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The late John Lennon’s life and work are plainly visible in this stirring collection of short films and music videos, some very familiar while others, produced posthumously, will be new to many viewers. The set includes the classic “Imagine” clip, which begins with a haunting scene of John and Yoko walking through an early morning fog and concludes with Lennon’s performance in an all-white room. More rare is a Top of the Pops live performance of “Instant Karma” and a wonderful film accompanying “Mind Games,” in which a solo Lennon clowns around Central Park, thrilling passersby, playing with kids, and dancing. “Woman” is a montage of the last days and hours of Lennon’s life, while “Watching the Wheels” is a compilation of home movie footage from the star’s semi-reclusive Dakota years. Extras include a live “Slippin’ and Slidin’,” and a startling bit of “Julia” absentmindedly picked on guitar. –Tom Keogh
Buy Lennon Legend – The Very Best of John Lennon (Jewel Case) (2003) at Amazon
I have so many mixed feelings about this DVD. While I welcome and look forward to all John Lennon releases, this particular collection has both great features and some stumbling points.
To begin with, the sound is stunning. Most of the songs have been remixed in 5.1 and are almost revelatory in their clarity and power.
The only problem I have with the release are some of the actual videos themselves. It should be noted that all of the video used itself looks fabulous, considering it was primarily sourced from obsolete analog formats. Here goes:
1. Imagine: More or less the same footage we’ve all come to know and love, with much greater clarity.
2. Instant Karma: This is a live performance, and really great to watch.
3. Mother: A simple montage of photos, but effective. Can someone explain the strange addition of Brian Epstein in this video however?
4. Jealous Guy: Footage of John singing the vocal track in the studio, mixed with the boat rowing footage from Imagine.
5. Power to the People: A truly bad video visually, it looks like a seventh grade slide-show presentation
6. Cold Turkey: Another live performance synched to the studio version.
7. Mind Games: This has some really wonderful footage of John wandering around NYC mingling with people, dancing, and such. One of the better videos, and only marred by a quick shot of John from the morgue. I found that element really distasteful.
8. Whatever Gets You Through the Night: This video is superb. It features a number of John’s drawings animated and colorized.
9. #9 Dream: This is an interesting video with footage from one of John and Yoko’s short films called Smile. Something about the footage of John really struck me, as he appears so natural and relaxed. It’s kind of amusing that May Pang’s vocals on the song are made to appear to be Yoko’s in the video.
10. Stand by Me: Live footage previously seen on “The Old Grey Whistle Test”
11.(Just Like) Starting Over: This is initially a very, very emotional and harrowing video. It begins with the premise of where John would be now had he lived, which is a terrific and powerful concept. However, rather than sticking with that idea, the video degenerates into cheesy looking graphics of the photos flying around everywhere. It’s ultimately redeemed, but I think they bungled the chance for something truly great.
12. Woman: Footage of Yoko…the same video that was released by Yoko in 1981.
13. Beautiful Boy: This is a home video of Sean playing and talking with Yoko, and John sort of sitting there and talking to other people. I think this video was in really poor taste as it’s a song that John wrote about how much he loved Sean. Shouldn’t the video focus on–maybe I’m crazy–him and Sean?? Especially considering ALL the footage of the both of them available?
14. Watching the Wheels: Okay, there’s some redemption to the above as this video features mostly footage of John and Sean together. Very nice to watch.
15. Nobody Told Me: A compilation of old Imagine footage and clips of John with Andy Warhol, Miles Davis, etc. It’s ok, but not really anything we haven’t seen before.
16. Borrowed Time: Has lots of home footage and outtakes from previously unavailable sources…
17. Working Class Hero: A really good video filmed at Strawberry Fields and John’s childhood home. It’s nice to see that footage, but again, the phantom of John’s death is paraded out again. Sadly, these images are prevalent throughout the DVD. It’s just not something I think John would want drawn so much attention, too. Why not focus on the positive aspects of his life, and message more?
18. Happy Xmas (War Is Over): This is a brilliant video, and while some have critized it as Yoko politicizing, I think it’s artistically great and I think John would have completely approved.
19. Give Peace a Chance: Includes the Bed-in footage, various protests, and–again–vigils for John in 1980.
Overall, it’s a must buy if you’re any kind of John Lennon fan. It’s good in that either the beginning John Lennon fan, or the long time devotee is going to find something good to see. My main points of contention are not that it was bad, but that it could have been even better than it was.
January 9th, 2010