What a triumph this has been. An incredible watch. At times tense and even verging on fractious. At other times joyous and exhilarating. But mostly just riveting and absorbing as we witness at work for the very first time after all these years what was undoubtedly the collective musical genius entity of the modern age.
I’ve also got to add in the term emotional for myself at this point too. I don’t mind admitting I welled up many times during the 8 hours. As one who worshipped these four from the get go, from the time back in 1962 I overheard older lads around the bommy debating the respective merits of two strangely named songs they’d heard at this club called the Cavern, I guess it is inevitable that deep emotional connections from yesteryear are going to be triggered.
Love Me Do and PS I Love You were the two songs. It was the lads’ debut single which had evidently just that day entered the charts at number 17. It prompted me to leave my bonfire stacking duties and dash home to look at the Daily Mirror to see for myself what they were talking about.
And there it was. At number 17 in the national pop charts Love Me Do - THE BEATLES. Amazing. Breathtaking. This local group unknown beyond our bommy actually in the national pop charts.
My God. How they then were to advance from that point in that ridiculously brief period of barely six years to conquer Britain, then Europe, then America and then the entire world whilst creating an unrivalled musical pantheon to arrive at this moment over which we are all now salivating, captured thank God for all time for all to see.
Hats off then to Peter Jackson for gifting us this masterpiece of film and presenting us with this unique historical snapshot. All three instalments completely captivating and inspirational and surely unmissable for anyone who truly loves music.
And whilst I’ve savoured every last morsel of all 8 hours I think Part 3 is simply off the scale of enjoyment as the bond between the four of them reveals itself in all its glory as John finally fully emerges from the fog that seemed to shroud him a bit in Parts 1 and 2 to show us the hugely funny and dynamic personality we all knew him to be whilst George with a little help from dear Billy Garstang breaks the world ciggy smoking record and Paul does likewise to the corresponding world record for use of the phrase “the trouble is...”. And then we have that unique rooftop concert in it’s entirety with those sensational songs performed as only they and the fantastic Billy can, beautifully juxtaposed with the street interviews and the hilarious accompanying sitcom featuring the two coppers one of whom even offers advice for them to dub the music onto the film later on
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All in all I can think of few finer ways to have spent 8 hours than being glued to this magical piece of film.
