Product Details

• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Capitol
• DVD Release Date: April 11, 2000
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305847118
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #67,748 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

An instant classic when released in September 1971, John Lennon's Imagine was the ex-Beatle's solo masterpiece, and its musical legacy is matched here by priceless footage of Lennon's creative process, independently edited from original 16-millimeter footage by producer-director Andrew Solt with the hands-off approval of Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. Incorporating footage from John and Yoko's original film Imagine (clips of which were previously included in the 1988 documentary Imagine: John Lennon), Gimme Some Truth presents Lennon, Ono, coproducer Phil Spector, and a host of gifted musicians in a fluid context of conflict, community, and craftsmanship. Bearing witness to every stage of the recording process, this 63-minute documentary succeeds as a visual diary, a study of familiar music in its infancy, and a revealing portrait of the then-30-year-old Lennon--from witty clown to confrontational perfectionist--at the peak of his post-Fab Four inspiration.

The film's horizons expand with a casual montage of Lennon's celebrity lifestyle, including New York party footage (by film theorist Jonas Mekas) featuring such guests as Miles Davis, Andy Warhol, and Jack Nicholson. Excerpts of a 1971 BBC interview reveal John and Yoko at their most thoughtful, discussing socio-sexual issues that remain compellingly relevant (and the entire 35-minute interview is included on the DVD edition). But the true value of Gimme Some Truth remains in the creation of music at the Lennons' estate at Tittenhurst Park, Ascot, England. The ballad "Imagine" is followed from rawness to completion, and the track-by-track progress is highlighted by "Jealous Guy" (after which Lennon playfully compliments Spector's studio wizardry), and especially "Gimme Some Truth," which alternates between full mix and isolated vocal track. With George Harrison on guitar, Lennon freely admits that "How Do You Sleep?" is a deliberately "nasty" criticism of Paul McCartney, but this remarkable film never dwells on negatives. A precious record of John Lennon's time on earth, Gimme Some Truth is as honest as it is entertaining. And while purists may object to the DVD's remastered sound--which was carefully remixed for Dolby Digital 5.1-channel stereo at Abbey Road studios--few would deny that this film is an important and illuminating document that any John Lennon fan will cherish. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

GIMME SOME TRUTH:MAKING OF IMAGINE - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars geared to the casual fan AGAIN, May 2, 2000

By 

Colin Klein (Chagrin Falls, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gimme Some Truth - The Making of John Lennon's "Imagine" (DVD)

As with almost every archival Beatles-related release, this is another product that tries to straddle the line of being for the collector and the casual fan both (leaving neither really happy with the end result). Once again they have erred on the favor of the casual fan, who will not be the one buying the majority of this release. Capitol/EMI never seem to learn from the great bootlegs how to compile really good releases.

If you have Imagine (the videos film), and Imagine (the documentary film), and Yoko Ono Then and Now, and the John Lennon videos collection, then you already have more of THIS video than you SHOULD have. The NEW stuff in this video is GREAT! Where is the rest of it? I could have gone for way more recording scenes, this hardly shows George playing, no King Curtis, no Badfinger. Just enough to tease us, then back to more recycled footage. Obviously these people filmed everything they did almost all the time, so why do we have to keep seeing the same scenes over and over again in each (NEW?) product. I am all for putting things in context, but the old stuff makes the basis for this dvd, not the new stuff. Just enough is left out of each product that you have to buy all of them, but once you have them it's pretty redundant. Of course the casual fan is not going to care because they will only see one of the versions, but for the rest of us this is getting really old. They also took the cheap way out and left in all the dust, hairs, scratches, and streaks in the video too, rather than cleaning it up like Yellow Sub. And, unlike Yellow Sub, the 5.1 soundtrack is not that big of a deal musically, and not that sonically different from the cd remaster.

The extra interview is nice, since they went out of their way to make that complete. I just wish as much thought would have gone into the main feature. Do you need this? Yes. If it's the only Lennon video you have, you'll probably be pretty happy, and it's much better than the videos version Imagine. If you have all the others, you still need this because there is just enough new to re-sell you the old again.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting look at the making of a record, June 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Gimme Some Truth - The Making of Imagine [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Although this video carries much of the same information as "Imagine," it is an interesting look into the process of making a record, and also an interesting look into John and Yoko's post-Beatles life. Illuminating also is the footage of Phil "wall of sound" Spector working with John Lennon. One imagines he's about the only producer John would never try to intimidate because of his reputation for greatness (along with Sir George Martin - a completely different personality). A few things are obvious from this video: John hated Paul McCartney at that time, George Harrison, working with John, couldn't have been fond of Paul for joining John's camp, John was going through a lot of pain, Yoko continually stuck her nose in every facet of John's life (where it sometimes did not belong - she knows nothing about music), John had a warm side that came out when dealing with the downtrodden (such as the poor soul who slept in his garden one night just to meet John), and there was an enormous amount of wealth surrounding the Lennons. Big house, fancy car, rich friends, etc. John comes off looking pretty good; one has to remember how young he was and how much pressure was on him to be what others expected. All in all this is a very good video and a must for Beatles/Lennon fans to watch.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "GIMME" IS A GREAT "UP-CLOSE" LOOK AT JOHN LENNON IN ACTION., September 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Gimme Some Truth - The Making of John Lennon's "Imagine" (DVD)

"Gimme Some Truth" is a great quality (sound and picture) DVD which will excite both die-hard and casual fans. Yoko and crew did a great job cleaning up this nearly 30 year old footage and having it sound so good on DVD as well. The tracks are first rate John Lennon from his biggest selling solo album. This is a nice companion piece to the remastered "Imagine" CD which was released at the same time. "GST" shows you up-close and personal of John at work and play in 1971. Sure some footage we have seen a million times (the "Imagine" video and the loner who "searches" for John whom the Lennons invite in for breakast)but the quality here is very high as this is John Lennon's first solo release on DVD. I only wish that the very underrated rocker "I Don't Want To Be A Soldier" was given more than just a minute clip (which was lifted from the "Power To The People" music video. These are small qualms for 1 hour of enjoyment. The bonus DVD features are nice add-on's and a nice way to look over the entire John Lennon solo catalog. Here's to more John Lennon on DVD real soon!