The documentary begins with a title card reading: “Narrated by John Lennon from over 100 hours of interviews.” The legendary singer-songwriter, and founding member of the British rock ‘n’ roll band, the Beatles, was murdered on 8 Dec 1980.
       The opening and final sequences of the film contain footage from John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s extended home movie Imagine (1971, see entry), which was shot during the production of Lennon’s second solo record album of the same name at Tittenhurst Estate, the couple’s residence in Ascot, England. Clips from Imagine appear intermittently throughout the film, as do scenes from several Beatles’ movies, including A Hard Day’s Night (1964, see entry), Help (1965, see entry), and Yellow Submarine (1968, see entry).
       As noted in various contemporary sources, including the documentary’s 27 Sep 1988 HR review and a 13 Oct 1988 HR article, Imagine: John Lennon was a compilation derived from 240 hours of archival footage and 100 hours of audio recordings from the Lennon estate. According to a 7 Oct 1988 Kansas City Star article, Yoko Ono contacted producer David L. Wolper in 1986, hoping the documentary filmmaker would help compile assets from the Lennon archive to make a comprehensive biography about her late husband. Wolper agreed on condition that he be granted complete access to the collection, and artistic license to use the material as he wished. Wolper claimed there was “more personal film on John Lennon than on any other figure of this century.”
       Referring to the picture by its working title, an 18 Mar 1987 Var production chart reported that In My Life: The Story of John Lennon began two days earlier, on 16 Mar 1987, in London, England. Filming also took place in Los Angeles, CA, according to a 9 Feb 1988 Var production chart. Original footage for the documentary consisted of interviews with: Yoko Ono; Lennon’s first wife, Cynthia Lennon; John Lennon’s two sons, Julian and Sean; music producer George Martin; publicist Elliot Mintz; and Lennon’s former girl friend, May Pang. Andrew Solt told the publication that the film included music that had never been heard before. Var listed musicians Elton John and David Bowie as cast members, but they do not appear in the picture. A 6 Apr 1988 Var news item announced that the title had been changed to Imagine – John Lennon, and the 13 Oct 1988 HR cited a budget of $7 million.
       A rough cut of the documentary was completed by 3 Mar 1988, when the surviving members of the Beatles – Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr – saw a “first look” of the picture in London, as stated in a Var brief published that day. According to the film’s 6 Oct 1988 LAT review, the three musicians declined invitations to be interviewed for the production.
       On 26 Sep 1988, LAT announced that John Lennon was being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame that week to promote the 7 Oct 1988 release of Imagine: John Lennon. The documentary was received with generally positive reviews.
       End credits begin with the following: “The producers wish to thank all the filmmakers whose work is represented in this motion picture.” In addition, end credits state: “The producers gratefully acknowledge: Alan Aldridge, Neil Aspinall, Claudia Falkenburg, David Geffen, Debbie Gendler, Sam Havadtoy, Jill Hawkins, Robert Hilburn, Mark Lewisohn, Harry Nilsson, Steven Peeples, Rupert Perry, Tony Secunda, David Shiff, Dave Sholin, Peter Shukat, Sharon Swab, Susan Walker, Jann Wenner, Gloria Wolper,” and, “Footage provided by: ABC News; Apple Corps., Ltd.; BBC Enterprises; BBC Sound Archives; British Movietonews Limited; Canadian Broadcast Corp.; CBS News; Cinesound Movietone; CTV; The Dick Cavett Show; Group W Productions; ITC Entertainment Ltd.; The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; Las Vegas News Bureau; Lenono Archives; Movietime, Inc.; National Broadcasting Company; Sherman Grinberg Library; Stardust Productions; UCLA Film and Television Archive; United Stations Radio Networks; Visnews Library; Weintraub Entertainment Group; Worldwide Television News.” The film features, “Photographs provided by: Michael Cooper, Hunter Davies, Robert Freeman, Fly Communications, Paul Goresh, Bob Gruen/Star File, Jim M. Hughes, Leslie Kearney, Astrid Kirchherr, Cyril Maitland, Richard Matthews, Michael McCartney, David Nutter, Photosource/The Keystone Collection, Lilo Raymond, Geoff Rhind; Charles Roberts, Kishin Shinoyama, Wide World Photos, Jürgen Vollmer, Tom Zimberoff.”