Chapter 27

[hippie_chick]

As we all know, filming is progressing on the indie film Chapter 27 starring Jared Leto as Mark David Chapman, the man who assasinated John Lennon on December 8, 1980. The film title alludes to the famed "missing chapter" of the J.D. Salinger novel Catcher In The Rye. Lindsay Lohan costars as a teen Lennon fan (a fictitious character in an otherwise 'based on a true story' type of film) who befriends Chapman on the weekend of the murder. Here's something I found on Yoko and the production:


"JOHN LENNON's widow YOKO ONO is being forced to watch the reenaction of her husband's murder on the doorstep of her New York City home, after failing to ban producers from filming new movie CHAPTER 27 at the location.

The Japanese singer/artist was horrified when Canadian company Peace Arch applied to film the movie, starring JARED LETO as Lennon's killer MARK DAVID CHAPMAN, outside the Dakota Building, where the rock legend was fatally shot in December 1980.

Her publicist KIP KOURI tells the New York Post, "Yoko immediately checked if the Dakota building had the right to refuse them filming the facade, and found out that legally, all they had to do was to get the permission of the city."

Source : femalefirst.co.uk.

I can't say as I really blame Yoko. At all.

A couple of photos gleaned from elsewhere on the net just to show Jared Leto's transformation. He is an actor that always impresses me... his screen presence is amazing.


Leto in character, holding copies of Double Fantasy and Catcher In The Rye. Also, on location, with Lindsay Lohan.

Artistic freedom is what it's all about, and one shouldn't censor or silence. But there's also a part of me that is yes, bothered. John Lennon meant alot to me, and I really wouldn't feel comfortable watching a "dramatization" of events that unfolded on December 8 1980 and that to this day still shake me to the core. As the film makers have their freedom to progress with this project, we have the freedom to choose to see or not to see this film when released to theaters.

Comments

[prettyh.livejournal.com]

Wow. That IS incredible - he looks so much like Chapman. Scary.

And yes, those were my feelings the other night when I went to see that movie, "Karla". It's unsettling to see it through the eyes of someone who takes "creative license" with something that was so tragic. It's a fine line between being a good documentation of what happened and just simple exploitation. I wonder if I'll be able to get through watching it.

[hippie-chick.livejournal.com]

I think I'm surely going to pass on this one. As you mentioned it would indeed be too unsettling for me to see license taken on this and the facts embellished. I would probably have trouble getting through it.

Plus I think it looks like they'll be attempting to make Chapman a sympathetic character, of which he is NOT.

Extra weird!

[prettyh.livejournal.com]

Here I am, nearly 3 years later, coming back to this entry after you posted the link...and I realize that A) I used the same icon in my comments, and B) I once again drew a parallel between this movie and the Bernardo/Homolka thing!! I'm either really boring or really obsessed. Or possibly just really weird.

[elfslut.livejournal.com]

I don't think I could sit through this film. Firstly Linsday "Ho"han just irks the hideeheck out of me and I don't think I could watch anything about a man that I admired so much being killed for no good reason.

I wish film makers would concentrate on being imaginative rather than making films about "real" events. (Especially as they distort them terribly)

[hippie-chick.livejournal.com]

While she doesn't bother me one way or the other, this isn't something I can see her in at all anyway.

I do agree, I don't see too much imagination being shown in Hollywood lately for the most part. And pictures made based on actual events do definitely tend to get distorted.

[elfslut.livejournal.com]

In Lindsay's case, this is probably a film that she took because it might be something to take her into "serious" acting. It could also wreck her career.

Isn't it bad enough Biography channels profile Chapman, do we have to do a movie about it? And one that will no doubt be awful.

[ragdoll.livejournal.com]

What's even more unsettling is that Lindsay Lohan seems to have taken up with Sean Lennon for the duration (even though she seemed to be dating Jared Leto about 10 minutes ago). I personally think this is a horrible idea -- trying to humanize a murderer never sits well with me. What's next? A warm family sitcom about Charles Manson?

This one's definitely a must to avoid. It doesn't sound very good anyway (most 'based on a true story' things aren't) and Lohan's not good unless she's doing comedy. They're entitled to do what they want but I'll be shocked if this becomes a big hit.

Maybe the producers should have hired Brad Pitt as MDC and Angelina Jolie as his very special "friend" instead.

[hippie-chick.livejournal.com]

That's right... I thought I'd read about her having taken up with Sean. I knew she'd been seen out with Jared Leto too. I do agree, I can't see her in this picture. She's much more suited for lighter fare, comedies.

This one looks like it will completely humanize Chapman and no, that doesn't sit very well with me either. He should NOT be portrayed or put across in a way that makes people sympathize with him. He is NOT a sympathetic character.
Anyway, yes I am most likely going to avoid this one like the plague.

[ragdoll.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, Sean seems to have really bad taste in women. Since he broke up with Yuka Honda of Cibo Matto, he's been going with the skankiest of the skanky (four years with Bijou Phillips, Lizzy Jagger etc.). I can't see Lindsay in this picture anyway -- I like her as an actress but I've only seen her in Disney films.

It doesn't sit well with me either, obviously. Unless it winds up being a lot darker than it sounds, I can't see many people flocking to the theatres to see it. Which is good. I really don't think MDC deserves any more time in the spotlight. That's why he killed John in the first place -- for fame. :-/

[etod.livejournal.com]

You would think that will all the movie technology that has been developed, the makers of this film could have chosen another location than having to dump it all right infront of Yoko's home. It shows no sympathy for her or Lennon's family, in my opinion, which makes me wonder if the film portrays Chapman as a sympathetic character (which I don't think he is).

[hippie-chick.livejournal.com]

I completely agree with you. As I said above it doesn't sit very well with me for them to put Chapman across in a way that makes people sympathize with him, as he is definitely NOT a sympathetic character.

And you would *think* they'd show a little more compassion and respect for Yoko and John's family by finding another way other than filming the murder right there on the steps of the Dakota for cripe sake. Completely agreed there, too.

[zoochica.livejournal.com]

There is a special place in Hell for people that decide to enact horrible murders in front of the victim's widow.


My God. Do these people have no souls?