'Get Back' Is One Of The Best Things I've Ever Watched
Peter Jackson's epic, lengthy documentary about The Beatles' reportedly tumultuous 'Get Back' sessions (which would later be repurposed as 'Let It Be', the final album released in the band's discography) is finally here, and as a lifelong Beatles fanatic, I can say with confidence that it lives up to the hype....and then some.
You know you're in for something special with this documentary almost right away when the band rehearses John Lennon's 'Gimme Some Truth' and George Harrison's 'All Things Must Pass' back-to-back, but the jaw-dropping moments don't stop there. We see Paul McCartney fiddling around on his bass until he seemingly finds 'Get Back' outta thin air....we see John (possibly strung out on heroin at this point) and Paul trying to rekindle a fire that seems to have been lost since the death of Brian Epstein....we see George's ideas and suggestions get shut down/ignored to the point where he quits the band....we see Billy Preston join the band and give them a whole new energy and vibe....we see McCartney playing 'Let It Be' to the band for the first time the morning he wrote it....and we see Ringo having the time of his life, sitting behind his drums, ready to play when the rest of the fellas figure their shit out.
Obviously, you see a whole lot more than what I just mentioned, but I don't wanna spoil it all for ya. It's more than worth watching for yourself.
I know the length of the series is intimidating (Part 1 of the doc is over two and a half hours, Part 2 is nearly three hours, and Part 3 is two hours), but it really doesn't feel its runtime at all. It's an absolute breeze to watch, and just constantly lets you in on these insanely intimate moments between John, Paul, George, and Ringo that have you feeling like you're hanging out in the studio with em. Peter Jackson totally embraced that candid camera style as well, and didn't include a single talking head interview or anything else that may take you out of January 1969.
It's truly mind-blowing that this footage hasn't been released until now, but I couldn't be more grateful it's finally out there. I'll watch and re-watch 'Get Back' for years to come, and I'd deem it essential viewing for any music fan. Ten out of ten.
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