I was worried before I sat down to watch this that my expectations might have been to high. There was a lot of hype around it and a lot of talented people involved in the film's production. Plus we're talking about the greatest band in history! But, jeez, what an experience. Totally immersive if you watch it, as we did, in two blocks on consecutive days.
First of all you have to congratulate Peter Jackson. I'd seen his brilliant film on the Great War and so knew what respect he held his subject in. But, as someone said earlier in the thread, it would have been so easy to go down the conventional route and produce a 'documentary' that showed just the highlights (or lowlights as the original one did), and stick a load of recently filmed interviews in there. A sort of confectionary-store piece of schmaltz. But Jackson went for 'verite' instead - a purist 'fly on the wall' edit. Sure, the original footage was shot in verite style, but most directors (or rather producers) would have pillaged that for the best bits and added a load of sugar.
And how brilliantly was it edited? A story emerged from the mass of material - several stories in fact - and the emotional range of the whole thing was so extensive. The four lads may never have completely forgotten the presence of the cameras but for long periods they clearly did push them to the back of their minds. The result is that we saw how blessedly ordinary they were, as well as how genius works and how ragged it can be. The painstaking nature of it. How individual flashes of inspiration work in harness with, or even in conflict with, other inspired minds. And despite their clashes, and occasional tantrums, you could say that not one of these scousers was a prima donna. Not one of them behaved like 'pop stars'. You saw it most in the way talked to the doorman and the secretaries, the way they were around the sound engineers and the other skilled workers (like Glyn Johns). And especially the way they played with Linda's kid. Snarkiness occasionally reared its head, but it was killed every time by their outrageous and inclusive sense of humour.
Others have talked about seeing 'Get Back' incubate almost in real time - and 'I've Got a Feeling' too. I personally couldn't get enough of 'Two of Us' for the simple reason it was fascinating watching the ever changing chemistry between Paul and John. The arrival of Billy Preston was marvellous too. That seam of gold he threaded through songs like 'Don't let me Down'. And then George! The 'commercial-type' documentary would not have shown the embarrassing episode early on where both Paul and John sniffed at an early version of one of the greatest pop songs of all time ('These Things Must Pass') and it was painful witnessing George, newly flinty and fresh from being with 'The Band' in upstate New York, trying to assert himself and create his own mountain range.
I'm glad they covered Allen Klein. Glyn John's assessment was a 'cheer-out loud' moment. Words to effect that he was "a very strange man" and that if he didn't like the answer you were giving him he'd simply cut you off rudely and talk about something else. "It's really bugging me" he said. And Lennon could be heard chipping in "Very strange, yeah, but very brilliant too"). That was the point when you understood the Beatles were destined to break up.
And then the climax, the roof concert that we all know so well. Jackson's colossal accomplishment was to allow us to see this familiar material for the first time, as it were. I loved the moment when they went out on to the roof for a recce. Paul leaping up over the parapets as if he was a young limber kid in a Liverpool playground. Poor, portly, Michael Lindsay-Hogg being dragged on his belly on to the gantry. And the concert itself. Never having known about all the arguments about where to play live and the doubts about even doing it at all (which existed right until the day before) it was sensational to see them up there. For the first time! The first uncertain chords and then - characteristically I would say - Paul McCartney hitting his stride, shouting "Yeah", and filling the other three with confidence and energy.
When they finally walk off the roof and back into the stairwell and you're told that is the last time they will ever perform live together......Sob.
What a document though. It confirmed what perhaps we all knew already. The Beatles split at the height of their creative powers. I'm eternally grateful for what they gave us, but even sadder now that there were probably 2 or 3 more LPs of genius that they never got to make together.
Happy New Year to Paul and Ringo. And thanks.
