Comments on: I Met the Walrus

I Met the Walrus

milestogo — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:31:17 -0800

I Met the Walrus In 1969, 14-year-old Jerry Levitan snuck into John Lennon's hotel room in Toronto and convinced John to do an interview about peace. This is the whimsically animated film that Jerry has produced about the interview.

By: rlk

rlk — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:45:32 -0800

Heh, um... "It's about UK..." ("UK" appears over a map of the UK) "It's about USSR..." ("USSR" appears over a map of the USSR) "It's about nothing..." ("NOTHING" appears over a map of Canada) "It's about USA..." ("USA" appears over a map of the USA)

By: milestogo

milestogo — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:53:49 -0800

yes, it's unclear why "NOTHING" means Canada. Perhaps the (Canadian?) producer wanted it included?

By: jonmc

jonmc — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:00:03 -0800

goo goo ga joob.

By: jimmythefish

jimmythefish — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:38:37 -0800

It's not whimscal at all, eh! *finishes beer, goes outside, gets other hosers, decides that it's too much effort to drive the car all that fucking way in through provinces and provinces of noth...* wait what.

By: waraw

waraw — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:47:16 -0800

Included in the Special Thanks to is Biggie Smalls. Wonder why. Thanks for this post.

By: weapons-grade pandemonium

weapons-grade pandemonium — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:20:02 -0800

Yeah, thanks, milestogo. Lennon was a genius.

By: roll truck roll

roll truck roll — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:06:59 -0800

This is neat.

By: beagle

beagle — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:44:13 -0800

From Jerry's Wikipedia Page: Jerry Levitan produced and starred in the animated short "I Met the Walrus" about his meeting with John Lennon and Yoko Ono during their "bed-in" in Toronto, Canada. Though a 14 year old teenager, Levitan got a 40 minute interview with them about peace, The Beatles, and their music. The film was nominated for an Oscar Award in 2008 for best short. It also won Best Animated at the Manhattan Short Film Festival. Jerry Levitan graduated with a B.A. from York University in Toronto and a LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in Toronto, Canada in 1979. He is currently a partner at the law firm of Levitan Lawyers in Toronto and is certified as a Specialist in Civil Litigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada.

By: not_on_display

not_on_display — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:19:42 -0800

Yeah, that's some cool animation, very fitting.

By: dancestoblue

dancestoblue — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:24:08 -0800

Cool post -- thanx!

By: rmmcclay

rmmcclay — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:38:10 -0800

Nice one!

By: yhbc

yhbc — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:09:21 -0800

That was fantastic. I've always said I most wanted to have met John Lennon out of all the people who are now gone that I could have met. This confirms that hypothesis.

By: damn dirty ape

damn dirty ape — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:28:36 -0800

The walrus was Paul.

By: yhbc

yhbc — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:33:05 -0800

No, IDIOT, the walrus was John. He only said it was Paul as a joke. Fuck. Clearly I have a ways to go before I am enlightened. Good thing for me, then, that John did, too.

By: nola

nola — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:35:23 -0800

What a trip.

By: Space Kitty

Space Kitty — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:38:03 -0800

Damn. Beat me to it.

By: mazola

mazola — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:55:52 -0800

Namdaed, no em nrut. !sknahT

By: Optamystic

Optamystic — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:06:53 -0800

Here's the back story.

By: milestogo

milestogo — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:31:46 -0800

wow! his story is incredible. Go Jerry!

By: Suparnova

Suparnova — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:29:43 -0800

I can't look at the video at school, but I recall reading an article in a random oregon/washington state newspaper while travelling about a 16 year old girl who also snuck into this same bed-in with another girl and ended up staying with John and Yoko for serveral days, going home at night and coming back, even having Lennon explain to her mother on the phone where she was. If I remember correctly she was selling the handwritten lyrics to a song that was produced during the bed-in, hence the article.

By: rooftop secrets

rooftop secrets — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:33:31 -0800

Amazing back story, Optamystic. Thank you.

By: Goofyy

Goofyy — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:21:21 -0800

In 1969 I was 12, and so square, you would likely cut yourself if you brushed against my edges. Fortunately, things got rounded out over the years. I have learned a fascination and respect for Lennon. But still, when I see those old photos, I feel the same reactions I did back then. But on careful analysis, I conclude that I am detecting the PR-bullshit nature of them, and am seeing John's PR-bullshit face, reflecting his equal knowledge that it is just bullshit. Then he talked to that kid, Jerry. It took a moment, but then the bullshit faded, and then there was a man talking to a youth. Instead of giving the bullshit, John was pointing it out, on a level easily accessible to a young teenager. It's been a long time since I have relived the deep resentment of having been merely 12, in 1969. Thank you, Milestogo.

By: Suparnova

Suparnova — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:23:33 -0800

This is what I was talking about. As you can see in the article, she also snuck in, also interviewed him (for radio) and in addition, got the original copy for the lyrics of "Give Peace a Chance," which is expected to sell in three days for 400,000 - 600,000 dollars.

By: milestogo

milestogo — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:34:28 -0800

yep, but it looks like that one was in Montreal. This was was Toronto. Good stuff, though.

By: Felicity Rilke

Felicity Rilke — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:40:57 -0800

Josh Raskin and James Braithwaite are friends of mine (and finer lads you'll never meet). Many games of ping-pong went into the creation of this short. I'm glad to see this posted.

By: JBennett

JBennett — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:26:04 -0800

Nice piece. I rember hearing the interview a while ago, maybe posted here?... Well I thought I'd hate an animated treatment, but that was really well done. Lots of surprises.