After being only available on DVD outside the U.S. for years, "How I Won the War," the Richard Lester black anti-war comedy starring John Lennon, Michael Crawford and Roy Kinnear, will be released on DVD in the U.S. March 20 by Fox/MGM, the company announced today.
Originally released in 1967, the film stars Michael Crawford as inept British WWII commander Lieutenant Earnest Boodbody, with Musketeer Gripweed (John Lennon), Musketeer Juniper (Jack MacGowran), Musketeer Clapper (Roy Kinnear) and Sergeant Transom (Lee Montague) under his command.
The film, based on the novel by Patrick Ryan, was one of Lennon's initial solo ventures away from the Beatles. Filming was done in Spain and Germany beginning in September, 1966. He had his Beatle haircut sheared short for his role as a soldier and also wore granny glasses.
"I did the film because I believed in it. There had never been a war film which showed war as it really is. A man fighting in a battle doesn't see the whole thing. He never meets the enemy until the day a man comes round the corner and sticks a bayonet in him and he can't believe it is happening," Lennon said of the film (from Bill Harry's "The John Lennon Encyclopedia").
The DVD release takes place on the anniversary of John and Yoko Ono’s wedding in 1969. The film has been fully remastered under the direction of director Richard Lester.
For a limited time, the special edition will feature a commemorative booklet with an introductory letter by Yoko Ono. The booklet, containing behind-the-scenes stills, will be printed using HP MagCloud, a new self-publishing web service invented by HP Labs.
You can pre-order the film here.
Comments