Customer Reviews

Lennon Legend - The Very Best of John Lennon

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

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.

It's a great package, love the menus and can't fault the picture quality given the source material. I cant comment on the 5.1 as i don't have it.

1. Nice to see the OTHER version of the TOTP 'Instant Karma'. The one on the DVD is the black polo neck version. The one on the 'John Lennon Video Collection' was the flowery shirt/denim jacket version.

2. REALLY annoyed to see that for 'Cold Turkey' they've overdubbed the single version on to of the live version footage from 'Live In NYC'. The video made for the single is GREAT. Why substitute this??

3. The video for 'Mind Games' is so lovely to see. John wandering around surrounded by people who are obviously surprised and pleased to see him. Imagine wandering around NY (im not sure thats where it is , having never been , but I presume it is) and seeing JOHN LENNON! What GREAT footage and it saddens me watching it when you realise that was it was this ability, for him to wander around and not get TOO hassled, that ultimately killed him. Fantastic film but also, the saddest on the whole of the DVD. Made me cry in fact! I so wish I could wander about outside and bump into the late great Winston O'Boogie! I look at all those people in the video and think 'You lucky baskets!' :(

4. Loads of the videos have had stuff added in and/or taken away so that means in order to still have the originals we need to hold on to our vidoes of the 'John Lennon Video Collection'. For example 'Give Peace A chance' has been changed, there's lots of footage missing of the bed in recording with footage of war and conflict and marches added in. I would have prefered to have the ORIGINAL promo made in the 60's for the promotion of the single AT THE TIME. Lots of the 84 videos have also been tampered with. 'Nobody Told Me' includes a false start, but with footage from 1972 on the
screen and they've tried to make it look like we are seeing the recording of this song but we're not (cos we know!). The song also ends and doesnt fade and they've grabbed clips of John where he COULD be saying what we're hearing but we aren't. While it looks ok and we can pretend, I'm not sure if I like it.

5. Oh, and why exactly did John and Yoko wander around New York with stethoscopes, sticking them on every one and everything? What was that all originally filmed for?

6. I DO like how a lot of the songs don't fade and you get to hear how they really ended. ('Give Peace A Chance' and 'Nobody Told Me' being 2 that I remember)

7. I wonder why alot of re-editing of videos was done? The beginning of the original 'Nobody Told Me' has gone (the whispering bit), many bits have been moved about or taken out competely. I don't get it.

Anyway I see I've waffled on a lot. I'm not moaning, just making comment. It's a great DVD but I thought I'd be able to get rid of my old video. I can't. A lot of stuff isn't here.

One thing i forgot to mention was the new video to 'Starting Over'. It is truly SO sad!! It starts off with Johns quote about being 64 years old and living off the coast of Ireland with Yoko looking at their scrapbook of madness. It then goes on to show what could have been John and Yokos retirement home, filmed off the coast of Ireland (by the same bloke who did 'Free As A Bird'?). We get to see in the house, Johns old guitars and amps, old writings and set out on the table, all old photos, as if John's putting together his aforementioned scrapbook. Then a wind come along, blows away all the old photos and we end up flying around the sky with the photos. A cartoon drawing of John and Yoko then flys around for a bit before disapearing in a puff of cartoon smoke. The camera pans back down to earth and the IMAGINE memorial in Central Park and we see the Dakota, and then youcome back to earth and are reminded that John didn't get to 64 and all what we just saw was what we all wish HAD of been. It's VERY moving.

This reminds me, at the end of too many of the videos we are reminded what happened on Dec 8th 1980. Makes for depressing watching when a lot of the videos make you remember constantly that John was taken away!!

Regards
Mark Jones

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Let me state emphatically that I love the music of the Beatles and of course John Lennon. However, this DVD is an insult to fans because of its revisionist history. There is no reason to create new videos for songs that already have videos. The original videos that can be found on VHS (the John Lennon Collection) are the vision of the artist. This new crop of videos is the concoction of wife Yoko. Now I ask you, to whom would you lean toward for artistic integrity? So as a public service announcement I advise not to discard your John Lennon Collection tape because those treasures may never see the light of day on DVD thanks to wife Yoko. Her massive ego will not allow John's original ideas to compete with this very unflattering portrayal of his music. This DVD is not totally without merit because the 5.1 sound is amazing and the bonus material is a real treat. However, if you want Happy Xmas (War Is Over) to be forever ruined for you then you have purchased the right DVD. The depiction of 9/11 victims and children with their brains bashed in makes this a very dark present to give a friend for the Holidays. Why fans would subject themselves to having a political opinion handed to them by wife Yoko, at a financial blow to them and a gain to her, is incomprehensible. This is a totally misleading title and project, loyal Beatle fans deserve much better!

Yoko Ono Lennon has consistently found inventive ways to stroke the star-maker machinery and make money anew since 1980 when John Lennon was killed in New York City. Originally released as a music CD, "Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon" is now a DVD that offers "new" music videos accompanying 20 of Lennon's best songs. The 2003 DVD contains some disturbing material and it is not for the weak.

If you happily open the DVD at this holiday season and think it would be cool to go first to "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," you will hear the anti-war song originally released in December 1971. Depending on your point of view, the song was either intentionally ironic, or, blindly idealistic. This music-video version contains footage from the present day (including the aftermath of 9/11/01 in New York City) and it is intensely painful to watch. The 2003 spin on the original message ("war is over if you want it") says that "even though you may really, really want it, war is not over." Try finding that sentiment on a Hallmark card!

You may not feel like watching the remainder of the DVD. But, if you do are very, very brave and choose to continue, you will find track after track of reworked images of John and Yoko edited to the beat of the music. You may get pretty sick of watching the happy couple captured for eternity in endless images repeated on screen.

There are some gems on the DVD, however. Lennon's last live performance in 1975 is captured on film as he performs "Imagine" at a black-tie gala. And, Lennon's wit and wisdom is alive and kicking in the upbeat "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" which has been transfored into a video with kick-ass animation.

A far better DVD value is "Concert for George" -- one of the best filmed rock concerts ever. With 5.1 surround sound, the audio is quite simply astonishing. The flawless performances of Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Billy Preston and others are loving tributes to Harrison's range and depth as a songwriter. An unforgettable appearance by Monty Python gave this a PG-13 rating when it was released in theaters. This DVD is a must-have for all who lived during The Beatles era, especially since it is impossible to envision ever again having all these legendary musicians on the same stage.

John was one of the first people who was involved in making promo videos with the Beatles.

I'm working off of vague memories off of the "John Lennon Collection" and "Lennon" the film bio (where's that DVD?).

But here's my quick rundown:
Imagine is the original promo, Instant Karma has had some changes. Mother is a new one. Jealous Guy is taken from "Gimme Some Truth". Power to the People looks like the one from Lennon Collection with some new editing. Cold Turkey: John and Yoko made a video for this one, which I remember on the "Collection" and liked it... but this was made from the NYC concert. They should have put both on there, but I guess footage of John singing won out. I liked "Mind Games" in this version though. "Whatever Gets You..." is from the Collection, a cartoon based on John's drawings (not really for kids but cute). #9 Dream and Stand by Me you've probably seen before. "Starting Over" is an all new video similar to the Beatles "Free as a Bird" montage, it would fit in with today's music videos. "Woman" is the original promo. "Beautiful Boy" and "Watching the Wheels" look like new versions of home movie footage. "Nobody Told Me" has been reedited from the original promo. "Borrowed Time" is another one that looks like the same people who made "Starting Over" did this one. Pretty cool. "Working Class Hero" is dark, but why is it near the end?
"Happy Xmas" is definitely not for kids, lots of shocking graphic footage of war wounded and war dead, some of it recent.
"Give Peace a Chance" is reedited somewhat.

The videos are more hit than miss.

The extras are great: two J& Y films (it's clean), "Imagine" from 1975 for Lew Grade (John's last live appearance), "Slippin and Slidin" (from OGWT), and "Working Class Hero" plays behind John talking about his life, which is pretty cool. A picture gallery is on there, as well as some of John's well-known drawings and poetry.

The surround mix is a nice welcome addition, and the 1980-era recordings sound great. I think that the way they did this DVD should be how they do a Beatles DVD...

Interesting how on Nov 18 we not only got "Let It Be...Naked"--a reminder of The Fab Four's sad breakup--but also "The Concert For George" (a beautiful but bittersweet reminder of Harrison's passing) and this, "Lennon Legend", which seems to wallow in John's murder to the point of obsession. The songs are all terrific and the videos are interesting, but many will make you cry, as I see a lot of the reviewers here have done. "Starting Over", "Beautiful Boy", "Mind Games"...my god it's like they looked for the most heartbreaking footage of Lennon wandering the streets of NYC, promoting peace and being with his son that they could. The end result is a little *too* effective, and coming along at the same time as "Let It Be...Naked" and "The Concert For George" was just all too much. However, the film also does act as a reminder that it is now up to us to keep that spirit alive, for the sake of the planet. This DVD should be bought, but keep a box of kleenex handy.

The first warning is on the menu page . . . John's picture dissolves to Yoko's picture. Watching this DVD, you'd think John was born, and then was in suspended animation until he met Yoko; and the brief time he left her, he was a useless drunk. The only mention of the Beatles is a brief shot of an "I Still Like the Beatles" button. And why did Yoko edit in shots of John & Yoko, when we could be watching John sing "Stand By Me"? Enough, Yoko!!!! But even with the history re-write by Yoko, this is of course a must have for fans.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" This uneven DVD compilation replaces the original John Lennon videos of "Stand By Me," "Cold Turkey," "Nobody Told Me," "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" and "Give Peace a Chance" with disappointing revisions. Fortunately, the "Imagine," "Woman," "Mind Games" and "Instant Karma" clips remain unscathed. The special features are a welcome addition - particularly John's final live performance in 1975. However, the overall collection represents a mixed bag for Lennon scholars, who deserve to see the original music videos as nature intended.

The sound is superb. The photos are good considering the age. The bonus features are excellent.

So why couldn't they use the original videos when they exist? Sure, some of them are on here and some of the new clips are interesting. But why replace the live concert audio with the studio tracks?

Like previous reviewers I also didn't need all the reminders about John's death. And worst of all is the Happy Xmas video. Yes, I know what Yoko was trying to do, but was it necesary to be that graphic? I couldn't watch it.

German newspapers and television stations are not well excited on the new DVD "Lennon Legend" - DVD is released in Germany on October 27, 2003 - The tenor is, that this work is more an "ego trip" of Yoko and a mystification of John than a real cool music video or a dispute with a rebellious, contradictory, difficult musician. The media claimed, that the DVD has to owe an altogether rather sentimental note probably to the strong influence of Ono. It submits the picture free of fault of a husband who idolized his wife, maked silly things with kids, went on peace demoes and loved romantical walks in the Central Park. Would John Lennon wanted to remain so in memory?

Much in the life of John Lennon speaks for the fact that he wanted to remain in such a way in memory. John said to the Rolling Stone 1980: "... but if they did not want us as pair, then we had also no more interest ". Basically the blueprint of his career as the ex Beatles had been it to merge Yoko actively in his music and performances. John identified himseld as no second in such a way with his wife. Yoko was John's muse and inspiration. John's rich artistical legacy lives on now - owing to Yoko. John's benediction this DVD is certainly sure.

Well, the music and the videos are in its quality contradictory - like the life of the "Beatle John" also - evenly no pure compilation of "the very best of John Lennon". Because, where are "Remember", "Isolation" or "God"?

But altogether this does not lead probably to the devaluation: Owing to the clear fresh music and owing to the amusing videos, this DVD without each doubt has deserved

5 of 5 stars.

From the point of the taste of music this DVD is a must to have it in a collection and it is a good present as well to everybody, who loves pretty good 70s Rock'n'Roll Music.

To the evaluations in detail:

- The music

The most important element of this release is the music - and this is really known for John. Anyhow the sound is incredible: better ever The producers took carefully the possibilities of 5.1 surround sound - not overdosed, for example, one channel on both front speakers, the other on both back speakers, the third channel on the center speaker: A special kind of surround sound - really.

Most Songs are not faded out - this provides a certain charm. The songs are fresh and clear: Thus one did not hear "Imagine" anyhow ever. Impressing the recording of "Mother" are simply brilliant, as well "Watching the Wheels" and "Happy XMAS".

- The videos

Combining music and film was a passion of John and Yoko very early. Some of the DVD videos were completely revised and brought into a form up-to-date. Others were produced particularly for the DVD - these are the strongest and most emotional films, like for example:

"Mother" - in the rhythm of the music black-and-white pictures from John's complicated relations life with parents, wife and children over the screen float. The perfect symbiosis from music and picture.

"Working Class Hero" - played and original scenes from John's lives give the optical framework to one of the strongest Lennon Songs. Moving the recall of the assassination: In a scene the Cover is shown, which signed John at the day of death for his murderer. Into the next scene a blood drop falls on the first side of the novel "The Catcher into the Rye" from J.D. Salinger. Chapman was possessed of this book and referred from it inspiration for his senseless act. The next scene showed some press reports on John Lennon's death.

"Happy XMAS" - the video is already now very disputed - one may show such war scenes? Now the song reveals its true message probably only with these pictures. A song, that in the last years in the conjunction with "Wonderful Christmas time" (of Paul McCartney) and "Last Christmas" (of Wham!) on various Rock Christmas compilations came down to a Flower Power sentimental song. The film shows dead, mutilated children, crying parents on the one as on the other side of the "front". The wrong, the misery is everywhere. The film shows rubble and dust clouds. It shows people, those before it flees in the Iraq, like in Manhattan. The message is clearly - the war is (only) over - if we (all) want it.

Weak is actually only "Cold Turkey" - the absolutely brilliant studio recording of this Rocker does not fit in with the footage snippets of the "One ton One Concerts".

- The special features

The extra songs in the special feature are "only" PCM Stereo.

Strong is also here again "Working Class Hero". This special Anthology version is bristling with well-known interview footage snippets, in which John tells about his life. Together with the pictures this is surely one of the shortest Lennon biographies.

The fact, that the last Live performance of John Lennon is on these Compilation, has surely its authorization - although "Imagine" was somewhat emotionless presented.

Animations of John's drawings and a photo gallery are nice gimmicks - no "Must" on this DVD.

- The menu technology and the artwork

The menu is structured clear and works up-to-date. Was tried also here to present John not as a Flower Power Hippie but as an artists, whose music and statements have straight today its authorization.

The Artwork is simple. The Booklet is similarly as that the CD. The inside of the Inlays shows a picture gallery. Detailed information to the songs (over the usual credits) and to the videos are completely missing in the booklet and on the DVD - actually harm.