I'm a huge McCartney and Wings fan.
I've seen a lot of OHC and the Backyard deal over the years on Youtube and a few of the things where bits have been released legitimately.
Had I not already been a Paul freak, I wouldn't have heard a lot of this stuff before, so maybe my reviews a bit colored because this isn't that new to me.
I can see why this wasn't released originally in 75. For one thing, Geoff Britton ended up leaving the band in favor of Karate tournaments, I believe and then Joe English came in (monster drummer). So had they released this, it would've been out of step with Wings at release or soon after. The quality of the performances is great and i don't really have an issue with that aspect of it. It's more the film as a film.
The biggest problem I have is the film quality. It is ATROCIOUS. Grainy, ripply, ghosty in spots, the wrong aspect ratio, just awful for a big screen release. If you look at the original 'Let it Be' movie (not the newly remastered version) it's even below that. I believe this was done on video originally and it looks like a crappy VHS from the 80s. After seeing it on Youtube all these years, I'd hoped that it had some kind of remastering done, but it doesn't look like it.
The camera work is really poor, too. The camera misses a lot of the 'action' going on by being focused on errant stuff (orchestra members eating and messing around during "Live and Let Die", for example). The closeups are really really tight in places too. Just odd choices.
Where was "Jrs. Farm"? That was played as part of this. That clip has been on Youtube for years, but it doesn't end up here?
I liked how Paul introduces both One Hand Clapping and the Backyard film to start the things off. That was a nice touch. Man, his speaking voice now is so rough, especially when you hear how PRISTINE his singing voice is in these 2 films. I don't think Paul ever sang better after the 76 tour. Still great, but here, it was effortless for him.
Linda looks great here. She is missed as are Denny Laine and Jimmy McCulloch. I found it odd that Paul didn't talk much about Denny as he did about Britton and McCulloch. Denny was an INTEGRAL and FAITHFUL member of Wings until the band folded. I know Denny and his wife did some tell all, bs interviews later, so maybe that's part of it, but man, Denny just passed away and it would've been cool for Paul to talk a bit more about Denny and Linda too.
One thing I notice here is that the background vocals are really undermixed. I have noticed that with all of Paul's remasters of Wings' stuff too. Maybe this was all they had, but if it was recorded at Abbey Road, I would assume they'd be rolling tape.
If you're a Paul fan and you haven't seen this, you'll like it. If you've already been exposed to this, there's not really a reason to see it on the big screen. The Youtube's capture pretty much what it is.
