Lennon's Last Weekend

Lennon and the Beatles were enthusiastic users of TV coverage for various projects back in the late 60s. John and Yoko's lives seemed to have been laid pretty bare through much of the 70s too, but I confess I was intrigued by this title, hoping for an insight into just where John's musical ideas were leading him before his life was so appallingly cut short. In the film he and Yoko were as ever hugely entertaining, such that my attention was captured whenever they were on screen, which was not nearly enough. Yes I had expected a concentration on an interview or interviews with Andy Peebles, which I can't say I remember much, so clearly unremarkable; Earl Slick and Paul Gambaccini spoke sparingly and well, but the film was unique for me in that only a few minutes in I strted thinking - who on earth is this guy butting in before every segment of film about the real star of the film? Malcom Gerrie? Never heard of him; most annoyingly, I realised he was adding zero to my enjoyment of what was to follow. By halfway I wished he'd talk for 30 seconds then shut up for 10 minutes, so I could fast forward his input, instead of 10/15 seconds every minute or two. It's no exagerration to say he ruined it for me, and my mark is only for the rest of the content. If you want to see a brilliantly made film on John (and Yoko) in the same vein but without the unnecessary "noise" watch "Above Us Only Sky" from 2018. I was more of a Stones fan myself in the 60s, but I have huge respect for Lennon, and I loved the latter insight into the making of Imagine at his home in Ascot.

Instead of actually hearing the interview (except in tiny snippets) we are treated to a rehashing of stale Beatles history and interviews with minor TV personalities talking about it, all without the benefit of any music as the producers were apparently too cheap to buy the rights.

There is probably not a single story that is considerably unknown, and even the last days of Lennon's life that are mentioned in the title are not that much explored in the script. There is certainly not a very innovative aesthetic and narrative approach in the movie either. Anyway, it is an interesting documentary, with numerous nice stories and information, good available footage, and may please the fans of John Lennon who do not know everything in detail about his life and career, myself included. By the way, I think it is too bizarre to hear that guy repeatedly compairing John Lennon and Martin Luther King to John Kennedy... a little bit of international history is always useful...