John Lennon

John Lennon: In Performance
I expected this to be clips of him singing, but no, yet another run-through of the familiar Beatles story, but with a vague sense of "John did this because he was John". Neither his life before, nor his work after really rated any mention. The more I see shows like this, the more the schism with Paul shines bright (John wrote Help!, Paul wrote Yesterday... John wrote Strawberry Fields, Paul wrote Penny Lane etc)

John Lennon: Live in New York City
A benefit concert at Madison Square Garden from August 1972, this was apparently one of his last ever live shows. Yoko and the Plastic Ono Band are on hand for a selection of hits and other numbers. Impressive musicianship.

TOTP2: John Lennon special
Originally put together in 2000, and repeated to mark what would have been his 75th birthday (theoretically), it at least included lesser bothered with hits like Mind Games or #9 Dream.

John Lennon - Sweet Toronto
Thanks to DA Pennebaker again, this was from the Toronto Rock & Roll Revival Festival, from "Fall" '69. There was some all-too-familiar performance footage of Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and Little Richard, before Lennon had his turn (with Yoko, and the more impressive Eric Clapton). They eased in with some covers, then a few familiar numbers, before finishing with Yoko steering the ship onto the rocks. Well, there it was.

The Assassination of John Lennon
A new take, based largely on re-telling his familiar life story, as well as that of the life of his killer, Mark David Chapman. Jack Jones has conducted many interviews with Chapman, who was facing another parole hearing in background to this. Photographer Bob Gruen was one of the other main contributors, largely helping to tell Lennon's story. In the end, parole was denied again. I doubt he'll ever get it.

A Life In Ten Pictures: John Lennon
Not too much insight here, more preaching to the converted. Biographers like Hunter Davies and Mark Lewisohn are old hands, and whilst nice to hear from Paul's brother Mike, Bob Harris was a rare voice of sanity, and John's US immigration lawyer Leon Wildes was intriguing as he clearly seemed in less than great health, and his lawyer son Michael helped him along (whilst not putting words in his mouth).

Talking Movies: TriBeCa festival
Among documentary films on Jennifer Lopez and Leonard Cohen, comes news of a new release about May Pang, putting her side of the story about her relationship in the 1970s with John Lennon. Yoko Ono is pointedly not connected to the project, which will make a change. Cinema release, probably make it to telly in 2023.

The anniversary of his birth passed again a fortnight back, together with the news that his childhood home had been sold off to a new owner.

It Happened Here - John Lennon
A regular series which here profiled the late Beatle. Things basically divided between Liverpool, where he of course grew up in a tricky and ultimately tragic domestic situation, and then New York, which also proved to be tricky and ultimately tragic. Photographer Bob Gruen is a reliable inclusion in shows like this, whilst Radio DJ Spencer Leigh enlivened the British end of the chain.