John in "The First U.S. Visit" Documentary

[MonaMe577]

So I was watching this the other day as research for a story. This movie's a fascinating look into the lives of the Beatles right at the beginning of American Beatlemania. The boys are all funny and charming, as is to be expected.

However, what struck me most about the film was John's lack of screen time as compared to the other Beatles. He seems SO uncomfortable most of the time--he hardly ever looks up into the camera and, while the other Beatles seem happy to joke around and perform for the filmmakers, John has to be coaxed. After the DC concert, we don't see him at all unless he's on stage! Speaks volumes about his frame of mind, at least in my opinion--and I think this was about the time that "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" was written(?).

Granted, I haven't seen the DVD version, only VHS, so what I saw might be a little different. But did anyone else notice this too?

[pepperland67]

I have noticed he isn't in it quite as much, but I always thought he was probably in another room with Cyn.

[matt2791]

While George,Paul, and Ringo are packing their suitcases in the Miami scene, John is out and about with Cynthia. I had- or may still have (it's somewhere)- the companion book to the movie Imagine: John Lennon, and there's a picture with him on some beach surrounded by fans. He's wearing his Wayfarers and smiling. He was having some fun in the sun!

[MonaMe577]

Well, yeah, I understand he was there with his wife. But I'm referring more to when he's on-screen, not off. "Wake up, John." "Smile, John." "Say something, John." The others seem to be enjoying it more than he is.

Hmm. Maybe it WAS just me... :smile1:

[EnchantingLennon]

I think John was just in some sort of zone of awe or laziness in US tour- plus, of course, he had his wife with him so there's a part of a guard to protect her and their privacy

[lennonluvr9]

I just noticed that when George Ringo & Paul were in the room. At one point i thought Paul wasnt enjoying it cuz when the others were joking around on the train, Paul's just there and says "I'm not in a laughing mood even"

[beatlebangs1964]

I love this video and have seen it many times. Check out John playing "Strawberry Fields Forever" on a melodion (sp) and this was in 1964!

Check out John joking around when the telephone was being passed around in their hotel room in New York. That Beatle could be SO funny!

[Loony_leo]

I love this dvd!!!! Especially the train scene!! The first time I saw it was with my dad after school on the day I bought it (when I could have been exam studying but who needs good marks when you have the beatles...) and we were just in hysterics!! We saw the part where he was working on strawberry fields in 1964 and just looked at each other like.... "woah...."

I also love the part when they do this boy, as it is one of my most favourite of their songs.

If you have the dvd there are some really funny deleted scenes :smile1:

[lovely rita mcc]

I love that DVD too!! :teeth1: , but i´ve had also that impression about John, as if sometimes he just wanted to be in somewhere else except there :wink2: ..i don´t know...
And also with Paul when Ringo is playing about the snow with some papers and Paul looked at him wit a face :rolleyes:

[LovinLennon909]

I've noticed how uncomfortalbe John seems to be on-camera in this DVD. It's particularly noticable in the scene when the Beatles are all in that car and Paul's listening to a coke-bottle shaped radio. Whenever John looks into the camera, he immediately looks away and just seems generally ill-at-ease. He probably wasn't used to having a camera on him at all times yet.
When I watched that part where he plays the opening notes to "SFF," I literally got chills down my spine. How haunting it sounded!

[MonaMe577]

When I watched that part where he plays the opening notes to "SFF," I literally got chills down my spine. How haunting it sounded!

Yeah, wasn't that amazing? Shows how early he actually had the melody in his head, some little shred of it, at least.

At least what screen time we do get with John in it is pretty memorable. I'd say my favorite scene is the one with John and George on the train: "Have...you...got...a...cigarette...for...me...plea se?" :laugh2: Priceless!

[Apple Scruff]

I think John was secretly very shy. He seemed ill-at-ease a lot in front of the camera. I do think around the time him and Yoko did those peace happenings that he seemed incredibly confident and well-spoken in every regard...but maybe to compensate for Yoko's in adequacies in front of the camera...I don't know.

But he always seemed a little uptight or ill-at-ease. If you watch the Mike Douglas things, he is sweating pretty heavily. Probably nervous to a whole other degree there.

[Loony_leo]

I think John was secretly very shy. He seemed ill-at-ease a lot in front of the camera. I do think around the time him and Yoko did those peace happenings that he seemed incredibly confident and well-spoken in every regard...but maybe to compensate for Yoko's in adequacies in front of the camera...I don't know.



Must have been one heck of a comfortable bed! :smile1:

[PennyandMe]

I always got the feeling that John was not feeling so hot during the filming of that documentary, as well as the other three. Everything seemed to be very overwhelming for them: being in America for the first time, rehearsing, performing on Ed Sullivan, doing concerts (Washington), photo shoots, and traveling all around. They knew they hit it big, but it was still somehow being absorbed. I feel that especially during the train sequence, John looked exhausted. So if you mix that with shyness, that may explain why he was not as “active” as the others.