Movie Night - Rocket Man

Falling somewhere between “Tommy” and “Across the Universe,” “Rocketman” offers a phantasmagorical, no holds barred, R-rated, jukebox musical version of Elton John’s life. And that was essential to Giles Martin (“Love”), the musical director and son of legendary Beatles producer George Martin, who wasn’t interested in doing anything remotely similar to the blockbuster “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

“The key for me was that every time a song started, it opened a fantasy world,” said Martin, who found himself auditioning with star Taron Egerton without even realizing it 18 months ago. “How do I get the songs to fit the narrative, to get the emotional context right?”

It didn’t matter if the songs didn’t fit chronologically– that, for instance, John hadn’t yet composed his first number one hit single, “Crocodile Rock,” with lyricist partner Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell), when he launched his U.S. debut at the West Hollywood Troubadour in 1970. It was about personalizing the John/Taupin songbook as the superstar recounts his roller coaster rock’n’roll life in group therapy, kicking off his childhood with “The Bitch Is Back.”