Let It Be

As a life-long Beatles fan don't expect objectivity here - I first saw this in the early 70's and found it riveting … and got the same feeling tonight. This was an early ordinary rockumentary about 4 ordinary yet very talented blokes in their late 20's at the peak of their creative powers, in the process of readjustment to being mere hairy bickering mortals again after experiencing a few years of quasi-godhood. "Mr. Epstein" was long dead although Paul was trying to fill his shoes, and their Apple Empire was shrinking. The Beatles almost on their own created intelligent pop/rock music, which imho has not moved on since 1969 where they left it. There have been many excellent innovative and intelligent rock bands that have come and gone since, many borrowing and adapting from the Beatles back catalogue – however I don't count the many cash-in rip-off bands such as Oasis. Has anyone since not ripped them off at some point? I've lost count of the number of times over the decades I've heard a "new" piece of music and said to myself "I've heard that before somewhere – ah yes, such and such by the Beatles". Apart from the quantum leaps in sound technology since then nothing of any lasting musical value has been added – there has been no progression. Led Zeppelin filled stadia – but did they fill billions of hearts? Queen was popular – but did they rule the world? Pop and rock music may have always been ephemeral, but along with Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Lata Mangeshkar, Frank Sinatra and Jimi Hendrix the Beatles weren't. Never mind about their timeless music, they even managed to look timeless while everyone else around them in here looked dated by the early '70's. God works in mysterious ways.

John, Paul, George and Ringo got together first in Twickenham Studios then in the Apple basement in January 1969 to rehearse some new songs with the assistance of almost-5th Beatle Billy Preston (and occasionally actual-5th Beatle George Martin) and with the hope of playing live again sometime soon. Yoko (definitely not 5th Beatle) would have probably been on stage with them. As it turned out on they only made it to the Apple roof on 30th January, disturbing the peace of the police on the streets of London below. The Rolling Stone review of the film from 9th July 1970 that I remember so well was typically over-reverential but had some telling points – the first being how deliberately grainy the photography was which still can take some getting used to and that there was over 800 hours of footage from 4 cameras to edit down to the brief 80 minutes we got. How on Earth can it ever be properly remastered and will more ever be officially available in our lifetimes? Maybe we should also bear in mind that the film was to be called Get Back as a return to simplicity for the band, and that McCartney originally penned racist lyrics for this sublime song which thankfully weren't incorporated into any of the final versions. There's a lot of classic pop music in here – from their own then new stuff to rock'n'roll standards from the '50's, which the Beatles were in an ideal and unchallengeable position to translate for listeners both of the Old World of pop and the New World of rock that they left behind them.

Highlights: A splendid cod version of Bessame Mucho from McCartney; a loving version of You Really Got A Hold On Me from Lennon; the videos for Two Of Us, Let It Be, Long And Winding Road; and Get Back, Don't Let Me Down up on the freezing roof; so many others. Overall: to a fan, a beautiful and sad account of a unique group of individuals struggling and failing against disintegration; this should also be essential viewing to fans of intelligent pop/rock music who might have sometimes wondered where U2, Bon Jovi, Kings Of Leon et al came from – so far though, this was the artistic pinnacle.

Yes the film is poorly edited--the sound sometimes doesn't exactly sync...but hey its the Beatles. Finally playing themselves in a film designed to show off their musical roots and working toward an album stripped of the "hee, hee, hee" and "blowing bubbles through straws". I saw the film when it was released 37 years ago. I have a VHS copy. I watch it at least two times a year. I still to this day do not see a film about a group breaking up. Albeit--there were some tense moments...but what "family" doesn't have tense moments. I remember the scene between Harrison and McCartney over George's guitar playing for "I've Got A Feeling"/I remember the scene between Lennon and McCartney discussing George's reluctance to "going out on the road". Tense/Uptight--sure--but what shines the most is the music. The rooftop concert shows just how hot a band the Beatles actually were. I actually find the album to be a joy...they actually get a chance to rock out just like they did in the early days. And with a nod to Lennon, they actually had a bite to these new songs. To dismiss this film is a big mistake. If anything--it should be looked upon as a historical document. I am all in favor of the film coming out on DVD. It would be a blast to see the unused footage and more.

I doubt this will spoil anything, but feel free to discard this if it does.

The thing I love the most about Let It Be, which I was so privileged to watch was the transformation the beatles go through. Let me explain. The very first scenes of the movie, you have the an unshaven, stoned John barely even singing Don't Let Me Down, With Paul wailing away a harmony, missing words frequently(Fast-forward to Maxwell's Silver Hammer and you'll know what I mean). George is struggling with his solo and producing not much more than intermittent, out-of-tune whangs with his guitar, and Ringo (Whose disposition brings to mind Edgar Allen Poe) solomnly taps away at his drums. However, as the film progresses, the rhythm becomes tighter, the basslines more melodious, the solos crisper, and the drums more vibrant(I Me Mine and For you Blue are good examples). Unfortunately, that is thanks in part to Paul's Liverpool lilt ordering the other three, especially George around. George is the one I feel sorry for the most because he is fighting to meet Paul's demands (how hard can the middle-eight on I've got a feeling be!) and like an idiot here I am laughing uncontrollably at the awful noise George's guitar makes. Moving from Twickenham to Apple definitely helps them. I love the cover tunes they play just for fun, like You really got a hold on me, Shake rattle and Roll, and especially Besame Mucho(Okay Paul, fess up, you're not exactly Pavarotti(just kidding)). I can't help but bawl my eyes out when I hear Two of Us(after all the fussing they made over that solo ("Keep it simple and then complicate it where it needs complicating") and all that), Let it Be, and The Long and Winding road. The Long and winding road is especially teary because with just piano, organ, guitars and drums it is so simple and beautiful without all the screeching ladies and Disney movie like orchestrations added later. Ah, And of course the show on the roof. Simply jamming away and having fun, they have reached the culmination of their transformation for bad, uncertain playing to melodious, timeless music making. The worst part is that the band continued to nose-dive afterward. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to watch this long, but wonderfully musical movie.

Oscar awarded documentary about Beatles final sessions. Great occasion to peep behind the big scene and see The Fab Four working in the studio. Amazing picture that must be seen not only by Beatles fans, but by all good movies lovers. An undeniably classic with lots of legendary tunes.

The Beatles is probably the most famous musical act ever that has been on the ground of this Earth. That said the movie 'Let It Be' presents the group at a stage where they were about to break-up. They were not at their best during the filming, but what is shown in the movie is still about the most fabulous thing ever to see. There is no way anymore to get any closer to them than the 'Let It Be' movie.

John, Paul, George and Ringo will perform nicely raw versions of their famous hit songs. They haven't yet figured out all the lyrics yet but it's still nice to hear any the songs in a unfinished stage. The movie will also show you how they were playing some of their oldies as a warm up songs before starting with another take of their newer songs.

The atmosphere seems to be bit dark, Lennon is passive and Paul is clearly the one who is steering the ship now. Some visitors who appear at the studio make the daylight occasionally shine but as a better than nothing solution the rooftop concert in the end is "really enjoyable" like one of the passers-by say. It's all somehow sad, but strangely cool .