一邊聽著Beatles一邊寫下對這電影的感覺,是很配的。 對John Lennon的認識很淺,五月天的阿信超愛他,葉家傑聽了一隻Beatles CD後也超喜歡他的歌。一首阿信的<約翰藍儂>是我對John Lennon的第二印象: "整個世界 曾經 都跟著你作夢如今和平 依然在歌曲裡頭看著 今天 你會笑還是會搖頭能不能暫時把你的勇氣給我 在夢想快消失的時候讓我的歌 用力的穿過天空 為愛我的人做一秒英雄能不能暫時把你的夢想給我 在勇氣快消失的時候總有一天 要人們叫我披頭 最後沒成功 也做過最美的夢" 第一印象,是陶傑的一篇談偉大的文章。他說偉大的人,應該是曾經為這世界付出過的人,曾經為希望改變這世界而努力過的人。Michael Jackson和Michael Jordon不算,雖然他們在自己的範疇內表現絶對超凡,可是他們沒有利用他們的影響力去試圖改變這個世界,例如為他們自身的黑人做點什麼(Michael Jackson甚至是越來越白)。偉大的,是John Lennon。 我看了一點John Lennon(1940 - 1980)的生平,沒有打算在這裡獻醜去談,因為對那年代(1980,是他反戰意識最強的時候)真的一點皮毛知識也沒有。唯有是看到幾段他說過的話,真令人會心微笑:"the fact that I wasn't with my parents made me see that parents are not gods" (他從小由阿姨撫養大)"despite his artistic talent, his school reports were damning: "Certainly on the road to failure ... hopeless ... rather a clown in class ... wasting other pupils' time."""he acquired a reputation for disrupting classes and ridiculing teachers; the graphic arts course, was threatened with expulsion for his behaviour, which included sitting on a nude model's lap during a life drawing class""Lennon poked fun at his audience: "For our next song, I'd like to ask for your help. For the people in the cheaper seats, clap your hands ... and the rest of you, if you'll just rattle your jewellery." 看過那皮毛中的皮毛的生平,對電影中刻畫John Lennon的點子更覺有趣。全片主要是刻劃John Lennon由十五到二十歲,從無所事事在巴士頂遊城市都唔返學的男生,怎樣轉變到開始他到德國出碟的歷程。 全片以John Lennon在林肯館外的長廊奔跑然後赫然夢醒,到學校後老師跟他的對話作開塲:Teacher: "You'll be lucky to find a job on the docks because you're going nowhere."John: "Is "nowhere" full of geniuses, sir? Because then I probably do belong there"一個十五歲的男生,就能這般自信滿滿,或者就是他將來能不怕死拿著結他往外闖的根本。 然後他重遇其親生母親(Julia),跟古肅的阿姨完全是兩個樣。她帶他看貓王,教他結他,教他聽R&R,也給他自信,更給他挫敗,去讓他在最悲痛裡,找到了他要的是什麼,那是"Create his own band":John: "Why couldn't God make me Elvis? "Julia: "'Cause he was saving you for John Lennon!" 在High school組成其Band後,在第二次表演遇上Paul MacCartney(他們是"the most successful songwriting partnerships of the 20th century") 。他給予John的更多更正統的音樂知識,縱然他比John還少兩歲,可是他比John更顯智慧成熟冷靜。John: Why do you know so much? I mean you don't seem like the rock and roll kind of guyPaul: What you mean because I don't go around smashing things up and [gulps], acting like a dick? John: Yea Paul: No. It's the music. That's it, just music. Simple.Paul是一對John的眼鏡;從一個把Classic Music CD拋下海的人,變成終於認真看待音樂。 John的另一對眼鏡,是他的阿姨(Mimi);每次John出門口,都一定會叫他"Glasses"(要他一定要戴眼鏡)。眼鏡自然是John Lennon的trademark,代表著這個超級桀驁不馴的人的一個束縛。一開塲時第一幕就喝令戴眼鏡,到最後一幕的喝令,John欣然戴上,然後到街上就除下來。這都代表了Mimi對他的愛,怕他會跌倒;更代表了John對她的愛(欣然戴上),和他的不怕跌(到街上要除下來)。 一套電影,我覺得最好看的,莫過於這些小小的點子,和用心描繪人物的細節。這些,是現在合拍大片或3D所沒有的。