Steineded How sad is this?

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

preppy-3 Documentary of the Beatles recording their last album "Let It Be". It was supposed to show a live functioning group happily working. Instead we get the Beatles arguing a lot and tearing each other apart verbally. It's unpleasant to watch--especially if you're a Beatles fan like me. Still the movie is fascinating to watch to see the Beatles interacting and developing songs. I caught this multiple times at a revival theatre in the 1980s (they ALWAYS showed it with "Help" and "Yellow Submarine"). Audiences loved it and it was a lot of fun to hear people booing and hissing whenever Yoko Ono or Linda McCartney popped up (everybody blamed them for the Beatles breaking up--which isn't true). The film was very grainy and (at times) inaudible but I still loved it. The rooftop concert at the end was a lot of fun (and imitated in "Across the Universe"). So it is depressing but fascinating. I give it an 8. Recommended for Beatles fans only.

ackstasis The Beatles were involved in five feature-length projects as a band. Certainly, 'Let it Be (1970)' is a far, far cry from 'A Hard Day's Night(1964)' and 'Help! (1965),' which were enjoyable, slightly goofy, comedies featuring the band at the height of their fame. Michael Lindsay-Hogg's documentary, on the other hand, is a fly-on-the-wall account of rehearsals and recording for the Beatles' final studio album. Though commissioned by The Beatles, originally as a television special, this is not a puff piece; instead, it documents a musical group struggling to hold together. The band members each sport untamed, unflattering facial hair; John Lennon has a constant shadow watching silently from his side; Ringo looks bored most of the time.But there's some great music hidden in there amid the rabble of rehearsals. It's particularly awesome to see the musicians, particularly George and John, really getting into a performance of "Dig It!" (a terrific jam-piece unfairly shortened for the final album release). The documentary, of course, culminates with the Beatles' final public performance from the rooftop of Apple Studios, which brought street-traffic to a screeching halt, and had policemen milling around confusedly. John signs off with the memorable line, "I'd like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we pass the audition"(fans of "The Simpsons" will no doubt note parallels with the rise-and-fall of barbershop quartet The Be Sharps).There are a few curious things about this film. The theatrical cut was rased from a 210-minute rough edit, the final editing performed in the absence of John and Yoko. It's astonishing how Lindsay-Hogg wordlessly condemns Yoko Ono; his camera regards her with something bordering on contempt. By unexpectedly cutting away to her, always silent and watching, during the band's rehearsals, the director underscores the intrusiveness of her presence. She shouldn't be there, and we know it. Based on what I'd heard, I had anticipated a few more heated arguments between the band members. There's a fair bit of frustration evident, particularly towards the officious Paul, but probably nothing that spelled immediate doom for The Beatles.

jc-osms Another watched in-flight movie on my IPod, "Let it Be" for my money now stands as an honest and convincing testimony to the talent and stature of The Beatles, even as one can sense the ties that bind loosening them individually in front of you.Of course there's a sadness and elegiac sensation for fans in watching this "posthumous" film and it's also fair to say the music isn't always top-drawer Beatles - only McCartney brings his best work to the party, although John and especially George would recover their chops in time for "Abbey Road". Sure, too the playing's a bit sloppy at times but there's never a moment when there isn't fascination at something going on on-screen. And for-by much is made of Paul and George's spat (with John acting as unlikely peace-maker) and the at times tired and dishevelled appearance of the guys themselves, there are many other revealing and rewarding vignettes, even before director Michael Lindsay-Hogg, corrals the band for three assured in-studio video performances (all, significantly, of Macca tracks) and then the great idea (since aped by the Stones and U2) of playing their new stuff live on Apple's roof, on a biting cold Jamuary day. It was also inspired of Lindsay-Hogg to intersperse the general public's comments before the group brings the "audition" to a close. The photography is great, the four stepping into life from their iconic White Album photos and I enjoyed the honest but fair editing applied to what was by all accounts a massively over-recorded exercise. Favourite moments for me include Paul and Ringo's boogie-woogie piano run-through, George assisting Ringo with the writing of "Octopus's Garden" and of course that final run-through of "Get Back" on the roof, with Paul surprisingly getting in some improvised anti-Establishment digs before the police pulled the plug.Of all the concerts that ever have been or ever will be, that 20 minute Apple gig is the one I wish I could have been at. And surely even if slightly Pyrrhically, the great music they produce over the last thirty minutes or so of the film justifies the raison-d'etre of the film, working up the songs from in-progress to issuable level.

Marcworks I had heard of this movie for quite some time, and had always been curious about it. The idea of watching the rock and roll legends in the studio, recording wonderful tunes, sounded intriguing. I finally got my hands on it, and I can totally understand why they only release the Let it Be, Hey Jude and Rooftop concert footage. From what I understand, this film was produced due to a contract deal that forced the Beatles into making five films, whether they wanted to or not. Following the disaster of the 'Magical Mystery Tour' film, it's no wonder the Beatles didn't take part in Yellow Submarine (which turned out to be a great film, second to A Hard Day's Night) I've read in various Beatle Biographies that Paul McCartney came up with the idea of having camera's installed in the studio. This turned out to be a bad idea.The Beatles are aware of the cameras, which puts them in a VERY awkward mood. Ringo Starr is silent for most of the time, John Lennon is also quiet and George Harrison seems to fuss with Paul when he speaks. Oh, I almost missed Paul. He speaks endlessly, and makes big broad gestures, pretending to be the genius that we know he is, but coming across as rather full of himself. Camera's are set up for him when he stages Let it Be and Hey Jude, where he is seen staring obsessively at the camera. The camera work is smooth, and very professional. However, when the other Beatles sing a song, the camera is less focused, and more candid. There is also constant, subtle bickering between Paul and George, and at times John. It is wonderful to watch, but very sad to see them act this way together, because I had such a nice picture of them in my mind before i saw this. NOW I KNOW WHY THEY BROKE UP!You'll enjoy the rooftop concert. That is the ONLY scene where all of them seem comfortable together. Well, there was a brief moment where Billy Preston showed up in the studio to play keyboards. They all behaved nicely at that point. I think it is mentioned in the Anthology video.Still, if you did music, you'll have a good time watching, even if Paul gets a little too full of himself.