Nowhere Boy

Admirers of John Lennon have a special treat awaiting them this October. Friday October 8th, just one day before the exact 70th anniversary of John Lennon's birth in 1940, sees the US release of the highly-anticipated Lennon biopic "Nowhere Boy" which has earned rave plaudits from festival screenings (Sundance, Nashville and London) and early advance media reviews.

The film is about John Lennon's crucial teenage years and the evolution of his first band The Quarrymen into the Beatles. It depicts John's historic first meeting with Paul McCartney, the arrival of George Harrison into the group and the development of the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership.

How authentic is the film?

One thing that always comes up amongst us Fab Four fans anytime there's a dramatization featuring one or more of the Beatles, is how authentic the film is. We don't mean how closely the actors resemble or sound like the Beatles being portrayed. That's a subjective point. Nor if every individual detail is exactly as it happened in history. There's a difference between documentary and drama, and dramatic license is a well-established aspect of films that recount historical and biographical facts. The criterion that counts is whether a film is true to the spirit of its subject.

Reactions and approval from friends and family

Early indications are that those closest to John Lennon have given the film a big thumbs-up. Both Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono had to give their approval for music controlled by them to be used in the film.

You can read the reactions to the film of Paul and Yoko here. The film has also received enthusiastic endorsements from John's closest childhood pals, his band-mates in the Quarrymen (the band that eventually became the Beatles). You can read the Quarrymen opinions about the film here.

Beatles fans get Sneak Preview

Some of us at BeatlesNews.com saw the film at a midnight sneak preview held at The Fest For Beatles Fans in Chicago recently where it got a standing ovation from the jam-packed crowd. We think it's a very worthy addition to the canon of Beatles-themed movies. Going with friends and family to see this film on the big screen is a very cool way to celebrate John Lennon's 70th birthday this Fall.

More Sneak Previews before release

Beatles News has learned that there are a select number of sneak previews taking place in the USA in the weeks counting down to the film's release. The previews will also include an in-person Q&A with John Lennon's closest childhood pals, The Quarrrymen.

The Quarrymen Q&A will followed by a full concert in which they will perform the songs they played with John, Paul & George 1956-1959, including some of the earliest compositions by the future Beatles. Go here for dates & cities of the sneak previews.

The Nowhere Boy trailer

This is the new, official trailer for "Nowhere Boy". The film opens in theaters in the US in October.

View the Nowhere Boy Trailer

Does the film reflect the Beatles' own memories of events?

We have discovered some fascinating clips online that show how precisely the filmmakers portray the Beatles' own recollections of events.

		John Lennon On Elvis John Lennon explains how Elvis inspired him to take up music, and we see how this is depicted in "Nowhere Boy".
		The Big Bang That Led To The Beatles! John Lennon and Paul McCartney talk about their historic first meeting in Liverpool on July 6, 1957, which led to the formation of the Beatles, shown with the corresponding scenes from the "Nowhere Boy" movie.
		George Harrison Auditions For John Lennon John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison tell the story of how George Harrison auditioned for the Quarrymen (the future Beatles) on the top of a deserted double-decker bus. The movie re-enactment seems to be drawn from their exact words.
		The Quarrymen's First Recording Session John Lennon talks about first recording session of the Quarrymen in 1958. An important event that is re-created in "Nowhere Boy".

To learn more about the film, go to the film's official website.