Beatles archivist on "Let It Be", Shea film and more

You don't like the Budokan stuff? I think they sound great. The are obviously under stress with the mics moving around and so forth but they are totally pro about it. Nice to be able to watch those songs played live too.

 

I've gotta ask what this is. Did I miss something?

 

George got upset when Yoko snacked on his digestives without asking. Cheeky as heck. But I think this happened during the Imagine recording sessions.

 

I gather that most who find Let It Be boring are non-musicians. The premise of the film may not have been all that wonderful, but it is what it is. It shows the band rehearsing, chatting (and yep, sometimes band members argue or get upset during sessions) and creating brand-new music. That it came about just a few months after the grueling sessions for the White Album makes it that much more tense and stressful for all concerned. Not to mention the requirement of recording and filming in the morning. A practice the Beatles long ago had abandoned. Preferring to record at night (and often through the night into the next day).

The original concept of the film (or TV Special) was much better. That would have shown them rehearsing, prepping then performing a live show (at London's Roundhouse Theater) of songs from the recent White Album. Paul may have been the one who wanted to connect with the fans once again, but the live premise could have worked if they actually tried to plan the event ahead of time. The biggest issue was trying to come up with new songs so soon after the WA sessions. George was ready. He had at least half a dozen songs at the ready (and would continue writing all month). Paul still had a few leftover tracks to flesh out (and several new ones at the ready). John had almost nothing new. A few half-finished tracks and Don't Let Me Down. That's about it. Poor Ringo didn't even get his usual album track, eventhough he also had a few songs ready. Considering John was seriously involved with heroin (and Yoko) and seemingly had little interest in being a band member it's quite amazing anything was accomplished.

Filming early rehearsals, chatting and squabbling may have been honest, but it sort of leaves an impression that there was little worthwhile to release. There's SOOO much quality footage left out of the final print that the lasting
impression is that the Beatles didn't give a damn. It's just not so clear-cut. The real culprit is the way the film was edited. Some of it being Michael Lindsay-Hogg's fault, though the others complained that there was a bit too much John (and Yoko) so the film was edited quite a bit just before release. Of course, the beginning of the film is B O R I N G. Paul's attempt at playing Barber's Adagio For Strings while Mal and his assistant move Ringo's drums around the empty film studio, with a very dour-looking Ringo (looking all the world as if he's falling asleep) peering over Paul's shoulder as he labours. Not exactly A Hard Day's Night that intro, aye?


Of all people, it's George who breaks things up with a hug and a great-big smile. This is followed by an awful early version of Don't Let Me Down (Yoko sitting by his side looking dazed) then into a goofy romp through Maxwell's Silver Hammer (two distinct edits one with Paul on bass, the other on piano) with George and John whistling with Paul singing "wish that George was dead". At least a smiling Mal can be seen banging the anvil. Definitely a man in his element. Overall, just a very slow, poorly-paced start to a film. It doesn't help that these early sequences are poorly-lit and sonically sound bad. The "electric shocks" scene is ok, but why not show George performing the acoustic version of All Things Must Pass that prefaces the scene? It looks as if it was included as a way to poke fun at George. Odd, that this follows into the fun and frollicking Two Of Us. I love this performance. No one watching it then, or now, would think that the Beatles weren't having fun. Paul's "Elvis lip" and John's over-the-top strumming are so fun to watch. Perhaps it would have been better to start the film with this performance, then into the "good morning" I've Got A Feeling. My version does just that It's best to skip that opening 10 minutes or so. Ron

 

Abbey Road.

 

OH MY GOD!!!

 

How on earth do you "gather" this??? That's kind of smug, isn't it? I am not a musician, but I'd be willing to put my love of or tastes in music up against ANYONE who plays it professionally.

When I saw the film, I was 8 and probably the biggest Beatles fan in my age group. It was an event for me, and I was as excited as all heck to see my beloved Beatles on the big screen.

All I'm saying is that if I never see this film again, my chances of dying a happy man will not be lessened.

Get me?

 

I don't see what's smug about what Brainwashed said. If you *were* a musician, you would probably find the movie interesting. I sure do and I'm not a huge Beatle nut.

 

To my embarrassment, I've never heard the term "digestive biscuits". Possibly a geographical issue with my terminology shortcomings.

 

Well said, but see my previous post.. I think it was mainly the particular way the film was cut that made it appear boring and sad in places. There is tons of great uplifting and humourous moments in LIB that you could quite easily make a completely different positive cut to the film.

 

Being a musician would not affect my ability to judge worthiness. It is foolish to think that it would.

Listen, I'd buy the thing in a heartbeat also, but only because I'm a lifelong Beatles fan. If it never gets re-released, I think I'll live.

Too much bitchin' and moanin' about what doesn't get released, and not enough enjoyment of whatever gets released.

 

Even more foolish would be to confuse "interesting" with a judgment like "worthy" (and you called someone "smug" in your previous post? )

 

I totally agree with your sentiments. Ron

 

Yep, this movie needs a complete rebuild from top to bottom. They just need to sit down and go through every reel of film and make a whole new one.

 

watching Tokyo '66 & Let It Be in one sitting on a Saturday night.

..man, that would suck.

 

Smug? I don't think so. I know lots of people who find documentary films of all kinds to be boring simply because they don't know the subject at hand. If one is an entomologist, I'm sure a documentary on the life of a fly would be quite thrilling indeed. Others may not feel the same way. One thing I didn't use were words like 'love' or 'taste'. Far be it from me to tell people how they should feel about the film. HOWEVER, anyone who has ever been in a band knows that Let It Be is truthful. Laughs, squabbles, tedious, tense and fun. All of it. Even more so if one has been filmed in the studio. It's NOT the most pleasant feeling in the world. I'm just saying after the first 10 minutes or so (along with some rather disjointed editing here and there) Let It Be is not the boring, sad epitaph some believe it to be. Ron

 

Wow I'm surprised that the Budokan performance has such a bad reputation apparently.

 

From what I've seen of the Twickenham footage, you could lose 80-90% of it and it wouldn't be missed - poor lighting, poor sound and lethargy seem to rule the roost.

The difference in overall band mood (taken as a whole) once they enter Apple and get Billy Preston in the band is night and day - you can see from the some of the clips on the LIB...N trailers on Youtube that John and George both seem much lighter in spirit (the clips of John in the stripy shirt on the clips appear to show him having a great day - any idea which date that was?). John in the movie comes across mostly as a sullen, listless ghost, which clearly ISN'T the case on some of that Apple Studio footage.

I'm not one for re-writing history (there obviously was a bad vibe to the Twickenham sessions for the most part), but I 100% agree with Immerse's post above - there's clearly a much more interesting movie wanting to break out of the bits we have (and those we don't?).

 

Plus it was probably warm in the Apple studio.

Watching them sit around that underheated barn of Twickenham, bleary eyed and up far too early in the morning, practically makes me feel cold and lethargic.

What a lousy idea that was in the first place...

 

Looks like Ron struck a nerve!

Frank R.

 

its got some great moments.. the real bummer is its not up to par when it could/should have been.

..happens to every band & they are the beatles - which raises the bar of expectation. oh well

 

What's your point?

 

It has the distinction of being one of the very few color videos of the Beatles performing in front of a relatively quiet audience... except that their playing and singing is really sloppy.

 

I have to say that I MUCH prefer the Munich '66 show over both of the Budokan shows filmed - they still make mistakes (the wrong verse on I'm Down, for example) but, maybe down the fact that the boys liked Germany and were happy to be back, they give a much more committed performance, IMO.

Worth seeking out, if you don't have it.

 

I don't know. The playing isn't too sloppy. The microphones are moving... so the singing and playing is challenged by that. It's a more downbeat show than Shea... but I like it better (maybe because of the setlist). But I've seen some really off performances from bands I've loved and I wouldn't consider this show to be one of them. Oh well. To each his own.