The Beatles Let It Be is finally available to stream on Disney Plus (From May 8th). Here's my review after the first time watching it in over 30 years!
I was 14 years old when Let It Be hit theaters, and saw it in the first week. We all walked out of the theatre joyfully. At that time it was just a joy to witness the boys in the studio, singing and playing together. The rooftop performance was what we talked about for years afterward, as none of my friends or I had ever had the chance to see The Beatles live before. None of us saw the movie as a downer. It was amazing.
This was a high-school film for us with friends piling into theaters weeks after the original release (where it was packed) and we'd occupy one corner or another. Then near the first year in theaters, it made it's way into drive-in's, where again we piled into dozens of cars and had picnics with guitars, playing and singing along. We were sensitive to every slight and elbow thrown because, you said, we knew the Beatles had broken up and we expected black eyes and bloody noses. No. We didn't really get much of a clue but for the "this is Yoko's fault-!" crowd, they stepped back and realize, "John's still throwing his weight around - if HE brok up the band to please Yoko, well, OK - we'd never heard that bedroom chatter." Thankfully. TWO VIRGINS has been released and we were none to keep for anything 'more'.
Nice recollection. I was 15 years old at the same time, also, I worked in a movie theater during high school. I'd have watched 2 movies every night from Friday evening thru Sunday evening. More than just enjoying the movie, we just knew that watching that movie was very special. 54 years later, I still believe how it was do special.
I always loved Let It Be. Never thought it was a downer. I was just watching my favorite master musicians be themselves. Never thought Paul was bossy. (John’s my favorite). I love it today as much as I ever did. Which is why I love Get Back. It opened the whole month so I felt a part of it..
My dad used to work at the Midland Bank at Golden Square and was in the area when the rooftop concert was going on. I always remember at supper that night he said “That group of yours were making a racket in Saville Row today!”
Let It Be must be released on Blu-Ray - the performances of Two Of Us, The Long And Winding Road and Let It Be were sadly missed on Get Back. Being a day-to-day representation of their work in January 1969, it was almost a shock for many fans that after watching a 6 hour documentary January 31 was practically missing!
Hi Andrew Spot on review I was 11 when it came out I saw it in the cinema in1970. I saw it three times in the one day with Yellow submarine. Went to cinema at 1 pm and didn’t come out until 10.30 😂 I think in 1970 I knew the Beatles were no more so going to see Let It Be was like going to the funeral. The film is disjointed. At the time you didn’t really notice that the beatles started a song and finished it in different clothes. It didn’t matter . It was The Beatles playing. I knew who Billy Preston was because he had been credited on the Get Back single. And it didn’t matter who the others were because we had the Beatles. I loved it back then and loved watching it today.
I knew who Billy Preston was too. 🙂 That was it in the 70s. The movies were so hard to see, we would sit through them multiple times if a theater had a retro day. 🙂
i watched this morning and thought the quality was stunning much better detailed and crisp picture quality and sound was also superb , so many great moments in the LIB movie
We have Peter Jackson and his technical team to thank for cleaning up all of the footage, and for the new mix of the audio. They've preserved it for future generations, and my hats off to all of these wizards.
Looks great (love the filmic quality), sounds absolutely brilliant. The pacier presentation over Get Back is really enjoyable, especially as we already have all the context and background from Get Back. A much better option for more casual fans.
We all knew Mal, Derek Taylor and Billy P. AND we did know about the timelines re Abbey Road and Let It Be. Every week there was 'the latest news' in the music press (NME, etc), which was popular and generally accurate then (nowadays people seem to rely on social media for their news (idiots posting all kinds of nonsense for the gullible to believe), news of all sorts of things. This is probably why so many believe so much rubbish and why the country is in such a state). Kenny Everett kept us up-to-date on Radio 1 (which really was a music station then, before the boffins destroyed it). Sometimes he used played outtakes from Beatles sessions, which was great. And every month there was, 'The Beatles Book' also revealing 'the latest'. Yeah, we knew what was happening most of the time. Yoko had become public enemy number 1, in many eyes, and seeing so much of her all at once in 'Let it Be,' may, for some, have contributed to the negative feeling about the film.
True, but for casual fans, especially non-UK fans, and the general movie going public, the film was a cypher. And there was no narrative structure to shape your interpretation of what you were watching, so you were free to project your own thoughts and feelings onto it.
I’m on my second viewing right now. A wee heads up for anyone with youngsters around this restoration contains restored four letter expletives that weren’t present in the version shown very infrequently on British TV. As a second generation Beatles fan who’s 62 it’s been a long long wait for this. Now Apple 🍏/ Disney let’s have the 4K Blu-ray release pretty please.
Very interesting and I can’t wait to see it again after 54 years. I was lucky enough to see the Beatles live in their last tour swing in Seattle in 1966! It was a golden moment for me.
I went to see the film in the theater in 1970 and there was definitely a melancholy feeling when watching this. Everyone knew that it was already over and it made me sad as a kid who LOVED this band. After the thrill and joy in seeing 'A Hard Day's Night' & 'Help!' in the very same hometown theater only a few years before, it wasn't the same.
I was 13 when “Let It Be” movie came out. I was in deep mourning due to the demise of The Beatles. I’ve not seen it since 1970. Watched it last night. I’m a George girl. I concluded that “Let It Be” was when George came of age, grew a spine, and realized he was indeed as “worthy” as Paul and John. And as far as I’m concerned, John had checked out, and my view of Yoko is absolutely unchanged. How dare John have done what he did, expecting the other three to be cool with it. YMMV
You summed it up PERFECTLY. For years people spread out the myth of this film being depressing, which is ridiculous, the only bit I find "depressing" is the one you mentioned where Paul and George argue over Two Of Us. I often tell those people: "Get Back shows the departure of George in the middle of the Twickenham sessions, don't you find that way more sad and tense?" So many people bashed over this film saying "Clearly Lindsay-Hogg wanted it to be a dark film" and stupid stuff like that, but when you see the interviews with him (and the most recent one with Peter Jackson), you realize he was a nice guy that CARED for this product and the Beatles themselves. He and the editors did a fantastic job for its time, keep in mind this was put together in 1970 with a way more archaic technology and had to cram 50+ hours of footage into an 80 minute movie, which is a daunting task to say the least.
Just watched it last night, it wasn’t depressing at all. It’s literally like get back with the beatles just jamming and playing. Never understood why people thought it was depressing
It's hard for me to not find it depressing when watching it in hindsight. Just knowing how miserable George was and knowing that John was getting into Heroin makes it sad. Plus I can't help but think about all of the great songs that George had in his back pocket that Paul and John just ignored.
Nice rundown as always Andrew. I saw Let It Be in the theater several times as an 18 year old in 1970. I loved it. It was the Beatles! I went out and bought a pair of high top Converse sneakers like George was wearing. It was a great time to be young!
Great review, Andrew. To answer one of your questions about whether fans back then would have even known there was a rooftop concert prior to seeing this movie, I do actually recall seeing a brief TV news item about it here in the US well before the movie, with footage taken from the street level. What I don't recall (because I was just a young kid at the time) was whether the concert itself made the news or if it was just a piece about a new Beatles movie in the works. I've tried tracking the story down since then, but have had no luck.
Another brilliant review, thank you:) I watched my bootleg DVD prior to watching on Disney+ and you’re absolutely right - it is so dark! They’ve done a fantastic job with cleaning this up, just as they did with Get Back, and I think as you say, there’s room for both - they are brilliant companion pieces - and I’m really grateful that we have both now. I hope you’re right about a physical release - I know the Rooftop Concert audio is currently available to stream via Amazon Music etc - and if anyone happens to read this and is yet to listen to it - it sounds really good. I thought it was a real shame about it being absent from the Let It Be box, but hopefully they pulled it to include with this. Thanks again, I love your channel:)
Agree with everything you’ve said Andrew. I haven’t seen Let It Be since the original release in a cinema. I get the graphics and sound might be better, but it is such a joy. Smiles all round, very minor tiff between George and Paul which had been blown out of all proportion. Just fantastic and a companion to Get Back.
After watching grainy bootlegs for many years, this is a joyous experience of seeing the video and audio restored. We finally have a complete film collection.
If it's the Along the River Rhine bit I'm thinking of then I love that, it's got Paul singing the verses of The Long and Winding Road in a kind of Ray Charles style.
Hi Andrew. I just watched it and I have been watching it since the 1970s. I would say it’s the best viewing of it I have ever had. Partly because of the Get Back documentary. I believe it gives a different insight into Let It Be. I can remember how upset I was when the Daily Mirror landed on the doormat and it said “Paul quits The Beatles”. That gave a different slant to Let It Be at the time. I feel so blessed to have been around to hear all the Beatles content as it was released. It really pleases me that The Beatles still gain new fans all the time. As a first generation fan it doesn’t really surprise me. I think I will edit the three studio tracks into the Get Back documentary when it is released on Blu Ray.
Pretty astonishing to think there's just a decade between Buddy Holly's plane going down, and the Beatles' final performance on the roof - with Dylan, the Stones, folk rock, the blues boom, the Byrds and west coast rock, psychedelia, the summer of love, Altamont, Cream, Hendrix, Zeppelin, the advent of prog rock - sandwiched in between.
This presentation is done real well, good information and good insight on the two Let It Be/Get Back videos. From what I have read the reason the Let It Be Movie is so down in vibes is because that is the way Allen Kline directed Michael Lindsay-Hogg to edited it to capitalize on The Beatles breaking up. I read this when the Get Back video came out, can’t quote the source but it came from a quality magazine.
What a great review Andrew, thanks. I’ve just finished watching it and agree with all your points. Suzy Parker is one of my favourites and I still don’t know why it was not included on the audio deluxe box set. I would have preferred the inclusion of the freeze frame and ‘The End’ too. I think we fans are truly spoiled by having both Get Back and Let it Be complementing each other.
I agree Lennon didn’t have much to offer at this time and this lack of effort carried on to Abbey Road. When you think A Hard days night is considered by some as almost a Lennon solo album to the last few Beatle albums - it’s very sad. Drugs infatuation with Yoko or boredom I don’t know. It’s just my opinion though, I’m sure lots of people will disagree.
John and George were pig sick of it by this point. I’ve not yet seen this cleaned up version but if the content is still the same it’s a badly stitched up mess in my opinion. I enjoyed Get Back very much but it did try hard to focus on the positives. Something in between the two is probably more accurate.
i dont disagree with you nor what andrew said lennon was not up too much lost is head to ono on herion not interested in the beatles at this point never had a good word too say about the let it be album or abbey road album for that matter
Thanks Andrew. Always loved this movie. Have seen the movie in the theatre and on Bootleg DVD , BluRay. Disney's 'Let It Be' remaster looks and sounds great and is definitely the best release. Let it Be has much less dialogue and has greater % (minutes) devoted to music than Get Back. Always a joy to watch the Beatles perform. I agree that a full Rooftop Concert should be released without cutaways to crowd. Agree that 'laughing' Get Back should be over end credits.
I hope the general public does get the chance of a physical release….. and with George’s I me mine and For you blue included so we have a much more rounded view of the whole project….. here’s hoping.
Great review. I’m looking forward to seeing it after years of suffering through midnight showings in the movie theater to grainy 20th generation bootlegs. Now that we have more context(thanks to Get Back) it will be a much more enjoyable experience not to mention the improved sound and picture. Now here’s an interesting tidbit regarding the rooftop: Way back in ‘69 when the Get Back single was being released, there was a clip of them performing the song which was shown on the Smothers Brothers TV show (it might have been Glen Campbell’s show). It was the first time I witnessed bearded Paul and it was quite shocking at the time. Get Back was all over the radio that summer at number one, only to be replaced by Honky Tonk Women in the fall. Needless to say, quite a year. But I had to wait till May of ‘70 to finally see the movie. That was a long stretch of time. My folks took me, bless their hearts, because I was just a kid. I was thrilled. I didn’t realize it was supposed to be sad till later when all the myth-spinning began courtesy of Dr. Winston.
I’ve seen Paul’s piano bit credited often as Barber’s Adagio for Strings - but it doesn’t sound much like Barber’s piece at all .. I think what might have happened is that Paul had recently heard the Adagio and when he was at the piano he was going more to recapture the feel rather than a more precise cover or transcription. It’s absolutely a beautiful piece of music and my ears hear a lot more of McCartney coming through than Barber or any other classical composer. As for John’s contributions go, I think he was still emotional about the cold reaction to Across the Universe as well as being distracted/involved by his relationship with Yoko. Looking forward to watching and rewatching Let It Be again. Thanks your review and insight. I first saw the film in the theatre with my parents (I was 4 years old!) and was very excited when I was able to buy an official copy of the film again in 1980 on VHS. With the success of McCartney’s Rock Show there were several theaters in the Chicago area at the time showing Rock Show/Let It Be as a double feature. (But even then the Let It Be prints were in pretty rough shape. 😊
th-cam.com/video/BEDQAr0l5jg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=zAS3UfOEk385LPSN If you listen to this piano transcription of Barber’s Adagio you can hear the harmonic and thematic elements that probably got Paul’s interest as far as inspiration goes.. before he began making it more his own.
Can't sugarcoat the obvious. Yes, Let it Be will always be labeled as the addendum to The Get Back docuseries. The Let it Be film is still the same, with cleaned up video and audio. The chop block edits and pasted scenes are conflicting. Should of been left in the vault. What could of & should of been done is for PJ to put out more unreleased footage from the sessions including conversations and songs from the Apple basement the day after the rooftop concert. Please Apple, move on to either a new blu ray of Anthology or the next Beatles box set. Rubber Soul is due!
I saw Let it Be at the cinema in 1970. First I knew Mal, Derek etc when was watching the film through reading the Beatles monthly . The promotion on Top of the Pops of the Get Back single was roof top concert version of Get Back. This of course featured Billy Preston. In 1970 the press made a big thing of the row between George and Paul. The band had just broken up which made the film a hard watch in 1970. In 1970 the film looked dark and depressing and I think this was due to the fact that it was filmed as a tv show , but they stretched the film so it could be shown in cinemas to fulfil their three film contract to United Artists. I enjoyed watching the restored version
Born in 81 this movie was lent to me by my then music teacher in 1996 from an old vhs recording from swedish tv in the early eighties. Great memories watching this again. Thanks for the review!
@SteveRestorer Yes. Incredibly so. I have since watched Let It Be restored and it is an incredible job. Looks far better than Jackson’s Get Back. It's definitely worth watching.
Agree with the analysis. When Let it Be may have been perceived as sad at the time, by and large the band is seen having fun. The rapport between John and Paul during e.g. Two of Us is a case in point.
Exactly. The break-up was the only context viewers were given. There was certainly none provided within the film. So even scenes that are inherently joyful and fun, could be misperceived as sad and bitter.
I was there in 1970 (I was 20 years old). I saw it in Cheltenham when I was at college there, and I’m sure it was on a double bill with Yellow Submarine. Firstly, I think you are absolutely correct that it being conflated with the news that the band had apparently broken up gave it the reputation it subsequently received, but we also need to remember another contextual issue - we simply hadn’t seen a film like this before where we see a band working. I guess we all believed the myth that everything was always fab in the Beatles and never a cross word was spoken, but here we see them struggling a bit, which was a jolt. The film also didn’t ‘look’ that great, even then. And, who decided to put it out with Yellow Submarine ??
What a magnificent review of a piece of art! You gave us a correct point of view to see the context of two very different documentaries. I have to say, MLH STILL choose to avoid the segments of joy and laughter we now know existed in 1969/70 and PJ brought back in Get Back.
Personally, I loved it. I treated Let It Be as a ‘trailer’ of sorts for Get Back. A selection of great moments that don’t really tell a story but ultimately gets you hyped to watch ‘the big one’ again.
I saw this movie in the theater when I was a kid maybe it was a midnight movie and then I had the Beatles movie collection on VHS and saw it a second time. After Disney goes under and all the assets get sold to some other company I'll watch it again.
Hi Andrew. Enjoyed your review. I wanted to share some of my thoughts on the film. Having watched "Get Back" before ever seeing "Let It Be," the latter was a disappointement, honestly. It was as if we were given a quick glimpse of the band through a window, whereas Jackson's film was a fly-on-the-wall experience. "Let It Be" feels rushed. While parts of it are interesting, you're right in saying it doesn't give any background on who people are or why thngs are taking place. "Get Back" was completely engrossing. I was captivated. I enjoyed "Let It Be" as a historical artifact, but by the end, I knew Jackson had made a far superior film. Best wishes from America, Kevin.
I was in my own group when the movie came out, so that was my priority. But at the time there were many rumors of the demise of The Beatles and it was difficult to believe it would happen because they still had music coming out and also this movie. But we went to see the movie as a group, and after having watched it I knew the rumors were true. Everyone else was so thrilled and happy at having seen it but I was incredibly sad with a brave face. And then 'Circus' magazine came out to put the final nail in the coffin. Oh well... You have to remember that cinema in those days didn't have Anamorphic, Surround, THX or Dolby, so it was a very plain sound experience. But it was good to see them on the big screen, other than it was the end...
I haven’t seen it yet but I’m excited to watch. My biggest issue with Get Back was the complete lack of epilogue, which, considering how great the opening montage was to set the whole project in context, it just leaves you there. There should have been something about how the film and album took a year and a half to release, how they did Abbey Road in that time, and how they broke up. I’m curious what casual fans or non-Beatles fans think seeing Let It Be being released, a more confusing, shorter version of the hugely hyped documentary they might have seen two years ago. It might have been better to re-release Let It Be all cleaned up, then release Get Back as a longer, more thorough version as a follow up. As cool as it is to have Let It Be released again, it’s a weird anti-climax in my opinion.
I believe that the, Let it Be movie is a lot like the Bob Dylan movie, Don't Look Back. Both films are vague about what you are viewing, you are suppose to simply enjoy the presence of the celebrity on film.
This very important truth is often denied by so many that I think this a very important and timely reminder about The Beatles, McCartney and longevity. Ringo quote word for word, … ‘And we all thank Paul until this day, because Paul, who was the workaholic of our band, we made a lot more records than say John and I would. Ya’ know we (referring to himself and John) would like to sit down a little more…’ ASX TV interview added to TH-cam 11 May 2024
I neither have Disney+ nor access to it via a friend so I'll have to wait for the DVD/BluRay release and, until then, survive on memories of an all-night Beatles films showing in Southsea sometime in the 70's (it was a bit much BTW😅) and vicariously through reviews like Andrew's. So thanks for your thoughts Andrew! Edit: The tribute lighting is a nice touch!
Maybe because I was a bit on the young side in 1970 I thought the Let it be album was recorded in early 1970! Paul sort of looked the same on the Let it be and McCartney albums wearing a beard. Anyway the film which I saw a few years later was ok in parts but it was grainy looking! If Peter Jackson has improved that then good.
Fantastic review; I can't wait to watch this now, as I have never seen it; being only three years old when it originally came out. I, too, have probably been influenced by the negative opinions of the film throughout the years, but hopefully, this new release will add to the amazing work The Beatles created. I, too, would appreciate a physical release as being Old School(!) I like to have the object to play. Thank you for an excellent video. I really enjoyed it and appreciate the work and passion put into this piece. 👍
I've seen Let It Be many times (on a DVD I bought on Ebay years ago). Its really confusing if you dont know the Beatles story. One minute you're in a giant studio, then a small studio, then a roof. No explanations are given. I think this is now more watchable thanks to Get Back, as we now actually know whats happening. Without Get Back this would still have been a confusing mess.
Saw it on TV many decades ago. My main memories were of them going up onto the roof and the great concert. The endless jamming in a cold hanger seemed boring at the time and it did not give you a happy feeling once it finished. Totally agree with your review about lack of context when watching the film. Sounds like it will be worth a rewatch, when the blu-ray comes out! Paul always had lots of energy and a passon to get the best out of the band, also with so many ideas which can appear bossy. The rest of the band seem much less interested in the whole thing. Still amazed Abbey Road was so good after this period. PS. Just reached Tug Of War in my marathon alphabetical album listening project. Not heard it for years and really loved it.
I was around when it came out in 1970 and it was pretty much ignored .......just watched the new. one ....Awesome ! I have it on VHS but havent watched it for years ..,,its Not Down..its very UP ! I Liked it as much as Get Back.
It's interesting to look back at 1969 copies of Beatles Monthly for reports. Obviously the project wasn't called Let It Be, or even referred to as Get Back. In Jan 69, the proposed concert was reported as still being on but in Feb, it was reported as cancelled although 50 winners of tickets were announced (apparently they were due to receive a consolation prize - I wonder if they got anything?). In Mar 69 issue, Mal Evans reported on George walking out pretty much how it was in Get Back - no rows or punch-ups that had been reported in the press but George just quietly going home but the album was still scheduled for a summer 69 release. And then the waiting began for over a year of course...
Thanks Andrew for the youtube link of how you got into the Beatles just watched it and enjoyed it along with all the comments - in one way or another all their albums just blow your mind - will never ever be another band like them - after all my years of listening to music i have only just got into Van Morrisson - how did i miss him - love his music i have bought i think 23 cds in the last few weeks off ebay at cheap prices - fantastic songwriter and singer - what do you think of him ? - if you havnt listened to him you are missing out
I saw it in the theater at the time and liked it. Most people didn't like it. I remember one girl in my high school class saying "If I see a Beatles movie, I want them to do something - not just sit there."
Can't help thinking that Michael Lindsay-Hogg captured lots of great moments, but failed to create a narrative to tie them all together, and make a cohesive film. Paul certainly held no grudges against him, as he continued to work with him, from time to time in the 70s.
I'm not going to give Michael Lindsay-Hogg any slack. He was supposed to deliver a movie out of all the footage he shot, but he failed to provide any narrative structure. Even the one thing that that it has over Get Back that everyone lauds, the full performances, was an editing mistake IMO. He just gives us a random collection of rehearsal footage ending with a rooftop concert. An interesting document, but not a movie. He had the concert as the finale and he presents it without context. I love the way he shot and edited this footage -- the highlight of the film. It was very dramatic when the cops show up and you can't hear what they're saying, but the music keeps playing. So good. That was the showcase of the movie. All the scenes leading up to it should've, well, led up to it. You should see them discussing whether or not to do a concert, where to play etc. Then he should tease the audience with snippets of them rehearsing the songs that would eventually be performed. Instead he gives full performances of their warm-up rehearsals; you see them, again without context, goofing around on old standards. We may now know that this is common practice when trying to get into gear, but in the film, they just come off like dicks messing around. This is Andrew's favourite part of the film and if given proper context, it is indeed wonderful to watch, but within the film, you're just, NOW what are they doing wasting so much time and money? Ironically, I think this stuff would've been better suited to Get Back rather than Let It Be. Like Andrew said, the audience had to figure it out on their own. No wonder, people coming out of the theatre would project their own opinions and feelings onto the narrative and spin stories into legends. MLH failed to tell us what to think and feel, and that is the director's job.
Andrew, your review made me sign up with Disney +. I watched with delight. The musical performances, including the rooftop had me in tears. I'm 70 years old and never saw the film before now. But i grew up with the album which i love. I've watched it 2 times already. I've now watched Peter Jackson 's GET BACK episode 1 & 2 . I must say I'm more moved by LET IT BE.
I saw Let it Be in a near empty cinema in Clacton, 1970. A small group of us were sad that the group were on the cusp of a break up but enjoyed the performances, especially the roof top. My mate "Prof" never liked Paul McCartney and was one of those who kept saying that he was trying to control everything, etc.. I asked him what he thought of the film as we walked out... "Some great music but disappointed in places." Like what, Prof?... "I was hoping George was going to lump McCartney at one point!".... 😰 😨
Great review Andrew, I think we all have different memories of this film and a lot depends on the time at which you first saw it. I first saw it at the cinema in about '72 and had been listening to the album a good year or more. After the album was first released I went to buy it with my pocket money but because it was 50p more than a regular album I couldn't afford it and bought ( 50p was 10 shillings then a big deal in 1970!) something else. About 6 months later I made a second attempt at buying Let It Be but the box set with the book had been discontinued! But looking at the album cover I couldn't understand why The Beatles hairstyles were similar to the photos in the white album, obviously there was a natural evolution on Abbey Road but now it appeared that their hairstyles had reverted to late '68 😀 When I did first see Let It Be I was filled with joy see The Beatles in their natural environment and they sounded great and I couldn't stop thinking about it afterwards, and desperately wanted to see it again but had to wait until it was shown on TV. As for The Beatles/Apple having a plan why can't they tell us in advance, which makes me think that either don't or want to keep it quiet so that we will end up buying things twice, ie release Get Back separately and later on include it in a box set with Let It Be and maybe some extras. I don't trust them to be honest with us, unfortunately.
Always thought it was slightly suspicious that songs like Suzy Parker, and the rooftop gig were left out of the Let it Be deluxe box set, I think this year's Christmas release will definitely involve those things
I was very excited to be able to watch this all cleaned up. The boots we have had for years did not do the picture justice. Other than a few changes here and there it is the movie released in 1970. Audio is much clearer, video is outstanding and really just excited they are finally allowing us to view it. I’m sure a physical release by the end of the year just like Get Back…..I take this as our 2024 release and then a Rubber Soul release in 2025…..60 years on wow! But yes hooray for Let It Be!! 😊
I watched this last night and was surprised how positive and upbeat it was having read for all my life (born in '76) it was a depressing film. Clearly, those commentators were watching something different. I liked it and really enjoyed the performances. I agree, it's complemented really well by Get Back, now.
As regards the newly restored LIB movie which looks and sounds great, I enjoyed listening to the rock and roll medleys and to the complete versions of the songs which were recorded subsequent to the rooftop performance. But I still prefer Peter Jackson's more nuanced, chronological approach which proves that they had fun in between the arguments and weren't on the verge of breaking up.
Thanks for the review. Very interesting as I do not have Disney. I will await a physical release as I did with Get Back. I do have a version on dvd somewhere, but will avoid watching this until I have seen the restored film. I think the film, from my perspective anyway, has always been unfairly dubbed dreary and depressing. It is not, in reality, and I think a lot of that was pinned to the film from contemporary reviews which were of course coloured by the events of the time. There are a variety of moods on screen, as indeed there should be, but far more upbeat and amusing moments than you would expect from its reputation. The Octopus's Garden segment occupies more screen time than George's moan and is more representative of most of the sessions. Yes, we now know that George did walk out, but there were far more positive moments than grim ones. And it ends with the rooftop gig. What is there not to like! Most of the film's reputation is informed by events of the time and the circumstances that the band and its individuals found themselves in at a very difficult time. Very good news that it has been finally resurrected. Hopefully a dvd/blu-ray will appear in the not too distant future.
I love that this official movie was finally re released. I also love that Michael Lindsay-Hogg didn’t want the Get Back surreal life picture quality and only wanted the movie picture remastered. The reason being is it preserves the 1970s identity of the film. But, I do love the surrealistic picture in Get Back which gives it its own unique identity. Both films are a vital part of the Beatles story.
Just watched this for my second viewing and, 54 years later, my reaction is that I loved it! It must have been the circumstances of the time that had me not loving it in 1970….the break up.
Interesting information, Andrew! And nice video effects! 1:43 the old-fashioned narrow screen while you're talking about that 2:44 the dark and grainy image that you're discribing I need both documentaries o n D V D ! Plus the complete rooftop concert.
I'm still waiting for it to appear on my Disney +, I'm on the east coast of the U.S. so maybe there's a delay. the physical release should be in the fall, according to the fest for Beatles fans website.
I saw Let It Be in the theater in 1970. The major difference in the film is during the end credits. The new version has different music than the original release. The credits in the original were much shorter and the music used was what is now called the Get Back Reprise which was used as the last track of the Glyn Johns mix.
I remember watching it in the theater. Granted, I was only 7 years old, but I cried. We already knew they broke up and this seemed so sad. The reception of the film was completely affected by everyone knowing the bands ending already. The NYTimes did give it a mediocre to bad review. Writers in the 70s just did not fully appreciate the genius of The Beatles yet. I so agree about how disjointed it is with timing and how Abbey Road is done after. Trying to figure that out at 7 was difficult, but I don't think the adults did a good job explaining it. I still think the director, Lindsay Hogg was so exasperated with them, he edited the film, not putting the band in the best light. It was so good to see all the laughter in Come Together. If Let it Be had been edited with more love, Come Together would not have been such a revelation. Even Paul remarked on similar feelings.
Love the lighting touch behind you. I think the main reason people thought this movie was depressing was that news had already come out that The Beatles had broken up before it was released.
Leaving out the rocky version of Two Of Us from Get Back was a biggie for me. I've always loved that version, even if Macca didn't. I remember watching Let It Be on the BBC as a tennager at least a couple of times, such is my vintage. Once I've watched this, I'm going straight onto Disney + for a much anticipated re-watch! Great summing up as ever Andrew.
I am more interested in observations than, well, accusations, but from what I have heard elsewhere and know about George was the Beatle who privately did not want to discuss 'Let it Be' the television film, as it was originally intended to be. But still George wanted the vinyl album to proceed as planned. It is now over 20 years since George's death, and it has taken Georges estate that long - and the fiftieth anniversary cycle of enhanced re-releases - to begin to clean up George's solo recording career which is still an ongoing process. Meanwhile I can wish for two things - a cinema release for 'Let it Be' and a decent audio commentary on the DVD.
Good take on LIB, Andrew. It was great to see it after 54 years! Had seen it in the theater in 1970 and this is the first time I've seen it since then. The great thing about LIB is seeing the FULL performances of the songs. Get Back is much more complete and IMO much more depressing than LIB. Except for Paul and George's exchange, I didn't see anything else that made the film a downer. I like LIB for what it is. Watching this great band in action. I enjoyed seeing the rooftop concert without the constant repetitions and repeats in Get Back. Their final live performance showed that they still had it as live band. Too bad they couldn't continue a while longer, but too many issues prevailed and they were done.
Been forever since I last watched it so it was definitely nice to see it in quality that's actually watchable. Definitely made it more enjoyable. I prefer Get Back but I'm definitely glad they re-released this.
Saw this in the theater when I was 9 years old. I was a big fan, and little did I realize at the time that this would be the last time there would be a Beatles movie.
Apparently I need to watch it. I mostly remember my feeling upon leaving the theater at the time, feeling depressed….or at least disappointed. Will I feel differently now? Maybe. They were my heroes then….oh wait, they still are.
Thanks for this review. Most important to me: not irrelevant because of Get Back; not a downbeat experience, but rather the opposite. I didn't think I would need to watch it, but I look forward to it now.
I must have watched Let it Be hundreds of times. I first saw it in the theater in 1970. Then I bought the VHS when VCR's first came out. Not that it was a fantastic movie, but it was realistic. Seeing the Fabs on the roof was the highlight for me.
I enjoyed it very much so. Didn’t find it depressing at all, and found myself smiling and singing along for the most part! For me the highlight was “Besame Mucho” and “The Long and Winding Road” segments.
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I was 14 years old when Let It Be hit theaters, and saw it in the first week. We all walked out of the theatre joyfully. At that time it was just a joy to witness the boys in the studio, singing and playing together. The rooftop performance was what we talked about for years afterward, as none of my friends or I had ever had the chance to see The Beatles live before. None of us saw the movie as a downer. It was amazing.
Didn't enjoy years ago.too much paul now ???
This was a high-school film for us with friends piling into theaters weeks after the original release (where it was packed) and we'd occupy one corner or another. Then near the first year in theaters, it made it's way into drive-in's, where again we piled into dozens of cars and had picnics with guitars, playing and singing along. We were sensitive to every slight and elbow thrown because, you said, we knew the Beatles had broken up and we expected black eyes and bloody noses. No. We didn't really get much of a clue but for the "this is Yoko's fault-!" crowd, they stepped back and realize, "John's still throwing his weight around - if HE brok up the band to please Yoko, well, OK - we'd never heard that bedroom chatter." Thankfully. TWO VIRGINS has been released and we were none to keep for anything 'more'.
This cat watched when released, the row between Paul and George made a huge impression! The commentator lacks perspective.
Nice recollection. I was 15 years old at the same time, also, I worked in a movie theater during high school. I'd have watched 2 movies every night from Friday evening thru Sunday evening. More than just enjoying the movie, we just knew that watching that movie was very special. 54 years later, I still believe how it was do special.
I always loved Let It Be. Never thought it was a downer. I was just watching my favorite master musicians be themselves. Never thought Paul was bossy. (John’s my favorite). I love it today as much as I ever did. Which is why I love Get Back. It opened the whole month so I felt a part of it..
My dad used to work at the Midland Bank at Golden Square and was in the area when the rooftop concert was going on. I always remember at supper that night he said “That group of yours were making a racket in Saville Row today!”
😂😂 love it! What a great memory!
So cool! 👍
You wonder about the memories of people on the street and adjacent roofs are like. They witnessed history!
fantastic! That group of yours lol
I would love to have been there to hear that “racket” 😂 Did your Dad realise he was there to witness an absolutely iconic piece of history ?
Let It Be must be released on Blu-Ray - the performances of Two Of Us, The Long And Winding Road and Let It Be were sadly missed on Get Back. Being a day-to-day representation of their work in January 1969, it was almost a shock for many fans that after watching a 6 hour documentary January 31 was practically missing!
I really loved hearing them go into a rendition of ‘You’ve Really Got a Hold of Me’ too.
One of my favourites tracks that
I like your Twickenham lighting. Well played.
Hi Andrew
Spot on review
I was 11 when it came out
I saw it in the cinema in1970.
I saw it three times in the one day with Yellow submarine. Went to cinema at 1 pm and didn’t come out until 10.30 😂
I think in 1970 I knew the Beatles were no more so going to see Let It Be was like going to the funeral. The film is disjointed. At the time you didn’t really notice that the beatles started a song and finished it in different clothes. It didn’t matter . It was The Beatles playing. I knew who Billy Preston was because he had been credited on the Get Back single. And it didn’t matter who the others were because we had the Beatles. I loved it back then and loved watching it today.
I knew who Billy Preston was too. 🙂
That was it in the 70s. The movies were so hard to see, we would sit through them multiple times if a theater had a retro day. 🙂
i watched this morning and thought the quality was stunning much better detailed and crisp picture quality and sound was also superb , so many great moments in the LIB movie
We have Peter Jackson and his technical team to thank for cleaning up all of the footage, and for the new mix of the audio. They've preserved it for future generations, and my hats off to all of these wizards.
@@GusMozart1 amen to that
Looks great (love the filmic quality), sounds absolutely brilliant. The pacier presentation over Get Back is really enjoyable, especially as we already have all the context and background from Get Back. A much better option for more casual fans.
We all knew Mal, Derek Taylor and Billy P. AND we did know about the timelines re Abbey Road and Let It Be. Every week there was 'the latest news' in the music press (NME, etc), which was popular and generally accurate then (nowadays people seem to rely on social media for their news (idiots posting all kinds of nonsense for the gullible to believe), news of all sorts of things. This is probably why so many believe so much rubbish and why the country is in such a state). Kenny Everett kept us up-to-date on Radio 1 (which really was a music station then, before the boffins destroyed it). Sometimes he used played outtakes from Beatles sessions, which was great. And every month there was, 'The Beatles Book' also revealing 'the latest'. Yeah, we knew what was happening most of the time. Yoko had become public enemy number 1, in many eyes, and seeing so much of her all at once in 'Let it Be,' may, for some, have contributed to the negative feeling about the film.
And Neil
True, but for casual fans, especially non-UK fans, and the general movie going public, the film was a cypher. And there was no narrative structure to shape your interpretation of what you were watching, so you were free to project your own thoughts and feelings onto it.
I’m sure the casual fan in 1970 had no clue who those people were….
I’m on my second viewing right now. A wee heads up for anyone with youngsters around this restoration contains restored four letter expletives that weren’t present in the version shown very infrequently on British TV. As a second generation Beatles fan who’s 62 it’s been a long long wait for this. Now Apple 🍏/ Disney let’s have the 4K Blu-ray release pretty please.
The Beatles(especially George and John) were noteworthy for their use of dirty words!
Very interesting and I can’t wait to see it again after 54 years. I was lucky enough to see the Beatles live in their last tour swing in Seattle in 1966! It was a golden moment for me.
I went to see the film in the theater in 1970 and there was definitely a melancholy feeling when watching this. Everyone knew that it was already over and it made me sad as a kid who LOVED this band. After the thrill and joy in seeing 'A Hard Day's Night' & 'Help!' in the very same hometown theater only a few years before, it wasn't the same.
I was 13 when “Let It Be” movie came out. I was in deep mourning due to the demise of The Beatles. I’ve not seen it since 1970.
Watched it last night.
I’m a George girl. I concluded that “Let It Be” was when George came of age, grew a spine, and realized he was indeed as “worthy” as Paul and John. And as far as I’m concerned, John had checked out, and my view of Yoko is absolutely unchanged. How dare John have done what he did, expecting the other three to be cool with it.
YMMV
You summed it up PERFECTLY.
For years people spread out the myth of this film being depressing, which is ridiculous, the only bit I find "depressing" is the one you mentioned where Paul and George argue over Two Of Us. I often tell those people: "Get Back shows the departure of George in the middle of the Twickenham sessions, don't you find that way more sad and tense?"
So many people bashed over this film saying "Clearly Lindsay-Hogg wanted it to be a dark film" and stupid stuff like that, but when you see the interviews with him (and the most recent one with Peter Jackson), you realize he was a nice guy that CARED for this product and the Beatles themselves. He and the editors did a fantastic job for its time, keep in mind this was put together in 1970 with a way more archaic technology and had to cram 50+ hours of footage into an 80 minute movie, which is a daunting task to say the least.
Just watched it last night, it wasn’t depressing at all. It’s literally like get back with the beatles just jamming and playing. Never understood why people thought it was depressing
It's hard for me to not find it depressing when watching it in hindsight.
Just knowing how miserable George was and knowing that John was getting into Heroin makes it sad. Plus I can't help but think about all of the great songs that George had in his back pocket that Paul and John just ignored.
W/O being a Disney+ subscriber,I'll be looking forward to a home release of this.
Nice rundown as always Andrew. I saw Let It Be in the theater several times as an 18 year old in 1970. I loved it. It was the Beatles! I went out and bought a pair of high top Converse sneakers like George was wearing. It was a great time to be young!
Great review, Andrew. To answer one of your questions about whether fans back then would have even known there was a rooftop concert prior to seeing this movie, I do actually recall seeing a brief TV news item about it here in the US well before the movie, with footage taken from the street level. What I don't recall (because I was just a young kid at the time) was whether the concert itself made the news or if it was just a piece about a new Beatles movie in the works. I've tried tracking the story down since then, but have had no luck.
Clips of the roof top were in the commercial on television. I remember having a magazine with photos in advance too.
I had a bootleg copy on dvd with a bonus track of Yoko singing with the Beatles, will wait until an official blue ray.
Another brilliant review, thank you:) I watched my bootleg DVD prior to watching on Disney+ and you’re absolutely right - it is so dark! They’ve done a fantastic job with cleaning this up, just as they did with Get Back, and I think as you say, there’s room for both - they are brilliant companion pieces - and I’m really grateful that we have both now.
I hope you’re right about a physical release - I know the Rooftop Concert audio is currently available to stream via Amazon Music etc - and if anyone happens to read this and is yet to listen to it - it sounds really good. I thought it was a real shame about it being absent from the Let It Be box, but hopefully they pulled it to include with this.
Thanks again, I love your channel:)
Great review Andrew, and man do I hope we get a full, unedited rooftop concert if, and when, they release this on Blu-ray.
Agree with everything you’ve said Andrew. I haven’t seen Let It Be since the original release in a cinema. I get the graphics and sound might be better, but it is such a joy. Smiles all round, very minor tiff between George and Paul which had been blown out of all proportion. Just fantastic and a companion to Get Back.
This was imo a much better restoration than Get Back.
Hat's off to the team.
Same team though. Just to be clear. But a different mission statement of its look.
@adolescentwombat Yep. I wish they'd had the same mindset with Get Back.
Disagree, it looks drab no vibrancy
@grahams.4803 It looks like film. And not like some modern AI upscaled DNR infested crap.
And sorry if your Tv can't do DV.
In Get Back they used much more footage, some of which was of not so great sharpness, that’s why it looked that waxy after processing.
After watching grainy bootlegs for many years, this is a joyous experience of seeing the video and audio restored. We finally have a complete film collection.
"We finally have a complete film collection" Absolutely 100% 👍
Just need the full ‘Beatles Live at Shea’ now...
And it would be also nice to have A Hard Day's Night, Help! and Yellow Submarine in their original 4:3 form.
Just need the home videos from India now😂
If it's the Along the River Rhine bit I'm thinking of then I love that, it's got Paul singing the verses of The Long and Winding Road in a kind of Ray Charles style.
Hi Andrew. I just watched it and I have been watching it since the 1970s. I would say it’s the best viewing of it I have ever had. Partly because of the Get Back documentary. I believe it gives a different insight into Let It Be. I can remember how upset I was when the Daily Mirror landed on the doormat and it said “Paul quits The Beatles”. That gave a different slant to Let It Be at the time. I feel so blessed to have been around to hear all the Beatles content as it was released. It really pleases me that The Beatles still gain new fans all the time. As a first generation fan it doesn’t really surprise me. I think I will edit the three studio tracks into the Get Back documentary when it is released on Blu Ray.
Not sure why they dropped the laughing “Get Back” coda, they could have still gone to black with it playing under the expanded credits.
I missed that too. They should have left it in
Happily, that track is on "Get Back - Apple Sessions" 2021 CD/LP now as "Get Back (Take 19)" in its full form.
Pretty astonishing to think there's just a decade between Buddy Holly's plane going down, and the Beatles' final performance on the roof - with Dylan, the Stones, folk rock, the blues boom, the Byrds and west coast rock, psychedelia, the summer of love, Altamont, Cream, Hendrix, Zeppelin, the advent of prog rock - sandwiched in between.
Get Back is now the behind the scenes of Let it Be.
Amazing that we can have this much content, period :)
This presentation is done real well, good information and good insight on the two Let It Be/Get Back videos. From what I have read the reason the Let It Be Movie is so down in vibes is because that is the way Allen Kline directed Michael Lindsay-Hogg to edited it to capitalize on The Beatles breaking up. I read this when the Get Back video came out, can’t quote the source but it came from a quality magazine.
What a great review Andrew, thanks. I’ve just finished watching it and agree with all your points. Suzy Parker is one of my favourites and I still don’t know why it was not included on the audio deluxe box set. I would have preferred the inclusion of the freeze frame and ‘The End’ too. I think we fans are truly spoiled by having both Get Back and Let it Be complementing each other.
I agree Lennon didn’t have much to offer at this time and this lack of effort carried on to Abbey Road. When you think A Hard days night is considered by some as almost a Lennon solo album to the last few Beatle albums - it’s very sad. Drugs infatuation with Yoko or boredom I don’t know. It’s just my opinion though, I’m sure lots of people will disagree.
I agree with your assessment
John and George were pig sick of it by this point. I’ve not yet seen this cleaned up version but if the content is still the same it’s a badly stitched up mess in my opinion. I enjoyed Get Back very much but it did try hard to focus on the positives. Something in between the two is probably more accurate.
i dont disagree with you nor what andrew said lennon was not up too much lost is head to ono on herion not interested in the beatles at this point never had a good word too say about the let it be album or abbey road album for that matter
The rooftop consert,can be hearing,on Tidal.
Maybe Spotify ,and other streaming favours.
I think it will Come out on a CD,and LP,with the film.😊
Yeah, it's also on Spotify.
Thanks Andrew. Always loved this movie. Have seen the movie in the theatre and on Bootleg DVD , BluRay. Disney's 'Let It Be' remaster looks and sounds great and is definitely the best release. Let it Be has much less dialogue and has greater % (minutes) devoted to music than Get Back. Always a joy to watch the Beatles perform. I agree that a full Rooftop Concert should be released without cutaways to crowd. Agree that 'laughing' Get Back should be over end credits.
I hope the general public does get the chance of a physical release….. and with George’s I me mine and For you blue included so we have a much more rounded view of the whole project….. here’s hoping.
Great review. I’m looking forward to seeing it after years of suffering through midnight showings in the movie theater to grainy 20th generation bootlegs. Now that we have more context(thanks to Get Back) it will be a much more enjoyable experience not to mention the improved sound and picture. Now here’s an interesting tidbit regarding the rooftop: Way back in ‘69 when the Get Back single was being released, there was a clip of them performing the song which was shown on the Smothers Brothers TV show (it might have been Glen Campbell’s show). It was the first time I witnessed bearded Paul and it was quite shocking at the time. Get Back was all over the radio that summer at number one, only to be replaced by Honky Tonk Women in the fall. Needless to say, quite a year. But I had to wait till May of ‘70 to finally see the movie. That was a long stretch of time. My folks took me, bless their hearts, because I was just a kid. I was thrilled. I didn’t realize it was supposed to be sad till later when all the myth-spinning began courtesy of Dr. Winston.
I’ve seen Paul’s piano bit credited often as Barber’s Adagio for Strings - but it doesn’t sound much like Barber’s piece at all .. I think what might have happened is that Paul had recently heard the Adagio and when he was at the piano he was going more to recapture the feel rather than a more precise cover or transcription. It’s absolutely a beautiful piece of music and my ears hear a lot more of McCartney coming through than Barber or any other classical composer.
As for John’s contributions go, I think he was still emotional about the cold reaction to Across the Universe as well as being distracted/involved by his relationship with Yoko.
Looking forward to watching and rewatching Let It Be again. Thanks your review and insight. I first saw the film in the theatre with my parents (I was 4 years old!) and was very excited when I was able to buy an official copy of the film again in 1980 on VHS. With the success of McCartney’s Rock Show there were several theaters in the Chicago area at the time showing Rock Show/Let It Be as a double feature. (But even then the Let It Be prints were in pretty rough shape. 😊
th-cam.com/video/BEDQAr0l5jg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=zAS3UfOEk385LPSN
If you listen to this piano transcription of Barber’s Adagio you can hear the harmonic and thematic elements that probably got Paul’s interest as far as inspiration goes.. before he began making it more his own.
Loved it back then and love it now, amazingly or not they still amaze me.
Can't sugarcoat the obvious. Yes, Let it Be will always be labeled as the addendum to The Get Back docuseries. The Let it Be film is still the same, with cleaned up video and audio. The chop block edits and pasted scenes are conflicting. Should of been left in the vault. What could of & should of been done is for PJ to put out more unreleased footage from the sessions including conversations and songs from the Apple basement the day after the rooftop concert. Please Apple, move on to either a new blu ray of Anthology or the next Beatles box set. Rubber Soul is due!
I saw Let it Be at the cinema in 1970. First I knew Mal, Derek etc when was watching the film through reading the Beatles monthly . The promotion on Top of the Pops of the Get Back single was roof top concert version of Get Back. This of course featured Billy Preston. In 1970 the press made a big thing of the row between George and Paul. The band had just broken up which made the film a hard watch in 1970. In 1970 the film looked dark and depressing and I think this was due to the fact that it was filmed as a tv show , but they stretched the film so it could be shown in cinemas to fulfil their three film contract to United Artists. I enjoyed watching the restored version
Born in 81 this movie was lent to me by my then music teacher in 1996 from an old vhs recording from swedish tv in the early eighties. Great memories watching this again. Thanks for the review!
Thank god it is in the correct ratio! And thank god it has less Ai sharpening! 🙏
@SteveRestorer Yes. Incredibly so. I have since watched Let It Be restored and it is an incredible job. Looks far better than Jackson’s Get Back. It's definitely worth watching.
@SteveRestorer It was shot for Tv. 4:3 IS the correct ratio. Peter Jackson cropped his footage.
@SteveRestorer You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. 4:3 is the same ratio as 1.33. Muppet.
Agree with the analysis. When Let it Be may have been perceived as sad at the time, by and large the band is seen having fun. The rapport between John and Paul during e.g. Two of Us is a case in point.
Exactly. The break-up was the only context viewers were given. There was certainly none provided within the film. So even scenes that are inherently joyful and fun, could be misperceived as sad and bitter.
I was there in 1970 (I was 20 years old). I saw it in Cheltenham when I was at college there, and I’m sure it was on a double bill with Yellow Submarine. Firstly, I think you are absolutely correct that it being conflated with the news that the band had apparently broken up gave it the reputation it subsequently received, but we also need to remember another contextual issue - we simply hadn’t seen a film like this before where we see a band working. I guess we all believed the myth that everything was always fab in the Beatles and never a cross word was spoken, but here we see them struggling a bit, which was a jolt. The film also didn’t ‘look’ that great, even then. And, who decided to put it out with Yellow Submarine ??
I hope it comes out on Blu-ray! Can't wait to see it!
What a magnificent review of a piece of art! You gave us a correct point of view to see the context of two very different documentaries. I have to say, MLH STILL choose to avoid the segments of joy and laughter we now know existed in 1969/70 and PJ brought back in Get Back.
Personally, I loved it. I treated Let It Be as a ‘trailer’ of sorts for Get Back. A selection of great moments that don’t really tell a story but ultimately gets you hyped to watch ‘the big one’ again.
I saw this movie in the theater when I was a kid maybe it was a midnight movie and then I had the Beatles movie collection on VHS and saw it a second time. After Disney goes under and all the assets get sold to some other company I'll watch it again.
Hi Andrew. Enjoyed your review. I wanted to share some of my thoughts on the film. Having watched "Get Back" before ever seeing "Let It Be," the latter was a disappointement, honestly. It was as if we were given a quick glimpse of the band through a window, whereas Jackson's film was a fly-on-the-wall experience. "Let It Be" feels rushed. While parts of it are interesting, you're right in saying it doesn't give any background on who people are or why thngs are taking place. "Get Back" was completely engrossing. I was captivated. I enjoyed "Let It Be" as a historical artifact, but by the end, I knew Jackson had made a far superior film. Best wishes from America, Kevin.
I was in my own group when the movie came out, so that was my priority. But at the time there were many rumors of the demise of The Beatles and it was difficult to believe it would happen because they still had music coming out and also this movie. But we went to see the movie as a group, and after having watched it I knew the rumors were true. Everyone else was so thrilled and happy at having seen it but I was incredibly sad with a brave face. And then 'Circus' magazine came out to put the final nail in the coffin. Oh well... You have to remember that cinema in those days didn't have Anamorphic, Surround, THX or Dolby, so it was a very plain sound experience. But it was good to see them on the big screen, other than it was the end...
I haven’t seen it yet but I’m excited to watch. My biggest issue with Get Back was the complete lack of epilogue, which, considering how great the opening montage was to set the whole project in context, it just leaves you there. There should have been something about how the film and album took a year and a half to release, how they did Abbey Road in that time, and how they broke up.
I’m curious what casual fans or non-Beatles fans think seeing Let It Be being released, a more confusing, shorter version of the hugely hyped documentary they might have seen two years ago.
It might have been better to re-release Let It Be all cleaned up, then release Get Back as a longer, more thorough version as a follow up. As cool as it is to have Let It Be released again, it’s a weird anti-climax in my opinion.
In all fairness Lindsay-Hogg was commissioned to make a 90 to 2 hour film, not an 8 hour series.
I believe that the, Let it Be movie is a lot like the Bob Dylan movie, Don't Look Back. Both films are vague about what you are viewing, you are suppose to simply enjoy the presence of the celebrity on film.
This very important truth is often denied by so many that I think this a very important and timely reminder about The Beatles, McCartney and longevity.
Ringo quote word for word, …
‘And we all thank Paul until this day, because Paul, who was the workaholic of our band, we made a lot more records than say John and I would. Ya’ know we (referring to himself and John) would like to sit down a little more…’
ASX TV interview added to TH-cam 11 May 2024
I neither have Disney+ nor access to it via a friend so I'll have to wait for the DVD/BluRay release and, until then, survive on memories of an all-night Beatles films showing in Southsea sometime in the 70's (it was a bit much BTW😅) and vicariously through reviews like Andrew's. So thanks for your thoughts Andrew!
Edit: The tribute lighting is a nice touch!
I'm glad someone noticed 😉👍
@@AndrewDixonMusic That was awesome when it went grainy and faded suddenly, but you still had a happy look on your face.😅😅😅
Maybe because I was a bit on the young side in 1970 I thought the Let it be album was recorded in early 1970! Paul sort of looked the same on the Let it be and McCartney albums wearing a beard. Anyway the film which I saw a few years later was ok in parts but it was grainy looking! If Peter Jackson has improved that then good.
Fantastic review; I can't wait to watch this now, as I have never seen it; being only three years old when it originally came out. I, too, have probably been influenced by the negative opinions of the film throughout the years, but hopefully, this new release will add to the amazing work The Beatles created. I, too, would appreciate a physical release as being Old School(!) I like to have the object to play. Thank you for an excellent video. I really enjoyed it and appreciate the work and passion put into this piece. 👍
I've seen Let It Be many times (on a DVD I bought on Ebay years ago). Its really confusing if you dont know the Beatles story. One minute you're in a giant studio, then a small studio, then a roof. No explanations are given. I think this is now more watchable thanks to Get Back, as we now actually know whats happening. Without Get Back this would still have been a confusing mess.
Looking forward to watching this with a beer tonight- good review as ever 🎉
The restoration is outstanding
Saw it on TV many decades ago. My main memories were of them going up onto the roof and the great concert. The endless jamming in a cold hanger seemed boring at the time and it did not give you a happy feeling once it finished. Totally agree with your review about lack of context when watching the film. Sounds like it will be worth a rewatch, when the blu-ray comes out! Paul always had lots of energy and a passon to get the best out of the band, also with so many ideas which can appear bossy. The rest of the band seem much less interested in the whole thing. Still amazed Abbey Road was so good after this period. PS. Just reached Tug Of War in my marathon alphabetical album listening project. Not heard it for years and really loved it.
I was around when it came out in 1970 and it was pretty much ignored .......just watched the new. one ....Awesome ! I have it on VHS but havent watched it for years ..,,its Not Down..its very UP ! I Liked it as much as Get Back.
It's interesting to look back at 1969 copies of Beatles Monthly for reports. Obviously the project wasn't called Let It Be, or even referred to as Get Back. In Jan 69, the proposed concert was reported as still being on but in Feb, it was reported as cancelled although 50 winners of tickets were announced (apparently they were due to receive a consolation prize - I wonder if they got anything?). In Mar 69 issue, Mal Evans reported on George walking out pretty much how it was in Get Back - no rows or punch-ups that had been reported in the press but George just quietly going home but the album was still scheduled for a summer 69 release. And then the waiting began for over a year of course...
Thanks Anthony, good info!
Thanks for the info. That is really interesting. I, too, wonder what the consolation prize might have been.
Thanks Andrew for the youtube link of how you got into the Beatles just watched it and enjoyed it along with all the comments - in one way or another all their albums just blow your mind - will never ever be another band like them - after all my years of listening to music i have only just got into Van Morrisson - how did i miss him - love his music i have bought i think 23 cds in the last few weeks off ebay at cheap prices - fantastic songwriter and singer - what do you think of him ? - if you havnt listened to him you are missing out
I saw it in the theater at the time and liked it. Most people didn't like it. I remember one girl in my high school class saying "If I see a Beatles movie, I want them to do something - not just sit there."
Can't help thinking that Michael Lindsay-Hogg captured lots of great moments, but failed to create a narrative to tie them all together, and make a cohesive film. Paul certainly held no grudges against him, as he continued to work with him, from time to time in the 70s.
I'm not going to give Michael Lindsay-Hogg any slack. He was supposed to deliver a movie out of all the footage he shot, but he failed to provide any narrative structure. Even the one thing that that it has over Get Back that everyone lauds, the full performances, was an editing mistake IMO. He just gives us a random collection of rehearsal footage ending with a rooftop concert. An interesting document, but not a movie.
He had the concert as the finale and he presents it without context. I love the way he shot and edited this footage -- the highlight of the film. It was very dramatic when the cops show up and you can't hear what they're saying, but the music keeps playing. So good. That was the showcase of the movie. All the scenes leading up to it should've, well, led up to it. You should see them discussing whether or not to do a concert, where to play etc. Then he should tease the audience with snippets of them rehearsing the songs that would eventually be performed. Instead he gives full performances of their warm-up rehearsals; you see them, again without context, goofing around on old standards. We may now know that this is common practice when trying to get into gear, but in the film, they just come off like dicks messing around. This is Andrew's favourite part of the film and if given proper context, it is indeed wonderful to watch, but within the film, you're just, NOW what are they doing wasting so much time and money? Ironically, I think this stuff would've been better suited to Get Back rather than Let It Be. Like Andrew said, the audience had to figure it out on their own. No wonder, people coming out of the theatre would project their own opinions and feelings onto the narrative and spin stories into legends. MLH failed to tell us what to think and feel, and that is the director's job.
Thanks for the nice video ! There is a good looking bootleg dvd around with the complete rooftop concert without the police footage at the Pear label.
Andrew, your review made me sign up with Disney +.
I watched with delight. The musical performances, including the rooftop had me in tears. I'm 70 years old and never saw the film before now. But i grew up with the album which i love.
I've watched it 2 times already. I've now watched Peter Jackson 's GET BACK episode 1 & 2 . I must say I'm more moved by LET IT BE.
I saw Let it Be in a near empty cinema in Clacton, 1970. A small group of us were sad that the group were on the cusp of a break up but enjoyed the performances, especially the roof top. My mate "Prof" never liked Paul McCartney and was one of those who kept saying that he was trying to control everything, etc.. I asked him what he thought of the film as we walked out... "Some great music but disappointed in places." Like what, Prof?... "I was hoping George was going to lump McCartney at one point!".... 😰 😨
I loved "Get Back" showing him leave and McCartney sits there on the verge of tears - HAHA! SCREEN FIVE! Be a dick to George, then, will he?
Great review Andrew, I think we all have different memories of this film and a lot depends on the time at which you first saw it. I first saw it at the cinema in about '72 and had been listening to the album a good year or more. After the album was first released I went to buy it with my pocket money but because it was 50p more than a regular album I couldn't afford it and bought ( 50p was 10 shillings then a big deal in 1970!) something else. About 6 months later I made a second attempt at buying Let It Be but the box set with the book had been discontinued! But looking at the album cover I couldn't understand why The Beatles hairstyles were similar to the photos in the white album, obviously there was a natural evolution on Abbey Road but now it appeared that their hairstyles had reverted to late '68 😀
When I did first see Let It Be I was filled with joy see The Beatles in their natural environment and they sounded great and I couldn't stop thinking about it afterwards, and desperately wanted to see it again but had to wait until it was shown on TV.
As for The Beatles/Apple having a plan why can't they tell us in advance, which makes me think that either don't or want to keep it quiet so that we will end up buying things twice, ie release Get Back separately and later on include it in a box set with Let It Be and maybe some extras. I don't trust them to be honest with us, unfortunately.
I originally seen it as a double feature with Yellow Submarine at the pictures. It would be great if we get a 4K Blu Ray release.
I just watched it on Disney and it’s so great! So clear and the sounds is amazing. I just love it. Great review. 👍
Always thought it was slightly suspicious that songs like Suzy Parker, and the rooftop gig were left out of the Let it Be deluxe box set, I think this year's Christmas release will definitely involve those things
Paul's 1969 output is incredible.
His Let it Be output: 3 #1s Get Back, Let it Be, Long & Winding Road plus I've Got a Feeling and Two of Us.
wow
I was very excited to be able to watch this all cleaned up. The boots we have had for years did not do the picture justice. Other than a few changes here and there it is the movie released in 1970. Audio is much clearer, video is outstanding and really just excited they are finally allowing us to view it. I’m sure a physical release by the end of the year just like Get Back…..I take this as our 2024 release and then a Rubber Soul release in 2025…..60 years on wow! But yes hooray for Let It Be!! 😊
Watched film in folkestone cinema with yellow submarine and stayed to watch both films again. Changed my life and still love get back and Let it Be
I watched this last night and was surprised how positive and upbeat it was having read for all my life (born in '76) it was a depressing film. Clearly, those commentators were watching something different. I liked it and really enjoyed the performances.
I agree, it's complemented really well by Get Back, now.
As regards the newly restored LIB movie which looks and sounds great, I enjoyed listening to the rock and roll medleys and to the complete versions of the songs which were recorded subsequent to the rooftop performance. But I still prefer Peter Jackson's more nuanced, chronological approach which proves that they had fun in between the arguments and weren't on the verge of breaking up.
Thanks for the review. Very interesting as I do not have Disney. I will await a physical release as I did with Get Back. I do have a version on dvd somewhere, but will avoid watching this until I have seen the restored film.
I think the film, from my perspective anyway, has always been unfairly dubbed dreary and depressing. It is not, in reality, and I think a lot of that was pinned to the film from contemporary reviews which were of course coloured by the events of the time. There are a variety of moods on screen, as indeed there should be, but far more upbeat and amusing moments than you would expect from its reputation. The Octopus's Garden segment occupies more screen time than George's moan and is more representative of most of the sessions. Yes, we now know that George did walk out, but there were far more positive moments than grim ones. And it ends with the rooftop gig. What is there not to like!
Most of the film's reputation is informed by events of the time and the circumstances that the band and its individuals found themselves in at a very difficult time.
Very good news that it has been finally resurrected. Hopefully a dvd/blu-ray will appear in the not too distant future.
I love that this official movie was finally re released. I also love that Michael Lindsay-Hogg didn’t want the Get Back surreal life picture quality and only wanted the movie picture remastered. The reason being is it preserves the 1970s identity of the film. But, I do love the surrealistic picture in Get Back which gives it its own unique identity. Both films are a vital part of the Beatles story.
Just watched this for my second viewing and, 54 years later, my reaction is that I loved it! It must have been the circumstances of the time that had me not loving it in 1970….the break up.
Interesting information, Andrew! And nice video effects!
1:43 the old-fashioned narrow screen while you're talking about that
2:44 the dark and grainy image that you're discribing
I need both documentaries o n D V D ! Plus the complete rooftop concert.
I'm still waiting for it to appear on my Disney +, I'm on the east coast of the U.S. so maybe there's a delay. the physical release should be in the fall, according to the fest for Beatles fans website.
Hi Andrew , throughly enjoyed the film and snippets of new songs and old .
I saw Let It Be in the theater in 1970. The major difference in the film is during the end credits. The new version has different music than the original release. The credits in the original were much shorter and the music used was what is now called the Get Back Reprise which was used as the last track of the Glyn Johns mix.
Just finished watching it... It looked and sounded better than when I first saw it in 1993...
Some lovely editing touches in this, Andrew. Who needs MAL 🙂
I remember watching it in the theater. Granted, I was only 7 years old, but I cried. We already knew they broke up and this seemed so sad. The reception of the film was completely affected by everyone knowing the bands ending already.
The NYTimes did give it a mediocre to bad review. Writers in the 70s just did not fully appreciate the genius of The Beatles yet.
I so agree about how disjointed it is with timing and how Abbey Road is done after. Trying to figure that out at 7 was difficult, but I don't think the adults did a good job explaining it.
I still think the director, Lindsay Hogg was so exasperated with them, he edited the film, not putting the band in the best light. It was so good to see all the laughter in Come Together. If Let it Be had been edited with more love, Come Together would not have been such a revelation. Even Paul remarked on similar feelings.
Why did I call the documentary Get Back, Come Together? I have no idea. 😄
Love the lighting touch behind you. I think the main reason people thought this movie was depressing was that news had already come out that The Beatles had broken up before it was released.
I'm glad my lighting choice was noticed 😉
Thanks a lot , Andrew , it'a very interesting Anayse !!
Leaving out the rocky version of Two Of Us from Get Back was a biggie for me. I've always loved that version, even if Macca didn't. I remember watching Let It Be on the BBC as a tennager at least a couple of times, such is my vintage. Once I've watched this, I'm going straight onto Disney + for a much anticipated re-watch! Great summing up as ever Andrew.
I am more interested in observations than, well, accusations, but from what I have heard elsewhere and know about George was the Beatle who privately did not want to discuss 'Let it Be' the television film, as it was originally intended to be. But still George wanted the vinyl album to proceed as planned. It is now over 20 years since George's death, and it has taken Georges estate that long - and the fiftieth anniversary cycle of enhanced re-releases - to begin to clean up George's solo recording career which is still an ongoing process. Meanwhile I can wish for two things - a cinema release for 'Let it Be' and a decent audio commentary on the DVD.
Good take on LIB, Andrew. It was great to see it after 54 years! Had seen it in the theater in 1970 and this is the first time I've seen it since then. The great thing about LIB is seeing the FULL performances of the songs. Get Back is much more complete and IMO much more depressing than LIB. Except for Paul and George's exchange, I didn't see anything else that made the film a downer. I like LIB for what it is. Watching this great band in action. I enjoyed seeing the rooftop concert without the constant repetitions and repeats in Get Back. Their final live performance showed that they still had it as live band. Too bad they couldn't continue a while longer, but too many issues prevailed and they were done.
Not sure if you are aware Andrew, but the Get Back rooftop audio session has been available online in full for sometime.
Hi, yes I've streamed it a few times, and have a very good (but not quite perfect) digital rip of it 👍
@@AndrewDixonMusic I know what you mean though. An official hard copy would be nice. I'd like to see the Christmas discs released officially too.
Been forever since I last watched it so it was definitely nice to see it in quality that's actually watchable. Definitely made it more enjoyable. I prefer Get Back but I'm definitely glad they re-released this.
Saw this in the theater when I was 9 years old. I was a big fan, and little did I realize at the time that this would be the last time there would be a Beatles movie.
Apparently I need to watch it. I mostly remember my feeling upon leaving the theater at the time, feeling depressed….or at least disappointed. Will I feel differently now? Maybe. They were my heroes then….oh wait, they still are.
Thanks for this review. Most important to me: not irrelevant because of Get Back; not a downbeat experience, but rather the opposite. I didn't think I would need to watch it, but I look forward to it now.
I must have watched Let it Be hundreds of times. I first saw it in the theater in 1970. Then I bought the VHS when VCR's first came out. Not that it was a fantastic movie, but it was realistic. Seeing the Fabs on the roof was the highlight for me.
I do believe if you saw the Get Back promo in 1969, you would have seen that there was a rooftop concert. So fans were probably aware.
I enjoyed it very much so. Didn’t find it depressing at all, and found myself smiling and singing along for the most part! For me the highlight was “Besame Mucho” and “The Long and Winding Road” segments.