Yesterday, we had the first trailer for Sam Taylor-Wood’s John Lennon biopic “Nowhere Boy” making its debut. We caught the film this morning, ahead of its world premiere as the closing night of the 53rd Times BFI London Film Festival, and… um, yeah, more on that later. But we can confirm that, unlike the trailer, the film does include some songs by Lennon, as well as a Paul McCartney/George Harrison compositions.
The song “Hello Little Girl,” the first song co-written by Lennon & McCartney, makes an appearance in the film at a key moment, sung by Sam Bell, who plays George Harrison. The Beatles’ version of the song wasn’t released until ‘Anthology 1,’ but it was covered to great success by fellow Merseybeat The Fourmost in 1963. McCartney/Harrison’s “In Spite of All the Danger” also makes an appearance, played by the actors in Lennon’s band (credited as ‘The Nowhere Boys’), as the first song recorded by The Quarrymen. The original version also appeared on ‘Anthology 1’. In addition, the traditional Liverpool folk song “Maggie Mae,” later briefly included by The Beatles on ‘Let It Be,’ makes a couple of important appearances.
Almost inevitably, Lennon’s “Mother,” from the album ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band,’ makes an appearance over the closing credits. Yoko Ono is also thanked, suggesting that all permission for the movie was given. The music in the film is generally pretty good, and sensitively used, and we’re glad they didn’t try to shoehorn in later Beatles songs — the movie ends as they leave for Hamburg, so it wouldn’t have fit at all. There’s also a score from Allison Goldfrapp & Will Gregory, but we were left a bit indifferent with it — it’s quite anonymous, and we had to double-check that it was even by them. Below is a complete list of songs featured in the movie. We’ll have a review coming later today, but suffice to say, we were mostly disappointed with the film, unfortunately.
All The Music Featured in “Nowhere Boy”
Wild One – Jerry Lee Lewis
Mr Sandman – Dickie Valentine
Rocket 88 – Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats
Shake Rattle & Roll – Elvis Presley
Hard Headed Woman – Wanda Jackson
I Put A Spell On You – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear – Elvis Presley (performed by Aaron Johnson)
Maggie May – traditional, (performed by Anne-Marie Duff, and by The Nowhere Boys)
That’ll Be The Day – Buddy Holly (performed by Aaron Johnson)
Rockin’ Daddy – Eddie Bond & The Stompers
Twenty Flight Rock – Eddie Cochran (performed by Sam Bell & Patrick Murdoch)
Blue Moon – Rodgers/Hart, popularized by Elvis Presley (performed by Aaron Johnson and Thomas Brodie Sangster)
That’s All Right – Elvis Presley (performed by The Nowhere Boys)
Movin’ N’ Groovin’ – Duane Eddy (performed by The Nowhere Boys)
Raunchy – Bill Justis (performed by The Nowhere Boys)
Hound Dog – Big Mama Thornton
Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley (performed by Sam Bell)
My Son John – David Whitfield
Be-Bop-A-Lula – Gene Vincent
Hello Little Girl – The Beatles (performed by Sam Bell)
In Spite Of All The Danger – The Quarrymen (performed by The Nowhere Boys)
Mother – John Lennon