Let It Be

I believe this candid look inside the troubled world of the later Beatles is a good account of why the world's greatest musical force ultimately broke up. I wouldn't easily recommend it to a "casual" Beatles listener, and certainly not at all would I suggest it for clueless "non-fans". But for the serious fan such as myself, this is fascinating to watch. Paul McCartney was the only Beatle at this point who was interested in trying to keep the band together; George Harrison was too busy getting fed up with Paul for telling him how to play his own guitar; Ringo Starr was lethargic and resigned to being the solemn background drummer; and John Lennon was so in love with Yoko Ono that he couldn't care less what the other three were doing anyway. So, it's this grim reality creeping into the once magical world of the Beatles' recording sessions that is tense and uncomfortable to watch here. But there is no denying that it's all frank, in-your-face, and well captured.

But it's not all ugliness. When Billy Preston is invited in for an inspired jam session, for example, everything seems like fun and games again. And the impromptu rooftop concert at the end of the movie displays The Fab Four at their best, playing great music together and having a lot of fun one last time as a unit, almost in spite of themselves. Of course, even with all its warts, there's always the music. Classic songs like "Two of Us," "I've Got a Feeling," "Don't Let Me Down," The Long and Winding Road," "Get Back," and the appropriate title tune itself are always there to make us feel good again. *** out of ****

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 .

The Beatles were not only a group that challenged the recording industry, and of course, the world of entertainment. They acted also as avant-gardè multi-media artists.

Not only they helped improving the pop music marketing with their innovative LP packages and stuff but also created new kind of media that would become a mania in the XXI century: the reality show. Yes, almost 100% of the scenes shown on Let It Be are cine realitè - the bare truth captured by the lens of cameras directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg.

In fact, although the band was working on the edge of their break-up, almost 90% of the scenes are cheerful and enjoyable. The main bulk of the footage shows Paul McCartney trying to find ways of enhance the Beatles performing and figuring out what to do in the future. Although John Lennon seems to be distracted by his future wife presence, Yoko Ono, he also looks to be happy playing and having fun - even dancing around to the sound of I Me Mine, sung by George.

By the way, George Harrison the most "unhappy" character also appears on the film having a ball singing rock and roll tunes. The lowest point (or highest, depending on the way you look at it) seems to be a row he had with Paul, but it only consumes about 5 minutes of the whole picture.

At last but not the least, Ringo Starr is shown for the first time ever playing a song - Octopus's Garden - that would later take part of Abbey Road - the LP that marked the end of the Fab Four as a group, but the begining of the Beatles as an universal legend.

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.

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.