The Last Interview with John Lennon

On December 8, 1980, the same day John Lennon was shot, he and Yoko Ono participated in an interview with a San Francisco radio team from their New York Dakota apartment. They were promoting their new album, ‘Double Fantasy,’ although the two-hour conversation covered many topics. Despite being warned against Beatles-related questions, Lennon and Ono were remarkably open.

That day, Annie Leibovitz also captured her iconic photo of a nude Lennon embracing Ono. The interview itself was equally revealing. Both, particularly Lennon, improvised on love, their relationship, creativity, life post-Beatles, raising their young son, songwriting in bed, and more. At 40, Lennon sounded like a man who had found genuine clarity. He noted, ‘I feel like nothing happened before today.’

‘John Lennon: The Last Interview,’ directed by Steven Soderbergh, turns these surviving tapes into a documentary that attempts to demystify Lennon and Ono as thoroughly as ‘Get Back’ did for the Beatles. The film premiered Saturday at the Cannes Film Festival.

Soderbergh explained, ‘I was profoundly moved by their generosity of spirit throughout the conversation.’ He faced a significant challenge in letting the audio play while addressing the void left when the conversation turned philosophical. Soderbergh worked diligently to resolve all issues except for this one until time and money ran out. He accepted an offer from Meta to use AI software to create surreal images for about 10% of the film, sparking debate.

The AI segments, largely criticized by Cannes reviewers, resemble special effects more than anything fully digital. Soderbergh became a focal point in the industry-wide debate on AI in filmmaking. He is open to this conversation, having made films on iPhones before. Transparency, for him, is key. He stated, ‘We’re unaware of how much we’re being manipulated by technology outside creative contexts, often discovering it incidentally.’

Soderbergh anticipated strong reactions and takes the matter seriously. He believes in delivering the best art transparently, accepting criticism as part of the deal with using Meta’s tools.

Asked about AI’s impact on the film industry, Soderbergh dismisses panic. He argues crucial filmmaking roles cannot be usurped by AI. Technical perfection’s accessibility makes imperfection more appealing. He anticipates someone with creative credibility will fully embrace AI, testing boundaries. Soderbergh himself is uncertain about crossing lines, waiting to observe.

Soderbergh described giving instructions for animations like circles of light appearing out of nowhere or a black rose transforming into a Busby Berkeley style object. The technology’s advantage lay in quick visual feedback, he noted.

On setting limits for this technology, Soderbergh determined necessity as a guideline—questioning whether it’s truly the best or only way to achieve desired visuals. He foresees many not meeting these criteria.

The film presents human dialogue in raw form, requiring visual accompaniment, which Soderbergh deemed his responsibility. Predicting when balance with this technology occurs is tough. Different creative departments will engage with AI variably, complicating one-size-fits-all solutions.

Despite ethical and aesthetic debates, the film’s conversation remains compelling due to Lennon’s determination to dismantle the male rock star myth, even when others weren’t considering it. Soderbergh hopes young viewers take away that Lennon sought truth and growth, striving for a better version of humanity.