‘The Lennon Report’ Unveils Truth To Commemorate John Lennon’s Birthday

Nearly 36 years ago was when the world was robbed of a legend, John Lennon. Today, let’s commemorate his birthday by learning the whole truth about how his death really happened with The Lennon Report, a drama-slash-documentary that re-creates the events of John Lennon’s untimely demise.

If John Lennon were still alive today, he would have been 76 years ago. John Lennon was a legend, a phenomenal singer and writer who touched the hearts, and continue to do so until now, of millions of people from all walks of life. John Lennon was known mostly as the charismatic songwriter of the Beatles and he emerged even more successful and famous as a solo artist after the group disbanded.

Although a lot of people would prefer to avoid the subject of his death, the world would never forget the 8th of December 1980, when John Lennon was shot to death as he was on his way home with his wife, Yoko Ono. The culprit, Mark David Chapman, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 20-years-to-life. He has since been trying for parole, but just this year, BBC reported, he was denied again a ninth time.

While a lot of people would prefer to honor John Lennon’s birthday by listening to his greatest hits as a solo artist or with The Beatles, it would be honorable to commemorate John Lennon’s birth by uncovering the whole truth about his assassination with The Lennon Report.

The Lennon Report, a low-budget drama biography by Jeremy Profe, seeks to re-live and report whole truth behind John Lennon’s passing, as seen through the eyes of those who lived it. The official synopsis of The Lennon Report reads:

“The unheard true story of the moments after John Lennon was shot as seen through the eyes of those who lived it. Alan Weiss, an ambitious young news producer, finds himself in a position to break the biggest story of the year following a violent motorcycle accident. The emergency department at Roosevelt Hospital discovers a John Doe shooting victim is the world’s biggest rock star and struggles to keep the news quiet while working to save his life.”

The Lennon Report’s director and writer, Jeremy Profe, tells Billboard how he wanted the movie to show the roles that the police and medical personnel played when Lennon was brought to the hospital.

“It follows the everyday people that are affected by a tragedy and what their roles in that are. Everybody kind of gets very focused on celebrity and on the names and the people, but really this is a story of doctors and nurses and journalists and police in their effort to save John Lennon. And so, one of the interesting things that happens when you look at the film, that story through that lens is you’ve got these everyday people becoming heroes.”

Barbara Kammerer and Deatra Sarto, two of the nurses who tended to Lennon, explains to Billboard how John Lennon was basically Dead On Arrival when he was admitted and that they had no idea he was Lennon at all. Lennon’s identity was only confirmed after they searched his pockets.

“He made no sounds. He was basically D.O.A. And we worked on him like we work on everybody. Young gentleman, multiple gunshot wounds. You don’t look at anybody’s face when they’re like that. You address the wound.”

Apparently, The Lennon Report seeks to refute wrong facts reported about John Lennon’s death and reveal more about those who were around him as he left the world, Yahoo News reported. One of the facts refuted by the film was that it was Dr. David Halleran, not Dr. Stephan Lynn, who did the surgery on John Lennon that night, with the film particularly focusing on Halleran’s efforts to “massage” Lennon’s heart for an hour and a half to try and save him. Another controversy refuted by the film was the report that Yoko Ono banged her head against a concrete floor during the ordeal.

The Lennon Report opened in cinemas October 7, two days before John Lennon’s birthday. It is also available to watch via iTunes, InDemand, Comcast, Amazon, Viemo, Vudu, Google, Directv, and more.

Watch the trailer of The Lennon Report below.

[Featured photo by Rowland Scherman/Getty Images]