Inside John Lennon (Documentary)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Main program: B-

 

 

Despite having a name like Inside John Lennon (2003), most of the nearly hour-long program focuses on his years with the Beatles as if to ignore his political radicalism and the extent of the FBI investigations.  Nevertheless, despite some misleading inferences of the title, the program manages to dig out some good vintage Beatles facts, footage and stories at a time when you do not hear them as much.

 

Stock footage and audio-only clips of Lennon and McCartney are culled from archival sources, but many new interviews have been gathered, especially those from Alistair Taylor (General Manager of Apple Records), Allan Williams (The Beatles’ first manager) and Alf Bicknell (the band’s chauffeur who knows how to tell good stories).  This all inadvertently adds up to an interesting show.

 

The full frame 1.33 x 1 image is varied with the usual newer videotaped footage and older film clips.  It coheres about as well as can be expected, while the Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has no surrounds of any kind and lacks any hits by Lennon as a Beatle, solo or otherwise.  The only extras are two more interview clips at about 20 minutes, which are good and probably should have stayed in the main program, but it feels formatted for TV.  Fortunately, the actual program is better than what you usually see on TV anymore.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo