Review - GET BACK, Peter Jackson's epic, repetitive, indulgent, mighty, definitive Beatles doc
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Five decades in the making, Peter Jackson and his team have wrestled 60 hours of film and 150 hours of audio to craft the most detailed, most insane documentation of this superstar band at work. With a 8+ hour running time, this isn't for the faint of heart, but stick with it and there's magic along the way.
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Nicest moment was when Ringo pointed to Paul on the piano quietly playing Let it Be and said 'I could just watch him for an hour. He' s great'.
So awesome! I loved seeing Linda and Yoko chatting and laughing.
I loved to see the Beatles complimenting each other. The day before the rooftop concert, when they are nervous about playing live, Paul tells George Martin something like: "we're at our best when we're up against the wall. When we're in a tough spot, John always brings it home." Paul didn't say "I always save the day." he said "John always saves the day."
The bit when Ringo said I just farted when Paul was talking to the director had me laughing out loud.
and the tone deaf director blah blahs, not picking up on what Ringo is very politely trying to say.
I will always be grateful to Peter Jackson for having corrected this long-standing perpetuated myth that this was one of the darkest episodes of the Beatles legacy. Instead, it a glorious story of redemption by 4 truly remarkably talented men who genuinely loved each other. Jackson let the movie speak for itself and what you witness is an unsurmountable pressure they put upon themselves, and yet they emerged with some of the greatest songs ever created. The movie truly humanizes them and shows the staggering amount of work put into creating their magic. Along the way you get to know John, Paul, George and Ringo like never before as 4 completely natural and genuinely nice people. My respect for them only grew from this movie. I’m sadden that this has been hidden for this long and we have lost so many of them - Linda, Maureen, Billy, George Martin, Mal Evans and of course George and John. Thank you Peter for doing this.
Thank you. this was my biggest takeaway. I was so heart-warmed. They were creative kids, that's it. My appreciation of all the albums around this are deepened.
One of the greatest moments was when Paul commented on how “fifty years from now we will laugh when people say ‘The Beatles broke up because Yoko sat on an amp, you know’” lol he is totally right. Yoko was but a part in the inevitable reality that these men just naturally grew further away from each other and more into being their own separate people. The foresight there from Paul is just another fun aspect of this series.
Watching Paul McCartney basically WILL the song "Get Back" into existence, was simply AMAZING.
Yes, oh yes. It was emotional for me to witness that. Coz you see the song youve always known for decades get conceived and take form.
@@MarloMaravillas Absolutely. I felt the same way. It's like watching the birth of your musical child, lol.
Absolutely. He was a juggernaut of energy and direction. Nobody worked harder than Paul. It wasn't even close.
@@MarloMaravillas Or when Paul plays "Let it Be" intro on the piano for the first time, I was like "wait, somebody wrote that?" To me, it's like that melody always existed, like the trees or the sky.
@@kenzirkel1584 LOL, well said. It feels like it always just... has been.
Peter Jackson’s Get Back is a gift to Beatle fans. I wish it was longer.
Finished Episode 3 about an hour ago and I still have tears in my eyes. Is just an incredible journey, and to be able to be there, like a fly in a wall, is just amazing.
My Dad passed away a long time ago, and i couldn't help to think about how much he must have loved this.
The first album i asked my parents to buy for me, was a Beatles compilation, 42 years ago when a was 8.
This is gift for all Beatles fans all over the world.
I can't imagine what it is to be a young person hearing the Beatles so many years later.
I wonder how it is they get excited, too. I only know living it in real time.
I'm glad to see we weren't all crazy. CHEERS. ✨✌️🍎
Perhaps, he was watching with you in spirit.
Loved your review! Just finished watching the series and it feels like I lived with my favorite band for three weeks. What an amazing treat! The beauty of their creative process, of their relationship dynamics, of their love for each other is revealed in riveting, intimate form.To see just how their deep bond is tested, then proven ultimately to endure through their drive towards individuation - This was a joy to behold - yet with the bittersweet awareness that their need for personal and creative freedom would govern the future of the band. I don't think they ever imagined that the project would culminate in a film series over 50 years later! Peter Jackson has created a loving testament that will give us close-up access to this divinely magical band for lifetimes to come!
How is it while many bands lost or discarded their masters, multi-tracks, etc. the Beatles managed to keep everything including B film stock that normally would have hit the floor only to be swept away by the evening janitor? We are truly blessed and, being a boomer, I'm thankful I lived long enough to see this footage.
Cuz powerful people had alot invested in them as a tool to shape culture...and to make money. I'm also very excited about this...
It's generally not that the bands lost or discarded their masters, most of them don't own their own masters and have no control over them. Especially if they aren't big enough/powerful enough acts. the whole masters thing has traditionally been like that. I mean, none of the beatles actually had rights to their masters i believe until Paul finally won that court case back in 2017. So what was that, 50 something years of him trying to get those back and he was in the beatles. you are seeing an interesting spin on that with Taylor Swift currently. Her former manager bought her masters out from under her on her first like...5 or something records? But since she does retain her writing credits and owns them in that sense, while not owning the masters of the prior albums, she can do what she wants with the songs themselves and she said to hell with it and has been going back and re-recording her old albums. So Paul finally getting masters back sounds like this footage might have been involved with that and lead to this project being able to happen.
@@dannyblau3850 interesting thank you
They managed their own company. That's how.
We’re just lucky they had their stuff stored in the UK, and it didn’t burn up in the Universal backlot fire, like pretty much every other band and recording artist.
Almost cried when Paul sang Strawberry Fields. Just beautiful.
Found myself getting up off the couch and sitting 3 feet from the TV when they headed to the rooftop. Such a joy to watch them move and enjoy all out performing together
Just watched episode 1, I thought it was fantastic really, all 2hrs and 35 minutes of it.
George leaving seemed to really come out of the blue at that moment, but you can see how it was building in the background for him. Paul was amazing in dragging the band through even though he didn't want that position and was aware he was being overbearing at times. John seemed incredibly uninterested in much, but when he was turned on he went straight to professional mode. Ringo was a very warm, supportive and calming influence,
I don’t think that George appreciated Paul needling him about his guitar playing, calling it too soft at one point. It was probably the last straw.
I don’t think John was uninterested. We don’t know but that may be the way he was in the studio. Even with Yoko there I thought he was very focused on Paul. It was incredible to watch as if it was two old lovers creating something together. He was focused on the music and his idea of what it was all about which was the music and the relationships..yes George’s leaving seemed to come out of nowhere. I didn’t understand it. But when I watched part 1 again I don’t think it was Paul saying keep it simple for now, no vamping. I think he felt left out of the relationship between John and Paul. He didn’t have that in a partner. He kept bringing up Eric. George wanted what he saw in front of him. They hadn’t work that close for a long time. A lot of solo sessions. A lot of separate booths. So he walked out for awhile. But it was George in part 3 who talked about doing s solo project and then coming back together as the Beatles. Just my thoughts and observations.
@@majipoorcat George seemed to contradict himself. He wanted to do his own stuff but at the same time wasn't confident enough in doing a guitar part and said they 'needed Eric' but it was Paul who said 'no, we need you'. You have to have one more dominant character in any group or otherwise nothing would get done. I heard John was using heroin during the time at Twickenham which is probably why he was quiet. Once at Apple, he was the funny man we thought he was. In later interviews, George didn't seem bothered that they'd broken up and was happy doing his own stuff. His stuff was excellent in his early years so, from his perspective, the break up was best for him. But I suspect they still would have done a few more fantastic albums. Music changed quite a bit in the next few years but I cannot see them wearing make up and sequined clothes! Thankfully
@@DudeSilad I agree with you. The band needed Paul to be what and who he was. George needed that too except it is hard to always say that. I do think George was envious of the partnership of john and Paul. Watching it for over eight hours was amazing. George didn’t have someone like that. A partner to advocate for him.
George's exit was rather abrupt, but if you look again at the scene just before he left, you can definitely see the frustration he is feeling in his eyes. Incredible camera work to have captured that.
I thought it was great! I feel like I hung out with The Beatles today and I only saw part one so far. Knowing Peter Jackson he’ll release even longer versions of this down the road. As a viewer I did notice Yoko…A LOT. I don’t dislike her or anything but I can completely understand why the band didn’t really want her in the studio. A couple times you could hear her rustling papers, appearing disinterested, etc. Linda McCartney was there too but she was more in the background taking pictures, etc. It was long but I could of watched even more. What a treat. Great video!
Yeah wonder if there will be a deluxe super extended supreme version.... Hmmm?
When I listen to the White Album and Abbey Road now, after watching all 8 hours of Get Back in one sitting, it's like I'm hearing them anew, as friends of mine creating music, rather than peering at these enigmatic geniuses through the mists of time. That's the greatest gift I never expected to receive in 2021, so deep into my fandom of The Beatles.
One sitting!!!!!!
Have you heard the 'naked' version of Let It Be that was released a couple of years ago? The Phil Spector production has been removed and the sound is just The Beatles as they sound in the studio and not after over the top post production.
@@DudeSilad indeed I have. Long time fan. I have seen Let it Be 30 plus times. That editing was very different from this one.
@@DudeSilad I've had the naked version for several years and completely forgot that there was an extra disc included with outtakes from the sessions, including the discussion about the plan to take a boat full of fans to Tripoli for the live performance! Seeing this film now puts all of that into proper context.
Six hours of content, after a 50-year wait, I’ll take it! Thanks for your review.
8 hours ;)
@@complicatedairflow7237 8+ 😉
100% agree with this review. I thought I got over the Beatles years ago, but the fan in me live on, and loves this doc. Every minute of it.
This and "Pop Goes The 60s" reviews are, far and away, the best I've seen (and I've seen quite a few!). Some real insights here and well worth a second watch. Thanks!
Listen to the podcasts “Beatles Naked” and “Something About the Beatles”
A historical gift of a film, about four historical figures of the world, a historical January 1969, put together in a historical global pandemic. Covid, and the loss of lives and so much more on that nature is a tradgedy: Peter Jackson, for the extra time you had to do it exactly as you did, then I say Get Back a gift born out of the tradgedy. Peter Jackson, it " Came Together...Over You." Well done, and thank you.
How I wish we had this kind of footage when Rubber Soul & Revolver were being recorded by The Beatles.
Sgt Pepper aswell!
@@ricardo_miguel13 Abbey Road should have been their final album release. Let It Be ended on a kinda low point after that epic album.
The documentary feels like a time machine, as if we were able to rewind and go back and watch them do those albums. It almost hurts, that feeling this was all we got, even though it's more than we could have hoped for.
Same, but wonder if they would have been able to create the other albums with a film crew around? 🤔
@@andyscott5277 nope. Cameras and recorders were huge back then. There is video from the recording of A Day in the Life. It would be cool to see the raw footage of that day.
I just turned 72 last November and I have to say you almost had to be alive at the time this was filmed to fully appreciate the Beatles and their music and their extradentary influence on Western and World Culture itself. They literally changed the whole dynamic of Western cultural dramatically and you just had to been there to witness it in real time. The world as a whole and especially the United States wasn't accepting of the Beatles at all, they really fought them every step of the way! It was an exciting time to be alive, young and to witness the Beatles and the world as the the it fought against the influence of the youth culture, which was instigated by the music of the times from Elvis to the Beatles and all the music that came after by the genesis that was the Beatles.
I’ve heard he has an 18 hour version. God bless Peter Jackson! 😛 can’t wait..
Wish they would go further into other albums recordings. Put things together into a narrative feeling. More more
If he has, you're not alone in wanting to see it - bring on all 50+ hours I say!😁
George quit the Beatles also because Patti called him during the filming to let him know she was leaving him due to his affairs. That’s not in the film. George thought it best to take care of matters at home. It’s in Patti’s book.
Makes more sense now
Was this when Patti cheated on George and decided to go with Eric Clapton, who was actually George's best friend??
I was wondering why we don’t get to see her in the film. Thanks.
@@MsAppassionata Apparently Patti shows up in episode 2
@@budiaguswidjaja No, this is when George brought home Eric's girlfriend and told her she would be staying with them. Pattie came to believe they were having an affair (even if they weren't this would have been typical of George).
Pattie did cheat on George (Later) but he was well ahead of her and more prolific.
It was incredible!
Like family , brothers.
John funny , Paul leading, george serious and ringo a drum machine.
Amazing!!
Ringo was/is a dedicated hard working drummer- not only a legend in his own time, a UK national treasure. I feel blessed to have had their music in my life since age 5 & I hope he & Paul live past 100. Their music will be like Mozart, ever enduring. And we will have this & other footage, to boot. I am sure a directors cut will follow next year or so.
I thought the remastering of the visuals was extraordinary! Never in my life have I watched video of the Beatles and felt like I was in the room with them. Such a fly-on-the-wall, incredible experience!
Some people see repetition where others see layers of progression. Hoping for an extended 80hr version.
Great video. Love your perspective. Clearly gets it.
I’ve watched it dozens of times and still want that 18-hour first cut version!
Some priceless moments and details during episode 1 and 2:
1 - George playing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". Clearly visible, he was sitting this one out.
2- Yoko and Linda chatting while Paul was working on arguably the finest song of his career, 'Let it Be".
3- Yoko reading a newspaper.
4- Yoko sewing or embroidering something.
5 - The incredible food. No tapas or sushi but buttered toast and sandwiches.
6- The drinks even more so. England-style tea and coffee with loads and loads of milk in it. Occasionally a glass of white wine or a beer.
7- John and Yoko arriving per Rolls-Royce at the Apple building, descending to the basement entrance while negotiating the garbage bags piled on the staircase.
8- Mel. Just watch Mel.
9- Dick James, looking spiffy with his golden wristwatch. You can imagine him, already contemplating the sell of Northern Songs later that year from under the Beatles' arses.
And then, the music. I loved it all.
*Mal.
Paul's pure contempt for James was crystal clear in that brief segment. Though probably not to James.
This feels like a great interpretation of the new mega edit of the movie, I cannot wait to see it. After seeing the original 1970 movie from two different sources, both with mostly terrible picture and sound quality (a VHS recording source of a BBC2 broadcast from 1982 and a copy from a LaserDisc source from 1981), I am sure the stunning new film edit will be like watching it for the first time (without question absolutely stunning compared to the 1982-1981 dreadfully poor transfer sources). I do hope they re-release soon a fully remastered copy of the original 1970 movie, to enable a more objective comparison between the quasi-contemporary 1970 'Let it Be' movie and the half a century later retrospective 2021 'Get Back' movie.
It's not just about the poor quality of the original mediums. The original edit focused on the arguing & has fostered the idea that they were all bitter during that process. Ringo has gone on record & pointed out that that wasn't accurate & this film will show their camaraderie.
Watching it over a week was amazing. Pure joy.
Just watched the first part and I loved it!! So awesome. Can’t wait for the rest. ✌️❤️
Me too. Great stuff!
Your review nailed it! in the future, students of music and history, will be studying it in college libraries with headphones on and writing term papers about it. Aspirant bands will watch it for inspiration and guide for song writing. A seminal work.
The only things about the film that I found disappointing was when some of the takes that were actually used on the album were depicted, the film cut away from the scene and simply said "this take was used on the Let It Be album." I wanted to see those scenes played out! I was also really surprised to find out that the album version of "Get Back" was not one of the takes of it taken from the rooftop performance. Overall it was a great film and a real treasure for die hard Beatles fans like myself.
Seemed like they didn’t want to focus on material that was already released, prioritizing unseen footage.
I'm not a Beatles guy really at all, but have been a professional musician the past 15 years and loved it. That preface laid down, 100 percent agree. From a musician stand point, this might be the most accurate and all encompassing visual you are going to see of what it is truly like going through pre-production and making a record as a band. So from that stand point, the musician side of me was immediately wrapped up in it. And of course knowing if you are Beatle obsessed, that kind of behind the scenes window you are going to eat up. I think after about 20-30 mintues of the first episode though I even said out loud to myself that a casual fan would probably be bored to tears of this thing after 20-30 minutes of it.
Thanks for this informative review. I haven't seen this doc yet and really looking forward to it. This really stoked my excitement.
Love watching some of those songs getting molded out of thin air. I would compare it to Some Kind of Monster.
That's exactly how I felt when I was watching it. That period when George quit was so much like the James enters rehab in some kind of monster.
I wouldn't call myself a "fan" of the Beatles. But I couldn't turn get back off. As a musician I found it absolutely fascinating.
Amazed watching former brothers think of new songs together in the studio all the while holding instant classic solo songs in their pockets.
It is a lot of material and LONG, but I feel, this was stuff trapped in a vault for 50 years. It's nice to see it all. And the longer it was, the more you really could feel and go along with the journey with them. How it was long, and drawn out and how exhaustive it was for them to do this themselves, every single day. Fly on the wall feeling. The ups and downs.
I just took my time and watched all 3 parts , each on a different day. Even taking a break halfway through each one.
This is definitely how I wish I had savoured it...
I really love this and it made me wish similar docs could be made for bands like The Rolling Stones who wrote most of their music in the studio
There’s moments throughout the documentary that are worth watching, but there’s also a lot of superfluous footage that may or may not be necessary to get the gist of what happened in the sessions.
But, the third part with the rooftop concert is my personal favorite. I don’t mind the split screen with crowd reactions and comments. That’s part of the show and the point of the documentary. I can always listen to the dolby atmos of the rooftop to get the whole performance on streaming platforms for this.
Great review. :) In regards to the length, I actually wish it were a bit longer - maybe around 10 hours in total. However, I question the decision to release it in 3 unnecessarily long parts. And I wonder how it may have been received had it been released as a full series of much shorter episodes? Not so much for me personally but the length of each part has clearly put some people off watching it, which I feel was inevitable (especially in this day and age). Obviously this is just my opinion, but squeezing it all into 3 parts just seems like an odd creative and marketing decision to me.
Great review. I'm waiting until I can watch the whole thing in one hit. I'll send people to this video on my radio show tomorrow, great work, mate.
Cant wait 2 get the blu-ray.....You know there will be special out takes!!!....Good review bro! Keep up the good work!..Really like listening to how this (DOC) effected other people and their insight! ,,,
Thanks for the brilliant review. While I'm at it, thanks to Peter Jackson and all the Beatles folk for bring this to us. It's been a couple of weeks since I watched Get Back and I'm still spinning. What a glorious window into history, art, and culture! I could go on endlessly, but most people probably won't care why a 65-yr old musician who grew up with the Beatles would experience it as the best film ever (well, Groundhogs Day, This is Spinal Tap, and Best in Show are awfully good too). So, let me just add I didn't realize they had just finished grueling studio work on the white album, and would go back to record Abbey Road) less than 2 months before and after Get Back. A Hard Days night, for a decade!
well-balanced, articulate review- thanks much
How could ANYONE complain about the visual aspects of this film. The quality of the visual was remarkable . I also don’t understand how anyone could find part one repetitive . That’s the idea of sussing out the songs from nothing.
One minute there is no song, the next minute there’s a song.
It’s just remarkable visually,and aurally .
How did this man see parts two already ?
He had to blow a guy.
the whole documentary was repetitive. lmao i legitimately fell asleep during take like 10 of get back. there's only so many times you can hear the same song with slightly different lyrics or melody, man. i would have LOVED to see takes of some other material instead of bloating up a handful of Lennon-McCartney mainstays.
@@15Anime4Ever15 You don't know what's good.
@@aaronm.3581 A+ argument. Look at all that compelling evidence. You really showed me and my opinion what for. I have sincerely reflected on myself and realized the error of my ways. The documentary is perfect and has done absolutely no wrong.
Superb synopsis, sir. I agree with virtually all of your conclusions and can't really think of a thing I'd add to your review.
As always, thanks much for sharing.
Steve
Hey, thanks... like/subscribe/check out our other vids, it helps, really... :)
The Lord Of The Ringos
😂😂😂🤣
I like your pointing out the paradoxes, especially saying they were very generous &
very selfish. True.
I didn't see the real progression of a song. I mean not thoroughly.
It seemed to jump & skip & cut significant sections.
I hear other people saying they saw the whole process.
What am I missing?
Besides, it seems Paul already has a song pretty much done before
he presents it.
They seem to catch on immediately, or is something cut out.
I'm amazed & baffled. 🥺🤸
Peter Jackson said the first cut was 18 hours long! It would be amazing to see the directors cut!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the doc. It's a shame to hear that they have been so heavy handed with the digital noise reduction. I thought the trailer clips looked waxy but I was hoping that it was just UA-cam compression. Film grain is a beautiful organic thing and should be preserved as part of the image. Not everything needs to look like it was shot on a modern digital camera. Having said that, it seems they have done an amazing job otherwise.
They had to because it was shot on 16mm which would show a lot of grain in 4K
Yes and yes. It seems like either they still don't have the ability to fully remove artifacts or everything restored is done too perfection but I would buy everything ever recorded restored at this point. Why can't they just remix every song ever. They do it well every time
Thanks for the review. You can't forgive where there's no sin. This is a true event for fans whose every anomaly points to a "day in the life" one almost feels like a voyeur watching.
It’s really not too long. It’s 8 1/2 hours out of 60 plus hours of film. It’s a remarkable insight into the detail and process of making music from one of the most respected and successful bands of all time. With many of that generation now passing on, it is essential that we have this process fully documented in all of its drawn out gritty detail.
I haven't seen the series, but someone -- whether it's Yoko or anyone -- just reading mail or a book or a newspaper can be INCREDIBLY draining on the energy of other people trying to work on music.
Watching the original film in comparison makes it glaringly obvious that Lindsay-Hogg cut that film to highlight the tensions that people were hearing was going on. I feel like he's been called out 50 years later for how he screwed them over.
Honestly the tensions were very important, it's almost all that John Lennon talks about in his famous 1970 Rolling Stone interview. What's happened with this new documentary is Paul McCartney owns the masters(ever since 2017) and directed the narrative to Peter Jackson.
Peter Jackson said it would've been a crime against music history to cut it down any further, and I tend to agree...
I could have watched everything they had and it still wouldn’t have been enough 😅
excellent review. thanks!
Loved it and have watched it incessantly.
Long live the Beatles!
I watched Part 1 today, will take one part each day, don't do marathons well. Thoughts on Part 1: Paul McCartney and The Beatles, McCartney is a musical genius, Lennon has one song, Don't Let Me Down, and needs a lot of help with it, ADHD, hubris, heroin/Lennon at least one day, quotes of McCartney-Lennon banter that could be taken as Macca hammering Lennon are actually seen in context here as gentle ribbing with Lennon laughing about it, band has some internal issues and jokes about breaking up are made. As in combat sports, once you start talking about retiring/breaking up, it is already over.
When couples bring up divorce even jokingly the clock is ticking to wards the end. So yes I agree with you.
There will never be such evidence of genius in action,
Yoko was very quiet and sat around and didnt seem to interfere much. Unless she edited her bits out (she was a producer). George Harrison seemed a little to sensitive to whatever Paul and others said. Beatles long before my time but a fascinating watch.
While Im glad that the powers that be let this project see the light of day, I can also see why the Beatles did not want this released for those many years. As Paul might say "Its a bit of a downer, isnt it?"
Yes, its very cool to see any unreleased film footage. Its cool to see them talking amongst each other and interacting. For that, I am grateful.
But the overall vibe I got from this first part was simply a band that was pretty much done. As individuals they also realized this it appears. I dont sense bitterness towards each other but more a sense of directionlessness and being lost.
Lennon basically had very little to give at this point for whatever reason. The can was kind of empty. Yes he did have "Dont Let Me Down" and "Across The Universe". Both great songs. But like Paul and George, were they really "Beatles" songs? "Gimme Some Truth" definitely falls flat as a group effort. Good decision not to proccede with that one. Lennon showing up last everyday speaks volumes also.
As for Paul, he is the most prolific at this point. But he is also drifting further and further into Paul music rather than Paul and John collaborations. When he does try and add parts to John's "Dont Let Me Down" it comes across as total shmaltz. Even his own song "Two Of Us" he sounds like he is arranging it at times to be some cringy stageshow production. The further John was not a factor the further Paul was pushing them into this territory. At least from this footage that seems to be the case.
Its very obvious Paul is trying to take the reigns, but when George finally says something to the effect of "You dont know what you want to do either", that kind of sums it up.
George is very much in stark contrast to Paul as far as what needs to be contributed to a song to make it better and an actual Beatles song. At this point I think he has the best innate and experiential sense of the songs directions. He says "Two Of Us" should be more country flavored. Which it becomes in the end. His little flurrishes that Paul desperately tried to burry with being overbearing and drowning him out are where the songs eventually end up more or less. I think George has the most objective opinion. And ironically I sense he also has the best grip on what the Beatles future sound should be. He is the one that remembers the formula that they once had. Maybe its from observing the creative process of Paul and John for so long, I dont know.
All this happens as Lennon kind of just sets their uncomplacent. Many have said he was high during much of the sessions? I dont get that at all. I think he is simply in a dry period of creativity as far as The Beatles. And basically has very little to add. There are sparks of creativeness between Paul and John, the "Ive Got A Feeling" section for example. But all in all one can tell they are in two very different directions creatively. He so much as says he doesnt care a couple of times during this film. And without the rock n roller attitude and writing, the entire writing process becomes one sided towards Pauls arrangements. Not Pauls fault, he is trying. But yeah.
And I dont blame Paul. He said it himself that he had been the leader for the last two years. John didnt disagree. He realized that without Paul doing that the Beatles would have broken up even earlier.
All four state that they are pretty much done. And I dont sense anger or bitterness about it. But rather "what the hell do we do now?" kind of vibe to the situation. Some fear which boils over into tenseness at times but I dont sense hatred.
Ringo makes me some sad in this. He is like the child witnessing his parents divorcing. He is the one who consoles and is trying to interject some hugs into the entire affair. But mostly he has no place to drum. Because there is very little to hit the toms and snare about at this juncture.
Again, Im glad that they released this. Its certainly not a sweetened up washed over version. Nor is it the depressing "the Beatles hated each other at this point" depiction that many have suggested it was. But I doubt very seriously Id ever watch it again.
It makes me feel very directionless and confused right along with them. Its kind of a dragging boring affair as a whole. But there are enough moments that make me smile to be glad it has been released for a glimpse into seeing them all together up close. Id rather have seen Rubber Soul or Revolver footage in the studio. Or even early album studio footage as Paul and John worked through a song. Now, if only someone had filmed that. Impossible I know, but still.
In this film, its simply a band that really had been drifting apart creatively for probably much longer than once thought. Paul and John's individual ideas slowly through the years just didnt combine any longer to make the magic. By this point they were really not that good of a match. And without that, it doesnt matter how great Georges songs are or Paul or John. Without the Paul and John creative partnership in song, there really is no Beatles. Thats the simple truth I think.
In the end I am neither over the moon about this film nor shaking my fist. I feel kind of like they did. Rather unemotional about the sessions. And at times left awkward.
We will see if the puzzle fits together better and there is some sort of turn around that Im not expecting in parts 2 and 3 that gives the first part more of a place to fit.
As far as the noise reduction, I think it sucks. Lennon looks especially odd at times. Like a robotronic or wax figure from some museum. But I kind of expected that. This is ultimately a film for hardcore Beatles fans though and shouldnt have been obliterated with processing for mass acceptance.
The audio mostly doesnt seem to match what they are actually saying. Not sure what thats about. Perhaps knowing where the conversations synched up is lost to time? Or there was not film footage to match the audio? Not a huge huge deal as I could enjoy it for what it is, but kind of leaves one with an odd feeling.
Saying all of that, Im looking forward to the next two films.
I address the sync in the review - there was 150hrs of audio, 60 hours of film. Pre video age things were not rolling all the time, so you're going to have great bits without corresponding images. As per the title card, that's what the futzed with to make it work. Meanwhile, yes, part 1 is a weird one, but keep going, it makes the energy of part two and three earned
Good points. Agree with many of your observations, but... (there had to be a but)
Just to be there, with them as the guitar gently weeps. We all - they knew - this ride we went on with them was fraught from the vry beginning. I can imagine the joy of creation when all cylinders are pumping when youth, vitality, ego and insane talent collide. I don't need to see that on film. But, this film, this crashingly chaotic fraught edginess is a once in a lifetime look at creativity inside the painful end.
Their story is a yarn to be bthed in. Mythic stuff. Iconic stuff. Watching this film reminded me just how amazing these four humans were, and how much they mean to milions of people around the world. Their charm is undeniable even as the say goodbye. And, I think we all need to see their demise. To attend the funeral.
George is simply the best. He sees the end of the story. He's kind of us in a way. Watching Paul and John effortlessly toss off hit after hit must have taken a hell of a toll on George. My favourite of them all.
@@OtherBrotherDaryl I think it was more George’s frustration at not being appreciated enough. I think he felt like they were still treating him like their little brother, even though he had, by this time, come into his own as a songwriter. His music by this time was equal to anything the other two were writing and I think he felt like they were slow in acknowledging that fact.
@@OtherBrotherDaryl The most poetic analysis of the film that I’ve read anywhere since it was released. Spot on comment of Ringo witnessing a divorce. Of all of us watching the dissolution of a band that so many of us have treasured. I’m glad they released as much as they did. There were great moments in it and very sad moments but I valued the opportunity to “be in the room” and observe something that remains so very important to me. I wish I could have expressed myself here as well as you did.
@MiamiBeach xxx What are you basing your assumptions on? What do you want to see, the entire 60 hours of footage? That’s not very realistic. It doesn’t mean that they were constantly fighting or that this is some sort of whitewash.
I had to stop this for a moment just to say: Thank You! You're spot on and I've only watched five minutes. I found a copy of the original And if you look past the quality of this very rushed 80 min. film, that perceived negativity isn't really there. The sessions were basically a failure in the first place, but what they created in that short time lives on.
Loved the whole thing and all the fav bits that everyone's mentioned. The bit during the rooftop performance where the band each clock that the police have arrived was really fun too. It looked like Paul clocked them first and just instantly got this giant evil grin on his face. Who would've thought Paul would be the naughty boy beligerantly going straight into the next song to stop them having a chance to interrupt. Then Mal has to intervene and although John & George keep going they at least have the look on their faces that it's a bit of a worry. Paul just looks over the moon the whole time 😆
Mmm - I think you'll find that diehard Beatles fans who were there at the time, (or as it's nauseatingly termed now, "back in the day") are indulgent in the extreme - I certainly am when it comes to the Beatles.
Nobody's forcing you to watch this. Mind you, it's worth it to see Lennon hacking away on a Fender VI. (Bass players will understand).
I just wish it wasn't Disney putting this out.
It was fantastic, and it was LOOOONG. My analogy is you've waited 50 years for the best chocolate cake ever.....and when you get it, you've got to eat 29,927 pounds of chocolate cake in three nights. It's still great, it's still the best ever, but it's a bit much. Like by a lot. And if someone disagrees, then why not just release ALL 60 hours of available footage, unedited? There IS such a thing as too much, even of a good thing.
SO TRUE MY FRIEND LIKED AND SUBBED
Lovely review, mate
have you already seen all the episodes ? or just episode 1 ????
cant wait to watch it ...
;)
That is the face of someone who just marathoned every minute (including all the credits)
Not 8 and a half hours. Less than 8 actually. And indulgent isn’t really the right word because it’s not Jackson’s ego that caused it be long. It’s his realization that sticking 95% of this material back on the shelf again after 50 years would accomplish very little.
Balanced Objective review. And very poignant perspective of Billy Preston joining the group and The BeaTles elevated their efforts to impress an obvious virtuoso in Preston. I heard befor he lightened the moods, but didnt know they were trying harder. And I like the line you gave" The BeaTles have a selfishness and a generosity" I like that.
Just finished part 3, completely amazing series. Quick question, when they were on the roof and the cops were in the building entrance, was that a bribe he was putting in his jacket pocket? Certainly looked like it!
Hah, I didn't see it that way, but what's wild is how it all feels so bloody incompetent all around...Bumbling Bobbies!
Great review.
a 3 hour blu-ray would be just right for me. Will it ever see a hard format release?
No doubt there will be a blu ray release. Pretty sure it's been promised to include the original cut. But what else, may be included, will be answered in good time.
I want, at very least, the 8 hour version.
I feel like I wanna see the 19hr first cut Jackson has mentioned a few times this last fortnight
I think people are missing the whole idea that we get to see how these songs came into fruition. I've seen a lot of people complaining that were are hearing the same songs over and over again... and its like use your brain. We are seeing how an idea trasnforms into the end product. We are literally acting as flies. And these documentary needed to be done because it's fucking hard to find the let it be documentary. This is all we have in regards to both audio and footage, in how their writing process goes, with both visual and audio.
Peter Jackson is the sixth Beatle
Great review. Insightful and fluent. Maybe a coupla minutes too long, though! Just sayin'!
I was a teenager in the 1960s and I lived through all the Beatles stuff, it was a different time and believe me The Beatles were top of the tree, pop royalty if you like. Remember, we had the Move, The Kinks, Jimi Handrix, Cream, Pinl Floyd, the list is endless really. LSD and marijuana had a lot to do with the music back then and it shows, listen to Eledctric Ladyland and Sargeant Peppers albums on acid and you will understand, not that I am promoting drugs but it what we all did and it was life changing, ask any 70 year old now who was into their music, they will say the same thing. These movies are OK but Peter Jackson is probably trying to capture his youth by making this epic, he sure ain't broke!
I loved every second (except the overly long and unnecessary prologue). I loved how it shined light on reality instead of the untrue narratives of: Paul being a egotistical dictator, George being bullied and having great songs rejected, and everyone being miserable throughout
Yep, the reality is such a relief! George had every reason to feel frustrated, and I adore his solo career, but Paul took some unfair shit all these years when that conversation was taken out of context in the original film. Rolling Stone is responsible for a lot of treating Paul like he wasn't the genius he is. . Especially after John's tragic death, Paul was treated really unfairly, and Let It Be , the film, contributed to a lot of that. Fact is, they were all 4 amazing, all contributed to the wonderful music that we are privileged to hear.
Two episodes of almost 3 hours in two days plus a last one to come tomorrow! After that, I'm going to go back and watch The Beatles Anthology"! Overall I like it a lot, I find that when they discuss the Beatles in posterity: For instance when Paul McCartney mentions Yoko Ono, and the reputation she will have according ti to the public in 50 years ... (Now) - It is ultra visionary! Beyond that, I found the first two episodes super sad: We see the group falling apart: Their inability to work etc, it's sad! Fortunately it is the Beatles. Because, all things considered, on certain sequences: It looks like me in my youth with my amateur band. There are many clips of jams etc: I wonder if the non-musicians/non Beatles fans will really find their what they are looking for there! With that said it's wonderful to see the reflection of an era, as well as the depth of their discussions! And especially the fact that they have the art to create hits from nothing! Fortunately, Paul and Billy Preston on keyboards really give a musical boost. Eventually, even if he is a little bit backwards, I think that George Harrison with the songs he proposed is in the "Beatles spirit of yesteryear"! I still have to watch the last episode! At least it allowed me to start reading: "The Beatle who Vanished" - "The Beatle Who Vanished is the first historical account of Jimmie Nicol, an unknown drummer whose journey from humble beginnings to saving The Beatles' first world tour was only one part of his legend. Though his 13 days of fame made headlines, the true mystery of Nicol's story is riddled with blacklisting, betrayal, drugs, divorce, bankruptcy and an eventual disappearance that led many to question whether he is dead or alive. Discover the incredible details of a Beatles story never before revealed." 🙂
The long and winding road that leads to your door ...
It looks great? I’m confused what people are saying about the visual?
Some of the shots look overly process, removing the inherent grain when reframing and changing the 16mm footage to 16:9 4k.
We've only got episode one on Canada Disney+
Beautiful review, Jason. Watching through the documentary, I kept wondering if George would've agreed to its release, had he still been with us today?
John may also have been a bit of a wildcard in this regard, but he may also have been more easily persuaded than George.
George always seemed very reluctant to agree to do anything Beatles-related. Especially during Anthology, when I believe he both didn't want to make the
documentary or record the "new" songs. So who knows how he'd feel about Let it Be?
Perhaps in this one instance, we're lucky that he's no longer here to put a stop to proceedings? Just this once, though.
I don't blame George for trying to distance himself from the Beatles. Once he went solo he was constantly harangued by fans and interviewers alike about the Beatles, and playing their songs at his concerts, and when will the Beatles have a reunion? It was surely exhausting. He finally got out of that band and no one would let him forget he was in it for five minutes.
It's rumored he primarily agreed to Anthology because he was in need of funds, what with his movie and album ventures failing financially. But I think once he got to doing it he really enjoyed himself. He's said in an interview that playing with Paul again was awkward but once they got to jamming it was pleasant.
And as for the songs from Anthology, the only ones he had a problem with recording were songs he felt couldn't be made into anything. Like scraps he saw no value in or point in putting in effort. With Real Love and Free As a Bird they had something to work with. But for the rest Paul I think just really wanted to release more of what John had. And Ringo, as usual, was just along for the ride.
I think the only thing a wish Jackson had done was not cutting out the songs in the middle of a few songs on the rooftop gig. The last gig they ever did, and he chose to mess about with it!??, At least in the Let it Be bootleg, the editing of the talking heads in the street were done with more respect to the gig.
1:51 I felt the opposite :-) As I was watching I could clearly see (esp. in part 3) many instances of cuts which _obviously_ were introduced to shorten the running time. I found them mildly annoying (they tend to occur in places which are "least significant", i.e. in the middle of very well-known songs). But then, I am a fan of "Satantango".
So how and where is it available to watch? Pardon my ignorance.
Disney+
@@TS-bd2vr thanks
No one could have done a better job no one!
i am so, so, so happy you included "repetitive." yes, the documentary is amazing and gorgeous and had so many wonderful moments and shook so many rumors to their foundations. i am always happy to see more beatles material. but by god. you get sick of some of these songs. when it came to the music it felt like another lennon-mccartney parade. we catch a glimpse of octopus's garden, which i'm not shocked, it's ringo's only song, completely understandable. then a few takes of a few george compositions. but at least two-thirds, if not four-fifths, of this documentary are takes of the same 4-5 songs. don't even get me started on get back. holy shit am i sick of that song now. it's so unfortunate
i suppose instead of watching paul work thru three songs alongside john it just would have been nice to see all three of them working thru various songs together. burned out is a good way to put it
And the winner of 'Most negative review' is...
@@MIB_63 i'll take my award happily and with pride, thank you. just because i'm a beatles fan, that doesn't mean i need to kiss this documentary's ass and act as if it's a perfect compilation
@@15Anime4Ever15 The simple reason we didn't see them working on more George songs is that they only worked on a few of his songs. It has nothing to do with the quality/editing of the documentary. Somewhere in the documentary George is even heard saying that he doesn’t want his songs included in the film/album. Nothing is b/w. Burned out? They went on to record one of their best albums (Abbey Road) a few months later.
@@MIB_63 There's literally at least nine hours of footage of them just working on All Things Must Pass, but sure, go off.
@@MIB_63 There's literally hours of footage of them working on All Things Must Pass alone, but go off I guess.
Spellbinding!
However, that nine hours of incessant second hand smoke made my eyes water some fifty years later! 😭🗣💨
Any Beatles fan will certainly want to watch it. Technically speaking, you get to be in the room with them, with modern, upgraded picture quality and sound.
But from an objective viewpoint of the events, overall it’s just kind of a depressing document of a band that wasn’t into it anymore. It was an overly ambitious idea, that they were going to write and record an album and rehearse and be ready for their first live show in several years, all in the space of a few weeks, with cameras rolling the whole time, and it shows. They weren’t up to it, and didn’t have the will to push themselves for it.
If there is anything interesting about it, it’s that the completeness of the footage makes it really clear how things were. They were all skilled at writing cynically cheesy pop songs (which is not a criticism, but rather how they themselves clearly viewed it), but as musicians, as players, Paul was so far ahead of the rest of them, and John and George were so rudimentary in their skills, that he had just naturally come to dominate the group. He just knew what he was doing, much more so than they did. The hesitancy of the others to perform live, to just get up and play (like say, a band like Cream did), without having their simple parts worked out and memorized, was painful. George openly says that he can’t just get up and jam like Eric Clapton. It’s also interesting that most of the songs that ended up on Abbey Road show up in various stages of completion.
None of them were particularly angry about any of it, I think they were all universally bemused by the level of worship they received. They were in the right place at the right time, appearing on Ed Sullivan a couple of months after the JFK assassination, when Boomer kids were desperate for something positive to latch onto. They were rich, and bored, and obviously just not into it very much anymore.
The songs also speak for their state of mind. Paul: “Get Back” and “Two of Us” were the idea behind the project. To get back to their roots. George: “All Things Must Pass” - obviously, the possibility that they were done was hanging in the air the whole time. John: “Don’t Let Me Down” - he was all about Yoko, and has her there in front of the camera the whole time. He was checked out.
So like I said, just sort of depressing overall, but still fascinating to some degree, because it puts you right there in this room 52 years ago, with the most famous group of all time, as if it was today. And there’s probably a lot that it says about the Boomers, and this pop group being at the center of their collective identity, but that’s a whole other subject.
I think you make a lot of good points, but i also feel like you are under appreciating them as artists and pioneers.
“They were at the right place at the right time”. No offense, but that’s the laziest criticism anyone could have about anything. It could literally be said about anything. “If Einstein hadnt come up the the general theory of relativity, then someone else would have”. Its kind of an absurd thing to say.
The Beatles music is not just loved by Boomers. Thats the point. They are loved by every proceeding generation (obviously a generalization). And its that, that makes makes them special, and notable.
My problem with this project is that it’s out of context. 100 years from now it will probably be the definitive word on the Beatles …instead of the end of the Beatles.
How much did jackson get paid from this?
Just watched part 1: many of the songs they were working on were not that good. When George previews his work on the magnificent song "All Things Must Pass" , I was rivetted. Too bad the Lennon/McCarthy machine did not recognize what a treasure George was bringing. Can't blame him for quitting.
They aren't there to hold your hand. But hey George became what he became through that I'm certain.
George was the one who didn’t want to include it on the album. He didn’t feel confident that the song would sound good live or without edits/overdubs, as was the plan for every song at that time. Lennon/McCartney were desperate for material at the point because they had a short time to produce an entire album…that’s why they included an old song (One after 909) and a song already released for a charity LP (Across the universe).
The band ran through over 100 takes of All Things Must Pass before George put the kibosh on it.
Plus he quit because he was in a foul mood for two reasons 1. Patti walked out on him a few days into the project. She found him in bed with Eric Clapton’s girlfriend Charlotte Martin. 2. He spent the months prior working with other musicians who undoubtedly kissed his ass and treated him like a god and then had to deal with not being on the same level as Lennon/McCartney
This guy ironically looks like Peter Jackson’s love child
Peter Jackson this, Peter Jackson that🤔
He just took clips & strung them together
The Doc...is no more indulgent that this review.