The U.S. vs. John Lennon - Challenging Power
David Leaf and John Scheinfeld Portray the Battle for America
Sep 23, 2009
Of all the documentaries that have been made about John, this is the one he would have loved. ~ Yoko Ono Lennon
David Leaf and John Scheinfeld's documentary reveals an era in the United States that is ironically shown through the lens of two British citizens. John Lennon is best understood as a product of his time: part of one of the most innovative musical groups with a long-lasting musical legacy and a promoter of peace during the divisive Vietnam War. John Lennon was never a lightweight. As a musician, he helped to usher in the era of long hair and rebellion, drugs and free love, with music from Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds to Give Peace a Chance. John exemplified the restless alienation of disaffected youth during the decade that spanned the mid 60s to the mid 70s.
The film gives a bit of background, including John's difficult childhood and loss of both parents, which helps the viewer understand what follows. His casual comment about the Beatles being more popular than Jesus led to backlash from the Bible Belt in the U.S. which resulted in bonfires of Beatles records and massive misunderstanding of the group in general and Lennon in particular. Despite numerous and profuse apologies, John remained misunderstood, a common theme in his life. Lennon had become a perceived threat to the conservative culture. Comments by Carl Bernstein, Bobby Seale, Naom Chomsky, Gore Vidal, Jerry Rubin, John Dean, George McGovern, Angela Davis, Governor Mario Cuomo, Walter Cronkite, and Yoko Ono portray the era of our discontent. Calling the world's leaders as "insane" did not endear him to those same public figures.
The U.S. vs. John Lennon - and Yoko Ono
Enter Yoko Ono, a performance artist who was unique and controversial. John had been to art school and admitted when he met Yoko, it was like findng his brain in this other female person. The historic footage and the celebrity footage are intertwined and relative to one another. The musical selections give emphasis as the viewer listens to Martin Luther King talk about America's right to protest and fight for what is right. The era of protest and challenging power was a perfect time for the talented young Lennon. With Yoko at his side, he was empowered to be creative (interviews in a bag, in bed) and contentious (anti-establishment and pro-peace)-- he quit apologizing.
Anyone who lived through the era should enjoy the memories that this film evokes. It is surprising to see how vulnerable this young man was, how youthful both John and Yoko appeared during this era, and how many demands the entire world placed upon their slender young shoulders. It helps to understand the motivation for some of the seemingly bizarre behavior that they exhibited in order to gain attention for the peace movement. "When you talk about destruction, you know that you can count me out," sang John in Revolution. John and Yoko decided to take a stand rather than do nothing. They moved to New York City, which felt like home to John. They loved it and felt like they were in the center of the creative world, the place to be in the 70s. Artistry and Revolutionary combined: one small British subject who threatened the power structure of the largest government in the world.
Leaf and Schienfeld's Documentary of The Peace Movement Era
The film includes so many clips from the era that is useful to explain the times to those of us who are uninitiated and to recall it for those of us who lived it and have become forgetful of the passions of our youth. Don't miss it. The skillful use of vintage music interwoven with news clips, gives a fuller vision of the artist and his times than anything you might find that only takes 96 minutes of your time. Worth watching.
Release date: December 2006
Nominated, Best Documentary 2006, Satellite Award
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