Probably like many other long-standing Beatles fans, I have been patiently awaiting the release of Peter Jackson's "Get Back" three-part feature-length films ever since the appearance earlier this year of the two teaser trailers. All three episodes are well over two and a half hours in length so I decided to take them one at a time rather than attempt some mad all-dayer.
This first instalment started with a brief retrospective of the band's history up until the beginning of this latest project, a fly-on-the-wall filmed rehearsal and recording of a new Beatles album, to culminate in a live concert, the group's first in three years. All this has to be achieved within three weeks in January 1969. Filmed in the cavernous Twickenham Studios, we see the band roll in after the festive holiday to start what turned out to be a distinctly bumpy process, first immortalised in original director Michael Lindsay-Hogg's 1970 "Let It Be" which was considered a downbeat, if not downright negative depiction of what occurred during the sessions. Peter Jackson had already said in advance that his version of events would be more balanced and upbeat.
Jackson takes the three-week recording schedule and breaks it into a week-by-week journey to the planned concert conclusion. This first show seems to be from the period from which Lindsay-Hogg garnered most of his negative material, as we see the group failing to agree on where to do the show, McCartney nagging and niggling Harrison on how to play his guitar and finally Harrison walking out on the sessions, declaring he's left the band.
Occasionally difficult as scenes like these were to watch, there was still much to savour. There are many occasions where the band, after an admittedly slow start as they use the first two days for rehearsals, gradually get it together and start to gel like we know they can. It's immediately obvious to observe that Lennon is smitten by his new love Yoko, who gets to sit right next to him while he sings and plays his guitar. He's clearly light on songs too, compared to Harrison and particularly McCartney and with him no longer the group-leader of the early years, it's McCartney who has stepped up to try to motivate his band-mates into action. He brings a fine batch of new songs to the table at one point straight-out asking Lennon where his new material is. Harrison auditions three freshly-minted numbers while Starr the sideman but generally moderating influence patiently awaits his turn to play In the wings.
I was fascinated from start to finish, feeling I was in the presence of greatness throughout. No, these weren't the happiest of sessions, not helped by the empty atmosphere of the surroundings but I marvelled at the way McCartney just unfurled his superb batch of songs and it was especially thrilling to see him knock-up "Get Back" from airy nothing. Lennon functions almost as a side-man apart from working up his own brilliant "Don't Let Me Down", while you can see the normally equable Harrison, his two blissed-out Hare Krishna chums sitting in behind him, become gradually worn down by McCartney's over-zealous instructions. Ringo probably comes off best as the group anchor with no agenda of his own at least in the songwriting stakes.
Wonderfully vivid, endlessly fascinating and with flashes of musical brilliance, it's a feast for a diehard fan like me. Can't wait for the second and third instalments.
This first instalment started with a brief retrospective of the band's history up until the beginning of this latest project, a fly-on-the-wall filmed rehearsal and recording of a new Beatles album, to culminate in a live concert, the group's first in three years. All this has to be achieved within three weeks in January 1969. Filmed in the cavernous Twickenham Studios, we see the band roll in after the festive holiday to start what turned out to be a distinctly bumpy process, first immortalised in original director Michael Lindsay-Hogg's 1970 "Let It Be" which was considered a downbeat, if not downright negative depiction of what occurred during the sessions. Peter Jackson had already said in advance that his version of events would be more balanced and upbeat.
Jackson takes the three-week recording schedule and breaks it into a week-by-week journey to the planned concert conclusion. This first show seems to be from the period from which Lindsay-Hogg garnered most of his negative material, as we see the group failing to agree on where to do the show, McCartney nagging and niggling Harrison on how to play his guitar and finally Harrison walking out on the sessions, declaring he's left the band.
Occasionally difficult as scenes like these were to watch, there was still much to savour. There are many occasions where the band, after an admittedly slow start as they use the first two days for rehearsals, gradually get it together and start to gel like we know they can. It's immediately obvious to observe that Lennon is smitten by his new love Yoko, who gets to sit right next to him while he sings and plays his guitar. He's clearly light on songs too, compared to Harrison and particularly McCartney and with him no longer the group-leader of the early years, it's McCartney who has stepped up to try to motivate his band-mates into action. He brings a fine batch of new songs to the table at one point straight-out asking Lennon where his new material is. Harrison auditions three freshly-minted numbers while Starr the sideman but generally moderating influence patiently awaits his turn to play In the wings.
I was fascinated from start to finish, feeling I was in the presence of greatness throughout. No, these weren't the happiest of sessions, not helped by the empty atmosphere of the surroundings but I marvelled at the way McCartney just unfurled his superb batch of songs and it was especially thrilling to see him knock-up "Get Back" from airy nothing. Lennon functions almost as a side-man apart from working up his own brilliant "Don't Let Me Down", while you can see the normally equable Harrison, his two blissed-out Hare Krishna chums sitting in behind him, become gradually worn down by McCartney's over-zealous instructions. Ringo probably comes off best as the group anchor with no agenda of his own at least in the songwriting stakes.
Wonderfully vivid, endlessly fascinating and with flashes of musical brilliance, it's a feast for a diehard fan like me. Can't wait for the second and third instalments.