It's not often you spend the evening exploring the mind of a killer, especially one as notorious as narcissist Mark Chapman.
December 8 will be the 27th anniversary of the gunning down of John Lennon on the doorstep of his New York home.
Now a new film by director Andrew Piddington explores what may have been going on in Chapman's mind in the weeks leading up to the murder using his own words.
It had its regional premiere at FACT last night.
I found it a strangely gripping and fascinating film that had a general feeling about it of pulsating images, amplified sounds and inside-of-the-skull echoes.
There are roles an actor may not relish playing, but unknown Jonas Ball crawled inside what must be a pretty creepy skin and produced a really fine performance with his hazey dazey voiceover drawl of explanation and excuses for his horrendous action.
There's that chilling statement of fact: "I was nobody until I killed the biggest somebody on earth."
The director was at the screening last night and faced a lively question and answer session afterwards, with one person asking why someone would ever want to make a film about Chapman?
People can read more about Piddington's reasons and his filming methods in the Echo's on Monday.
His own views on Chapman are clear. Piddington says he is not an apologist for the killer and he doesn't think he was insane - in fact, he believes Chapman was "calculating and capable" and Lennon's murder was a premeditated act.
Chapman is the subject of the movie, but is hardly a hero.
The director told last night's audience: "This film doesn't condone or exonerate the act. I don't believe it's a sympathetic film."
The Killing of John Lennon is out on December 7 - go and see it and decide for yourself.
