by Susie Salva
EMI Music has confirmed the DVD release of the feature-length documentary “All Together Now” on Capitol/Apple Corps. Ltd. The DVD will be available in U.S. stores exclusively at Best Buy and at the LOVE Boutique at the Mirage hotel in Las Vegas. The documentary details the story behind the unique partnership between the Beatles and Cirque du Soleil that resulted in the creation and 2006 launch of LOVE, the stage production still playing to packed houses at the Mirage in Las Vegas, and the experimental Beatles soundscape album of the same name which garnered two Grammy Awards for producers Sir George and Giles Martin. The film is dedicated to the memory of Neil Aspinall, former CEO of Apple/Corps and an Executive Producer of the DVD.
“All Together Now” faithfully recounts how the LOVE project came into being, borne from the personal friendship between George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte. George saw how the twin talents of the Beatles’ music and the artistry of Cirque du Soleil’s artistry could be fused into something new and totally original.
The director of the DVD, Adrian Wills, traveled between London, Montreal, and Las Vegas recording the early meetings between Cirque du Soleil & Apple Corps. Ltd. creative teams, as well as filming the contributions from Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison discussing how the Beatles’ music can be used in a different way. Noting the uniqueness of these interactions Wills explains, “What surprised me the most was how human the whole process was.”
These early stages of the project were all filmed, as were the first rehearsals at the Mirage Hotel theatre in Las Vegas, which was completely rebuilt with a one-of-a-kind sound system and complex round staging to house the LOVE show. Sir George and Giles Martin, the show’s Musical Directors, were involved every step of the way with the remarkable Cirque du Soleil creative team, performers and backroom staff.
It wasn’t all “plain-sailing” and there has been no attempt to disguise some of the disagreements that took place along the way regarding how some of the songs would be portrayed visually. These creative differences, a necessary part of the overall process of bringing LOVE to its most vibrant life, illustrate the participants’ love and respect for the music and vision of The Beatles.
In addition to their roles within the main film, Sir George and Giles Martin, along with engineer Paul Hicks, are also highlighted in a bonus feature titled, “Changing the Music”, which reveals in fascinating depth how the music was created and the challenges they faced. They explain how they sourced some of the individuals instruments and effects and how they were encouraged to experiment with the music.
The DVD contents contain: “All Together Now” documentary (84.00) Bonus Features: “Changing the Music,” (22:00): An in-depth look at the decision to rework and remix the Beatles music for the show. “Music in the Theatre” (09:00) A look at the process of creating the LOVE show’ unique audio design in the theater “Making ‘LOVE’” (10:00) A backstage pass to explore the design of LOVE, including the art direction, costumes, props, screen imagery and the use of The Beatles’ voices in the stage production and soundtrack. This is a fascinating DVD and worth viewing.
For a view of the trailer for “All Together Now”, go to: www.beatles.com/core/love/documentary/clips/
