Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess. With puppets. And Eddie Izzard as Mr. Kite. Taymor even cast Selma Hayek. Did we mention the puppets?

Is this Ishtar for the new millenium? Is it Heaven’s Gate for the YouTube set? One of the IMDB commentors says:

an advertisement for LSD

We’re betting Peter Travers uses that line as his blurb.

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