“Everyone who makes a documentary has a point of view,” Leaf says. “I think it’s clear what ours is. That said, we wanted to tell the story as truthfully as possible and present all sides of it. But the conservative commentators we approached to participate in this film were not interested. William Safire, George Will, William Kristol, etcetera. In a sense, the Nixon administration is indefensible, and so who wants to go on camera and say what they did was right?”
That kind of explains why all documentary filmmakers are liberals. Or at least not Republicans.
“I don’t know that that’s true,” says Leaf. “Perhaps the truth has shades of gray, and you have to be willing to understand the complexities of the world: that there is good and evil, but nobody’s perfect.”
Related:
The U.S. VS. John Lennon, A hero in the works, Give peace a chance, More 
- The U.S. VS. John Lennon
Those who are drawn to the darker side of John Lennon may find this documentary from David Leaf and John Scheinfeld’s about the murdered ex-Beatle’s political activism a tad squeaky clean. Watch the trailer for The U.S. VS. John Lennon (QuickTime)
- A hero in the works
This article originally appeared in the December 16, 1980 issue of the Boston Phoenix.
- Give peace a chance
This year marks the 40th anniversary of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Bed-In, which found the newlywed couple pontificating about peace from their Amsterdam honeymoon bed for a week. Decades later, the couple is still working together to promote social justice, with Ono publicizing exhibits of Lennon's playful, sometimes colorful, often childlike, works of art.
- The Straight Dope: Michael Jackson and the Beatles
You think an overdubbed Beatles tune could be any weirder than a new Beatles song with John Lennon? Then again, "I Want to Hold You Hand" overdubbed by a guy with a hand on his crotch and his hair on fire would be pretty hard to top. But don't worry, it won't happen, or anyway, it won't happen as a result of Jackson owning the Beatles library.
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The utter arrogance of the CEOs of the Big Three auto companies was on full display last week when it was pointed out that they came to Washington with their hats in hand for a bailout by flying in on their individual corporate jets.
- Our Sgt. Schultz society
“I know noz-ZINK!” That was the catchphrase of John Banner’s character, the Nazi prison guard Sergeant Schultz.
- Affirmative action
YES Gallery is located in a gorgeous green wood-frame 1883 building on a quaint strip of boutiques and restaurants that runs parallel to the Warren River.
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I was reading a fascinating article about Sammy’s new record deal, and an epiphany struck: every year, Sammy looks more and more like the Dude.
- Happy endings
The end is nigh! And I’m not talking about the mortgage market.
- Kurt Cobain
This article originally appeared in the April 15, 1994 issue of the Boston Phoenix.
- Dicked over
This article originally appeared in the December 22, 1995 issue of the Boston Phoenix .
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Features
, Celebrity News, Entertainment, Music Stars, More
, Celebrity News, Entertainment, Music Stars, Movies, The Beatles, Richard Nixon, Bill Kristol, William Safire, Movie Reviews, John Lennon, Less
