Customer Reviews

John Lennon Video Collection [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

John Lennon fans will appreciate this collection compiled in 1992 because it has much "home movie" type footage, as well as short audio clips from a BBC interview; for those of us who are just casual listeners, it is a mixed bag musically, and of not much interest visually, except as a time capsule of some turbulent times those of us in Lennon's generation lived through, and some of the videos could be shown as examples of "this is why we must not do drugs" in substance abuse seminars.

The film quality is often blurred and jumpy, and many feature the famous rumpled bed. Practically all of them include Yoko Ono, and it would appear from this footage an almost obsessive relationship...one of need as well as love; many of the videos include their son Sean as well.

The track list is:

1: "Give Peace a Chance" ~ the rumpled bed with John and Yoko, and friends like "acid guru" Timothy Leary, Hare Krishna folks, and the unlikely appearance of Petula Clark amid the mayhem.

2: "Cold Turkey" ~ about John's attempt at kicking the heroin habit.

3: "Instant Karma" ~ lipsynched at the "Top of the Pops" TV program (a U.K. version of "American Bandstand"), while a blindfolded Yoko is doing some sort of performance with flashcards.

4: "Power to the People" ~ includes images from the Tiananmen Square uprising, which seems very out of place, since it happened 9 years after Lennon's death.

5: "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" ~ features some cute kids singing.

6: "Mind Games"

7: "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" ~ features some clever animation.

8: "No. 9 Dream"

9: "Stand by Me" (Ben E. King) ~ a recording studio performance of the wonderful Ben E. King number.

10: "Slippin' and Slidin'" (Penniman, Bocage, Collins, Smith) ~ rock & rollin' with some terrific musicians.

11: "Imagine" ~ John's best known song as a solo artist.

12: "(Just Like) Starting Over"

13: "Woman"

14: "Nobody Told Me" ~ features cameos by Jack Palance and talk show host Dick Cavett.

15: "Borrowed Time"

16: "I'm Steppin' Out"

17: "Jealous Guy" ~ has some clips of the early Beatles days.

18: "Grow Old With Me"

19: "Imagine" (live)

Total running time is 80 minutes.

This should also be available on DVD. I remember seeing most of these videos when they were first released. There is SO much more material that should be released, the "vaults" are certainly not empty. The One to One Concert, and many more of John and Yoko's Art films have yet to be officially released. Apple takes eons to release anything, The Shea Stadium concerts and the Hollywood Bowl are fantastic and should also be released.

Videos include: Give Piece a Chance, Cold Turkey, Instant Karma, Power to the People, Happy Xmas(War is Over), Mind Games, Whatever Gets You Through the Night, No. 9 Dreams, Stand By Me, Slippin' and Slidin', Imagine, (Just Like) Starting Over, Woman, Nobody Told Me, Borrowed Time, I'm Stepping Out, Grow Old with Me, Imagine(Live)

Waldo needs your help now! -Paul R. Voda

What songs are on it ? Does it have "Imagine" and or "Starting Over" ? "Mind Games" ? Any of the videos shown on the Mike Douglas Show ? Please review and leave it here for all to see.

Its a shame not much performance footage exists of this great artist.Just a collection of bad home movies with songs dubbed.