Imagine: John Lennon (1988)

'You may say I'm a dreamer.'

★★★★

There's no doubt the cultural impact and influence The Beatles had, especially John Lennon. There would be no Beatles without John. Paul, George, and Ringo wouldn't have existed if it weren't for John. Music wouldn't be where it is today if it weren't for John and The Beatles.

In December 8th, 1980, the world was taken by shock after hearing the death of John Lennon, who was tragically murdered by Mark David Chapman, or as George called him, "The Devil's best friend," or as Paul called him, "Jerk of all jerks." Now, almost 45 years later, we still miss the man. I don't think the world has ever fully processed his death, or learned anything from it because there are still things like this happening. Sort of like how people haven't really fully processed JFK's death.

Six years after his death, Yoko Ono, John's second wife, commissioned a documentary of John's life titled "Imagine: John Lennon," which was released two years later in 1988. It's narrated by John Lennon using archival footage, and features exclusive interviews from Yoko Ono, John's first wife, Cynthia Lennon, his two sons, Julian and Sean, Beatles producer George Martin, and Yoko's assistant, May Pang. Unfortunately, none of the other Beatles agreed to participate, possibly because it was still hard for them to talk about John, but they did give their stamp of approval. Ringo said that watching it made him tear up easily.

John Lennon may have been a successful musician, but he had a hard life. His parents split when he was four, and he was raised by his aunt Mimi, who did the best she could. When John was 17, his mother came back into his life and taught him music, but it was short-lived when his mother was tragically killed after an off-duty cop ran her over in his car. That was one of the reasons why he and Paul connected quickly.

After forming The Beatles, it was fun for them, especially after they got the opportunity to explore America, make some movies, and become famous. But it was also hard because the American audience was extremely sensitive, crazy, and full of loud screams. That's one of the reasons why The Beatles stopped touring, which eventually led to the breakup.

During the early days of The Beatles, John was dating Cynthia, but after the two accidentally conceived a child, John and Cynthia agreed to marry, mainly due to them being young and a bit naive. In the late 60s, Yoko came into John's life which made him immediately fall in love with her. While she may not be perfect, Yoko Ono did introduce John to activism and helped him express his feelings. That's why you see his solo work is more personal than anything else.

You can see that John's life in the '70s really changed. He became more active in social events and protests. That almost got him deported. Which is crazy, but that's America for you.

Other than learning about John's life, I did enjoy hearing what Yoko, Sean, Julian, Cynthia, May, and George Martin had to say about John. They all provide fruitful insights about him, some tragic, especially Sean and Julian, who wish John were still around. Cynthia mentioned a letter she received from John apologizing to her and acknowledging his mistakes. Yoko mentioned how she suggested to John that he and Sean should go back to Bermuda. John said, "Not this time. I'm going to be with you, no matter what." Oh, had he known...

This isn't just a movie; it's a piece of history that explores the life of a man who wasn't always perfect or a god, but a genius at heart and an artist who truly cared for the human race and the world itself. It is an example of someone who has made mistakes, eventually trying their best to overcome them. No one deserves to go out like that, in a stupid way. I would like to imagine a world in which this man wasn't assassinated. It shouldn't be difficult to do so.