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Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 9786301229470 Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC ISBN: 6301229479 Label: Warner Home Video Manufacturer: Warner Home Video Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Warner Home Video Release Date: July 01, 1991 Running Time: 100 minutes Sales Rank: 17000 Studio: Warner Home Video Theatrical Release Date: October 07, 1988
Description: A startling and powerful new film derived from 200 hours of footage, stills & heretofore unpublished music from John Lennon's and Yoko Ono's personal collection. A moving and revealing look at a man who was a musician, artist, writer, poet, and whose fame lives on. 104 minutes.
Amazon.com: It can hardly be a coincidence that this "deluxe edition" of John Lennon – Imagine should be issued in late 2005, a couple of months after what would have been the former Beatle's 65th birthday and mere days before the 25th anniversary of his death. Whether that's cynical, poignant, or just good marketing is moot; what matters is that Lennon's impact, not just as a musician but as a public figure, remains largely undiminished. The film, released theatrically in 1988, will already be familiar to many fans. "Narrated" by Lennon himself and culled from hundreds of hours of footage, much of it home movies shot by John and Yoko Ono, Imagine is a substantial, reasonably illuminating portrait of the man, warts and all, from childhood through the Beatle years, his solo career, and his life with Yoko straight up to his fatal encounter with Mark David Chapman. It's the new bonus features that are the principal draw here; but whether or not they qualify as "deluxe" is arguable. The Lennons' radio interview with a BBC reporter is notable mostly for John's patience in the face of idiotic questions like "Is love very important to young people today?" The ten or so minutes spent with Lennon's school headmaster, William Ernest Pobjoy (love the name), yield little insight, especially considering that the two were at the school at the same time for just one year, half a century ago; likewise, a new "making of" documentary with Ono, writer-director Andrew Solt, producer David Wolper, and others isn't exactly ground-breaking. However, a previously unreleased performance of "Imagine," with Lennon and some unknown accompanists on acoustic guitar, is nice, as is some heretofore unseen footage of the Lennons at home on their Tittenhurst Estate. Add to that a fine transfer and Dolby digital sound, and you have another addition to the filmed legacy of the Beatles--a subject that, for many of us, will never be old news. --Sam Graham
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Lesson in Peace and Understanding. Like living with Lennon.
This DVD is simply great, if you are even slightly interested in John Lennon.
It contains so much "behind the scenes" footage, that I was very surprised that he was as accessible as he appears in this documentary.
One scene shows a lost young man, who trespasses on Lennon's property in London. Mr. Lennon was kind and empathetic enough to go out and talk with the fan, and then subsequently invite him in to eat at their table.
It's kind of freaky, in a way that might portend his final chapter.
I was never overly impressed with Lennon's singing voice, and I can deal with the ... Read More
Rating: - All You Need Is...
...more people like John Lennon! When I became aware this film was available on DVD here on Amazon, I went whoopie...now I have a place where I can express my emotions for John. He was far more than my favorite Beatle. I looked at him as a kindred brother. Even though I never met the man in person, I felt I met him through his music. It's as if his words became my own. Perhaps not everything, but nearly everything I ever said or did was directly because of his influence. When Chapman shot him down all those years ago now, part of me died too...and I can honestly say I have not been the same ... Read More
Rating: - A worthy documentary
John is my favorite Beatle, so I really enjoyed watching this documentary about his incredible life. Although by now some of the film footage has been issued in other films (this was after all made in 1988), not everyone has seen all of the films and documentaries made about John or The Beatles, and it's always a treat regardless to see interviews and film footage you haven't seen before. Among the great moments are the confrontation with cartoonist Al Capp during John and Yoko's bed-in, John's heated argument with a female journalist who thought turning in his MBE was some empty protest, interview ... Read More
Rating: - Dream is over
When this film was first released, it was quite interesting, introspective and entertaining. Now on DVD it almost seems like an afterthought with the release of The Beatles Anthology DVD set. It still holds up well, but sometimes the anti-war Lennon gets boring. Makes you wonder how great his solo career may have been had he concentrated on his music more than his politics & causes. A nice addition to any Beatles or Lennon fans collection.
Rating: - You'll fall in love with John Lennon
I was in 7th or 8th grade when this movie came out and I saw it in the theater 3 times. It's truly a fantastic look at the life and times of John Lennon. From birth through death, it chronicles many of the highlights from his life. The music is fantastic, combining both Beatles and solo stuff. The interviews are top notch and I truly recommend this film for anyone who's ever been curious about John Lennon and who he was.
It's been a long time coming for this film to show up on DVD and it was worth the wait.
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