Beatles - Let It Be - DVD

Beatles - Let It Be - DVD

 

Paul has been asked many times if Let It Be would ever be reissued on DVD, and his answer has almost always been, "you know, those were bad times back then, and we'd rather concentrate on the positive things about the Beatles." I think this feeling was intensified by Harrison's death in 2001, since the film dramatically shows the confrontation between Paul and George more than three decades earlier.

So my guess is that it will never come out on DVD as long as he's alive. This is one part of their legacy I don't think McCartney wants to preserve, at least for the public.

Apple still has hours of outtakes, tons of unreleased footage, and enough negative and multitracks in the vault that you could easily get two or three DVDs worth of material out of it.

 

That's understandable, but why not release, say, just the rooftop concert in full?

 

It's That Beard. He doesn't feel it's his act As Known.

 

LIB is not a happy thing to watch, although the rooftop concert is a real gem. I've always thought the film would really benefit from a re-edit . Afterall it does offer some cool moments...

Maybe if they looked at it from the standpoint of improving it (sound, video, editing) it might make more sense to them.

And maybe a world-wide theatrical release to roll out the new and improved version. Why not?

 

I wish they would put it out. Yes, it does cover a bad segment of their career, but it does show(warts and all) how they worked on a project. And, despite the gloomy atmosphere and downslide, they DID have some laughs and fun working on new music.

Bottom line, it would be nice to have a proper version of this film to watch. I'd go into specifics, but you all know the story behind this film.

 

As I said over in another thread on Visual Arts, what I think we need is a Robert Zemeckis mo-cap "reimagining" of LIB. Tack on a new ending where Paul and George drive off into the sun using outtakes of helicopter footage from The Shining, and Bob's your uncle.

Geoff

 

All those reasons above for not putting it out have always sounded wrong to me... The negative things, we should concentrate on more positive, blah-blah... Come on, there were plenty of negative stuff going on with everybody in everything at the time, and everything has been released on film and on record (...including the Let it Be album!)... I'd bet there is some ugly real reason lurking somewhere that would explain this gigantic... cosmic!... hideous anomaly...

I admit having not seen the film in full in a very long while - I may have watched it two times at the cinema and that's it, save for the Anthology bits and the rooftop Youtube clips. But I have vivid memories of plenty of positive things about it, that others have already enumerated, and the Apple rooftop gig is in any way, and for I believe the vast majority of the fans, something that actually redeems all evils that could have happened down at Twickenham, etc., a logical culmination (happy ending! if one wants positive...) for the film...

I don't mean to say that this documentary is genius - I haven't seen it for too long to have an opinion - but it's so important for the history of music that it being still unreleased on modern media in 2010 is completely ludicrous... and downright suspicious IMO!

 

The film shows Paul and John and their worst. George and Ringo are the victims. It led to end of the band. It's that simple. I can see why both Paul and Ringo would rather forget about it.

The thing that rescues the film and keeps me going back is that they were equipped to create some memorable music in spite of the stupidity.

 

>The film shows Paul and John and their worst.<

!?!

 

Musically, no. Personally, yes. Paul is in full-blown control freak mode. John is in full-blown heroin addiction.

 

LIB is a terrible watching movie

I've never seen it in full for the same reason. I can't stand it. It's not point for me in watching stupid arguments and bad blood all over.

I'd rather have more footage and full songs played with the genious Billy Preston, like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-61AgGvWSA

By far the best moments in the original film and in the outtakes is the performances with Billy

 

It's amazing that the film was ever released in the first place, given all the negativity and bad vibes. Why did they put it out in 1970? Allen Klein bulldozed it through? John Lennon wanting to show the world the state of their dysfunction?

 

I've never heard Paul say such things. In fact when Let It Be..Naked was released he said how much he enjoyed the music and that any bad vibes had long since passed. I've never read quotes from him where he slagged the film or the music. Let It Be was completely remastered WITH bonus features back in 2003. A December release was announced by the film's producer, though he did so without consulting Neil Aspinall. It was not put on hold because of George's death. However, one member of the Apple Board refused to signoff on the release at the time (and presumably hasn't changed their mind). The first excuse being the trove of film outtakes recovered from a bootlegger in Holland, then deciding WHAT bonus features should be included to augment the film. To this day we don't know whether Olivia or Yoko were the culprits. It was NOT Paul or Ringo. That being said, the film WAS remastered for DVD release (to be tied-in with the Let It Be...Naked CD), additionally, work was done preparing new videos (many of these showed up on EPK sets and subsequently booted). As with any release under Apple's control, ALL have to approve whats issued. Ron

 

My money is on Yoko being the one.....George looked and sounded good in Let It Be, notwithstanding the little tiff with Paul. John looked like the drugged out, indifferent, unenthused man that he was. Not to mention that his songs were the worst of the bunch (Dig a Pony? what a POS)

Ron, what is your theory on the questions I raised in post #17?

 

I though it was just the original Nagra audio tapes that were recovered. That said did that occur after they had remastered the film? I assume they wouldn't have prepared a remaster without the original nagra tapes?

 

Paul loves to play the Let it Be songs he wrote in concert. Don't think he prevented it from coming out.

 

You should watch the whole film my friend. There is ONE argument and it's very low key. The Paul/George "I'll play whatever you want me to play, or I won't play at all..." The film was never edited particularly well for sure. The first 10 minutes or so showing Mal and his aide moving gear around the soundstage to Paul's classic piano practice piece makes for a way low-key beginning. And things get worse from there. Just horrible versions of Don't Let Me Down and Maxwell's Silver Hammer (edited from different performances) get things off to a weak start. Then there's the weird footage of George getting shocked by his amp/mic. It's not funny or constructive at all. Just boring.

Things get better with nice, uptempo versions of Two Of Us and Suzy Parker, but then bogs down again with a horrid "version" of Across The Universe (following the argument) showing a lethargic Paul, all but yawning, searching unsuccessfully for the notes to the song. Just brutal. I like the I Me Mine sequence, the short demo of the song and the Threetles performance. Nicely done. I also like For You Blue. Though the outtake footage shows a much different light on things. George is fully in charge of the session and even mocks John about his playing (but in an affectionate way). The Apple footage is odd though. There's a wealth of nice footage and performances, but the director/producer/film editor decided to show a bunch of disjointed oldies performances (heavy edited) that just doesn't work all that well. Dig It is fun, but nothing more than a jam. I like the Octopus's Garden feature. George is charming helping his bandmate and that sheepish smile he gives George Martin is priceless. I also like the piano duet between Ringo and Paul... short, but fun.

The studio footage doing Long and Winding Road, Let It Be and Two Of Us is very good, though outtake footage is more interesting with lots of laughter and busking about. What ruins this section is the stupid Paul monologue part. It really seems like he's treating John as a student, not a friend or partner. Why this was left in the film is anyone's guess. That it's filmed showing only John's near motionless expression and the back of Paul's head is just dreadful. The sound for this sequence is mired with some high-pitch whine as well. This bogs the film down needlessly. Of course the entire film is salvaged by the incredible Rooftop gig. Would have liked to hear and watch the entire performance, but the crowd shots and responses make for good filming.

It wouldn't be too tough to re-edit the film. Remove the argument and monologue sections to start. Add in some well-recorded oldies (Gone, Gone Gone, Blue Suede Shoes, Short Fat Fanny and others) re-install Teddy Boy (not the best Macca song, but it sounds like they were having fun) and things like Old Brown Shoe and at least ONE of the decent versions of All Things Must Must Pass. There's lots to choose from. Ron

 

Nagra audio and a slew of film. Lots of this was bootlegged long ago, but some of it remains unseen. Ron

 

I'm with Ron. Couldn't have spun it better

 

I kind of like that part...I think most guitarists can relate; we've all been shocked at one time or another, and besides, it's quite brief.

Did Michael Lindsay-Hogg have complete control over the editing of the film or did Macca get his paws on it (which might explain his lecturing of JL scene being kept in)?

 

As much as I would like to see this in a remastered package, i worry that we'll get some "no cigarette" editing with Apple pulling out the parts that are uncomfortable, kinda rewriting the history of the project.

They need to put this out if for nothing other than the moment John and Paul shared on one mic singing the rocked out "Two Of Us". That was special.

 

Me too......this was so indifferently put together, it's not funny.

Evan

 

I think Paul was keeping an ultra-low profile during the Fall of 1969 and into the New Year. Not sure he saw any of the film rushes to be honest. I believe John did at one point though. Wonder why he didn't insist on the segment showing a wailing Yoko be included? The shock segment was just pointless really. The roadie had no clue that one needed to hold the guitar AND mic, at the same time. I know it's short, but it just seems gratuitous to me. And yea, I've been shocked hundreds of times too! Footage of them listening to Get Back in the control room would have been MUCH nicer. Unlike some of the gloom and doom pictures taken there, this session shows a VERY animated George bouncing along to the song. They all know the song is a good one and it shows. Not to mention including the rollicking studio performance of Get Back with all of them standing up for a change. Loose and fun. Ron

 

Apple put together a "new" video for the song Get Back in 2003.....all of the footage is of the "fun" Beatles, having a good time and rocking.

LIB could be reedited in such a way.

Evan