Bono and Edge were in London last night, for the UK premiere of Julie Taymor's Beatles-inspired movie Across The Universe . Bono makes a cameo appearance as Dr Robert, performing 'I Am The Walrus'.

Speaking to reporters before the screening in London's West End, he said his interest in taking on the role was because 'I wanted to learn from Julie.'

'I'm an admirer of her, of what she has done in the opera, as well as films like Titus and Frida - although the fact she let me go play with her actors and her script, shows that she is not 100% smart ! But we got away with it!'

A love story set in the 1960's, the film stars Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood who fall in love during America's anti-war movement. The unfolding tale is told in the lyrics of 33 Beatles tracks including Revolution, Hey Jude and All You Need is Love.

Dr Robert's six-minute cameo features a a commendably trippy version of 'I Am The Walrus' - followed by a similarly psychedelic turn by comedian Eddie Izzard playing Mr Kite.

Bono's version of 'I Am The Walrus', backed by Secret Machines, is on the official movie soundtrack CD, which also features Bono and Edge together performing Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, the track which plays during the film's closing credits.

'The Beatles mean everything to me,' added Bono. 'They built the road that bands like U2 travel on. And the fact that this is a movie with all their lyrics but without The Beatles themselves, that makes the songs in a way even more powerful. It's an extraordinary film.'

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