9-2012 'The John Lennon Letters', a new book celebrating John Lennon's life is coming out October 9. Christopher Eccleston will be reading the audio version. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Orion Publishing Group:
Containing over 250 postcards, letters and illustrations (many never seen before) this offers a singular insight into the world of John Lennon and is fully endorsed by Yoko Ono (who has just recorded the introduction to the audio edition), and edited by Beatles biographer Hunter Davies.
First ever collection of the letters of John Lennon, an international publishing event.
John Lennon was a writer as well as a musician. It was entirely natural for him to put pen to paper whenever he had an idea, a thought, a reaction or a desire to communicate.
He lived - and died - in an age before emails and texts. Pen and ink was what he turned to. John wrote letters and postcards all of his life; to his friends, family, strangers, newspapers, organisations, lawyers and the laundry - most of which were funny, informative, campaigning, wise, mad, poetic, anguished and sometimes heartbreaking. For the first time, John's widow, Yoko Ono, has given permission to publish a collection of his letters. The Editor is the Beatles' official biographer, Hunter Davies, who knew John well.
John's letters are in a way something of a mystery - where are they all? Over the years many have come up at auction, then sold to dealers and collectors. Or they have been kept by the recipients, locked up safely. It has been a wonderful piece of detective work tracing many of these 250 letters, postcards and notes, which are arranged in chronological order, so that a narrative builds up, reflecting John's life. It will be visual - in a sense that many of the letters are reproduced as they were, in his handwriting or typing, plus the odd cartoon or doodle. THE JOHN LENNON LETTERS is fundamentally a book to read and study, providing a unique insight into the mind of one of the great figures of our times.
John's letters are read by Christopher Eccleston. Christopher Eccleston is an English actor who has had a hugely successful career in film, TV and on stage. His regular appearance on the TV series, Cracker, in 1993 brought him recognition and he went on to star along side such actresses as Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett. He won the 2011 International Emmy Award for his performance in Jimmy McGovern's Accused. He played John Lennon in the 2010 TV movie in and has twice been nominated in the Best Actor category of the BAFTA TV Awards.
Hunter's editorial materials are read by Allan Corduner. Allan Corduner trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and has appeared on stage in Passion at the Donmar Warehouse, Serious Money in the West End and Titanic on Broadway, and on screen in Yentl and Topsy-Turvy, amonst many other roles. He is a highly experience voice actor and memorably narrated the voice of Death when reading The Book Thief. He has read Elspeth Coopers' Wild Hunt novels for Orion.
Region 2+4, Blast! Films, 2 | entertain, BBC. Written by Robert Jones, directed by Edmund Coulthard. With C. Eccleston, N. Mori, C. Fairbank, R. Kinnear et al.
"For contractual reasons, certain music edits have been made," says it on the cover. And that's right, BBC didn't dish out on the Beatles stuff - and subsequently there's only John Lennon solo material and original score as the soundtrack for the film version released on DVD.
It starts now with what's probably the poorest choice of all changes, 'Look At Me' - instead of the engagingly trippy original beginning - which I loved since I heard it first in May. And in a way it sets the mood and pace for the rest of the feature. I'll leave it to the experts to judge the validity of stand-in tracks, but - while certain connecting scenes benefited from loosing explicit commentary in the form of the lyrics, overall the change from the Beatles trademark melodious mix of light and dark to relentlessness and sort of severity of Lennon's tunes did introduce a new somewhat solemn, or jaded shade to the film.
On the picture side, there are thankfully no adjustments, no cuts. DVD doesn't offer anything else but English HOH subtitles - which is of course a shame. Still, it is a nice gesture to make the film available to worldwide audiences so soon after the première - and I'm certain it's absolutely possible to enjoy 'Lennon Naked' whatever the version, thanks to Christopher Eccleston's outstanding performance.
• Jun 12BBC Radio 4 - Saturday Review - Tom Sutcliffe and his guests Paul Morley, Maria Delgado and Dominic Sandbrook review the week's cultural highlights. Incl. an excerpt from the film (John Lennon (CE) and his father Freddie) Info & audio
• Jun 21 BBC 6 Music - Lauren Laverne and Grace Dent review "week's best TV" Info
= BBC Radio 4 - Front Row - Review by Kirsten Lang and Andrew Collins. Incl. an excerpt from the film (Eccleston, Mori) Info & audio
• Jun 28 BBC Radio 2 - The Radcliffe & Maconie Show - "Noddy [Holder] joins Mark and Stuart in the studio to discuss 'Lennon Naked' - BBC Four's new one-off drama charting John Lennon's life from 1967 to 1971." Incl. two scenes from the film Info
Note on versions: British TV - The Beatles & Lennon music soundtrack Region 2 DVD - John Lennon music soundtrack USA version - censored + Lennon music soundtrack
TX - November 21 is the American transmission date for the film (on PBS, check with your provider/local station). The DVD will be released Nov 23 (details tba). Also, the DVD (vanilla) is out in Netherlands Sep 23.
Audience: 792,900 (4%) watched the film on BBC Four (peaking with 882,800 (4.3%)).
Award-winning actor Christopher Eccleston reveals why taking on the role of one of Britain's enduring and enigmatic icons was difficult to refuse.
"I'd been watching and reading about John Lennon avidly for over 20 years or more. I'm absolutely fascinated by him – he seems to have been kind, brutal, funny, arrogant, insecure, passionate and brilliant, in short – human.
"I wanted to play Lennon because of Robert Jones's script. He captured Lennon's character and the world in which he lived with imagination and great originality. I had three weeks from accepting the role to prepare, so I read, watched and listened to everything I could get my hands on," says the 46-year-old actor, who starred in the relaunch of Doctor Who in 2005.
"I re-read the Philip Norman biography and watched many documentaries and videos, but the chief source was the interview John gave to Jann Wenner, for Rolling Stone magazine," explains the star of critically-acclaimed dramas The Second Coming, Flesh And Blood and Hillsborough.
"I think Lennon was intensely human and his flaws were amplified by fame. He had to wrestle with his qualities and his demons in a very public forum. Lennon had a very contradictory nature. I was hugely sympathetic to what happened to him when he was a young boy of only five years old – his mother and father told him to choose between them. It was insightful because I felt that incident drove him on in both good and bad ways.
"The breadth and originality of his and the Beatles music is astounding, for example the leap from Love Me Do to Tomorrow Never Knows. I've got most of The Beatles music and music by John. There is a real confessional quality to his work. My personal favourite of John's, and I think a key to his life and this film, is Julia."
The Salford-born actor, who trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, also sought help with perfecting Lennon's accent.
"I had a brilliant dialect coach in Jill McCullough. John had a very distinctive voice, accent and physicality, the challenge was to capture his spirit without just resorting to impersonation. The costume and make-up departments were really brilliant and took great care in to perfecting the shapes and the look of Lennon, on a tiny budget."
The 90-min film which includes the famous bed protest also features the iconic Two Virgins cover in which an unabashed John and Yoko bare all for the cameras. But for Chris and his co-star Naoko Mori this was more of a challenge.
"Nudity – that's the hard stuff to do, but you just have to get on with it," says Chris. "I'd worked with Naoko before but we weren't naked in Doctor Who!" laughs Chris. "We had a good rapport on set... with nudity, actors always watch each other's backs, literally, instead of looking anywhere else."
So what's next?
"I have just finished filming the first episode of The Accused, by Jimmy McGovern. I've worked with Jimmy a lot. I'm excited. It's a really good script."
"I'd worked with Chris before in an episode of Doctor Who and felt we'd worked really well together. I have always admired his work and had a lot of respect for him. He really is a tremendous actor – and a wonderful man."
There are a few new shows this year though, starting with one-off Lennon Naked, in which Christopher Eccleston plays the Beatle during the "bed-in" years. Another solid Eccleston performance, and some great lines: "I was on acid, she was on the wane." Lennon says of meeting Brigitte Bardot.
May 4 The advance screening was held at BAFTA together with Q&A. Report here on the blog.
BBFC have issued the film with "15" certificate (for strong language and one scene of hard drug use). Run time is 82 min 14 s.
The film will have its international première at Roma FictionFest (July 5-10). UPDATE: To be screened out of competition. -- Article - in Italian; calls it one of the three major premières and mentions that CE won Best Actor at the festival in 2007 for 'Perfect Parents' -- Variety report -- THR report
John Lennon’s role as a father, and the impact of the brief and unhappy reappearance of his own absent father into his life, is the focal point of this drama, in which Christopher Eccleston stars.
Christopher Eccleston plays John Lennon in a single film charting his transition from Beatle John to enduring and enigmatic icon.
Spanning a period of wildly fluctuating fortunes for Lennon between 1967 and 1971, writer Robert Jones articulates the burden of genius, as well as issues of fatherhood and fame.
The unexpected death of Beatles' manager Brian Epstein in 1967 marked a turning point in Lennon's life. This film focuses on the turbulent and intense period of change that followed, and how John was haunted by his troubled childhood.
Made in high definition, Lennon Naked also reveals the impact of re-establishing contact with his long lost father, and the events that led John to shed everything both personally and creatively, including calling time on The Beatles.
Meeting Yoko Ono was the catalyst for this new era and the film explores the development of their extraordinary relationship, their growing disillusionment with Britain and what caused Lennon to abandon the UK to start a new life in America, a process which ultimately inspired him to record arguably the most powerful solo work of his career.
Trailer had been screened during BBC Showcase 2010 in Brighton (21-24 Feb).
TX: According to BBC News article, release now set for 'summer' (Naoko Mori had mentioned late spring/June; listen to her talk about the film and CE here).
Lennon Naked will be the second film of the past 12 months to tackle the subject of one of British music's most enduring and enigmatic icons - John Lennon.
Nowhere Boy, the debut feature by artist Sam Taylor-Wood, portrayed the precocious teenage Lennon before the Beatles and his complex relationship with his domineering aunt and free-spirited mother.
The new BBC film, which stars former Doctor Who actor Christopher Eccleston, shows Lennon at the opposite end of his career from 1967 to 1971, fame-weary and disillusioned with the very band that made his name.
The impact on Lennon of the death of the Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein comes under the microscope as does his break-up with wife Cynthia and his meeting with Yoko Ono and the subsequent period of his life which resulted in his defining song, Imagine.
Lennon Naked has been based, in part, on an historic "jaw-droppingly open" interview that Lennon gave to Rolling Stone editor Jan Wenner in 1970. During the course of the interview, Lennon spoke at length about the break-up of his band and his fractious relationship with Paul McCartney.
"It's an extraordinarily revealing interview about Lennon's character," says Lennon Naked director Ed Coulthard.
"He's very bitchy about The Beatles, he slags people off and it's very bitter. He also says he knew he was a genius at the age of 12.
"It was that last comment that captured me, really. It got me thinking about him and that late destructive period of his life."
[listen to the J. Lennon interview in full off-site here- ATBN]
Fan fears
The film is set to be one of the highlights of the BBC's summer schedule and has Beatles fans salivating, if not also feeling a little apprehensive.
"Fans have an image of John and the biggest fear that any Beatles fan has, is that it doesn't capture what he was feeling at the time," says Ernie Sutton from the British Beatles Fan Club.
"If it gives the impression that John wasn't bothered about his divorce from Cynthia or the break-up of the band and loss of Brian, that would be a real let down.
"John had a caring side and was really quite thoughtful. If he comes across as just an angry person then it won't give an accurate portrayal."
But Lennon Naked, at least according to the director, is not in the classic rock biopic mould.
Rather than cramming Lennon's 40 years into a neat hour and a half, the film centres on a specific period in his life.
But does this mean the film will avoid any number of dreaded rock biopic cliches?
"I think that you've got to avoid the moments that we know about already which will just seem really corny. That's why Nowhere Boy really worked because it's his early years," says Radio 1 film reviewer James King.
Lennon Naked shows Lennon telling the assembled Beatles the band is finished, surely a potential stumbling point. But Coulthard insists he should have avoided any.
"I think the two pitfalls are that you make a hagiography, that is just a cardboard cut-out version of an artist's popular image or you choose to tell a negative story," he says.
"The best films of this kind, and what I aspire to, is something in between that has light and shade. It is three-dimensional and has some complexity to it and gets you to a deeper sense of who this person was."
John Lennon is the next famous Brit to get the BBC4 biopic treatment. "Lennon Naked," set in the late 1960s as the Fab Four begin to fall apart, stars former "Doctor Who" thesp Christopher Eccleston as Liverpool's most famous son. [...]
"Lennon Naked," a co-production between U.K. shingle Blast! Films and the BBC, may gain much-deserved international traction for these films, which deserve a wider audience than can be achieved on a niche net such as BBC4.
"Potentially the Lennon film has the ability to reach a bigger audience because it is a more contemporary story than some of the previous films we've done," says BBC4 controller Richard Klein.
"A lot of the things that Lennon is seen dealing with in our story -- coming from a broken family, drugs, divorce, the art world, celebrity -- are very modern subjects that will resonate strongly with today's audience."
What all these films share are strong scripts ("Enid" was written by Lindsay Shapero while the Lennon biopic was penned by Robert Jones) and the opportunity for actors to engage at a deep level with the main character's personality.
Lavish sets, crowd scenes and special effects are conspicuous by their absence.
"They are all low-cost films that extract a huge creative dividend," says Ben Stephenson, the BBC's head of drama commissioning.
"The focus is on a single, central performance and the script, which makes them incredibly attractive from an actor's perspective. The main actor or actress is on screen for pretty much every scene." [...]
Coming so soon after Sam Taylor-Wood's portrayal of Lennon's teenage years in the feature "Nowhere Boy," isn't there a danger of over-dosing on Beatles nostalgia with "Lennon Naked?"
"I don't think so," counters Klein. "Our story covers the years from 1967 to 1971 so it shows a completely different period in Lennon's life.
"It covers areas that everyone wants to know about, including why did Lennon break up the Beatles and why did he leave London to go and live in New York."
It also promises an intense performance from Eccleston, who may end up rivalling Bonham Carter's interpretation of Blyton.
Following the sighting of Christopher Eccleston on set for a new film about John Lennon on Nov 14, official information has been made available Nov 27.
Christopher Eccleston is to star in Lennon Naked, a major one-off drama from Blast! Films for BBC Four.
Lennon Naked charts his transition from "Beatle John" to enduring and enigmatic icon. It covers a period of wildly fluctuating fortunes from 1967-71; a time of worldwide adulation at one extreme, a combination of frustration and despair at the other.
Writer Robert Jones articulates the burden of genius, as well as issues of fatherhood and fame in this 90-minute film. Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning says: "Securing Christopher Eccleston to play John Lennon is further testament to the calibre of drama on BBC Four." [...]
When The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein died unexpectedly in 1967, it was a turning point in John Lennon's life. The film focuses on the turbulent and intense period of change that followed, and how John was haunted by his troubled childhood.
The film reveals the impact of re-establishing contact with his long lost father Freddie and the events that led John to shed everything both personally and creatively – from divorcing his long-suffering wife Cynthia, to changing his name and ultimately calling time on The Beatles.
Meeting Yoko Ono was the catalyst for this new era and the film explores the development of their extraordinary relationship. Together they experimented with both the musical and artistic avant garde but in doing so become outsiders.
It looks at their growing disillusionment with Britain and what caused John to abandon the UK to start a new life in America. A process that included John harnessing the power of radical Primal Scream psychotherapy to lay the ghosts of his past and go on to record arguably the most powerful solo work of his career.
Key cast also include Christopher Fairbank as Freddie Lennon, Naoko Mori as Yoko Ono, Claudie Blakley as Cynthia Lennon, Rory Kinnear as Brian Epstein, Allan Corduner at Art Janov, Michael Colgan as Derek Taylor and Andrew Scott as Paul McCartney.
Lennon Naked is currently filming in London; the 90-minute drama is written by Robert Jones (The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Party Animals) and will air in 2010. The director and co-producer is Edmund Coulthard (Tales From Pleasure Beach, Soundproof); co-producer is Katherine Lannon (The Secret Life Of Mrs Beeton, The History Of Mr Polly) for Blast! Films, and BBC executive producer is Kate Evans.
Naoko Mori, as Doctor Sato in the TV series 'Doctor Who' (ep. 4 'Aliens of London', 2005), and Rory Kinnear, as Father Dillane in 'The Second Coming' (2003), had previously appeared alongside CE. Also, Michael Colgan was Gerard Donaghey in 'Sunday' (2002).
Former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston is to play John Lennon in a BBC drama marking 30 years since the singer's murder in 1980.
Lennon Naked will tackle the death of Beatles manager Brian Epstein, Lennon's developing relationship with Yoko Ono and his departure from the fab four.
The 90-minute drama ends in 1971 - the year Lennon released his album Imagine and he and Ono moved to New York.
Nov 15 'Set report' that broke the news first, at Daily Express:
The former Dr Who star started his first day of filming as the Beatle yesterday for a BBC drama called John Lennon – Naked.
The dramatic scenes being shot in London depicted the day Lennon and his then girlfriend Yoko Ono were arrested.
The reconstruction is believed to be of when the real couple were taken into custody on October 18, 1968, following a drugs raid at the flat in London where they were staying.
In the real event, police read a warrant through a bedroom window to Lennon and Ono, who days earlier had revealed she was pregnant, despite the fact they were both still married to other people.
Police who broke down the front door found 200 grams of marijuana and half a gram of morphine inside the basement flat in London's Montagu Square. [filmed in Gordon Square, North London - ATBN]
The property, near the famous Abbey Road studios where The Beatles recorded their greatest hits, belonged to Lennon's band-mate, Ringo Starr.
Days after the raid, Yoko had a miscarriage.
Lennon later pleaded guilty to possessing the drugs because he was worried that his lover would be deported. He was fined £150.
Audio: Naoko Mori guested on LA Talk Radio (Feb 7). Be advised it's a novelty show - site and source (there you can hear the whole programme, or if you want just the Mori interview, start at the minute 65).
Notes: Daniel Tatarsky's tweet had the first mention of the project: "Just heard: Christopher Eccleston (Aged 45) to play John Lennon from the 24 to 31. I guess Sheila Hancock will be Cynthia. 4:54 AM Oct 16th from web"
Mind games TV Times, June 19-25, 2010 <-- Click thumbnail for the article. Preview from the same: "Christopher Eccleston steps into John Lennon's shoes for this fascinating dramatisation of the ex-Beatle's life from 1967 to 1971. Part of the BBC's Fatherhood Season, it shows Lennon haunted by his childhood, reconnecting with estranged father, falling in love with Yoko Ono (Naoko Mori) and squabbling with Paul McCartney. Every scene is packed with resonance as John undergoes the transformation from mop-topped pop star to spiritual activist, with a little help from Yoko. This magic history tour is a must-see for music fans. ****" // Provided by Jen
2011-7-1 Official audio recording has been released by BAFTA here (or go directly to audio - download with save-link-as). It's a censored version. Also available on iTunes.
2010-6-15 Thanks to Davidastephenson, the Q&A in full - with Christopher Eccleston, Edmund Coulthard and Robert Jones from BAFTA preview screening (May 4th) - listen or download the audio (save link as).
Davidastephenson:
You've got to give it to actor Christopher Eccleston, he really does know how to speak his mind. The former Doctor Who – seems centuries ago now – is playing John Lennon in a new single film, for BBC4, Lennon Naked. First off, he's terribly good as Lennon. Eccleston does conviction performance, and does it particularly well here. But during this Q&A he's asked, given another new film on Lennon, and new books, what is it that this new project has taught us about this great artist? "Probably nothing," he says, truthfully. You've got to love him for this. Many other actors would have simply gone into PR speak, but not our Chris. Marvellous. Eccleston is not PRable. There's a term.
BBC is going through its "biopics' period". This follows on from a Boy George film, too, but Lennon Naked is at the quality end of the spectrum. Enjoy. On the podium with Eccleston are writer Robert Jones and producer Edmund Coulthard.
2010-06-09 Production company for 'Lennon Naked' Blast! Films compiled film's page on their site.
Video excerpt: Magical Mystery Tour
New description:
John Lennon is one of the most enduring figures in musical and cultural history. Thirty years after his death, Christopher Eccleston stars as the enigmatic musician in a defining period of his life, as he moved from Beatle John to an icon.
The unexpected death of Beatles' manager Brian Epstein 1967 was a turning point in John Lennon's life – and lead to a turbulent period of self destruction and reinvention. Uncompromising, raw and very moving, Lennon Naked charts the dramatic story of the pivotal years when Lennon fell in love with Yoko Ono, divorced his wife, split up from the Beatles and, in 1971, left Britain to live permanently in America.
It was also during these years that Lennon also re-established contact with his father, Freddie – a reunion that started promisingly, but was to go bitterly awry. In the rollercoaster of Lennon’s life in the late 60s, the only relationship that really inspired him was with Yoko Ono - the catalyst who enabled him to break free from his past to begin a new life.
Written by Robert Jones and directed by Edmund Coulthard, key cast also include Christopher Fairbank, Naoko Mori, Claudie Blakley, Rory Kinnear, Allan Corduner, Michael Colgan and Andrew Scott.
Old description:
Christopher Eccleston stars as John Lennon in this 90-minute film in which writer Robert Jones articulates the burden of genius, as well as issues of fatherhood and fame. Lennon Naked charts the transition from "Beatle John" to enduring and enigmatic icon.
John Lennon was used to riff raff turning up outside the gates of his Kenwood mansion in the stockbroker belt of Weybridge - groupies, autograph hunters, early paparazzi, the odd curious tourist. The morning of February 21st 1966 was no exception - although this time there was a familiar face amongst them - his father Freddie. They had spoken only once in 20 years.
Freddie was a dishwasher, working a mile away in a hotel but with no fixed abode. He’d released an ill-fated single of his own some months previously and sold his story for £200 to Tit-Bits magazine. It looked like cashing in and John told him to get lost.
A year later John’s life dramatically changed. Brian Epstein, the greatest father-figure he would ever know, died suddenly. In the grief-stricken days after his death, one of John’s first actions was to write to Freddie out of the blue and suggest a reconciliation.
The film reveals the impact of re-establishing contact with his long lost father Freddie and the events that led John to shed everything both personally and creatively – from divorcing his long-suffering wife Cynthia, to changing his name and ultimately calling time on The Beatles.
Meeting Yoko Ono was the catalyst for this new era and the film explores the development of their extraordinary relationship. Together they experimented with both the musical and artistic avant garde but in doing so become outsiders.
It looks at their growing disillusionment with Britain and what caused John to abandon the UK to start a new life in America. A process that included John harnessing the power of radical Primal Scream psychotherapy to lay the ghosts of his past and go on to record arguably the most powerful solo work of his career.
Key cast also include Christopher Fairbank as Freddie Lennon, Naoko Mori as Yoko Ono, Claudie Blakley as Cynthia Lennon, Rory Kinnear as Brian Epstein, Allan Corduner at Art Janov, Michael Colgan as Derek Taylor and Andrew Scott as Paul McCartney.
In May Liam Gallagher announced that he's producing a film of Richard DiLello's Beatles insider tome The Longest Cocktail Party. But before that, in late June we'll get to see Christopher Eccleston playing John Lennon in the 90-minute BBC4 film Lennon Naked. Shot in just 18 days in late 2009 and covering the years from 1967-71, among its explorations are Lennon's meeting with Yoko, his re-establishing contact with father Freddie and The Beatles splitting. Written by Robert Jones, the cast also includes Naoko Mori as Yoko, Christopher Fairbank as Freddie and Andrew Scott as Paul McCartney.
"I'd been fascinated by Lennon," says Eccleston, "whenever anything came out I bought it, read it, even the shit stuff like the [Albert] Goldman book. I identified with him because I think he's so flawed, with this compulsion to show the dark side of himself. When he bares his soul with stuff like Julia, it's the most beautiful song.
"It was an incredibly intense experience playing him," he continues, "because the subject matter we were covering was all the subject matter he used for the John Lennon/Plastic Ono primal scream album. His relationships with his father and mother... I'm not sure he ever recovered from The Beatles breaking up. On the last night of the shoot I read this interview with Paul McCartney in the Times, and he was saying, 'I decided not to write a song about John, consciously, but if anything came, I would. And one day I was sat at the piano and [wrote] Here Today.' So I went home and played it, and I'm afraid I had a weep! But that was me, saying goodbye... 'cos what a gift, to have tried to be him? I love him."
Eccleston thinks the acerbic Beatle would approve of actors playing him. "It's like a piece of performance art! All these people pretending to be him, he'd think it was hilarious..."
UPDATE: Eccleston no longer available due to work commitments. Naoko Mori and Rory Kinnear take his place.
2010-05-26 Advance screening nr. 2 of 'Lennon Naked' - Wednesday, June 2nd, 18.15, at British Film Institute.
Written by Robert Jones (The No1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Party Animals) and starring Christopher Eccleston, Lennon Naked charts the transition from 'Beatle John' to enduring and enigmatic icon during a turbulent and intense time following the death of Beatles manager Brian Epstein. The drama covers a period of changing fortunes from 1967-71; a time of worldwide adulation at one extreme, a combination of frustration and despair at the other.
We are pleased to announce that director Edmund Coulthard, writer Robert Jones and actress Naoko Mori (Yoko Ono) and Rory Kinnear (Brian Epstein) will be present for a Q&A hosted by Paul Gambaccini following this preview. Unfortunately, Christopher Eccleston is no longer able to attend due to work commitments.
Here's a review of the preview (as seen at BAFTA May 4th), now rewritten after several rewatches.
Between the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, I prefer David Bowie. That should say enough about my background. Before the casting announcement I knew only the basic pub-quiz facts about John Lennon, and he was just some quasi-mythical figure for me. So the news that broke November last was truly bizarre. I was borderline suspicious and kept my expectations well under the floorboards.
While the film didn't bring total relief to me, it definitely wasn't a complete disaster either. It attempts to splice lyrical and gritty levels in order to produce a narrative that's both psychological and epic. The everlasting dance – on the page, on the screen – between sentimental and relentless, naive and edgy. Seen as a whole, the writing is quite clever, but the total trust the film seems to have in it and the lead actor might also be a disadvantage – as unfortunately it means that all the decisions hang on them, instead of supporting them.
I won't discuss how historically correct the whole thing is, yet I would like to say that this film is not really a biography. For example, you can make a film about "a character who is greedy", and you can make a film about "greed". 'Lennon Naked' is not as much the former as the latter, a film about "John Lennon". All questions about physical likeness, age, voice are thus irrelevant. It's a picture of the strata, taken from a particular test, and it's up to every viewer how it connects with the context.
While I'm ready to accept it as an artist's interpretation, I'm less sure about the superimposed structure – the dates, the mix of archive materials and new, refilmed in b/w, transitioning then into colour. I wasn't convinced the very first time I saw the film, and subsequent watches only strengthened the impression. I think it was a misguided attempt to make the film more vivid, more appealing. There's nothing wrong with the fragmentation (which is probably a good picture of Lennon's mind), but the pseudo chronological approach (especially with the years just scrolled by) cools the viewer off in the beginning; it neither adds anything nor is in any other way justified. A mix of the childhood memories and the scenes from the present, poetic and narrative, would have worked by itself.
Why was the artificial beautification necessary? Not only there was the usual issue of limited budget, but also that of a breakneck filming schedule. I'd say the authors had no time to step back and take a look at what's developing in front of their eyes, and all too often chose to go for the hopefully fail-safe option. No time for experiments, no time to challenge the actors. Chris Eccleston gives it 100% percent, but is let down by other parts of the production that are forcibly fixed at 90 or less. He could have gone so much further.
It's a pity how underutilized the two really interesting character pairs are, Lennon and Brian Epstein (Rory Kinnear, who also had great connection with Eccleston in 'The Second Coming') and Lennon and Yoko Ono (Naoko Mori). Speaking of Lennon and Ono, the combination of Eccleston's version and Mori's version is truly successful. And it is a refreshing choice to show rather realistically the development of their relationship. In the moments they have together, dynamics is just right. It's also clear the film does have self-respect – and confidence: The extensive nude sequences are actually genuine character scenes and not just a gimmick.
There are indeed touches of brilliance in the film, where it bypasses any and all limitations effortlessly. Say, the use of music (original, not DVD version), the cheeky quick montage representing the not shown meeting with Bardot ("I know nothing!"), the look on Lennon's face when he tells Pete he's thinking about Yoko, wordless scene in the hospital – great. And the intense moments, and the humorous. Direct interactions between characters should have been exploited so much more – the actors are strong, all the info is there, no need to spell it out; give me everyday situations instead of permanent state of living in a press conference.
The fatherhood line is the least appealing to me in 'Lennon Naked'. For one, it seems that the writer, having discovered the less known facts, a bit too happily connected the dots. And also, I missed an allusion to the later part of John Lennon's life, where being a father gained new meaning for him and maybe was more important than before; the theme seems to be forcefully drawn onto a film with given chronological limits – earliest synopses created an impression of a more natural story layout.
This said, I do accept the film's version of what it could have been like to be John Lennon. I like what Chris Eccleston does, and I like the water very much. Remember King Herod's "Prove to me that you're no fool, / Walk across my swimming pool" from 'Jesus Christ Superstar'? I've been thinking about it since the trail, and it appears I was on the right path.
So, 'Lennon Naked' is enjoyable – and perhaps even more so if you, say, transfer certain sequences from narrative to poetic level for interpretation. It's a one-off role for Eccleston, and in that aspect 'Lennon Naked' is interesting. I always welcome going against the current, for better or worse, to destruct or to create, – because, among other things, it unties your hands. And this film is certainly not a conveyor production.
Director Edmund Coulthard and writer Robert Jones teamed up to tackle this entertaining yet sensational account of John Lennon's life, Lennon Naked, which aired on the BBC and in Japan before making its way to America. This fictionalized biography takes up subject matter surrounding Lennon's thorny relationship with his alcoholic father, Freddie Lennon (Christopher Fairbank), and attempts to psychoanalyze Lennon's life decisions, up to his leaving the Beatles and teaming up with Yoko Ono (Naoko Mori), based on his childhood dramas. The feature is all about Christopher Eccleston taking on the incredible difficulty of acting the part of such a recognizable icon. He does this in stride, exuding a confidence, indeed a stubbornness that this film's John Lennon succeeds and suffers with. In any biographical story, it's a danger to assume that the viewer comes away knowing a celebrity any better than before, and Lennon Naked offers such a presumably intimate take on Lennon's personal life that it frequently oversteps the bounds of respectability. For example, after Lennon, in the film, dabbles with drugs and glimpses Yoko, it ties his abandonment of his steadfast but dull, suburban wife, Cynthia Lennon (Claudie Blakley), to his abandonment by his father. Every time, in the film, Lennon leaves someone or is left, flashbacks to his childhood in which his dad bids him adieu on some British pier with balloons wafting into the sky heavy-handedly drive the connection points home. If one can ignore sentimentality like this, one can enjoy the uncanny capabilities of the actors playing the other Beatles, Paul McCartney (Andrew Scott), Ringo Starr (Craig Cheetham), and George Harrison (Jack Morgan), and early on, Brian Epstein (Rory Kinnear), during press meetings or warding off girls in the grips of Beatlemania. Sequenced chronologically, Lennon Naked begins right before Epstein's death and takes one through Lennon's leaving London for New York. As years flash by, actual vintage footage of the Beatles and of Lennon commingle with the fictional biopic, adding greatly to its credibility. However, be warned: Lennon Naked is sheer entertainment, not documentary. It's odd to think of an actual person's life providing fodder for fictional narrative, but when it's done well, it can make for some satisfactory viewing to quench die-hard fans who miss this beloved and very talented man who lived in the public eye. --Trinie Dalton
UPDATE: According to2 | entertain, the release is pushed to July 5th (instead of June 14th) -- Has been released June 28th.
2 | entertain: "Thirty years after the death of John Lennon, Lennon Naked tells of the turbulent lifestyle of one of the twentieth centuries biggest icons. Christopher Eccleston stars as the enigmatic musician in a defining period of his life – a time of disillusion, self destruction, transformation, and ultimately, hope. John Lennon is one of the most enduring figures in musical and cultural history. One quarter of 'The Fab Four', peace activist, visual artist and author, he was a man whose personal life was characterised by drama, intrigue and eventually, conspiracy. This unique film is available on DVD 5th July, priced £15.99.
A biopic with a stellar lead cast, Lennon Nakedcharts Lennon’s transition from 'Beatle John' to an enduring and enigmatic icon. It covers a period of wildly fluctuating fortunes from 1967 to 1971, from the death of father-figure and manager Brian Epstein through to the break-up of the Beatles to John's decision to leave England for New York; a time of worldwide adulation at one extreme, a combination of frustration and despair at the other. It's the story of an artist destroying everything to find himself – through drugs, break-ups and therapy – as he attempts to free himself from the shackles of material wealth and celebrity and discover himself as a solo recording artist.
It was a turning point in his life and the events that followed led John to shed everything he knew about himself. Yoko Ono was his muse and the catalyst for change – meeting her altered everything, and led to the acrimonious break up of his marriage to first wife Cynthia and his decision to start a new life. Lennon's growing disillusionment with life in Britain caused him to abandon his home country and start a new life in America. He was never to return..."
BBC Shop: "Starring Christopher Eccleston - Seven turbulent years in the life of an icon
John Lennon is one of the most enduring figures in musical and cultural history. One quarter of The Beatles, peace activist, visual artist and author, he was a man whose personal life was never short on drama, intrigue and eventually, conspiracy. Thirty years after his death, Christopher Eccleston stars as the enigmatic musician in a defining period of his life, as he moved from Beatle John to an icon. It covers a period of wildly fluctuating fortunes from 1964 to 1971, a time of worldwide adulation at one extreme, a combination of frustration and despair at the other. From the death of father-figure and manager Brian Epstein, his break-up with first wife Cynthia, his fascinating love affair with Yoko Ono through to his spiralling drug use and decision to leave England for New York, this is the story of one of the 20th century’s most influential artists destroying everything to find himself…"
The old description from BBC Shop: "This TV movie focuses on the key years 1967 – 1971 with John Lennon's break from the Beatles, his troubled relationship with his father, his all consuming romance with Yoko Ono, and his eventual move to America.
In this exciting and powerful film, Christopher Eccleston's portrayal of Lennon, so spookily inhabiting the great man, will give audiences a huge nostalgia trip, whilst telling a story which until now hasn't been shown on screen. In Supporting roles are Naoko Mori (Torchwood), Chris Fairbank (Only Fools and Horses), Rory Kinnear (Margaret/Finchley, First Men in the Moon), Claudie Blakley (Larkrise, Cranford) and Andrew Scott (John Adams).
The film is directed by BAFTA award winning director/producer Edmund Coulthard who recently received multiple awards (Cannes, Sydney, Bafta, IFTA) as producer of Hunger, a film about the hunger-striker Bobby Sands and a BAFTA as director of Soundproof and written by Robert Jones, known for Party Animals and No1 Ladies Detective."
2010-05-06 Radio Times (8-14 May) carried an essay by Kathryn Flett on British drama today. They also "asked the talent for the view from the inside" and listed "10 new shows you won't want to miss".
Christopher Eccleston Breakthrough:Cracker, Our Friends in the NorthMost famous for:Doctor WhoPlaudits:The Second ComingComing up: Lennon Naked, BBC4 "I reached 40 and wanted to rattle my cage a bit, so I went out to LA. But when I came back and did Lennon Naked, having been away for five years, I realised just how brilliant the cast and crews here are. "When I was a kid I didn't go to the theatre - television was my window onto the world and my first love. And British drama in particular addresses my own culture. It's how the nation talks to itself and it's very important to maintain high standards. In this country we have the best writers. We are a culture of words - it's no coincidence that Shakespeare was born here. I'm more slapdash about the film choices I make, whereas I choose my TV projects very carefully. But it's a tough time and I haven't worked since December because I'm choosy, I would actually like to do comedy for the rest of my life and surprise everyone and myself. My entire personal life has been a comedy, so I have experience."
2010-05-04 Christopher Eccleston's coming TV film 'Lennon Naked' (BBC4, June) has been screened at BAFTA, London, 4th May. Afterwards Eccleston, director Edmund Coulthard and writer Robert Jones talked about the creative process and their choices as well as answered audience's questions.
Sans spoilers, it could be said that the film is worth waiting for - maybe it's not a smash hit, but it's certainly a well-crafted, thoughtful approach to such an impenetrably iconic figure as John Lennon. It doesn't offer answers, only an opinion, and Eccleston's Lennon is that too. As BBC4 controller Richard Klein said in his introduction, it is not about representation, but about reinterpretation.
Somewhat paraphrased report of the Q&A follows - as experienced by Alex and Neptunienne - follow to her blog for her personal account of the evening and thoughts; videos are hers too. We were told that Naoko Mori was also in attendance, but she didn't appear on stage and neither of us saw her.
The session began with the question about the starting point for the film. Director Coulthard named the Rolling Stone interview - extremely candid, even severely so. He found Lennon's journey from being repressed whilst with the Beatles to being an artist important too.
Eccleston, at the same time as joking about the temptation of playing characters like Jesus or John Lennon, emphasized the importance of Robert Jones' script for his decision to take on the role - quality scripts being essential in any production - albeit, he joked again, the fact that Lennon in this film had more lines than all the other characters was a welcome bonus too.
Lennon was not Eccleston's hero, he said though he'd always been fascinated by Lennon, and obsessed over him while he was doing research. Furthermore, going by the same Rolling Stone interview, he found the Beatle 'fascinatingly flawed', a very flawed human being, he quoted Benjamin Disraeli, "half ape, half angel" - that's what drew him to the role. He said that Lennon could be in turn arrogant, dismissive of others, vain, destructive, brutally honest about himself, humble, gentle, he was a very contradictory person.
Regarding the physical transition, Eccleston quipped he wished he'd had Botox done (regarding the age difference that shows), and that it was all about holding the stomach in and also the wigs. Jokes aside, he said he did a lot of work with the voice, for that he had a coach. He supported Michael Sheen's position that impersonation shouldn't take over the role.
Research, according to the writer and the director, was what the film attempted to show as well - getting past the handy standard info, and, like Lennon did, trying to get back to basics, to reality. Eccleston continued, joking, when asked if he liked Lennon better now that he'd done this movie, "I didn't like him." He said that he felt more for him and thought less of him after doing the film, but loved him for his flaws, and for what he left for us. He allowed that there were both pluses and minuses about John Lennon, but the main fascination for him was in that Lennon was deeply flawed.
Asked about the film's impressionistic and dreamlike feel, the director explained that they attempted to get inside Lennon's head. Main thread was meant to be the relationship with the father. Jones added that they wanted to use certain selected facts, which did not necessarily follow from each other, so the result was somewhat impressionistic.
Question about Primal therapy brought the explanations of its principals and how it found way into Lennon's life. There were some jokes that Eccleston was half-primal, or even fully primal. Jones meant Primal therapy was crucial for Lennon. Eccleston said that this therapy was very useful for John Lennon, whether it was screaming on all fours or simply retelling what his parents had done to him. And he felt like Lennon had never been able to face what had happened before that. He also said that the fact that they placed this revelation about him so late in the film, made it more challenging, as Lennon might have seemed like an unpleasant character without an explanation why he acted like he did with his father.
Coulthard thought the film was about the father parts in 'Mother' song. Eccleston said he noted the confessional quality in Lennon's music, he put his childhood on vinyl, had a compulsion to confess. He said we loved Lennon for his abrasiveness - he did what he wanted to do and said what he wanted too (for example, his edgy relationship with the press), expressed it in his music, it was more than just a diversion (also a side others would probably like to have). Still, Lennon was "a bit of an egotist", Eccleston added, implying 'a bit' was way more than a bit.
Did the film show anything new? "Probably nothing", according to Chris Eccleston, but it helped imagine Lennon's inner life, the creation of his music, it's a try to imagine the landscape of personal existence; show a flavour, attempt a challenging portrait. The writer added there was more to Lennon than 'Imagine' and the image he created then.
This ended the prepared part of the Q&A, and the mic was handed to people in the audience.
First, public asked about feedback from Yoko Ono or someone else. The film's authors didn't have any, but they have notified the persons depicted in the film.
Then, there was a question about the original Beatles music which was extensively used throughout the film - writer and director meant it was essential, but apparently the rights weren't granted for worldwide release (?)
Underwater sequences with Eccleston that punctuated 'Lennon Naked' got attention too, and he used the chance for some more anecdotes. First, Eccleston claimed there actually existed an out-take where he plunged into the water, but his wig didn't exactly follow with him. He said John Lennon would have kept the out-take in the film, and overall, Lennon would have certainly loved doing this film himself, as there were 17 John Lennons running around. Then Eccleston mentioned the 90 minute film was shot in just 18 days. To which he added the punchline that he slept at the bottom of the pool.
Someone asked what Lennon would had been doing now, if he were still alive. Eccleston answered, "Well he'd shoot me, wouldn't he?" He said he expected that John Lennon would had been throwing another hand-grenade into his own life, because he seemed like a restless man. Some people thought Lennon had found peace at the time just prior to his death (compared to his chaotic life before), but that was more or less a myth. He thought that Lennon would have still been questing. He added that Lennon had a tragic, short life, it felt like he had a very full life, and yet he didn't have any time for personal development.
When asked if he was apprehensive about doing full frontal nudity, Eccleston retorted, "What do you think?!" He said that John Lennon did it in a sort of madness, "We're naked, let's show it," adding, "and then you all have to look at it."
Asked about inventing sequences for the film (the opening title said real events were presented in the film, but some scenes were writer-created), Jones replied the biggest part was documented, and it was mostly about filling in the gaps, not massive invention as such. They did watch youtube interviews of John Lennon's. But they didn't ask any of the living persons for inside information - it didn't have to be a personalized story. Listen to the audio.
He lived - and died - in an age before emails and texts. Pen and ink was what he turned to. John wrote letters and postcards all of his life; to his friends, family, strangers, newspapers, organisations, lawyers and the laundry - most of which were funny, informative, campaigning, wise, mad, poetic, anguished and sometimes heartbreaking. For the first time, John's widow, Yoko Ono, has given permission to publish a collection of his letters. The Editor is the Beatles' official biographer, Hunter Davies, who knew John well.
'TV is my way into my country, my culture'
