Power to the People: John & Yoko Live in NYC review – a fascinating concert film with stars | Video

Lyear we saw Kevin Macdonald’s One to Onea documentary about the lives of John Lennon and Yoko Ono in New York in the early 1970s; it took its name from two charity concerts he staged at Madison Square Garden to raise money for child abuse victims at New York’s notorious Willowbrook State School – an insult Lennon was made aware of by watching Geraldo Rivera broadcast on TV. (We should expect the box office receipts to change dramatically, but this concert did help change the law to ensure human rights in orphanages.)

Now here’s a live-action movie: a stunningly original film whose adaptations are overseen by Sean Ono Lennon. And while no amount of revisionist gallantry can hide the horror of Yoko Ono’s voice, this has an interesting history as it was Lennon’s only concert after the breakup of the Beatles. And Ono’s performance of Open Your Box is amazing: “Open your box, open your box, open your pants…” There is a heartfelt idea of ​​Imagine; a loose translation of Cold Turkey; and among the old favorites are Come Together (later Lennon says he forgot some songs: “I have to stop writing these words, man, I’m getting old”) and Hound Dog (“Elvis I love ya!” He shouts – and maybe Elvis knew about this tribute, maybe not).

For the last time the stage has been packed with stars including Stevie Wonder and the inevitable Allen Ginsberg, whose popularity was surprisingly undeniable. The best song for me is the first one: new York The city, John and Yoko revered the city that gave them sanctuary and respite – but it would be the site of a terrible tragedy eight years later.