Tom & Alissa

Joe Roth at Revolution Studiosmade his own cut of Julie Taymor’s psychedelic Beatles-driven love story Across the Universe that has her considering taking her name off the film . Taymor, for the uninitiated, also directed Frida, made the Broadway version of The Lion King, and designed and directed the production of Mozart’s Magic Flute that the Metropolitan Opera put up this winter and that showed in a number of movie cinemas.

The article goes on to quote Roth as saying that this is pretty normal (which it is) and he’s screentesting for maximum commercial potential. Taymor says it’s the final cut; Roth reduced it by thirty minutes. Brings up the ever-present issue of director’s/artist’s say versus the studio. Who wins? Who should win? Roth apparently decided never to allow a director full say after the disaster that was Gigli. Taymor’s had mixed success in Hollywood despite being a runaway Broadway success. On the other hand, Roth’s directing credits include such lovely numbers as Christmas with the Kranks and Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise. So who’s to say.

We actually stumbled on this film when it was still “Untitled Julie Taymor Production”, as it shot for a couple of days right out in front of my apartment. The big yellow taxi (no joke) was a giveaway. (via New York Times, free login required)