Rediscover The Beatles’ iconic moments in the restored “Let It Be” streaming soon on Disney+.
Disney+ has officially announced the upcoming release of “Let It Be,” the historical 1970 film by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg about The Beatles. The film is set to premiere exclusively on the streaming platform on May 8, 2024, marking its first availability in over five decades.
Originally released in May 1970 during the tumultuous period of The Beatles’ breakup, “Let It Be” has been historically perceived with a sombre tone. However, following the new insights from Peter Jackson’s Emmy-winning docuseries “The Beatles: Get Back,” the film has been seen in a new light, emphasizing the group’s unity and creative synergy during those times.
The film, which includes previously unseen footage, offers a unique glimpse into The Beatles’ studio sessions and their iconic rooftop concert in London in January 1969, where they were accompanied by Billy Preston. This moment marked their final live performance as a band. The film also includes the creation of their GRAMMY-winning album and the Academy Award-winning title song, “Let It Be.”
Responding to the high demand from fans, Apple Corps commissioned Peter Jackson and his team at Park Road Post Production for a thorough restoration of the original 16mm film negatives. This restoration process also involved an advanced sound remastering using MAL de-mix technology, similar to that used in “The Beatles: Get Back.”
Michael Lindsay-Hogg reflected on the film’s initial reception and its significance, stating, “’Let It Be’ was ready to go in October/November 1969, but it didn’t come out until April 1970. One month before its release, The Beatles officially broke up. And so the people went to see ‘Let It Be’ with sadness in their hearts, thinking, ‘I’ll never see The Beatles together again. I will never have that joy again,’ and it very much darkened the perception of the film. But, in fact, how often do you get to see artists of this stature working together to make what they hear in their heads into songs? And then you get to the roof, and you see their excitement, camaraderie, and sheer joy in playing together again as a group and know, as we do now, that it was the final time, and we view it with the full understanding of who they were and still are and a little poignancy. I was knocked out by what Peter was able to do with ‘Get Back,’ using all the footage I’d shot 50 years previously.”
Peter Jackson also expressed his enthusiasm about the project: “I’m absolutely thrilled that Michael’s movie, ‘Let It Be,’ has been restored and is finally being re-released after being unavailable for decades. I was so lucky to have access to Michael’s outtakes for ‘Get Back,’ and I’ve always thought that ‘Let It Be’ is needed to complete the ‘Get Back’ story. Over three parts, we showed Michael and The Beatles filming a groundbreaking new documentary, and ‘Let It Be’ is that documentary – the movie they released in 1970. I now think of it all as one epic story, finally completed after five decades. The two projects support and enhance each other: ‘Let It Be’ is the climax of ‘Get Back,’ while ‘Get Back’ provides a vital missing context for ‘Let It Be.’ Michael Lindsay-Hogg was unfailingly helpful and gracious while I made ‘Get Back,’ and it’s only right that his original movie has the last word…looking and sounding far better than it did in 1970.”
The film features performances by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, with a notable participation from Billy Preston. It was produced by Neil Aspinall with The Beatles themselves serving as executive producers. The director of photography for the original film was Anthony B Richmond.
Fans of The Beatles and music historians alike eagerly anticipate the release of this restored classic, which promises to offer both nostalgic and new insights into one of the most influential bands in music history.
