| Imagine: John Lennon | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Andrew Solt |
| Written by | Andrew Solt Sam Egan |
| Produced by | Andrew Solt David L. Wolper |
| Narrated by | John Lennon |
| Cinematography | Néstor Almendros |
| Music by | John Lennon The Beatles |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom[citation needed] |
| Budget | $6.5 million[1] |
Imagine: John Lennon is a 1988 documentary film[2] about English musician John Lennon. It was released on 7 October 1988, two days before Lennon's 48th birthday (and nearly eight years after his death).
The film chronicles Lennon's life and musical career as a member of the Beatles and as a solo artist. It features recordings that had not been released prior to the film: an acoustic demo of "Real Love" taped in 1979 (an alternate recording of which would be finished by the Beatles for 1996's Anthology 2) and a rehearsal take of "Imagine" in mid-1971 before the final take was captured.[3] The film was commissioned by Yoko Ono in 1986. None of the three former Beatles, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, or Ringo Starr, agreed to participate in the film, though they reportedly mostly approved of it.[1]
Imagine: John Lennon, with its wealth of archival footage and narration, received generally positive reviews. The film's soundtrack was also successful in the United States, reaching No. 31 on the charts and going gold.[citation needed]
- ^ a b Rense, Rip (6 October 1988). "A Director's Search for John Lennon". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ^ Hochman, Steve, ed. (1999). Popular Musicians Volume 2: The Doobie Brothers – Paul McCartney. Salem Press. p. 636. ISBN 978-0893569884.
- ^ Jacobson, Colin (30 November 2005). "Imagine: John Lennon (Deluxe Edition) (1988)". DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved 20 August 2009.