"Permission to land, Tom"
Transcript of two film reels from the Eat The Document archives.
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It's now 7am. The sun is up over Hyde Park. The limousine trip is nearly over. Lennon is stoned, but distinctly edgy. Dylan is about to be sick. This is the transcript of the two reels that were judged too weird even for Eat The Document.
Scene: the back of a limo.
Dramatis Personae: John Lennon, a Beatle; Bob Dylan, a folk-rock superstar; Bobby Neuwirth, friend of Dylan's and temporary sound recordist; D.A. Pennebaker, cinema verite film-maker; Tom, a chauffeur.
Time: early morning.
REEL ONE
Dylan: (peering out of a rainy window as the great car rumbles down the
road) There's the mighty Thames. That's what held Hitler back, the
mighty Thames. Winston Churchill said that. (To Tom, the chauffeur)
Tom, ain't that right? (Louder) Ain't that right, Tom? Tom, I think
I'm gonna turn you into Tyrone Power.
Lennon: Say that again, will you Bob?
Dylan: Tom, I think I'm gonna turn you into Ronald Coleman.
Lennon: That's better. That's very much better.
Dylan: Reginald Young. Pee Weedsrom. Or Sleepy John Estes, man. Or Robert
Johnson. Go to medical school like J. Carroll Nash...
Lennon: Johnny Cash, or all the rest of them.
Dylan: I have Johnny Cash in my film. Are you gonna shit yourself when you
see it. You won't believe it.
Lennon: Hey! John's gonna shit again!
Dylan: He doesn't know. You know what he looks like, right, Johnny Cash?
Have you spent much time around him? He moves great. He moves like
that. (Makes Dave Berry/human sloth-type gesture). (To Pennebaker)
You gotta cut that part of the film, man, 'cos I really like him. He
moves like all good people. Like prize fighters. (Smiles directly to
camera) Johnny!
Lennon: Johnny! Big River, Big River! (Makes Macca-like thumbs aloft gesture
of approval)
Pennebaker: (Putting head around camera and beaming) That's for Johnny, too!
Dylan: Yeah, he's on film too. He's incredible.
Lennon: Quite a guy, huh?
Dylan: Quite a guy, John. Oh man, you shoulda been around last night, John.
Today's a drag.
Lennon: Oh really, Bob?
Dylan: Haha! I wish I could talk English, man.
Lennon: Me too, Bobby.
Dylan: (Pointing to Lennon) He can talk American. (To Tom) Hey, Tom, you've
heard me talk in English haven't you? But I can't never do it around
John though because (behind back of hand) John's such a great actor,
man, that...
Lennon: ...you can't believe that it's me.
Dylan: Is this the mighty Thames, still, Tom? (To Lennon) Remember when I
played you those tapes? Do you remember what you said to me? I played
you a son and you said...what's he name of your song publishing
company?
Lennon: Dick James.
Dylan: Naw, naw. Is that the name of it? That wasn't the name I heard.
Lennon: Northern Songs?
Transcript of two film reels from the Eat The Document archives.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's now 7am. The sun is up over Hyde Park. The limousine trip is nearly over. Lennon is stoned, but distinctly edgy. Dylan is about to be sick. This is the transcript of the two reels that were judged too weird even for Eat The Document.
Scene: the back of a limo.
Dramatis Personae: John Lennon, a Beatle; Bob Dylan, a folk-rock superstar; Bobby Neuwirth, friend of Dylan's and temporary sound recordist; D.A. Pennebaker, cinema verite film-maker; Tom, a chauffeur.
Time: early morning.
REEL ONE
Dylan: (peering out of a rainy window as the great car rumbles down the
road) There's the mighty Thames. That's what held Hitler back, the
mighty Thames. Winston Churchill said that. (To Tom, the chauffeur)
Tom, ain't that right? (Louder) Ain't that right, Tom? Tom, I think
I'm gonna turn you into Tyrone Power.
Lennon: Say that again, will you Bob?
Dylan: Tom, I think I'm gonna turn you into Ronald Coleman.
Lennon: That's better. That's very much better.
Dylan: Reginald Young. Pee Weedsrom. Or Sleepy John Estes, man. Or Robert
Johnson. Go to medical school like J. Carroll Nash...
Lennon: Johnny Cash, or all the rest of them.
Dylan: I have Johnny Cash in my film. Are you gonna shit yourself when you
see it. You won't believe it.
Lennon: Hey! John's gonna shit again!
Dylan: He doesn't know. You know what he looks like, right, Johnny Cash?
Have you spent much time around him? He moves great. He moves like
that. (Makes Dave Berry/human sloth-type gesture). (To Pennebaker)
You gotta cut that part of the film, man, 'cos I really like him. He
moves like all good people. Like prize fighters. (Smiles directly to
camera) Johnny!
Lennon: Johnny! Big River, Big River! (Makes Macca-like thumbs aloft gesture
of approval)
Pennebaker: (Putting head around camera and beaming) That's for Johnny, too!
Dylan: Yeah, he's on film too. He's incredible.
Lennon: Quite a guy, huh?
Dylan: Quite a guy, John. Oh man, you shoulda been around last night, John.
Today's a drag.
Lennon: Oh really, Bob?
Dylan: Haha! I wish I could talk English, man.
Lennon: Me too, Bobby.
Dylan: (Pointing to Lennon) He can talk American. (To Tom) Hey, Tom, you've
heard me talk in English haven't you? But I can't never do it around
John though because (behind back of hand) John's such a great actor,
man, that...
Lennon: ...you can't believe that it's me.
Dylan: Is this the mighty Thames, still, Tom? (To Lennon) Remember when I
played you those tapes? Do you remember what you said to me? I played
you a son and you said...what's he name of your song publishing
company?
Lennon: Dick James.
Dylan: Naw, naw. Is that the name of it? That wasn't the name I heard.
Lennon: Northern Songs?