Lennon Legend - The Very Best of John Lennon

Lennon Legend - The Very Best of John Lennon
by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Bruce Westcott, Joe Pytka, Simon Hilton

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Movie Reviews of Lennon Legend - The Very Best of John Lennon

Movie Review: 5.1 for lennon Legend
Summary: 5 Stars

Much in the life of John Lennon speaks for the fact that he wanted to remain in such a way in memory. John said to the Rolling Stone 1980: "... but if they did not want us as pair, then we had also no more interest ". Basically the blueprint of his career as the ex Beatles had been it to merge Yoko actively in his music and performances. John identified himseld as no second in such a way with his wife. Yoko was John's muse and inspiration. John's rich artistical legacy lives on now - owing to Yoko. John's benediction this DVD is certainly sure.

Well, the music and the videos are in its quality contradictory - like the life of the "Beatle John" also - evenly no pure compilation of "the very best of John Lennon". Because, where are "Remember", "Isolation" or "God"?

But altogether this does not lead probably to the devaluation: Owing to the clear fresh music and owing to the amusing videos, this DVD without each doubt has deserved

5 of 5 stars.

From the point of the taste of music this DVD is a must to have it in a collection and it is a good present as well to everybody, who loves pretty good 70s Rock'n'Roll Music.

To the evaluations in detail:

- The music

The most important element of this release is the music - and this is really known for John. Anyhow the sound is incredible: better ever The producers took carefully the possibilities of 5.1 surround sound - not overdosed, for example, one channel on both front speakers, the other on both back speakers, the third channel on the center speaker: A special kind of surround sound - really.

Most Songs are not faded out - this provides a certain charm. The songs are fresh and clear: Thus one did not hear "Imagine" anyhow ever. Impressing the recording of "Mother" are simply brilliant, as well "Watching the Wheels" and "Happy XMAS".

- The videos

Combining music and film was a passion of John and Yoko very early. Some of the DVD videos were completely revised and brought into a form up-to-date. Others were produced particularly for the DVD - these are the strongest and most emotional films, like for example:

"Mother" - in the rhythm of the music black-and-white pictures from John's complicated relations life with parents, wife and children over the screen float. The perfect symbiosis from music and picture.

"Working Class Hero" - played and original scenes from John's lives give the optical framework to one of the strongest Lennon Songs. Moving the recall of the assassination: In a scene the Cover is shown, which signed John at the day of death for his murderer. Into the next scene a blood drop falls on the first side of the novel "The Catcher into the Rye" from J.D. Salinger. Chapman was possessed of this book and referred from it inspiration for his senseless act. The next scene showed some press reports on John Lennon's death.

"Happy XMAS" - the video is already now very disputed - one may show such war scenes? Now the song reveals its true message probably only with these pictures. A song, that in the last years in the conjunction with "Wonderful Christmas time" (of Paul McCartney) and "Last Christmas" (of Wham!) on various Rock Christmas compilations came down to a Flower Power sentimental song. The film shows dead, mutilated children, crying parents on the one as on the other side of the "front". The wrong, the misery is everywhere. The film shows rubble and dust clouds. It shows people, those before it flees in the Iraq, like in Manhattan. The message is clearly - the war is (only) over - if we (all) want it.

Weak is actually only "Cold Turkey" - the absolutely brilliant studio recording of this Rocker does not fit in with the footage snippets of the "One ton One Concerts".

- The special features

The extra songs in the special feature are "only" PCM Stereo.

Strong is also here again "Working Class Hero". This special Anthology version is bristling with well-known interview footage snippets, in which John tells about his life. Together with the pictures this is surely one of the shortest Lennon biographies.

The fact, that the last Live performance of John Lennon is on these Compilation, has surely its authorization - although "Imagine" was somewhat emotionless presented.

Animations of John's drawings and a photo gallery are nice gimmicks - no "Must" on this DVD.

- The menu technology and the artwork

The menu is structured clear and works up-to-date. Was tried also here to present John not as a Flower Power Hippie but as an artists, whose music and statements have straight today its authorization.

The Artwork is simple. The Booklet is similarly as that the CD. The inside of the Inlays shows a picture gallery. Detailed information to the songs (over the usual credits) and to the videos are completely missing in the booklet and on the DVD - actually harm.

Summary of Lennon Legend - The Very Best of John Lennon