So many films and documentaries have been made through the years about John Lennon. They haven't all been bad, but most have been romanticized and polished.
"LENNONYC," which premieres on PBS' "American Masters" series nationwide on Nov. 22 and will be released on DVD and Blu-ray by A&E Home Video Nov. 23, is not. It's an eye-opening, gritty look at John's life in his later years through the eyes of his widow, Yoko Ono, and many of his friends and associates.
The list of those interviewed include author Jon Wiener, photographer Bob Gruen. Adam Ippolito and Gary Van Scyoc of Elephant's Memory, Dick Cavett, Yoko Ono, May Pang, drummer Jim Keltner, Klaus Voormann, guitarist Earl Slick, record producer Jack Douglas, Yoko publicist Elliott Mintz, recording engineer Roy Cicala, newspaper columnist Robert Hilburn, disc jockey Dennis Elsas, Elton John, Lennon immigration attorney Leon Wildes and musician Hugh McCracken. Neither Sean nor Julian Lennon is interviewed, however.
The film is adorned with rare images and sound. There are some wonderful pictures of John and friends Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and Harry Nilsson, in Santa Monica. The music includes recording outtakes from the "Mind Games," "Rock n Roll," "Walls and Bridges" and "Double Fantasy" sessions.
There are some very emotional moments in the film. Yoko Ono talks honestly about a party the night of President Nixon's election when Lennon took another woman into an adjoining bedroom and had a noisy sexual encounter. The incident led to the couple's separation and Lennon's "Lost Weekend" in Los Angeles.
And though Lennon's relationship with May Pang is mentioned in the film, its importance is clearly minimized. Several comments are made in the film that leave the conclusion that Lennon often talked about reuniting with Yoko Ono, which finally happened after his surprise appearance with Elton John at Madison Square Garden. As Pang commented to us when asked about her feelings on the film in a recent interview, "The myth continues."
"Double Fantasy" producer Jack Douglas talks about the night they had to rescue a drunk John from a crowd and says Lennon would scream Yoko"s name when he got drunk. Ono talks honestly about their breakup and reunion and how the.birth of Sean and settling immigration problems almost at the same time was a major breakthrough in getting them back together.
Some of the footage of John is heartbreaking because it's so happy. There are several audio clips of John's charming radio gig with disc jockey Dennis Elsas, one of the most enjoyable guest appearances John ever made.
A siren blaring, followed by audio of a crowd memorial, announces Lennon's death in the film. Yoko gets emotional as she talks about being at the hospital after he was shot and her desperate attempt to comprehend the tragedy that had happened.
"He was an artist. Why would you want to kill an artist?," she says. "Double Fantasy" producer Jack Douglas talks how he and Ono held their own memorial by going to the studio and listening to Lennon recording session outtakes all night.
"We sat in the room and listened to music. That was our goodbye," he says.
A beautiful acoustic outtake of "Watching the Wheels" plays over the final credits. It's the stark realization that "LENNONYC" is over. And it's a shame it has to end.
It's also a shame that the DVD has no extras. It's the same film as shown on PBS. But this is one hell of a film that, for a short time, gives some real life to the John Lennon we've all listened to and read about and some were lucky to know personally. Don't miss it.
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Comments
The raw interviews from the film are being P OD C A S T E D on iT u n e s... I've been enjoying those very much. I guess look for LENNONYC.
Enjoy.
JJ.
I didn't think this doc broke any new ground- but if youre a lennon fan, i guess there is not much new ground to cover. Other than hearing Yoko talk about john's indiscretions, id heard everything before. But of course it will be entertaining to the lennon fan.
The thing I really liked about it was that it was fairly unvarnished.
I just finished watching. I feel such grief at losing him, even 30 years later. There were beautiful moments such as the reference to Sean's coming into the studio and the love shown to him. I do think this was, however, very much a Yoko piece. Now, that is not a bad thing, it would be interesting from a more broad point of view. But what can we ask? It is so personal and he belonged to her, that is clear. He found his peace with her and we should all be thankful for them. I am. Love to Johnonolennon and the very brave Yoko.
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