Let It Be

Another watched in-flight movie on my IPod, "Let it Be" for my money now stands as an honest and convincing testimony to the talent and stature of The Beatles, even as one can sense the ties that bind loosening them individually in front of you.

Of course there's a sadness and elegiac sensation for fans in watching this "posthumous" film and it's also fair to say the music isn't always top-drawer Beatles - only McCartney brings his best work to the party, although John and especially George would recover their chops in time for "Abbey Road". Sure, too the playing's a bit sloppy at times but there's never a moment when there isn't fascination at something going on on-screen. And for-by much is made of Paul and George's spat (with John acting as unlikely peace-maker) and the at times tired and dishevelled appearance of the guys themselves, there are many other revealing and rewarding vignettes, even before director Michael Lindsay-Hogg, corrals the band for three assured in-studio video performances (all, significantly, of Macca tracks) and then the great idea (since aped by the Stones and U2) of playing their new stuff live on Apple's roof, on a biting cold Jamuary day. It was also inspired of Lindsay-Hogg to intersperse the general public's comments before the group brings the "audition" to a close.

The photography is great, the four stepping into life from their iconic White Album photos and I enjoyed the honest but fair editing applied to what was by all accounts a massively over-recorded exercise. Favourite moments for me include Paul and Ringo's boogie-woogie piano run-through, George assisting Ringo with the writing of "Octopus's Garden" and of course that final run-through of "Get Back" on the roof, with Paul surprisingly getting in some improvised anti-Establishment digs before the police pulled the plug.

Of all the concerts that ever have been or ever will be, that 20 minute Apple gig is the one I wish I could have been at. And surely even if slightly Pyrrhically, the great music they produce over the last thirty minutes or so of the film justifies the raison-d'etre of the film, working up the songs from in-progress to issuable level.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I watched this Beatles documentary for the first time when it was released for the second time in the Spanish theaters in 1980.

I enjoyed it very much in spite of being 10 years old, because a friend of mine had the "Let it be" tape and we used to listen to it very often and we both knew all the songs pretty well. We had a splendid time.

Now I have a copy in VHS of the film and I use to watch it from time to time.

I know it´s mostly a documentary about The Beatles break-up which is kind of sad, but it would be unfair to say the film is not most enjoyable and besides the rehearsals and the arguments, it ends with the very last Beatles concert, (the famous rooftop concert).

The Beatles were four guys who spent some six years together 24 hours a day, "eight days a week" as they would say, working very hard, dealing with all kind of stressing events and it´s logical they split up in the end. Fame is very expensive. George Harrison explains it very well in the last chapter of The Beatles Anthology: "The fans gave the money and the screams, and The Beatles kind of gave their nervous systems...". And I agree with him. It had to be hell!.

None of the four Beatles was to blame for their break-up, that´s something that just had to happen.

If you ever have the chance of watching this film, just do it. It´s a must for all the Beatles fans and all the music lovers.

I hope this gem is released in DVD with lots of extras in the near future!!. Please, release it!!.

Long live the Beatles!.

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