Imagine: John Lennon

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Biographie Musique Documentaire

Ajouter une intrigue dans votre langueA biography of the rock music star.A biography of the rock music star.A biography of the rock music star.

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NOTE IMDb

7,8/10

5,3 k

MA NOTE

Voir les informations de production sur IMDbPro

Rôles principaux44

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John Lennon

Self
(images d'archives)
…

Yoko Ono

Self

Paul McCartney

Self
(images d'archives)

George Harrison

Self
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Ringo Starr

Self
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David Bowie

Self

Phil Spector

Self
(images d'archives)

Cynthia Lennon

Self - John Lennon's first wife

Julian Lennon

Self

Sean Lennon

Self

Al Capp

Self
(images d'archives)

May Pang

Self

Neil Aspinall

Self
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Fred Astaire

Self
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The Beatles

Themselves
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Pete Best

Self
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Dick Cavett

Self

Eric Clapton

Self
(images d'archives)

Réalisation
- Andrew Solt
Scénario
- Sam Egan
- Andrew Solt
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8Oscar85

I can't say enough about how much John Lennon's death still hurts me when I think about it, and I wasn't even alive when that terrible date (8 Dec 1980) transpired. But through the duration of "Imagine: John Lennon," I felt at ease with his death. I felt that Lennon was sitting there next to me telling me that he's fine, and that he will never be dead as long as his music live forever in the minds of his fans. Lennon's life was captured brilliantly in this documentary. His brilliance, his unique spirit, and his controversial opinions about the crooked elements of the world are reverently presented. I thanks the makers of this film for omitting the name of the eternally damned soul who selfishly brought the end to the physical life of Lennon. Lennon lives on, but the scars left by his passing will remain. For those who do not know Lennon's life very well, this film is perfect for them. Together, you, me, and Lennon can imagine a world free of hatred in our lives and the lives of future generations. It is possible if we just give peace a chance. I love this movie and it's portrayal of the life of the most influential entertainer of the past couple centuries. What more can be said about such an amazing life?

michaelRokeefe

An insightful look at the life of a complex entertainer.

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.

10glgioia

Sadly Overlooked

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.

8preppy-3

Very good moving documentary

In 1987, seven years after John Lennon's tragic murder, a book came out. I've forgotten the title and the author, but it portrayed Lennon VERY negatively. It showed him as a cruel, egotistical monster who abused drugs and alcohol up to his death. The book was written by somebody who had never talked to anybody who knew Lennon. Yoko Ono was shocked and pushed to have this documentary made to set the record straight.

It's full of home movies, news footage, videos all narrated by John Lennon himself (he recorded over 200 hours talking about his life and work). It's not a whitewash of him--it does point out he was a mean drunk and he is shown swearing and telling off Phil Spector in a recording studio when a song was not working out. It also chronicles his remark about the Beatles being "bigger than Jesus Christ" and totally ignores how horribly he treated his first wife Cynthia. But, aside from that footage, there is also interviews with Johns wives, his children and, basically, everyone who knew him (curiously, none of the Beatles were interviewed). He comes across as a very talented, peace-loving man--he has his dark moments but everybody does. His confrontations with Al Capp and Gloria Emerson are just fascinating.

I remember seeing this in a theatre in 1988 and most of the audience walked out crying. 15 years later the ending still packs a punch. It shows people crying at the peace rallies held after Lennon's death and ends with the "Imagine" video him and Yoko did. Also "In My Life" plays over the closing credits. A fascinating, very moving documentary of a great man. Recommended.

8blanche-2

Very well done

"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.

Histoire

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Anecdotes
The first cut of this movie ran 24 hours long.

Gaffes
The comment that Lennon makes about the future of the Beatles after deciding to stop touring is actually two comments edited together.

Citations
[a homeless-looking young man is found wandering the grounds of Lennon's Tittenhurst Park estate]
John Lennon: Don't confuse the songs with your own life. I mean, they might have relevance to your own life, you know, but a lot of things do. And so we've met, you know? I'm just a guy, man, who writes songs.
Young Man: Yeah, I figured that if we met, I'd know, you know, just by meeting you.
John Lennon: But know what, man?
Young Man: That it all fits, you know?
John Lennon: Anything fits, you know? If you're tripping off on some trip, anything fits, you know?
Young Man: Like when you said "Boy, you're gonna carry that weight for a long time."
John Lennon: That's Paul saying that. But that belongs to all of us. He's singing about all of us.
Young Man: Remember that one, um, "You can radiate everything, or you can penetrate anywhere you go"?
John Lennon: Yeah, I was just having fun with words. It was literally a nonsense song, you know? I mean, Dylan does that. Anybody does that, you know? They just take words and you stick them together and see if they have any meaning. Some of them do. Some of them don't. See, that last album of mine was me coming out of my dream. You can last your whole life on that dream, you know? And then it's all over.
Young Man: You weren't thinking of anyone in particular when you were singing all that?
John Lennon: How could I be thinking of you?
Young Man: Well, I don't know, I don't care, me. But just all--it's all somebody.
John Lennon: I'm thinking about me, or at best, Yoko, if it's a love song. I'm saying, you know, "I had a good shit today" and "this is what I thought this morning" and, uh, you know?" And--or, "I love you, Yoko," or whatever. I'm singing about me and my life, you know? And if it's relevant for other people's lives, that's all right.
[pause]
John Lennon: Are you hungry? Hmm?
Young Man: [nods] Yeah.
John Lennon: Let's give him something to eat.
[John leads the young man inside]

Connexions
Featured in Geraldo: Digging the Dirt on the Dead (1988)

Bandes originales
A Day in the Life
Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Published by SBK Blackwood Music Inc.
under license from ATV Music (Maclen)