NEW YORK, NY. (Top40 Charts/ VH1) - On Tuesday, October 9 VH1 Classic will pay tribute to the life of music legend
John Lennon with a "Day of Peace" programming. The day, which marks the anniversary of John's birthday, coincides with Yoko Ono's unveiling of the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER in Reykjavik, Iceland, a tower of light that will shine over the words "imagine peace" in 24 languages.
Throughout the day on October 9, VH1 Classic will air exclusive messages by Yoko Ono talking about the power of peace. In addition, VH1 Classic will premiere exclusive programming featuring John Lennon and Yoko Ono including:
- VH1 Classic Presents "Rock and Roll Picture Show: Imagine: John Lennon." The two-hour movie, which will air at 2:00 PM* and 6:00 PM* is a very personal and emotional scrapbook that takes viewers into the mind and soul of the artist. Largely comprised from hundreds of hours of Lennon interviews and personal home movies, this feature is narrated in John's own words, giving viewers an intimate view of his life and experiences before, during, and after The Beatles. It is a candid and close look at Lennon the musician, the husband, the father and most significantly of all, the man.
- VH1 Rock Doc "The U.S. vs. John Lennon," at 4:00 PM*, tells the story of John Lennon's transformation from beloved musical artist to antiwar activist, to iconic inspiration for peace, and recounts the story of the U.S. Government's efforts to deport him. This feature-length documentary, by filmmakers David Leaf and John Scheinfeld, has the support and cooperation of Yoko Ono. The film covers the period of 1966-1976 and includes rare and unique audio/visual archival material. "The U.S. vs. John Lennon," also shows that this was not just an isolated episode in American history but that the issues and struggles of that era remain relevant today.
- "John and Yoko's Year of Peace," premiering at 8:00 PM* focuses on the year 1969. While headlines blare war and civil unrest John Lennon and Yoko Ono are in love and have just gotten married. And they want to change the world. Lying in a hotel bed surrounded by journalists, they announce their mission for peace and invite the rest of the world to symbolically climb into bed with them and share their dream. This special features rare footage from that time, including John and Yoko's wedding, the infamous bedside confrontation between John and conservative cartoonist Al Capp, Lennon debating media expert Marshall McLuhan and meeting Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Now twenty-seven years after Lennon's murder, Yoko and others involved in the peace mission reflect on the events of that year.
