The Beatles

[Miss Havisham]

John Lennon would be the John Lennon we remember, regardless of the woman he was the partner of.
I’m a fan of the Beatles - but I’m not a fan of John Lennon. I found his character unpleasant, and I also found him hypocritical.

I’m not a fan of Yoko Ono either. The avante garde type of “art” she made a lot of money from, is not for me. Another hypocrite in my book. One minute she was a hippy, preaching peace and love - but then we hear of her (and John Lennon’s) air conditioned rooms full of mink coats, and of her buying and selling cows / bulls for mega profits.

I don’t believe his weakness of character should have been the responsibility of other women to “fix”. I found him to be quite unpleasant.

The relationship of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, is portrayed as the romance of the century - but they were not together that long. Long periods of separation, including “lost” years, substance abuse (including heroin addiction). If they were not famous, they would have been looked on a pair of misfits.

It’s not often mentioned, but John Lennon was very underweight in the last years of his life. Some of the later images of him look quite startling, with him looking much older than his years.

 

[EleanorRigby]

John Lennon would be the John Lennon we remember, regardless of the woman he was the partner of.
I’m a fan of the Beatles - but I’m not a fan of John Lennon. I found his character unpleasant, and I also found him hypocritical.

I’m not a fan of Yoko Ono either. The avante garde type of “art” she made a lot of money from, is not for me. Another hypocrite in my book. One minute she was a hippy, preaching peace and love - but then we hear of her (and John Lennon’s) air conditioned rooms full of mink coats, and of her buying and selling cows / bulls for mega profits.

I don’t believe his weakness of character should have been the responsibility of other women to “fix”. I found him to be quite unpleasant.

The relationship of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, is portrayed as the romance of the century - but they were not together that long. Long periods of separation, including “lost” years, substance abuse (including heroin addiction). If they were not famous, they would have been looked on a pair of misfits.

It’s not often mentioned, but John Lennon was very underweight in the last years of his life. Some of the later images of him look quite startling, with him looking much older than his years.

I just think he'd have been happier and healthier with Alma, May or Cynthia than he ever was with Yoko. He lost so much weight when he met Yoko that the staff at Abbey Road didn't recognise him when he came back to record Sgt Pepper. That alone has sparked theories of John being replaced or using doubles.

In some photos of John before he died he looks a healthy weight whilst in others he is painfully thin, again leading to the doubles theory. His nose also changed shape dramatically in different photos.

 

[Miss Havisham]

I just think he'd have been happier and healthier with Alma, May or Cynthia than he ever was with Yoko. He lost so much weight when he met Yoko that the staff at Abbey Road didn't recognise him when he came back to record Sgt Pepper. That alone has sparked theories of John being replaced or using doubles.

In some photos of John before he died he looks a healthy weight whilst in others he is painfully thin, again leading to the doubles theory. His nose also changed shape dramatically in different photos.

He may well have been - but I do think there is a lot of talk about women putting him right, etc, which I can’t really agree with.
He would not have settled into the type of healthy / homely lifestyle that someone such as Paul McCartney had and likely still has. It was not in his character.

He was taking heroin around the time of Abbey Road, hence the dramatic weight loss, but I would say he would probably have taken that path (and other wrong turns), regardless of who he was with.

 

[Reverend]

John Lennon was ejected from Troubadour Club in LA for drunkenness. At one point, he wore a Kotex sanitary towel on his head. A waitress told him to remove it. “Do you know who I am?,” he said. She replied: ‘An mole, with a Kotex on his head.”

 

[People-huv-tae-know]

He was painfully thin towards the end. It's always attributed to his macrobiotic diet but I think he looks very pale and drawn in those photos too. He might have been ill or back on drugs.

 

[hughjars]

A friend has said Yoko has vascular dementia, has anyone here heard similar? If true it’s a shame, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone
All 4 of them are/were complex, but I think John may have been the most complex.

 

[Greentea12]

A friend has said Yoko has vascular dementia, has anyone here heard similar? If true it’s a shame, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone
All 4 of them are/were complex, but I think John may have been the most complex.

I hadn't heard that, but it wouldn't surprise me. I had heard that she may have suffered a stroke some years back and now relied on using a wheelchair. The fact that she no longer appears in public - and i'm not aware of any recent video or social media posts she's done- leads me to believe that there may be cognitive issues there too.
I'm not a Yoko fan, but of course it's sad if she's suffering from dementia. She is a great age, though and has lead a full and interesting life.

 

[EleanorRigby]

I hadn't heard that, but it wouldn't surprise me. I had heard that she may have suffered a stroke some years back and now relied on using a wheelchair. The fact that she no longer appears in public - and i'm not aware of any recent video or social media posts she's done- leads me to believe that there may be cognitive issues there too.
I'm not a Yoko fan, but of course it's sad if she's suffering from dementia. She is a great age, though and has lead a full and interesting life.

Yes and for a while now it's only Sean who is credited as executive producer on the Lennon estate releases. Apparently she lives on one of their ranches and moved out of the Dakota a while ago. So, yes, it all points towards ill health.

 

[hughjars]

Yes and for a while now it's only Sean who is credited as executive producer on the Lennon estate releases. Apparently she lives on one of their ranches and moved out of the Dakota a while ago. So, yes, it all points towards ill health.

I think Sean also has a seat at Apple corps

 

[Tangerine Dream]

The Sam Mendes biopic has begun filming.

I don't know if I will ever really be able to make myself believe these actors are The Beatles.

I had that problem with Nowhere Boy. A lot of people liked that film but I couldn't get along with ATJ at all.

So far, my fave Beatles film has been Yesterday. That very wonderful scene which I won't spoil but managed to be more convincing than any other on screen portrayal of any of the fab four. None of the full-on biopics have worked for me.

But I don't want to be a total Debbie Downer so I'm attempting to keep an open mind. It would be awesome if this project was pulled off and worth the time it takes to watch four films!

 

[EleanorRigby]

The Sam Mendes biopic has begun filming.

I don't know if I will ever really be able to make myself believe these actors are The Beatles.

I had that problem with Nowhere Boy. A lot of people liked that film but I couldn't get along with ATJ at all.

So far, my fave Beatles film has been Yesterday. That very wonderful scene which I won't spoil but managed to be more convincing than any other on screen portrayal of any of the fab four. None of the full-on biopics have worked for me.

But I don't want to be a total Debbie Downer so I'm attempting to keep an open mind. It would be awesome if this project was pulled off and worth the time it takes to watch four films!

See, I loved Nowhere Boy and thought he did a great job as John. It was just so refreshing to see John portrayed as such a complex character.

Whereas Yesterday ... Sorry but I thought it was a steaming pile of excrement.

 

[ravennevermore]

See, I loved Nowhere Boy and thought he did a great job as John. It was just so refreshing to see John portrayed as such a complex character.

Whereas Yesterday ... Sorry but I thought it was a steaming pile of excrement.

Agree with this!!

 

[hughjars]

Any fellow Paul fans hoping Man on the Run will play at a cinema near you?

 

[JoelFizz]

Having seen the set photos for the Sam Mendes' Beatles biopics, I can say that their attention to detail looks on point. We'll have films that look visually stunning. As for the actors, yes, they don't physically resemble the Beatles but if they can pull off amazing performances, then I think we're in for a treat. I'll reserve judgement for when I see them.

 

[Tangerine Dream]

See, I loved Nowhere Boy and thought he did a great job as John. It was just so refreshing to see John portrayed as such a complex character.

Whereas Yesterday ... Sorry but I thought it was a steaming pile of excrement.

That's interesting though, it shows how different individual tastes can be. And it would be boring as feck if we all liked the same things in the same way.

Agree with you JoelFizz on the performances, that will be the biggest selling point. They are good actors so fingers crossed. And we'll have that glorious music.

 

[EleanorRigby]

That's interesting though, it shows how different individual tastes can be. And it would be boring as feck if we all liked the same things in the same way.

Agree with you JoelFizz on the performances, that will be the biggest selling point. They are good actors so fingers crossed. And we'll have that glorious music.

Oh I totally agree. I saw a really interesting vlog about the original idea for Yesterday which actually sounded OK. Both Paul and Ringo had agreed to cameo in the film. Then it was bastardised by Richard Curtis and Paul and Ringo declined to appear in it, which is why you only see what is supposed to be their feet.

 

[hughjars]

The concept for Yesterday was good, trying to imagine a world where the Beatles had never got together to make all that music. Paul and Ringo would likely to be retired. John might never have gone to live in NYC. George wouldn’t probably have lived at Friar Park and been attacked, but we’d have been deprived of the music, their wit, cultural impact.

 

[EleanorRigby]

The concept for Yesterday was good, trying to imagine a world where the Beatles had never got together to make all that music. Paul and Ringo would likely to be retired. John might never have gone to live in NYC. George wouldn’t probably have lived at Friar Park and been attacked, but we’d have been deprived of the music, their wit, cultural impact.

It's fascinating to think what they'd have done if they'd never got together. I still think Paul would have become a professional songwriter. Music just oozes out of him and always did. He had a fantastic foundation in music from his family.

 

[hughjars]

It's fascinating to think what they'd have done if they'd never got together. I still think Paul would have become a professional songwriter. Music just oozes out of him and always did. He had a fantastic foundation in music from his family.

That’s true. At school he was encouraged I think to consider becoming a teacher, but I think he’d have been pulled to music. It was more Mary who was concerned about the boys getting proper jobs. After she sadly died I think Jim became more relaxed about their futures and encouraged their creativity. Who knows Paul might have been a teacher and a songwriter on the side (to begin with). It’s just strange to think of a world where the Beatles didn’t exist, I know I wouldn’t be friends with some people only because we wouldn’t have that connection

 

[JabberHockey]

It's fascinating to think what they'd have done if they'd never got together. I still think Paul would have become a professional songwriter. Music just oozes out of him and always did. He had a fantastic foundation in music from his family.

Didn't Paul have a job with the electricity board? I think he was so driven that whatever professional road he'd gone down, he would have risen to the top. We'd be poorer for it but I could imagine him being a highly regarded businessman who ended up being appointed to any number of boards & quangos in, eg, the 1990s due to his savvy and media-friendly demeanour. I'd love to meet somebody who knew him before he was famous, just to ask them what he was like, whether he always had that glow of positivity, that lightness of touch.