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So what would be Lennon's 70th birthday is coming up next week. There are so many special events in LA in celebration that I'm pretty overwhelmed:
The Mods & Rockers Film Festival
Proudly Presents
A LENNON TIME IS GUARANTEED FOR ALL!
A Celluloid Celebration
Of John Lennon's 70th Birthday
Thursday September 30 - Sunday October 03, 2010
Thursday September 30th - 8:00pm (note 8pm starting time)
Multi-Media 70th Birthday Salute to John Lennon!
Los Angeles Premiere & Exclusive Concert!
In-Person: Director Sam Taylor-Wood & star Aaron Johnson
Plus The Quarrymen - John Lennon's Original Band-Mates!
NOWHERE BOY (2010, Weinstein Co.)
Nowhere Boy tells the dramatic and poignant story of the teenage Lennon as he struggles with the complexities of his family life and starts a group - The Quarrymen (the band that became the Beatles) - as his rock 'n' roll ticket to ride out of his painful circumstances. Starring Aaron Johnson ("Kick-Ass") and Kristin Scott Thomas ("English Patient"). Directed by Anthony Minghella protege Sam Taylor-Wood.
Live Concert Following! THE QUARRYMEN play a full set of the songs they performed with John, Paul & George in the early days.
Discussion between the film and concert with director Sam Taylor-Wood, star Aaron Johnson plus the Quarrymen (all were childhood pals of John) and Beatles scholar Martin Lewis
Friday October 1st - 7:30pm
Ultra-rare 1964 documentary - never on TV or DVD!
Plus the rarely-seen first-ever overview docu made about the Beatles
WHAT'S HAPPENING! THE BEATLES IN THE USA (1964, Maysles Films, 81 min.)
The Maysles Brothers were commissioned by a UK TV network to document The Beatles' first US visit. After completing the 30-minute program, they fashioned the wealth of material they'd shot into a full-length feature - but their hoped-for theatrical release in 1964 was squashed because of contractual conflicts (the imminent release of A HARD DAY'S NIGHT). A severely truncated version appeared on US network TV just once in 1964. Some of the source material was eventually used by Apple (completely re-edited and intercut with other content) to make the 1991 home-video compilation "The Beatles First U.S. Visit". But the original full-length film - as shot, edited and directed in 1964 by the Maysles Brothers - has rarely been seen anywhere - and only once before in California. This film will NEVER be on TV or DVD. Don't miss the rare opportunity to see this film in which John shines like a beacon.
MIGHTY GOOD! The Beatles (1976, Isolde Films, 60 min)
British enfant terrible Tony Palmer first befriended John Lennon in 1963. In 1968, Lennon instigated Palmer's film "All My Loving" which provocatively documented the massive cultural earthquake of late 60s music. Thrilled with that, in 1972, Lennon suggested that Palmer make a PBS "Civilization"-type series chronicling 20th century popular music. Palmer took up the challenge (the Lennon-titled 17-part "All You Need Is Love") and both Lennon & McCartney assisted him in producing this first-ever overview documentary about the Beatles as one of the series' set-pieces. Replete with ultra-rare footage and fresher memories than in 'Anthology" made some 20 years later.
THINGS THEY SAID TODAY: Reflections On A Hard Day's Night (2002, Shenson Films, 35 min. Dir. Martin Lewis)
A penetrating documentary about the instigation, production and release of the Beatles' first movie. With rare scenes and exclusive interviews.
Saturday October 2nd - 7:30pm
Ultra-rare L.A. Screening of the digitally-restored 1965 classic "Help!"
Plus L.A. Theatrical Premiere of Michael Lindsay-Hogg's classic about John & Paul
HELP! (1965, Apple, 81 min. Dir. Richard Lester)
The second Beatles film was comparatively less exalted than A HARD DAY'S NIGHT on its release. Lennon famously quipped "we were extras in our own film". However, in recent years the film's reputation has been on the upswing and it is now recognized as a pop-art classic in the Lester canon. Lennon himself re-evaluated the film in 1980 expressing admiration for its pioneering style. It overflows with sumptuous mid-era Beatles tunes and the charismatic cheek and charm of the Fab Four - who incidentally (by their own admission) were high as kites throughout the shoot! This digitally-restored print has only screened once before in L.A. Don't miss this special salute to John.
TWO OF US (2000, Aaronson/Falk Prods, 89 min)
Director Michael Lindsay-Hogg who had directed the Beatles early promotional music films and their 1970 swansong LET IT BE, made this charming dramatization of the true-life last encounter between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The two famously met up for a day in New York City in April 1976 while Paul was winging over America and John was house-husbanding in the Dakota. 19 years after these musical blood brothers first met, what (unbeknownst to them) would be their last time together is charming, funny, insightful and poignant. With Jared Harris as John and Aidan Quinn as Paul.
Plus uber-rarities! Conversation between films with Beatles scholar Martin Lewis who was consultant on Two Of Us.
Sunday October 3rd - 7:30pm
Two Powerful Documentaries On John Lennon
Filmmaker David Leaf in-person
THE U.S. vs JOHN LENNON (2006, Lionsgate, 99 min. Dirs. David Leaf & John Scheinfeld)
Of all John Lennon's considerable achievements, the fact that at the age of 31, he was feared by the most powerful man in the world - the US President - speaks volumes. This powerful documentary documents the illegal abuse of power by which the Nixon White House sicked the FBI onto Lennon and tried to have him deported because it feared Lennon's popularity and activism for peace might cost Nixon the presidency. The film exposes the harassment that Lennon experienced and reveals Lennon's courage in the face of all that Richard Nixon and J. Edgar Hoover did to try and muzzle him.
There will be an introduction and Q&A with filmmaker David Leaf.
IMAGINE: JOHN LENNON (1988, Warner Bros. 100 min)
Director Andrew Solt sifted through hundreds of hours of footage to shape this evocative and definitive portrait of John Lennon. Made with the blessing of Yoko Ono and the Beatles but with independence secured to allow Solt the freedom to work with the material, the film is narrated by Lennon himself using the wealth of interviews he gave during his life. The film somehow crams in the ten Beatles years, the ten solo years and the twenty formative years that preceded the fame and provides great insight into Lennon's life. The film makes us laugh, cry and most of all - imagine...
The Grammy Museum is also hosting a bunch of Lennon oriented Events including the opening of a new exhibit
Member Exhibit Preview: John Lennon, Songwriter
Sunday, October 3rd, 2010; 3pm-7:30pm
The exhibition will pay tribute to the four-time GRAMMY® winner's songwriting genius, his roots, and his influences, and will explore various elements of Lennon's songwriting history.
Highlights to the Member Preview include:
Members Ice Cream Social - 3pm-4pm
Sponsored by New Zealand Natural (Museum lobby)
Plus, check out the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus - 4pm-8pm
(L.A. LIVE Plaza)
The Exhibit opens to the public on Monday
Donor Circle Preview: American Masters LENNONYC
Nominee, Award Winner and Icon Member Exclusive
Monday, October 4th, 2010; 7:30pm
Icon, Award Winner and Nominee level Members, join us for the west coast premiere of LENNONYC. LENNONYC contains never before-released in-studio recordings, concert film only recently transferred to HD, and a trove of Lennon/Ono compositions - some in versions previously unheard. Plus, interviews with those closest to Lennon. LENNONYC is a co-production of Two-Lefts Don't Make a Right Productions, Dakota Group, Ltd., and THIRTEEN's American Masters in association with WNET.ORG for PBS and will have its US television premiere on PBS's American Masters series in November 2010.
Member Salon
"Recording the Beatles"
A Discussion with Authors Brian Kehew and Kevin Ryan
Saturday, October 9th, 2010; 2pm-4pm
Members, join us in celebration of what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday on Oct. 9, as we explore the methods used to create and capture that unique Beatles sound with the authors of "Recording the Beatles," Brian Kehew (LA based producer/engineer/musician)and Kevin Ryan (musician/producer from Houston). Brian and Kevin spent nearly 15 years researching for "Recording the Beatles" by traveling around the world, and gaining unparalleled access to Abbey Road studios and EMI Archives. The book contains detailed information on exactly who, where, and how the Beatles' famous records were made. Brian and Kevin will discuss how the book was written and some of the interesting findings they uncovered. The presentation is practically non-technical, and shows how the Beatles' groundbreaking approach can still work in the music of today.
American Express Presents An Evening With Yoko Ono, Sunday, October 3, 2010; 8pm
THIS PROGRAM IS SOLD OUT
In celebration of the 70th anniversary of John Lennon's birth (Oct. 9) and in support of the GRAMMY Museum's newest exhibit, John Lennon, Songwriter, Yoko Ono will take part in the Museum's An Evening With series. Hosted by Executive Director Robert Santelli, the two-time GRAMMY® winner, multimedia artist and peace activist will talk about her late husband's life and legacy before taking audience questions.
and finally there are two live performances of the Plastic Ono Band with Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon with guests including Perry Farrell, RZA, Carrie Fisher, Vincent Gallo, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Harper Simon (son of Paul Simon), Haruomi Hosono (founder of Japanese band Yellow Magic Orchestra) and indie hipster Tune-Yards. Iggy Pop, bassist Mike Watt and Nels Cline will guest on Friday night, while Lady Gaga is joined by Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore on Saturday.
Curious whether other areas have similar things planned.
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