For me this documentary was amazing. I wasn’t ever bored despite half of it just being them goofing off. I was just in awe of how they worked off each other and their songs, how Billy Preston made them happy, and how they’d just spontaneously come up with the beginnings of some of their best songs.
I'm hijacking a top comment. Wasn't Yoko Ono's presence pretty much at John's insistence? Remember what a controlling narcissist he was in his relationships and I'm sure he was the one with the power in theirs.
@Mr. Brenman21 But was she there at John's insistence? I've heard about John being absolutely controlling, worrying about her talking with someone else and even had issues with her being seperate on bathroom breaks. Now, all of that doesn't mean she didn't have John's ear and put out ideas that he would try to insert.
Personally, as a Beatles fan, i really loved this documentary because it gave exactly what it promised and what i expected. 6 hours of John, Paul, George and Ringo in the studio making music, arguing, discussing artistic styles and much more. A lot of the footage had to be trimmed to fit a easily digestible runtime on Disney+ and i think it worked pretty well. It's even more interesting to see what they were really like since lots of people have talked about if all the members really hated each other, and it's very clear that they didn't. Anyways, i recommend it to anyone who's a fan of The Beatles or generally has a passion for 60s/70s experimental music.
I enjoyed it too! I just wish that Peter trimmed the timing a little bit because some moments in parts 1 and 2 just felt dead to me. Otherwise, it is quite an intriguing series.
I like how un-upflifting it was. It wasn't really a downer for me, but seeing them drift does have a sense of tragedy to it. I appreciate how real it all feels. No extra B.S. or drama, just getting to be a fly on the wall in sessions through the highs and lows. For me, just when I was like "ugh, I want to skip" a jam would break out or they would evolve a song, or just be like "hey, how about this?" And proceed to play "Something". It isn't for everyone, I agree, but showing the artistic process, unadultered for one of the most iconic groups in history feels less like it was about entertainment anyways, and more so about capturing and preserving history
Weirdly, every time the Beatles come close to getting mythologised for me, something comes along and humanises them. I think it’s working out pretty good, they feel like regular folks to me at this stage, Paul is like a goofy grandad who made some awesome music that I love. George is Eric Idle’s body double. John is the dude who makes out with his GF while I awkwardly look away cuz I’m not comfortable with that but I’m not trying to stop people from being happy or whatever, but we could probably chat about Fawlty Towers. I’m sure he would’ve loved Blackadder, and the utter genius of Stephen Fry (Fry and Laurie surpass Monty Python with some of their bits, I’ll die on that hill). Ringo is just there, but I feel like he could take it or leave it, which makes me never fully like him. It’s all for the best really, because Freddie Mercury is heavily mythologised for me, and he does things to my brain and body with his music.
I was watching this with my wife who know very little of all the drama. About half way through the first episode out of nowhere she says "Yoko needs to get a life". I laughed out loud.
Yoko made the Beatles spit up. She should en be in the studio in the first place An siting on Paul bass amplifier Paul should said something to. Yoko John saying To paul. Is that in the movie I bet it was the flim. The true is John left the and because of yoko
Absolutely loved it. I also knew about how attached Yoko was but GODDAMN she was like John's shadow always following him and never doing anything. There's also a powerful moment where George left and John still hadn't appeared to the studio and Paul says "And then there were two..." , which still stands today like wow really intense moment.
I agree with you! Always seeing Yoko and John stick like glue is annoying. It was almost like she didn't have a personality that was separate from John. When the other Beatles' wives sat in, I could tell that they didn't let the labels, "wife back home" or "wife of a Beatle" consume them. Take Linda McCartney, for example, she seemed like a spontaneous, smart, and independent-minded woman who understood the relationship of the band. Not saying that Yoko doesn't have a personality at all, it's just sad to see that she couldn't separate herself from a man.
Seems that it was just as much John's problem as it was Yoko's. They indulged each other's dependency on the other. Those types of relationships can be really awkward and alienating to be around.
@@robwalsh9843 Very true... They were always hanging around together which definitely made the rest of the band feel like they were pushed to the side at times
When I was a kid my parents and all their friends were Beatles nuts. I grew to hate them. Seeing the documentary put me in touch with their human side, and I realized how young they were (and that’s at the end of their career as the Beatles lol). I made a playlist today, and the amazing, timeless melodies of their songs, it’s jaw dropping.
That's something I'd recommend to anyone. Set aside a weekend and listen to the Beatles. Do it in whatever order you want ... start to finish ... most popular to least ... alphabetical order ... etc. Mark down the songs you want to hear again as you go. I will almost guarantee that there is something there for everyone. Then remind yourself that everything you heard is over a 7-8 year career.
@@joecuthbert8637 it’s mind boggling.. after my 41 song play list I made another 36 song playlist. Then today I took the best 40 songs into a best of (my faves). They may not be my favorite group, but there’s really no one who can touch them.
6 and a half hours of the Beatles fucking around and 1 1/2 hours of then making absolute classics. So basically really awesome. Edit: The reason the documentary didn't delve into the drama as much as you thought it would is because of the older documentary covered all of the more tense stuff, while this documentary showed that it wasn't completely all doom and gloom.
That and the fact that this was only the beginning of 1969. There were still plenty of troubling times coming before they actually broke up. Remember, a year is a long time when you're the one involved in it all. So much stuff could have come up during that time. Also, considering that the original documentary Let It Be featured a bunch of clips and shots out of context, it wasn't even close to as bad as it was in that film. Like all the shots of the band looking glum and down at the floor in a darkened studio during Two Of Us, Long And Winding Road, and Let It Be were all just the band tired after everything building up to the concert the day before. They were still making witty jokes and smiling through the last day, but the Let It Be documentary completely separated those clips from their context, especially given that the rooftop concert was put at the end with the recordings that happened the next day being put before it. It was really dishonest and I am glad that Peter Jackson put it right!
@@TheBlackQueen I think it was very clear in get back that they hadn't given up hope yet. John and George even discussed doing solo projects whilst remaining in the Beatles. While there were certainly tense moments and you are correct a ton can happen in a year, I think there was still hope during the making of this.
I can't help but also say that this documentary has incredible replay value. Not as a casual viewer sitting on the couch, but for a budding musician and fan wanting to learn the songs and about how the recording process used to be. I relearned most of the album and had a blast just jamming to the documentary the second time around with my guitar in hand. I suggest others try to do the same!
I'm watching throughbit with my dad, who is a huge Beatles fan and seeing how they worked and fought through struggles has been awesome. Definitely super cool.
I haven't watched part 3 yet, but I like the series so far. The Beatles were the first band that got me to love music. Here are my two cents: Positives: I loved watching what the songwriting process was like. It was fantastic to see those minds together working on what would be some of the greatest songs they wrote towards the end of their legacy before they broke up. It was wicked cool to watch Billy Preston jam with them on "Don't Let Me Down." He brought more of a lift to it. It was evident that there were tensions within the band, but it was still amazing to watch the writing process. I enjoyed watching them goof off and loosen up before they had to focus on writing and recording. Negatives: It's way too long. Yoko sitting in with the band beside John only made the tensions worse. I felt sorry for George because it's one thing to read or hear about him being sidelined in the band; it's another thing to watch it happen. As a middle sibling, I know what it's like to be pushed aside. But, on the other hand, the Beatles breaking up was the best thing to happen to George because he could finally record most of his songs that the rest of the band (mainly Paul and John) didn't want to put on their albums. I say, if you're a music history nerd and/or an average Beatles fan and can withstand the lengthiness of each part in this docuseries, give it a watch!
I found it super interesting and that´s coming from someone who is not a big fan of The Beatles. I´ve never disliked them, just never got into them. But i found it so interesting to see a legendary band creating songs and go behind the scenes. I had to split it into a couple of watching sessions but happy that i saw it.
Yeah, I did the same; splitting the entire thing into smaller viewings of about half an hour or so. I came in wanting to binge watch it, but about an hour into part 1, it felt like I needed to digest things a little better. Binge-watching each part beginning to end, one after the other wouldn't do it justice. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Yes it was worth every minute of this documentary. I noticed, that even though Ringo had the blank expression on his face, there was times where he was observing Paul, on what Paul was thinking or coming up with. Also noticed too halfway through Part 2, George was really getting into it.
It was awesome and totally deflated a lot of rock star myths: 1) lyrics are as deep as you want to make them, largely they’re just what sounds good in order 2) these were normal folks with elevated communication abilities, but they grew apart 3) there doesn’t have to be a bad guy for things not to work out, independent minds will grow apart, it’s no one’s ‘fault’ 4) want to even approach the Beatles’ level of craft? either spend 8+ hours a day playing together in clubs and/or 8 hours a day in studio refining riffs.
Yeah, also, don’t listen to too much music but don’t listen to too little either. George so near instant success after The Beatles, but those lawsuits f*cked him up. Also, f*ck Eric Clapton, he’s a f*cking monster and a sh*t friend.
I just saw an interview with Ringo and he said they tought Yoko was hilarious. And another interview I saw with George, he said they were happy for John. Paul actually said something similar in the documentary itself. Even though she was there all the time, she never tried to influence the direction of the songs. She just sat there reading or knitting or whatever and let them get on with it. I think they didn't mind her presence at all.
There’s one time yoko stop band from playing a. Said you guys are not playing good Playing really bad . Paul confronted yoko. Asaid how come you stopped the band from playing an then John at paul and said don’t talk to wife like that. Bet that’s not in the movie.
I agree with you, I didn't really mind her being there, she just sat by john's side sipping coffee and just being. It's wasn't annoying, their relationship just was like that
@@gabrielzorrilla8000Also, some background people like to ignore is that they were going through a fairly tough time, and were fairly reliant on each other at this stage.
As a British person who’s from the next city over from Liverpool, I could understand everything they said. I didn’t even think about other people who definitely wouldn’t understand the northern/Scouse colloquialisms. Looking at it even people from London might not understand everything.
Are you serious? I'm from Kent which is about as far south east England as you get from the north west and Liverpool and like everyone in the south and all over England, understand the accent totally. We grow up with all the English dialects - scouse, brummie, mancunian, geordie, londoner/cockney, west country and so on. You must know that! I was born the year The Beatles were breaking out and becoming famous so was aware of them by the late '60s. I've grown up hearing them talk.
@@mikephillips8810 yea I am serious Mike, I don’t think you know every scouse slang/sayings. I mean I’m from Manchester and definitely interact with more scousers than you do in Kent, and still there’s words or bits of phrases from them I’ve never heard before. Some of these slang words you’d only know if you went to school in said place or had family from there as they’re so obscure. I mean I’ve met southerners who have had no idea what I meant when I’ve said “bobbins” or “angin”. Think you need to pull your head out your arse Mike.
@@owdaniels9390 Well plus regional colloquial speech must have changed a good deal since the 40s/50s Liverpudlian the Beatles spoke, right? I think today's Liverpool speech (the little I've heard) seems even harder to understand.
@@amitabhhajela681 you’re correct. The Beatles Liverpool accents are easier to understand than modern Scouse. However they still have some of the same phrases and slang words that they had in the 60s today, that some people even from different parts of England, might not pick up on.
@@owdaniels9390 No he doesn't need to pull his head out of his arse, you do. I'm English too, and I understand scouse perfectly well. Apart from that, the Beatles were not particularly broad, their accents are not at all heavy (if you're English), and I didn't hear any words that are unique to the area.
I found the whole thing very emotional. I'm 69, so grew up with the Beatles. My mum was from Liverpool so they hold a huge place in my heart. I'm struck by how lost and rudderless they seem without Brian Epstein. They're still mourning his loss. Paul knew it and clearly felt a sense of responsibility. They set themselves an enormous challenge with the original venture so it's no wonder it went awry. That Twickenham studio was completely the wrong place for them to be in. As for Yoko, Paul has said many times they accepted her being there with John. It looked like Yoko and Linda got on OK too. By the end of the rooftop concert I was in tears as it all seemed so final.
The whole doc definitely had a very melancholic feel. So cool to be swept up into the end of the 60’s and seeing all the styles and setting of London in that time. Very cool. Sucks though definitely feels like if they just would’ve given George a full green light to do his own thing and then come back things could’ve worked out into the 70s
FYI, the footage was used for the "Let it Be" film released in 1970 after the breakup. I consider this to be the ultimate extended edition of that film, and is a truer depiction of what happened back then because it provides more context.
You are right that Let it Be used footage from the same documentary film shoot. But the film shoot was not planned to be for “Let it Be, the 1970 breakup movie.” That decision was made later.
@@777jones Originally the footage was intended for a television mini-series, but if you watch Get Back, you can tell that they had already decided to release it as a film even before they performed the rooftop concert. The only reason it became the "breakup movie" was because it was released shortly after they broke up, so everyone was viewing it with more scrutiny towards the problems the band was having. It's true that a lot of the scenes they chose for the film were the ones that showed the cracks in the band, but I have a feeling that if it had not been released shortly after their break up, people would not have focused as much on the negative aspects, because even the film Let it Be had a lot of scenes that showed how much fun the band was having.
Mal Evans(the guy with the hammer) was with them from the start pretty much, started as the roadie/driver, bouncer then tour manager/right hand man. One of the guys who was the glue to keep them together. He also is the voice counting the bars on a Day in the life during the climax. Mal was the guy i would love to get his stories, unfortunately was shot and killed working as a bouncer/security in the 70's.
The best musical doc I have ever seen. I am of that generation that grew up with the Beatles but neverthless this is beyond my expectations. I think you got it too.Thanks.
I agree with so much of what you said, although I would point out that Yoko didn’t hang out at every single thing the Beatles did, but rather, John brought her to every single thing the Beatles did. It’s John, not Yoko. I mean it’s about Yoko, but its not like she showed her way in. I thought Linda’s daughter screaming and crawling over everything was equally distracting, especially given the stress the band was in to finish these albums. I would not be surprised however if THAT appearance was planned by the filmakers.
I think the film illustrates how close these guys were. 4 talented friends had big dreams, attained them, and then a machine developed around them pushing them to do more, more, more! All this happened before they were 30 freaking years old. In short, they were brothers who shared intense, overwhelming experiences, and needed room to breathe.
Completely amazing.to me It's ridiculously fascinating watching the creative process of these four unequaled artists. It's also nice to realize that, above all, even trough what was obviously a tenuous time, their love for the music and, most importantly, for each other was still so apparent
Greetings. I also believe it’s too long but there is no chance of putting out edited portions and having Beatles fans be fulfilled. They want it all context be damned. You know it’s long going in which will push some away, but as huge as the Beatles were and probably still are FIFTY YEARS later… there are hordes of folk who have been counting down the hours for this release. Agree with much of your take and it’s very cool to hear someone a bit younger have a supportive opinion on something so vintage. Nice video.
Still wish they’d put out the 57 hours just for the super fans to sift through, I feel like some might find something fascinating. Then again, I’m biased, as I have a fixation with demystifying the past.
With all this new footage, seeing John & George feels like seeing a long-gone friend or family again. Another highlight is hearing the songs' creation, especially that moment when Paul 1st came up with Get Back in particular. The rooftop concert? I almost wept upon realizing we're seeing the concert in all angles. I've always wanted to see the concert in as much angles as possible, and this one delivered and more.
I loved seeing the love that was still there. Paul and John laughing and delighting each other. George and Ringo, ultimately still happily on board. Long friendships enduring and creating great music. "In Spite of All the Danger..."
The “fucker with the glasses” 😂 was mal Evans their road manager and body guard. He was shot 6 times by LAPD while he was holding a BB gun high, ( they thought it was real). Sadly his ashes were lost and never made it back to England none of the Beatles attended his memorial.
That “random fucker” with the anvil was Mal Evans. Quite the opposite of random if you look him up. Kinda makes me think, “Who’s this random fucker making this video?” lol
8 hours were not NEARLY enough time for this. This was amazing the way they just let the Beatles speak for themselves. THIS WAS BRILLIANT!! LOVED IT! John and Paul loved each other despite all the pain and crap, and this was reflected in this documentary. If you love to hate this will bother you. 🙏❤️
To watch these guys refine and tweak their ideas to turn them into classics was worth everything to me. I am a huge fan of song creation and construction. Could've watched more!!!!
If the Beatles had to deal with those sketchy suits way back then, just imagine what your average modern artist is putting up with in an even more corrupt industry. Really sad
I loved it, watching them screw around in the studio and hearing all of their mistakes while noodling was inspiring because it showed them as human and not the gods they have been built up to be. I only wish we had raw footage while they were in their prime recording Revolver!
I saw the documentary and as a massive Beatles fan I absolutely loved it, it was super fucking good and I loved that we got such an intimate look at the band's rehearsals and watching them just mess about. And that's not to mention the fact that we got to see the births of what songs would become some of their best (Get Back, Don't Let Me Down, Let It Be, Long & Winding Road) and even some of George's solo material (All Things Must Pass). And while I do agree it was on the long side it's still worth it and I highly recommend it for any music fan that'd be interested
As a huge Beatles fan, I thought it was great. I bought a bootlegged vhs version of the original cut of the documentary over a decade ago. They restored the original footage beautifully. I hope this comes out on Blu-ray.
It seems to me that you watched this film with your initial beliefs of the Beatles' split in mind and looked for things that would add up with what you previously believed. Personally, I had similar thoughts as you prior to watching the film but the whole point of the film was to totally challenge virtually everything we'd believed about the band. What I saw was a bunch of people working on music together and, above all else, being human. Here's what I learned from the film which contradicted what I thought earlier: 1) The Beatles did NOT hate each other towards the end. Even though it seems that apart from Paul, they all knew the end was coming. George and John clearly wanted to, at the very least, have a solo career on the side of the Beatles and they're openly discussing it. 2) Ringo was THE most professional musician in the band. He didn't talk but he always listened and came up with ideas that served the song. 3) The others actually accept Yoko and John's relationship and, while it does seem strange to be around such a clingy couple, Yoko doesn't seem to get in the way at all. Not actively, anyway. 4) These guys worked really hard and were a lot more collaborative by this point than historians have suggested. Look at how they all help each other with writing. 5) Paul was easily the most passionate about the band. It seemed that he wanted them to keep going while the others had made their peace with the idea of splitting. While there have been many interviews by the band that talk about the split in a negative way, we have to remember that this was a year before they officially split. Things would have happened after this was filmed that colored their view of things that happened earlier. McCartney and Starr have even said that the film brought back happy memories they'd forgotten. It's actually quite a feel good film in a way.
I agree with your comments. One thing to add is that most of the awkwardness with Yoko took place in the White Album sessions. By the time they started the Get Back sessions, they were used to her being around.
@@mjanovecI know, I didn’t mind her in the least. Then again, I never really learnt to hate her. I just don’t listen to her music, and thought she and John were super cute in the Imagine music video.
I think George just wanted to do his own thing. Get out of John and Paul's shadow sort of thing. John wanted to work with Yoko. I think someone like John wanted to keep evolving. Yoko at that time was inspiring him more.
I think it's fine calling Jackson the director here. It's basically found footage, and even if he wasn't literally operating the cameras, he's directing the movie. (Even on an action movie set, the director rarely operates the camera, they just orchestrate the story being told.)
@@randalclarke5487 I feel that the director, in a documentary, is the one telling the story. And I feel that Lindsay-Hogg was telling a different story than Peter Jackson, which makes these projects different enough to warrant calling Peter Jackson the director of this project. Yes, he's using the shots chosen by Lindsay-Hogg's team, but Lindsay-Hogg wasn't choosing every shot, he wasn't pulling focus on every camera. Even then, the original director wasn't the person operating the cameras
@@randalclarke5487 No let it be is a michael lindsay hogg film. Peter Jackson was making every choice in the editing room when making get back. This tells a deifferent than let it be and as peter jackson said himself he didnt want this to be a substitute to let it be which is why he chose not to use any of the footage that was in that movie.
I thought only the first part dragged a bit. The second and third parts were the best, especially the third. This documentary is NOT for casual fans or for non-fans. These people will find these docs a bit boring. But for more dedicated/bigger fans this is a fascinating document of the development of the “Let it be” album’s songs. Your assessment of the tiny-elephant(in black)-in-the-room is spot on, the best I’ve heard. Overall I think this is a fascinating record of the development of the Let it Be album. Truly awesome.
Actually I was not a fan of the beatles but I wanted to watch it from a music nerd perspective and I bloody enjoyed it! This is certainly not for everyone but I found it very entertaining, hilarious and emotional. Could easily watch another 8 hours.
I think she’s in black cuz she had a miscarriage not long before the fact. What is with you people? Leave her the f*ck alone. She did weird sh*t later on, but that’s no one’s business, and had no negative effect on The Beatles.
I'm a guitar nerd so I enjoyed seeing George Harrison play Rocky, the Rosewood Tele, the Fender VI bass, and his Les Paul. Harrison wasn't really known as a Les Paul player, but the one you see in the Get Back documentary has a history all it's own and is worth a Google. I also didn't realize Lennon played the guitar solo in the song Get Back until seeing it in the doc.
I grew up and loving The Beatles. That because of my mum having all, but one or two of The Beatles UK albums, an playing them allot when I was in my single digit years in the 80's. My mum died of lung cancer on the 21st of November, 2017. 12 short hours after Charles Manon death. As much as I enjoyed watching all 8 hours, but at the same time it was bitter sweet. That is due to my mum outlived Charles Manson, but she did not lived to see this. Given that she loved, and I mean LOVED, The Beatles.
Man, great review. I probably have some disagreements but not many. My favorite part is on the rooftop, the first time that Paul turns and sees the police in the doorway. He didn't hide how much that pleased him. Funny as hell.
I found it so real. It was great to almost feel the huge tension. You can see how since John brought Ono, so it almost seemed the others retaliated by bringing in their own intrusion. Paul brought his wife Linda, George brought the freeloading meditation buddies....Ringo was the drummer, you could feel so many dimensions others might not catch.
I'm about half way through episode 2 right now. So far, it's been pretty cool but I've not been overly impressed. There's so much material from those sessions that they don't cover or just brush over in favour of awkward jams with Yoko making her "cat being run over by a lawn mower while it's tail is trapped in a bear trap and a dog is peeing in it's face" noise or 100 versions of the songs that were already on the album (or Abbey Road). For me, the most interesting stuff is the songs that didn't make it. I've heard multiple bootlegs of "Madman" which we hear a couple of short grabs of, I don't know why they didn't include at least 1 full run through. There's also other songs like "Watching Rainbows" which are completely overlooked. Some of the dialogue is interesting but I think there's probably a little too much of it, especially when they're going over the same things they've already discussed. Some of the footage doesn't sync up as it's from other moments, but it shouldn't look so obvious. It's an interesting experience, but I doubt I'll be rewatching it over and over like I did with the Anthology or even the original Let It Be movie. The biggest take away so far though is that Paul McCartney is a bit of a jerk, which we sort of already knew from other things but especially in episode 1, he really doesn't come off well.
Just finished ep 1 Honestly I liked Paul McCartney. Didn't really know what they were like before this, didn't actually even know ehy they split. I respect Paul a lot with his drive and initiative. It seems like if he wasn't there it would have fallen apart way sooner, especially because of the missing link in Epstiens death. I see that he can be a bit overbearing but he's absolutely committed. George just seemed down the entire time - which might be Paul's fault but idk he didn't take that much initiative compared to John Paul or Ringo. Ringo best boi tho Also I loved how chill they were with each other though. Even though they had their differences the fact that they could vibe under these circumstances is amazing
The 8 hours it took to watch this Beatles documentary is still less time than it takes to watch the extended version of Return of the King. JK I’m actually a huge fan of tlotr films.
Hey Mike, would you please consider making a reaction video to evolution of music? I would like to know your viewpoint on music from various cultures and how it compares to modern music. Love your content🤘
I fucking loved it the Beatles breakup was such mysterious thing and it really gave a lot of context to what really happened. Also I think this footage sat for so long is Paul caught a lot of the blame for the break up and yoko didn’t want people to see he was actually trying to keep it going while John was checked out
Like Noel Gallagher said, this documentary was ahead of its time. If it was recreated today, it would have been totally fixed and totally curated. They would have already written the songs and it would have been one big set up and totally fake. This was the opposite. I was in awe at their writing prowess and their musicianship. Won’t have anything like them for years to come, if ever, but I’m fine with that
I watched it 3 times before really taking it all in. They just needed a break. Instead they had cameras and a deadline and no direction. What if they took 18 months or even 2 years to do their own thing and just get away from each other? Could have made the 70’s a lot more fun!😃
I think if you're a creative person in general, like a writer or a painter, then Get Back is something you should see. The doubts, the frustrations, the feeling of being disconnected and backed up but also the sheer thrill and joy when that creative energy and inspiration really hits and you're just going and going...that's my shit. When Paul lands on 'Get Back', he's just fucking around on a blank canvas and has no idea where it's going. That moment alone is something that any artist can relate to regardless of whether they're a successful, known artist or not. Get Back is about process and I loved that it was as long as it was because sometimes process is an interminably long and fraught thing.
The nerd in me just wants them to release all the 57 hours of raw uncut footage on a Blu-ray boxset and the audio like they did for the Esher demos for the white album.
me too, but there is not 'really' 57 hours. many is double filmed, or footage from the street. the rooftop was filmed by 8 or 9 camera's. i think Jackson said there is 12 hours of really original/unique film. i like to have it on the blu ray. in 4k and surround.
You talking about the pressure from the execs for the Beatles to produce excellent music in a short period of time while dealing with strife in the band reminds me of Alice in Chains. AiC faced a ton of that during the production of their '95 self-titled album (or Tripod, as it is known affectionately by fans). In fact, their song Sludge Factory off that album is about just that. They felt as though the suits expected them to just be able to produce brilliant music with the AiC sound on command. Perhaps an appropriate name for a Beatles song during this time would have been Love Factory 😅
Anyone who thinks it was too long, simply wasn't the target audience for the material. The documentary simply wasn't made for people who put The Beatles in their "top ten." This is the first Beatles project/product I know of which was exclusively made for people who put the Beatles in their "top one."
The random hitting the hammer against metal you mentioned is their personal assistant and road manager since 1963, Mal Evans. Each episode 3 x and not done yet, I wished there were more hours coming.
I realize that had they shown them collectively concentrating on the songs it might of got boring to people who are not huge fans of them as opposed to arguments and horse playing for the film as shown. I thought this film would show they really loved each other but yet people still try to read to much into their attitude and even try to dissect their physical gestures. I guess they will always be a hot topic when it comes to who was right and wrong.
Since You are big Beatles fan, I'm curious what's your oppinion on each Beatle solo discography after the band split. Personally I like some of The Wings stuff as well as some of George Harrison's songs. Is it possible you do a video on that?
Although Yoko is not the reason for the Beatles breaking up, I cannot for any reason get having your girlfriend at every one of your rehearsals. I'm an old Beatles fan. When I saw them on the Ed Sullivan show in 1994, I knew right away that that's exactly what I wanted to do! I really did like seeing Paul's little daughter having a talk with John about the new cat. And not eating them because they don't taste good. Laughed my ass off at that! I loved the whole thing and there is no doubt in my mind. If it was twice as long, I'd have watched it! Remember, there was about 60 total hours of footage. That of course may have been all the tapes from multiple angles though. All in all. I thought it was fucking amazing! I had no difficulty understanding them at all. My mom's English so I'm used to the accent. Great video and thanks, Mike!
I don’t know if you’ve seen it or not, but if you want to hear another “please god fucking kill me now” sound from Yoko. Please watch the video with John playing with chuck berry on the mike Douglas show, holy shit 😂
Never been a huge Beatles fan, but as a musician and working in psychology, I found it fascinating to see their interactions…and how they mostly bulldozed their way into writing classic hits. The songs rarely started off sounding like future album cuts, let alone hits that have endured 50 years.
Been a Beatles fan since around 65, and this was worth the watch. I smiled so much while watching. Loved how Jackson's team created a process to create stereo tracks from the mono. Yoko...never liked her. Literally a fly on the wall experience.
Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure they will be adding an extra 15 minutes of Scouse mumbling into every 5th/10th/n-th anniversary re-release until eventually all 60+ hours of footage see the light 🥛 🥛
How do you find something negative in everything. This documentary is sick. Never seen footage of them WRITING! Clearly there not your “top 10 favourite band”.
Don’t know why people are making a big deal about how long this documentary is. If it was broken up in eight one hour episodes, no one would even mention the length. Perhaps it has more to do with short attention spans.
That "one random fucker" was Mal Evans, The Beatles roadie. Yes, that's roadie singular. They had him and Neil Aspinall who was the road manager, that was it for the touring years when it came to backstage crew. Mal also has a cameo in Help as the swimmer looking for White Cliffs Of Dover and is also a passenger on the Magical Mystery Tour bus. The character Shake in A Hard Day's Night is based on Mal.
TH-cam is a tough gig man. The pressure for these channels to constantly churn out ‘content’ otherwise they will lose visibility is so high that we see videos like this where people are just seeing what other people are doing and they copy it to get views It’s like a bizarre mouse wheel
Funny you observed the smoking anywhere bit. Believe it or not, where I live in the MD/VA/D.C. area... smoking just about anywhere went all the way through to the late 70's / early 80's before it started "extremely slowly" getting banned from places. I mean, as late as 1990, I would smoke in people's faces while taking their food orders at a pizza shop lol. I would imagine the first places to not allow it were like grocery stores, Dr's offices, etc. It wasn't until 2006 or so before it became banned in any public place. The last to ban were bars.
There are degrees of fandom , I would watch the 4 Beatles boil eggs and horse around for hours and still rate it 10/10
That’s crazy man I’m boiling an egg right now
@@MagicalSkyWizard are you one of the Beatles?
@@JC19021 This is Ringo Starr here- peace and love! I'm boiling an eggman
Absolutely I want more
Now I’m upset there’s no documentary of them boiling eggs and horsing around
For me this documentary was amazing. I wasn’t ever bored despite half of it just being them goofing off. I was just in awe of how they worked off each other and their songs, how Billy Preston made them happy, and how they’d just spontaneously come up with the beginnings of some of their best songs.
I'm hijacking a top comment. Wasn't Yoko Ono's presence pretty much at John's insistence? Remember what a controlling narcissist he was in his relationships and I'm sure he was the one with the power in theirs.
the map man likes the Beatles good to know.
@Mr. Brenman21 But was she there at John's insistence? I've heard about John being absolutely controlling, worrying about her talking with someone else and even had issues with her being seperate on bathroom breaks.
Now, all of that doesn't mean she didn't have John's ear and put out ideas that he would try to insert.
Personally, as a Beatles fan, i really loved this documentary because it gave exactly what it promised and what i expected. 6 hours of John, Paul, George and Ringo in the studio making music, arguing, discussing artistic styles and much more. A lot of the footage had to be trimmed to fit a easily digestible runtime on Disney+ and i think it worked pretty well. It's even more interesting to see what they were really like since lots of people have talked about if all the members really hated each other, and it's very clear that they didn't. Anyways, i recommend it to anyone who's a fan of The Beatles or generally has a passion for 60s/70s experimental music.
I enjoyed it too! I just wish that Peter trimmed the timing a little bit because some moments in parts 1 and 2 just felt dead to me. Otherwise, it is quite an intriguing series.
@@rebeccassweetmusic4632 I agree.
"6 hours of John, Paul, George and Ringo..."
It seems that you MISSED about two hours.☝
@@TheWorldTeacher I'm not perfect.
I am a huge Beatles fan, this was one of the biggest and best gifts I could’ve gotten beatle-wise.
I like how un-upflifting it was. It wasn't really a downer for me, but seeing them drift does have a sense of tragedy to it. I appreciate how real it all feels. No extra B.S. or drama, just getting to be a fly on the wall in sessions through the highs and lows. For me, just when I was like "ugh, I want to skip" a jam would break out or they would evolve a song, or just be like "hey, how about this?" And proceed to play "Something". It isn't for everyone, I agree, but showing the artistic process, unadultered for one of the most iconic groups in history feels less like it was about entertainment anyways, and more so about capturing and preserving history
"capturing and preserving history" - yep, I agree with you 100%
Weirdly, every time the Beatles come close to getting mythologised for me, something comes along and humanises them. I think it’s working out pretty good, they feel like regular folks to me at this stage, Paul is like a goofy grandad who made some awesome music that I love. George is Eric Idle’s body double. John is the dude who makes out with his GF while I awkwardly look away cuz I’m not comfortable with that but I’m not trying to stop people from being happy or whatever, but we could probably chat about Fawlty Towers. I’m sure he would’ve loved Blackadder, and the utter genius of Stephen Fry (Fry and Laurie surpass Monty Python with some of their bits, I’ll die on that hill). Ringo is just there, but I feel like he could take it or leave it, which makes me never fully like him. It’s all for the best really, because Freddie Mercury is heavily mythologised for me, and he does things to my brain and body with his music.
I was watching this with my wife who know very little of all the drama. About half way through the first episode out of nowhere she says "Yoko needs to get a life". I laughed out loud.
Its def true tho....like doesn’t she have shit to do ???
You have a great wife. Mine just listens to that shitty Mexican music. And I’m Mexican too.
@@fknWorldSeries Yeah.....scream like a weirdo into a mic in an art gallery.
@@donjohnson7550 como te voy olvidarrrr
Yoko made the Beatles spit up. She should en be in the studio in the first place An siting on Paul bass amplifier Paul should said something to. Yoko John saying To paul. Is that in the movie I bet it was the flim. The true is John left the and because of yoko
Absolutely loved it. I also knew about how attached Yoko was but GODDAMN she was like John's shadow always following him and never doing anything. There's also a powerful moment where George left and John still hadn't appeared to the studio and Paul says "And then there were two..." , which still stands today like wow really intense moment.
I agree with you! Always seeing Yoko and John stick like glue is annoying. It was almost like she didn't have a personality that was separate from John. When the other Beatles' wives sat in, I could tell that they didn't let the labels, "wife back home" or "wife of a Beatle" consume them. Take Linda McCartney, for example, she seemed like a spontaneous, smart, and independent-minded woman who understood the relationship of the band. Not saying that Yoko doesn't have a personality at all, it's just sad to see that she couldn't separate herself from a man.
Seems that it was just as much John's problem as it was Yoko's. They indulged each other's dependency on the other. Those types of relationships can be really awkward and alienating to be around.
@@robwalsh9843 Very true... They were always hanging around together which definitely made the rest of the band feel like they were pushed to the side at times
"And then there were two..", hit me like a ton of bricks.
@@pteromalid Same here! It was a powerful moment
When I was a kid my parents and all their friends were Beatles nuts. I grew to hate them. Seeing the documentary put me in touch with their human side, and I realized how young they were (and that’s at the end of their career as the Beatles lol). I made a playlist today, and the amazing, timeless melodies of their songs, it’s jaw dropping.
That's something I'd recommend to anyone. Set aside a weekend and listen to the Beatles. Do it in whatever order you want ... start to finish ... most popular to least ... alphabetical order ... etc. Mark down the songs you want to hear again as you go. I will almost guarantee that there is something there for everyone.
Then remind yourself that everything you heard is over a 7-8 year career.
@@joecuthbert8637 it’s mind boggling.. after my 41 song play list I made another 36 song playlist. Then today I took the best 40 songs into a best of (my faves). They may not be my favorite group, but there’s really no one who can touch them.
6 and a half hours of the Beatles fucking around and 1 1/2 hours of then making absolute classics. So basically really awesome.
Edit: The reason the documentary didn't delve into the drama as much as you thought it would is because of the older documentary covered all of the more tense stuff, while this documentary showed that it wasn't completely all doom and gloom.
That and the fact that this was only the beginning of 1969. There were still plenty of troubling times coming before they actually broke up. Remember, a year is a long time when you're the one involved in it all. So much stuff could have come up during that time.
Also, considering that the original documentary Let It Be featured a bunch of clips and shots out of context, it wasn't even close to as bad as it was in that film. Like all the shots of the band looking glum and down at the floor in a darkened studio during Two Of Us, Long And Winding Road, and Let It Be were all just the band tired after everything building up to the concert the day before. They were still making witty jokes and smiling through the last day, but the Let It Be documentary completely separated those clips from their context, especially given that the rooftop concert was put at the end with the recordings that happened the next day being put before it. It was really dishonest and I am glad that Peter Jackson put it right!
@@TheBlackQueen I think it was very clear in get back that they hadn't given up hope yet. John and George even discussed doing solo projects whilst remaining in the Beatles. While there were certainly tense moments and you are correct a ton can happen in a year, I think there was still hope during the making of this.
@@TheBlackQueen don't forget, they recorded Abbey Road after Let It Be. Let It Be was just released after Abbey Road.
I can't help but also say that this documentary has incredible replay value. Not as a casual viewer sitting on the couch, but for a budding musician and fan wanting to learn the songs and about how the recording process used to be. I relearned most of the album and had a blast just jamming to the documentary the second time around with my guitar in hand. I suggest others try to do the same!
I did and you're right
Loved it!!! So cool to see those songs being written was absolutely amazing!!
I'm watching throughbit with my dad, who is a huge Beatles fan and seeing how they worked and fought through struggles has been awesome. Definitely super cool.
I haven't watched part 3 yet, but I like the series so far. The Beatles were the first band that got me to love music.
Here are my two cents:
Positives:
I loved watching what the songwriting process was like. It was fantastic to see those minds together working on what would be some of the greatest songs they wrote towards the end of their legacy before they broke up. It was wicked cool to watch Billy Preston jam with them on "Don't Let Me Down." He brought more of a lift to it. It was evident that there were tensions within the band, but it was still amazing to watch the writing process. I enjoyed watching them goof off and loosen up before they had to focus on writing and recording.
Negatives:
It's way too long. Yoko sitting in with the band beside John only made the tensions worse. I felt sorry for George because it's one thing to read or hear about him being sidelined in the band; it's another thing to watch it happen. As a middle sibling, I know what it's like to be pushed aside. But, on the other hand, the Beatles breaking up was the best thing to happen to George because he could finally record most of his songs that the rest of the band (mainly Paul and John) didn't want to put on their albums.
I say, if you're a music history nerd and/or an average Beatles fan and can withstand the lengthiness of each part in this docuseries, give it a watch!
I found it super interesting and that´s coming from someone who is not a big fan of The Beatles. I´ve never disliked them, just never got into them. But i found it so interesting to see a legendary band creating songs and go behind the scenes. I had to split it into a couple of watching sessions but happy that i saw it.
Yeah, I did the same; splitting the entire thing into smaller viewings of about half an hour or so. I came in wanting to binge watch it, but about an hour into part 1, it felt like I needed to digest things a little better. Binge-watching each part beginning to end, one after the other wouldn't do it justice. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Loved it! Wanted more to see!
Yes it was worth every minute of this documentary. I noticed, that even though Ringo had the blank expression on his face, there was times where he was observing Paul, on what Paul was thinking or coming up with. Also noticed too halfway through Part 2, George was really getting into it.
It was awesome and totally deflated a lot of rock star myths: 1) lyrics are as deep as you want to make them, largely they’re just what sounds good in order 2) these were normal folks with elevated communication abilities, but they grew apart 3) there doesn’t have to be a bad guy for things not to work out, independent minds will grow apart, it’s no one’s ‘fault’ 4) want to even approach the Beatles’ level of craft? either spend 8+ hours a day playing together in clubs and/or 8 hours a day in studio refining riffs.
Yeah, also, don’t listen to too much music but don’t listen to too little either. George so near instant success after The Beatles, but those lawsuits f*cked him up. Also, f*ck Eric Clapton, he’s a f*cking monster and a sh*t friend.
I just saw an interview with Ringo and he said they tought Yoko was hilarious. And another interview I saw with George, he said they were happy for John. Paul actually said something similar in the documentary itself.
Even though she was there all the time, she never tried to influence the direction of the songs. She just sat there reading or knitting or whatever and let them get on with it. I think they didn't mind her presence at all.
Did you miss all of her incessant screaming into a mic?
There’s one time yoko stop band from playing a. Said you guys are not playing good Playing really bad . Paul confronted yoko. Asaid how come you stopped the band from playing an then John at paul and said don’t talk to wife like that. Bet that’s not in the movie.
I agree with you, I didn't really mind her being there, she just sat by john's side sipping coffee and just being. It's wasn't annoying, their relationship just was like that
@@gabrielzorrilla8000Also, some background people like to ignore is that they were going through a fairly tough time, and were fairly reliant on each other at this stage.
As a British person who’s from the next city over from Liverpool, I could understand everything they said. I didn’t even think about other people who definitely wouldn’t understand the northern/Scouse colloquialisms. Looking at it even people from London might not understand everything.
Are you serious? I'm from Kent which is about as far south east England as you get from the north west and Liverpool and like everyone in the south and all over England, understand the accent totally. We grow up with all the English dialects - scouse, brummie, mancunian, geordie, londoner/cockney, west country and so on. You must know that! I was born the year The Beatles were breaking out and becoming famous so was aware of them by the late '60s. I've grown up hearing them talk.
@@mikephillips8810 yea I am serious Mike, I don’t think you know every scouse slang/sayings.
I mean I’m from Manchester and definitely interact with more scousers than you do in Kent, and still there’s words or bits of phrases from them I’ve never heard before. Some of these slang words you’d only know if you went to school in said place or had family from there as they’re so obscure. I mean I’ve met southerners who have had no idea what I meant when I’ve said “bobbins” or “angin”. Think you need to pull your head out your arse Mike.
@@owdaniels9390 Well plus regional colloquial speech must have changed a good deal since the 40s/50s Liverpudlian the Beatles spoke, right? I think today's Liverpool speech (the little I've heard) seems even harder to understand.
@@amitabhhajela681 you’re correct. The Beatles Liverpool accents are easier to understand than modern Scouse. However they still have some of the same phrases and slang words that they had in the 60s today, that some people even from different parts of England, might not pick up on.
@@owdaniels9390 No he doesn't need to pull his head out of his arse, you do. I'm English too, and I understand scouse perfectly well. Apart from that, the Beatles were not particularly broad, their accents are not at all heavy (if you're English), and I didn't hear any words that are unique to the area.
I found the whole thing very emotional. I'm 69, so grew up with the Beatles. My mum was from Liverpool so they hold a huge place in my heart. I'm struck by how lost and rudderless they seem without Brian Epstein. They're still mourning his loss. Paul knew it and clearly felt a sense of responsibility. They set themselves an enormous challenge with the original venture so it's no wonder it went awry. That Twickenham studio was completely the wrong place for them to be in.
As for Yoko, Paul has said many times they accepted her being there with John. It looked like Yoko and Linda got on OK too.
By the end of the rooftop concert I was in tears as it all seemed so final.
Ringo is very much the happy go lucky dog of the Beatles
While Ringo might not be my favorite Beatle, I agree with that statement.
i vibed with it the whole series xD he just wanted to bang on some drums while they argued.
By definition of progressive, the Beatles are INSANELY progressive and even more so significant ultimately in the music realm.
Like, in terms of music?
This doc was amazing. Gave awesome insight
The whole doc definitely had a very melancholic feel. So cool to be swept up into the end of the 60’s and seeing all the styles and setting of London in that time. Very cool. Sucks though definitely feels like if they just would’ve given George a full green light to do his own thing and then come back things could’ve worked out into the 70s
FYI, the footage was used for the "Let it Be" film released in 1970 after the breakup. I consider this to be the ultimate extended edition of that film, and is a truer depiction of what happened back then because it provides more context.
You are right that Let it Be used footage from the same documentary film shoot. But the film shoot was not planned to be for “Let it Be, the 1970 breakup movie.” That decision was made later.
@@777jones Originally the footage was intended for a television mini-series, but if you watch Get Back, you can tell that they had already decided to release it as a film even before they performed the rooftop concert. The only reason it became the "breakup movie" was because it was released shortly after they broke up, so everyone was viewing it with more scrutiny towards the problems the band was having. It's true that a lot of the scenes they chose for the film were the ones that showed the cracks in the band, but I have a feeling that if it had not been released shortly after their break up, people would not have focused as much on the negative aspects, because even the film Let it Be had a lot of scenes that showed how much fun the band was having.
‘Scouse mumbling’? From four lads from Liverpool? Now there’s a novel complaint.
Mal Evans(the guy with the hammer) was with them from the start pretty much, started as the roadie/driver, bouncer then tour manager/right hand man. One of the guys who was the glue to keep them together. He also is the voice counting the bars on a Day in the life during the climax. Mal was the guy i would love to get his stories, unfortunately was shot and killed working as a bouncer/security in the 70's.
Mal Evans was shot and killed by police after a drugged up incident with his friend and girlfriend.
@@adams9586 right, i knew it was something weird, those details were from my old brain. Kudos
@@adams9586 Mal seemed nice, I learnt that recently and was shocked
The best musical doc I have ever seen. I am of that generation that grew up with the Beatles but neverthless this is beyond my expectations. I think you got it too.Thanks.
I agree with so much of what you said, although I would point out that Yoko didn’t hang out at every single thing the Beatles did, but rather, John brought her to every single thing the Beatles did. It’s John, not Yoko. I mean it’s about Yoko, but its not like she showed her way in. I thought Linda’s daughter screaming and crawling over everything was equally distracting, especially given the stress the band was in to finish these albums. I would not be surprised however if THAT appearance was planned by the filmakers.
I think the film illustrates how close these guys were. 4 talented friends had big dreams, attained them, and then a machine developed around them pushing them to do more, more, more! All this happened before they were 30 freaking years old. In short, they were brothers who shared intense, overwhelming experiences, and needed room to breathe.
Some people want to elevate Yoko Ono as some kind of HERO for being SELF-CENTERED. The world makes me sick sometimes.
Completely amazing.to me It's ridiculously fascinating watching the creative process of these four unequaled artists. It's also nice to realize that, above all, even trough what was obviously a tenuous time, their love for the music and, most importantly, for each other was still so apparent
Great, brief, succinct review. Thank you!
Greetings. I also believe it’s too long but there is no chance of putting out edited portions and having Beatles fans be fulfilled. They want it all context be damned. You know it’s long going in which will push some away, but as huge as the Beatles were and probably still are FIFTY YEARS later… there are hordes of folk who have been counting down the hours for this release. Agree with much of your take and it’s very cool to hear someone a bit younger have a supportive opinion on something so vintage. Nice video.
Still wish they’d put out the 57 hours just for the super fans to sift through, I feel like some might find something fascinating. Then again, I’m biased, as I have a fixation with demystifying the past.
With all this new footage, seeing John & George feels like seeing a long-gone friend or family again. Another highlight is hearing the songs' creation, especially that moment when Paul 1st came up with Get Back in particular. The rooftop concert? I almost wept upon realizing we're seeing the concert in all angles. I've always wanted to see the concert in as much angles as possible, and this one delivered and more.
I loved seeing the love that was still there. Paul and John laughing and delighting each other. George and Ringo, ultimately still happily on board. Long friendships enduring and creating great music. "In Spite of All the Danger..."
Had to turn on the English subtitles for this documentary omg. but it’s equally fascinating and aesthetically pleasing to watch, I like it so far :))
The “fucker with the glasses” 😂 was mal Evans their road manager and body guard. He was shot 6 times by LAPD while he was holding a BB gun high, ( they thought it was real). Sadly his ashes were lost and never made it back to England none of the Beatles attended his memorial.
That “random fucker” with the anvil was Mal Evans. Quite the opposite of random if you look him up. Kinda makes me think, “Who’s this random fucker making this video?” lol
It was too short... I loved it.
8 hours were not NEARLY enough time for this. This was amazing the way they just let the Beatles speak for themselves. THIS WAS BRILLIANT!! LOVED IT! John and Paul loved each other despite all the pain and crap, and this was reflected in this documentary. If you love to hate this will bother you. 🙏❤️
Have watched it twice and would definitely watch it again. It's very special footage for Beatles fans
To watch these guys refine and tweak their ideas to turn them into classics was worth everything to me. I am a huge fan of song creation and construction. Could've watched more!!!!
If the Beatles had to deal with those sketchy suits way back then, just imagine what your average modern artist is putting up with in an even more corrupt industry. Really sad
I loved it, watching them screw around in the studio and hearing all of their mistakes while noodling was inspiring because it showed them as human and not the gods they have been built up to be. I only wish we had raw footage while they were in their prime recording Revolver!
I saw the documentary and as a massive Beatles fan I absolutely loved it, it was super fucking good and I loved that we got such an intimate look at the band's rehearsals and watching them just mess about. And that's not to mention the fact that we got to see the births of what songs would become some of their best (Get Back, Don't Let Me Down, Let It Be, Long & Winding Road) and even some of George's solo material (All Things Must Pass). And while I do agree it was on the long side it's still worth it and I highly recommend it for any music fan that'd be interested
Absolutely worth the time. A great documentary and a timepiece as well. Their genius cannot be denied after seeing them work.
As a huge Beatles fan, I thought it was great. I bought a bootlegged vhs version of the original cut of the documentary over a decade ago. They restored the original footage beautifully. I hope this comes out on Blu-ray.
It seems to me that you watched this film with your initial beliefs of the Beatles' split in mind and looked for things that would add up with what you previously believed. Personally, I had similar thoughts as you prior to watching the film but the whole point of the film was to totally challenge virtually everything we'd believed about the band. What I saw was a bunch of people working on music together and, above all else, being human. Here's what I learned from the film which contradicted what I thought earlier:
1) The Beatles did NOT hate each other towards the end. Even though it seems that apart from Paul, they all knew the end was coming. George and John clearly wanted to, at the very least, have a solo career on the side of the Beatles and they're openly discussing it.
2) Ringo was THE most professional musician in the band. He didn't talk but he always listened and came up with ideas that served the song.
3) The others actually accept Yoko and John's relationship and, while it does seem strange to be around such a clingy couple, Yoko doesn't seem to get in the way at all. Not actively, anyway.
4) These guys worked really hard and were a lot more collaborative by this point than historians have suggested. Look at how they all help each other with writing.
5) Paul was easily the most passionate about the band. It seemed that he wanted them to keep going while the others had made their peace with the idea of splitting.
While there have been many interviews by the band that talk about the split in a negative way, we have to remember that this was a year before they officially split. Things would have happened after this was filmed that colored their view of things that happened earlier. McCartney and Starr have even said that the film brought back happy memories they'd forgotten. It's actually quite a feel good film in a way.
I agree with your comments. One thing to add is that most of the awkwardness with Yoko took place in the White Album sessions. By the time they started the Get Back sessions, they were used to her being around.
@@mjanovecI know, I didn’t mind her in the least. Then again, I never really learnt to hate her. I just don’t listen to her music, and thought she and John were super cute in the Imagine music video.
Totally worth it dude!!! The whole thing IMO!!! 👍
Honest and solid review. We agreed with so much in our review as well.
I found it inspiring, it made me want to play. A nice antidote for lack of motivation or writer's block.
I think George just wanted to do his own thing. Get out of John and Paul's shadow sort of thing. John wanted to work with Yoko. I think someone like John wanted to keep evolving. Yoko at that time was inspiring him more.
I think it's fine calling Jackson the director here. It's basically found footage, and even if he wasn't literally operating the cameras, he's directing the movie. (Even on an action movie set, the director rarely operates the camera, they just orchestrate the story being told.)
It's a Michael Lindsay-Hogg film, plain and simple
@@randalclarke5487 I feel that the director, in a documentary, is the one telling the story. And I feel that Lindsay-Hogg was telling a different story than Peter Jackson, which makes these projects different enough to warrant calling Peter Jackson the director of this project. Yes, he's using the shots chosen by Lindsay-Hogg's team, but Lindsay-Hogg wasn't choosing every shot, he wasn't pulling focus on every camera. Even then, the original director wasn't the person operating the cameras
@@randalclarke5487 No let it be is a michael lindsay hogg film. Peter Jackson was making every choice in the editing room when making get back. This tells a deifferent than let it be and as peter jackson said himself he didnt want this to be a substitute to let it be which is why he chose not to use any of the footage that was in that movie.
I thought only the first part dragged a bit. The second and third parts were the best, especially the third. This documentary is NOT for casual fans or for non-fans. These people will find these docs a bit boring. But for more dedicated/bigger fans this is a fascinating document of the development of the “Let it be” album’s songs. Your assessment of the tiny-elephant(in black)-in-the-room is spot on, the best I’ve heard. Overall I think this is a fascinating record of the development of the Let it Be album. Truly awesome.
Actually I was not a fan of the beatles but I wanted to watch it from a music nerd perspective and I bloody enjoyed it! This is certainly not for everyone but I found it very entertaining, hilarious and emotional. Could easily watch another 8 hours.
I think she’s in black cuz she had a miscarriage not long before the fact. What is with you people? Leave her the f*ck alone. She did weird sh*t later on, but that’s no one’s business, and had no negative effect on The Beatles.
I'm a guitar nerd so I enjoyed seeing George Harrison play Rocky, the Rosewood Tele, the Fender VI bass, and his Les Paul. Harrison wasn't really known as a Les Paul player, but the one you see in the Get Back documentary has a history all it's own and is worth a Google. I also didn't realize Lennon played the guitar solo in the song Get Back until seeing it in the doc.
My opinion on Get Back is, that its one of my alltime favourite songs, I would love to play it myself live one time
Short answer, hear it’s worth it. Long answer: fuck yeah it’s totally worth it if you like music.
I grew up and loving The Beatles. That because of my mum having all, but one or two of The Beatles UK albums, an playing them allot when I was in my single digit years in the 80's. My mum died of lung cancer on the 21st of November, 2017. 12 short hours after Charles Manon death. As much as I enjoyed watching all 8 hours, but at the same time it was bitter sweet. That is due to my mum outlived Charles Manson, but she did not lived to see this. Given that she loved, and I mean LOVED, The Beatles.
Loved it and your review...one thing, though. You could smoke almost everywhere up until the early to mid 90s....or at least where I live.
I plan to watch this documentary! The Beatles are my dad’s favorite band so I’ve definitely listened to them often.
Man, great review. I probably have some disagreements but not many.
My favorite part is on the rooftop, the first time that Paul turns and sees the police in the doorway. He didn't hide how much that pleased him. Funny as hell.
Yolo didmt GIVE feedback, Mikr! she didnt open her mouth til they were already jamming. Shes not in the way. We see paul even defend her in the film!
I found it so real. It was great to almost feel the huge tension. You can see how since John brought Ono, so it almost seemed the others retaliated by bringing in their own intrusion. Paul brought his wife Linda, George brought the freeloading meditation buddies....Ringo was the drummer, you could feel so many dimensions others might not catch.
I'm about half way through episode 2 right now. So far, it's been pretty cool but I've not been overly impressed. There's so much material from those sessions that they don't cover or just brush over in favour of awkward jams with Yoko making her "cat being run over by a lawn mower while it's tail is trapped in a bear trap and a dog is peeing in it's face" noise or 100 versions of the songs that were already on the album (or Abbey Road). For me, the most interesting stuff is the songs that didn't make it. I've heard multiple bootlegs of "Madman" which we hear a couple of short grabs of, I don't know why they didn't include at least 1 full run through. There's also other songs like "Watching Rainbows" which are completely overlooked. Some of the dialogue is interesting but I think there's probably a little too much of it, especially when they're going over the same things they've already discussed. Some of the footage doesn't sync up as it's from other moments, but it shouldn't look so obvious. It's an interesting experience, but I doubt I'll be rewatching it over and over like I did with the Anthology or even the original Let It Be movie. The biggest take away so far though is that Paul McCartney is a bit of a jerk, which we sort of already knew from other things but especially in episode 1, he really doesn't come off well.
Just finished ep 1
Honestly I liked Paul McCartney.
Didn't really know what they were like before this, didn't actually even know ehy they split.
I respect Paul a lot with his drive and initiative. It seems like if he wasn't there it would have fallen apart way sooner, especially because of the missing link in Epstiens death. I see that he can be a bit overbearing but he's absolutely committed.
George just seemed down the entire time - which might be Paul's fault but idk he didn't take that much initiative compared to John Paul or Ringo.
Ringo best boi tho
Also I loved how chill they were with each other though. Even though they had their differences the fact that they could vibe under these circumstances is amazing
The 8 hours it took to watch this Beatles documentary is still less time than it takes to watch the extended version of Return of the King.
JK I’m actually a huge fan of tlotr films.
Hey Mike, would you please consider making a reaction video to evolution of music? I would like to know your viewpoint on music from various cultures and how it compares to modern music.
Love your content🤘
I like how it was advertised as just literally footage of them messin around and writing songs and jamming
I fucking loved it the Beatles breakup was such mysterious thing and it really gave a lot of context to what really happened. Also I think this footage sat for so long is Paul caught a lot of the blame for the break up and yoko didn’t want people to see he was actually trying to keep it going while John was checked out
Like Noel Gallagher said, this documentary was ahead of its time. If it was recreated today, it would have been totally fixed and totally curated. They would have already written the songs and it would have been one big set up and totally fake. This was the opposite. I was in awe at their writing prowess and their musicianship. Won’t have anything like them for years to come, if ever, but I’m fine with that
I watched it 3 times before really taking it all in. They just needed a break. Instead they had cameras and a deadline and no direction. What if they took 18 months or even 2 years to do their own thing and just get away from each other? Could have made the 70’s a lot more fun!😃
I think if you're a creative person in general, like a writer or a painter, then Get Back is something you should see. The doubts, the frustrations, the feeling of being disconnected and backed up but also the sheer thrill and joy when that creative energy and inspiration really hits and you're just going and going...that's my shit. When Paul lands on 'Get Back', he's just fucking around on a blank canvas and has no idea where it's going. That moment alone is something that any artist can relate to regardless of whether they're a successful, known artist or not. Get Back is about process and I loved that it was as long as it was because sometimes process is an interminably long and fraught thing.
It was great. There should be way more music docs like this.
The nerd in me just wants them to release all the 57 hours of raw uncut footage on a Blu-ray boxset and the audio like they did for the Esher demos for the white album.
me too, but there is not 'really' 57 hours. many is double filmed, or footage from the street. the rooftop was filmed by 8 or 9 camera's.
i think Jackson said there is 12 hours of really original/unique film.
i like to have it on the blu ray. in 4k and surround.
You talking about the pressure from the execs for the Beatles to produce excellent music in a short period of time while dealing with strife in the band reminds me of Alice in Chains.
AiC faced a ton of that during the production of their '95 self-titled album (or Tripod, as it is known affectionately by fans). In fact, their song Sludge Factory off that album is about just that. They felt as though the suits expected them to just be able to produce brilliant music with the AiC sound on command.
Perhaps an appropriate name for a Beatles song during this time would have been Love Factory 😅
Man I never thought of that parallel. Sludge factory is such a great track too.
Anyone who thinks it was too long, simply wasn't the target audience for the material. The documentary simply wasn't made for people who put The Beatles in their "top ten." This is the first Beatles project/product I know of which was exclusively made for people who put the Beatles in their "top one."
The random hitting the hammer against metal you mentioned is their personal assistant and road manager since 1963, Mal Evans. Each episode 3 x and not done yet, I wished there were more hours coming.
Agree completely, best most accurate commentary I’ve seen on this topic
*Goodnight Mike*
Yes. Worth every second.
I like to Get Back a lot. Peter Jackson and The Beatles are a perfect combo.
It was originally made into a film called "Let It Be" in 1970
I realize that had they shown them collectively concentrating on the songs it might of got boring to people who are not huge fans of them as opposed to arguments and horse playing for the film as shown. I thought this film would show they really loved each other but yet people still try to read to much into their attitude and even try to dissect their physical gestures. I guess they will always be a hot topic when it comes to who was right and wrong.
Since You are big Beatles fan, I'm curious what's your oppinion on each Beatle solo discography after the band split. Personally I like some of The Wings stuff as well as some of George Harrison's songs. Is it possible you do a video on that?
Although Yoko is not the reason for the Beatles breaking up, I cannot for any reason get having your girlfriend at every one of your rehearsals. I'm an old Beatles fan. When I saw them on the Ed Sullivan show in 1994, I knew right away that that's exactly what I wanted to do! I really did like seeing Paul's little daughter having a talk with John about the new cat. And not eating them because they don't taste good. Laughed my ass off at that! I loved the whole thing and there is no doubt in my mind. If it was twice as long, I'd have watched it! Remember, there was about 60 total hours of footage. That of course may have been all the tapes from multiple angles though.
All in all. I thought it was fucking amazing! I had no difficulty understanding them at all. My mom's English so I'm used to the accent. Great video and thanks, Mike!
Wow I guess the Beatles were lucky they came at the height of grunge.
@@dio7184 lmaoo
I don’t know if you’ve seen it or not, but if you want to hear another “please god fucking kill me now” sound from Yoko. Please watch the video with John playing with chuck berry on the mike Douglas show, holy shit 😂
6:21 ah yes their most famous nickname “the super four”
Right behind "the untouchables"
Never been a huge Beatles fan, but as a musician and working in psychology, I found it fascinating to see their interactions…and how they mostly bulldozed their way into writing classic hits. The songs rarely started off sounding like future album cuts, let alone hits that have endured 50 years.
Been a Beatles fan since around 65, and this was worth the watch. I smiled so much while watching. Loved how Jackson's team created a process to create stereo tracks from the mono. Yoko...never liked her. Literally a fly on the wall experience.
I'm hoping that there's an Extended Cut when it comes to Blu Ray.
Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure they will be adding an extra 15 minutes of Scouse mumbling into every 5th/10th/n-th anniversary re-release until eventually all 60+ hours of footage see the light 🥛 🥛
Three weeks after the rooftop, sessions for Abbey Road began on February 22.
How do you find something negative in everything. This documentary is sick. Never seen footage of them WRITING! Clearly there not your “top 10 favourite band”.
He's the music snob
That’s him in almost every video.
Just because you like a band doesn't mean you can't criticize them
S yoko. does no like John first son She take John frist son to court flight for the rights To Johns songs
@@davidbarber2010 English is your second language, eh?
Im in love w the doc (except for all the yoko) I’m on my 6th watch now
their secret conversation John and Paul had, and didn't know about it, was historical moment
INseparable...2 of us, w teeth clenched.
Don’t know why people are making a big deal about how long this documentary is. If it was broken up in eight one hour episodes, no one would even mention the length. Perhaps it has more to do with short attention spans.
That "one random fucker" was Mal Evans, The Beatles roadie. Yes, that's roadie singular. They had him and Neil Aspinall who was the road manager, that was it for the touring years when it came to backstage crew. Mal also has a cameo in Help as the swimmer looking for White Cliffs Of Dover and is also a passenger on the Magical Mystery Tour bus. The character Shake in A Hard Day's Night is based on Mal.
I’d watch a doc exactly like this on every album!
TH-cam is a tough gig man.
The pressure for these channels to constantly churn out ‘content’ otherwise they will lose visibility is so high that we see videos like this where people are just seeing what other people are doing and they copy it to get views
It’s like a bizarre mouse wheel
Wait for tomorrow's video...
Funny you observed the smoking anywhere bit. Believe it or not, where I live in the MD/VA/D.C. area... smoking just about anywhere went all the way through to the late 70's / early 80's before it started "extremely slowly" getting banned from places. I mean, as late as 1990, I would smoke in people's faces while taking their food orders at a pizza shop lol. I would imagine the first places to not allow it were like grocery stores, Dr's offices, etc. It wasn't until 2006 or so before it became banned in any public place. The last to ban were bars.