New York in the 1970s was the city of Serpico, Son of Sam, municipal bankruptcy and power blackouts, but for John Lennon, it was the Promised Land. 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 cafe with few interruptions. He was happy to sign an occasional autograph and thrilled to largely escape the cage of celebrity.
The story’s infamously sad ending—the climax of the PBS documentary “LENNONYC” (out on DVD)—is especially tragic. Lennon was fulfilled as a father and husband in the years before his 1980 murder and had just returned to the recording studio for Double Fantasy, a mature collection of songs aimed at men and women of his own age. Double Fantasy marked a musical comeback he was never able to enjoy.
“LENNONYC” tells a familiar story but shows it with some less seen archival footage (including Lennon’s appearances on ‘70s radio) and fresh interviews with the musicians and engineers who worked on his final session.
