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John Lennon - Naked
Topic Started: Nov 18 2009, 01:40 AM (1,890 Views)
ecclesno9
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Some you may have read this elsewhere on another blog.

"Oh hello, how's it going then?" a smile broader than a Cheshire cat's.

Have I got a familiar face he recognises and wants to speak too? I just don't know sometimes. There are times in my life when I just want avoid certain people, but not if it's Christopher because he's always has that warm, genuine affection to his fans. Anyone who saw me with an armful of photographs before any of you ask no I didn't want them all signing but he signed all eight of them one after another. Remember that CD I gave to him at Christmas? "That ska reggae compliation?" he broadly smiles at me, "I loved that, thank you so much for that..." On another favourite subject, "hope Manchester United win the Premiership and my team my possibly be playing the Reds next season," Who's yer team then?" "Nottingham Forest and we've got the Seasiders in the playoffs." "Oh really...staring at his watch, "look am about to miss my train if I don't get a move on." What happened next was two minds thinking exactly a like, together we said to each other, "Have a safe journey back home you!" we both grinned and hugged each other and off he went. While I took the tube back to mine.

If anyone is asking it's now eight times in five years, this is getting silly!

Sorry if this review sounds a bit "arty":

It is always difficult to pass comment on a such a drama as "John Lennon - Naked" without trying as one does what went on inside Lennon's troubled and flawed mind at the time. It would also be wrong of me to give a biais view on Christopher's performance. Sorry but he deserves a BAFTA for this! Here's hoping. Sorry I diagress. But this drama is raw powerful and pulls no punches when it comes to the crutch. I remember sometime ago the actor Bernard Hill ("Boys From The Black Stuff") playing Lennon in a one off BBC drama as part of some Beatle season. It would be a tad unfair of me to comment to compare and contrast here. As such this piece of work gave a new insight albeit a fresh reinterpretation of what we as casual viewers would think and perceive in our personal opinion of who Lennon was as person, musician and more importantly how his parent's tug-of-war love deeply troubled John as a child and latter as a father to both Julian and Sean.

It is only now that I can fully appreciate what Lennon went through emotionally, the self-confessing that he had that urge to put it all down in music. It is heartbreaking when you hear the urgency of "Mother" and "God" what went on in Lennon's state of mind to write such a dramatic piece of music.

I was more than a little surprised during the Q&A that Christopher saying that Lennon wasn't a hero of his, but there again the rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester is always going to be there not just in muscial terms but in sporting ones too. After seventeen years of not knowing his father, all the frustrations came out of his pores and Lennon just couldn't handle his father's love. He wasn't a boy anymore, he had become a man moreover John had become like his father. Anyone who has had this sort of relationship with their own father can emphasise with this and were two moments as such that made me cry.

Oh there's full frontal nudity and Christopher joked that he has a bigger one (nah!) than John's. I won't explain in case it offends. All Christopher had to do was pull in his stomach, study and watch old You Tube clips and have a voice coach teach him the dialect of John, not an impression of him as he had the most lines in the script.

It's a sort of the birth, death and ultimate rebirth that somehow when he met Yoko, his life was fulfilled. Only to be gunned down on the 8th December 1980 tragically at the age of 40.

It will of course, innevitably be interesting what Beatles/Lennon fans will say on this.

Ecclesno9
Edited by ecclesno9, May 13 2010, 08:01 PM.
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KathyC


Thanks so much for the reports sonic and ecclesno9, and for the link to the other reports sonic. So glad you both got to meet him and chat to him. What a coincidence that he was on your train sonic!

He is so nice to his fans, though seems to always be careful to keep his distance. This must be essential when you are a public figure trying to keep your personal life separate from your working life.

The film sounds extremely interesting, not to be missed - it will mean much more with all this background info - thanks again.
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ecclesno9
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Way back in 2005 when I was disappointed not to have met up with Christopher at the Great North Run, my father made the comment, "oh you're never going meet him, he always keeps himself to himself," it was an absolute delight to meet up with him again five years later and still find the same attitude towards me and other fans who like Sonic haven't experienced the warmth (but at all times guarded) and honesty Christopher shows.

It is rare in these days of the "celebrity" culture to find someone as genuine as this without all the fuss of having a) bodyguards, b) tinted windscreens and c) fights with the praparazzi photographers.

I respect this separation of the public and private persona between celebrity and fan, long may it continue with Christopher and the many people who are his fans worldwide because we would hate it otherwise wouldn't we?

Ecclesno9
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Attachments: Chris_and_Naoko.jpg (29.9 KB)
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KathyC


You are so right ecclesno9. It's great that he's so approachable and unassuming.

Thanks for attaching the pic. He is so convincing as Lennon. I'm looking forward to the programme when it comes to TV.
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mad_about_musicals
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Another screening of Lennon Naked by BFI this time! BFI said on twitter, they're hoping to get Chris to the Q & A. Hopefully he will, I've booked 2 tickets! :D

BFI Lennon Naked Tickets!
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LeighS11
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Thanks Sonic and ecclesno9 for your posts. I am so happy you had such good experiences! (Of course I'm a little jealous too :$ )

That's so cool you got tickets mad_about_musicals!
Edited by LeighS11, May 13 2010, 03:55 PM.
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ecclesno9
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I had an inkling about this through a good friend of me who whispered it to me at the time at BAFTA this may be going to the NFT on Southbank.

Sorry to sound really sad, but am going to see this again! And not just for the obvious reasons either!

Ecclesno9
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ecclesno9
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Tickets are still available...I received mine this a.m.

http://www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_southbank/film_programme/regular_strands/previews/tv_preview_lennon_naked_qa

BTW I've always wanted to meet Paul Gambaccinni since am a record/CD collector too.
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ecclesno9
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Quick update for those attending on Wednesday

Due to filming commitments (I presume he's filming his episode of Jimmy McGovern's new serial drama "Accused") Christopher Eccleston will not be able to come this screening at the BFI.

:-/ (drat and double drat!)

However, Naoko Mori will be taking his place instead to answer questions from the audience.

Ecclesno9



Edited by ecclesno9, May 27 2010, 07:56 PM.
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mad_about_musicals
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Absolutely loved this! Chris is amazing in it! It's a shame he wasn't at the screening but I did spot Gok Wan there! The Q and A was good although I'm sure it over ran by 10mins. The BFI people were very itchy to get the place turned around for the next screening!

BBC press release have said that it'll be on BBC 4 on the 24th June, still no time confirmed but we have a date!! :D
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ecclesno9
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Glad that you enjoyed this mad_about_musicals. And am sorry that we never got the chance to talk or meet! I was sitting on the front row and Paul Gambacinni was talking directly opposite from where I was sitting on the front row.

Last time I was at the BFI it was similar too, even Christopher had his marching orders because he was waiting in a queue to get out from the discussion they had on "Our Friends In The North".


Edited by ecclesno9, Jun 6 2010, 10:47 AM.
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mia
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Absolutely fabulous ladies! I am so glad it's good and that you had such positive encounters! Am totally jealous! ^o) Well just a wee bit! Roll on 24th June to get my ecclesfix!
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mia
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OK I hope i do this right! There's lots of articles out at the minute for Mr E - Lennon Naked and I am extremely excited to see it on Wednesday - especially after the great reviews you guys gave it! Anyway I liked this article from Big Issue Scotland
http://www.bigissuescotland.com/features/view/298
Sorry to say I got very confused about the title
"Former Doctor Who on playing John Lennon, fatherhood and why ‘great’ BBC drama is making a comeback"
The fatherhood refers to Lennon's childhood and is not reference to any little ecclestons :doh:
Enjoy!
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mia
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And another article this one from the Guardian - it has a nice bit about Mr E, Shallow Grave and getting his ar*e out as often as possible - his words not mine!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/jun/19/christopher-eccleston-lennon-naked
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Dena100


Thanks for that Mia. Am so looking forward to seeing this on Wednesday. It will be a great sweetner after the budget and possibly being thrown out of the World Cup.
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KathyC


Hi, just checking everyone knows this is on tonight Wed 23rd, not 24th as was originally proposed. Hope everyone enjoys it.
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mad_about_musicals
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Looking forward to hearing everyone's reactions to this. I was following it all on twitter. Lots of very positive reviews!
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LeighS11
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Thanks so much for posting links to those articles, Mia! They were great and I enjoyed reading them.
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Dena100


I thought Chris gave a marvellous performance . He WAS John Lennon.
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ecclesno9
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So many colleagues and friends have said to me today what a fantastic performance Christopher has given.

"One word, phenomenal! I couldn't believe that was Christopher!"

On the otherhand trying to ignore the sarcasm, "So that's why you went down to London recently is it?" (errr yes, twice if you must know)

Nearly 1m people watched the television premiere on BBC4 last night, despite the World Cup somewhat overshadowing everything. *yawns* at this point of the proceedings. My father had his 90 minutes of fun in the afternoon, it was my turn to have my 90 minutes last night.

As I said in May at the BAFTA premiere to Christopher at the time, "I hope you win the BAFTA next year because you absolutely nailed John Lennon's persona to a tee!" he modestly replied, "thank you so much for you kind words." "I mean it," I replied, "Because you deserve it."
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