John Lennon found peace in New York City during the 1970s. Although to the rest of the world it was the city of Serpico, Son of Sam, bankruptcy and blackouts, Lennon made a new life for himself amid the rot of the Big Apple as househusband and, finally, recording artist.
In the tolerant anonymity of the city that never sleeps, Lennon was able to walk the streets, hail a cab and eat at the corner café with few interruptions. He was happy to sign an occasional autograph and thrilled to have largely escaped the cage of celebrity. His murder on the doorstep of the Dakota was especially tragic, given the recent release of Double Fantasy with its hit single, “(Just Like) Starting Over,” a lyric whose promise Lennon was unable to keep.
The PBS documentary “LennonNYC” covers his final years in New York.
Although released this fall on DVD, it’s out now on Blu-ray with 20 additional minutes of material. “LennonNYC” tells a familiar story but shows it with some less seen archival footage (including Lennon’s appearances during the ‘70s on a New York radio station) and fresh interviews with the musicians and engineers who worked on his final session.
