Directed by Adrian Wills. 85 min. (STC) Opens Oct 10.
Old rich hippies and strangely attired circus folk join forces in Sin City to create a $180 million theatrical production that will undoubtedly enrich their already overstuffed bank accounts. Of course, it’s done not in the pursuit of lucre but in the name of Love, Cirque de Soleil’s lavish tribute to the Fab Four, which opened to wide acclaim in the fall of 2006 at The Mirage in Las Vegas.
As Adrian Wills’ documentary reveals, the biggest challenge to the producers is not figuring out what the hell to do with “Octopus’ Garden,” but appeasing the various factions with the Beatles organization — as it turns out, Paul and Ringo are more easy going than John and George’s somewhat meddlesome widows. Still, there’s not much room for disagreement or cynicism in All Together Now, which offers such a positive view on Cirque’s efforts that Wills’ film can seem more like an electronic press kit than a documentary. As such, it’s certainly not for anyone who’s grown weary of Beatle-y self-congratulation. Those of us who still buy Mojo magazine on a semi-regular basis should be sufficiently engrossed by what the film reveals about the immense logistics of the production, as well as its touching portrayal of producer George Martin as he performs his final duties as the group’s arranger and helpmate.