Imagina: John Lennon

Forget the unmistakable legend of the Beatles for about two hours! This one is entirely about John! I give kudos to the producers who show how this complex and fascinating artist was also a brilliant man and a wonderful human being with strengths as well as frailties! Just listening to and watching the people from John's life (his two wives and sons especially) as they talk about him clearly shows how much they not only loved him, but that they miss him terribly. I went out and rented this film for the first time in years last December around the 20th anniversary of John's cruel and senseless murder! I loved seeing him triumph over the crooked Nixon White House in the latter's attempt to deport him. I also had to smile when the so-called "lost weekend" was over and he was back with Yoko, which only got better with Sean's birth! I found myself touched by the scene where he tells the vagrant the truth behind his songwriting, and then invites him in for a meal. I never met John personally, but after seeing this film I felt like I knew him. By the time the film got to the footage of the Lennons walking in Central Park shortly before his death, I cringed when I heard John's recorded voice saying "...until I'm dead and buried; and I hope that's a long, long time". The slowed-down footage against the background music of the crescendo coda of "A Day In The Life" leading up to the tragic event was well-edited and made its desired impact (the glasses falling and shattering on the cement). Then the newsreel footage of the mourners from around the world. As a fan of John's, I didn't have to look at that footage for very long before losing my composure and feeling the profound sense of loss I felt years ago when it happened. In short, I cried long and hard. I won't give the son of a bitch who shot him the satisfaction of mentioning his name. He is the lowest form of life on earth, and this film does John justice by not giving any mention of his name either. Those who love John will love this film. It doesn't portray him as a big shot rock star! It portrays him as I think he wanted to be seen: as a vulnerable human being, just like us!

This is a well done Andrew Solt documentary made up with some wonderful never-before-seen home movies. The late musician's own narration makes for an eerie portrait of the former Beatle. You will see John Lennon as being witty, sarcastic, determined and loyal; but also childish, bawdy, and irreverent. This multi-talented musician will be loved and remembered for generations to come. Over 30 songs make up the soundtrack. Very worthwhile and musically historic.

This was my bad, I mistook this as a Yoko exploitation vehicle when it was released and really deprived myself of an excellent biography. John Lennon, The Beatles still loom very large in pop culture and may for quite some time. But as a fan, I find most film documentaries generally are either too lengthy and even preachy or too segmented and incomplete; with nothing really doing the trick. So much so, that I think their music or silly Hollywood movies are still the best and most candid contact we have available. Having said that, by concentrating on John Lennon only, I think this film is able to rise above the rest of whats out there. It cleverly makes use of interviews and sound bytes by John so that he's almost narrating the entire film. It does not dwell too much on his time after the Beatles and with Yoko. Instead its a pleasant balance on all phases of his most fascinating life. There's a ton of stuff I had never seen before and even better, some complete takes of the familiar stuff we know too well. For instance, there is a comprehensive bit involving John and Yoko's bed in for peace that includes a nasty exchange with a pompous cartoonist. Also a terrific scene in a recording studio. The real stuff baby. I think its interesting that as time has passed, John's ideas just don't sound so ridiculous and drug induced as they once did. He instead really comes across as a visionary trying to make dullards and dimwits understand what are now extremely sane concepts. Very odd I must say.

"Imagine" is an excellent look at John Lennon, as a young boy, a rocker, a Beatle, an advocate, a husband, a father, and finally, as a legend.

For those (like my sister) who dislike Yoko Ono and blame her for breaking up the Beatles, Yoko is present, but there is plenty else here.

John Lennon isn't an easy man to figure out, and I don't think this documentary tried to. Rather, it attempted to show all sides of him - the Beatle, the drug side, the sketch artist, his attempt to distance himself from the Beatles, stating that he had grown up, his musical journey, his hard-headedness, demands as a musician - the whole thing. One of the nicest scenes is one in which he speaks with a vagrant about his music and then has him come in for a meal. So with all his preaching about peace and being one in the world, he walked the talk.

Lennon provides a lot of the narration, which is taken from hundreds of interviews. There are also interviews with Yoko, Sean, Julian, his ex-wife Cynthia, and others.

If you grew up with the Beatles as I did and mourn the death of John Lennon as I do, or even if you just like his contribution to music, this is a very good look at the Beatles' most off-beat and possibly most brilliant member - a man who continually searched for an identity that kept changing.

It revolves around the recording of song "Imagine" as well as the album of the same name in 1971. It is narrated by Lennon from tons of interviews he gave. After the scene is set, it goes back to the beginning of The Beatles and and see many familiar clips of performances of "Twist And Shout", "From Me To You" and "Help".

The most fascinating part of this documentary are rare home movies of John at home and of some news segments probably not seen since they were aired. A striking scene shows where an obsessed fan found his way to John's England estate. The young man is confused and may be on drugs but believes John's songs are speaking directly to him, asking him the meaning behind his "I Dig A Pony" song, John tells him it was just playing around with words, literally a nonsense song. John gently tells him the songs should not be mixed up with his own life and offers the guy something to eat.

John is gentle when dealing with his fans, but he can have a temper when dealing with technicians in a recording session, or reporters who say they miss "the old Beatles". It sure is intriguing stuff for any Beatles fan and definitely worth your time.