HOW I WON THE WAR (Room 312)
HOW I WON THE WAR (Room 312)
Five days after returning from the USA after completing their final ever tour, John flew out to Germany to begin filming his part in the movie “How I Won The War”. John needed a break from being a Beatle and this seemed to be a welcome diversion. The Director was Dick Lester (who John had worked with on ‘Hard Days Night’ and ‘Help’) and the role of Private Gripweed necessitated a whole new look, which included Granny Glasses… a look that would ironically remain with John for the rest of his life. The film’s message was anti-war, and one, which John totally embraced. He was once famously asked at a US press conference if he would ever write an anti war song. John retorted, “All our songs are anti war!” He had condemned killing... whatever the reason. The supreme irony was that he had been named after Winston Churchill, our Great Wartime leader. Winston was John’s middle name. However, politically, John was increasingly taking up an anti war stance and his role in this movie is proof of this. As the Vietnam War intensified, so did John’s opposition to it.
Filming took eight weeks and if it was supposed to be a respite, John found himself getting bored waiting around all of the time. It was on the set of the film that he wrote ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. This film demonstrated that The Beatles were no longer willing to hide behind the facade of The Beatles, they were now empowered to talk about important issues and they would now utilize press conferences and interviews not to respond to inane questions, but to raise issues and prompt debate. This was about to make them very controversial but each revelled in this new found role, which they believed to be far more relevant than fruitlessly performing before screaming crowds who could not hear a note that was being played.
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
HOW I WON THE WAR (Room 312)
Five days after returning from the USA after completing their final ever tour, John flew out to Germany to begin filming his part in the movie “How I Won The War”. John needed a break from being a Beatle and this seemed to be a welcome diversion. The Director was Dick Lester (who John had worked with on ‘Hard Days Night’ and ‘Help’) and the role of Private Gripweed necessitated a whole new look, which included Granny Glasses… a look that would ironically remain with John for the rest of his life. The film’s message was anti-war, and one, which John totally embraced. He was once famously asked at a US press conference if he would ever write an anti war song. John retorted, “All our songs are anti war!” He had condemned killing... whatever the reason. The supreme irony was that he had been named after Winston Churchill, our Great Wartime leader. Winston was John’s middle name. However, politically, John was increasingly taking up an anti war stance and his role in this movie is proof of this. As the Vietnam War intensified, so did John’s opposition to it.
Filming took eight weeks and if it was supposed to be a respite, John found himself getting bored waiting around all of the time. It was on the set of the film that he wrote ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. This film demonstrated that The Beatles were no longer willing to hide behind the facade of The Beatles, they were now empowered to talk about important issues and they would now utilize press conferences and interviews not to respond to inane questions, but to raise issues and prompt debate. This was about to make them very controversial but each revelled in this new found role, which they believed to be far more relevant than fruitlessly performing before screaming crowds who could not hear a note that was being played.
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
HOW I WON THE WAR (Room 312)
Five days after returning from the USA after completing their final ever tour, John flew out to Germany to begin filming his part in the movie “How I Won The War”. John needed a break from being a Beatle and this seemed to be a welcome diversion. The Director was Dick Lester (who John had worked with on ‘Hard Days Night’ and ‘Help’) and the role of Private Gripweed necessitated a whole new look, which included Granny Glasses… a look that would ironically remain with John for the rest of his life. The film’s message was anti-war, and one, which John totally embraced. He was once famously asked at a US press conference if he would ever write an anti war song. John retorted, “All our songs are anti war!” He had condemned killing... whatever the reason. The supreme irony was that he had been named after Winston Churchill, our Great Wartime leader. Winston was John’s middle name. However, politically, John was increasingly taking up an anti war stance and his role in this movie is proof of this. As the Vietnam War intensified, so did John’s opposition to it.
Filming took eight weeks and if it was supposed to be a respite, John found himself getting bored waiting around all of the time. It was on the set of the film that he wrote ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. This film demonstrated that The Beatles were no longer willing to hide behind the facade of The Beatles, they were now empowered to talk about important issues and they would now utilize press conferences and interviews not to respond to inane questions, but to raise issues and prompt debate. This was about to make them very controversial but each revelled in this new found role, which they believed to be far more relevant than fruitlessly performing before screaming crowds who could not hear a note that was being played.
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON