lastdecember said:

MickyDolenz said:

The first episode premiered today

viewed part 1, and it's wonderful to see the inner workings but also how peter Jackson has taken such time with the footage and the audio and also in the beginning to set it up. I would not recommend this documentary to anyone that is not a die hard fan that knows all the history and not just the HITS and the bullet points of their career, mainly because there is just a lot of figuring things out especially in this first episode. Also this documentary is not going to be a six hour thing, Jackson commented it's eight plus, and just part one alone is two hours forty minutes. All in all again not recommending this to a casual fan at all, you will not really appreciate it at all. But Jackson has done wonders of adding in a lot of audio where many times they didn't have film footage to accompany it, this is also explained before the film starts.

Exactly.

You have to get through this first episode, but for me, as a Beatles fan, this was very very moving.

ANd the 50 year old secret is now revealed; all band suffer at some point, and it wasn't any different 50 year ago.

McCartney is the standing out here, not always in a good way; the way he treated George.

And Ringo is the silent invisible force that'll save the day.

i am so greatful for this.

It is absolutely fantasticly done !!!

-

Another thing, just imagine if the final concert took place in Tripoli, as proposed and pushed by the entourage...

Actually happy that it didn't happen.

[Edited 11/26/21 5:34am]

Vannormal said:

lastdecember said:

viewed part 1, and it's wonderful to see the inner workings but also how peter Jackson has taken such time with the footage and the audio and also in the beginning to set it up. I would not recommend this documentary to anyone that is not a die hard fan that knows all the history and not just the HITS and the bullet points of their career, mainly because there is just a lot of figuring things out especially in this first episode. Also this documentary is not going to be a six hour thing, Jackson commented it's eight plus, and just part one alone is two hours forty minutes. All in all again not recommending this to a casual fan at all, you will not really appreciate it at all. But Jackson has done wonders of adding in a lot of audio where many times they didn't have film footage to accompany it, this is also explained before the film starts.

Exactly.

You have to get through this first episode, but for me, as a Beatles fan, this was very very moving.

ANd the 50 year old secret is now revealed; all band suffer at some point, and it wasn't any different 50 year ago.

McCartney is the standing out here, not always in a good way; the way he treated George.

And Ringo is the silent invisible force that'll save the day.

i am so greatful for this.

It is absolutely fantasticly done !!!

-

Another thing, just imagine if the final concert took place in Tripoli, as proposed and pushed by the entourage...

Actually happy that it didn't happen.

[Edited 11/26/21 5:34am]

And seeing the way Jackson did those close ups at the end of part 1 you can tell there is a bit of fear or sadness I think McCartney showed it most because like he said he was put in charge because when Brian died they were out of control and already doing their own thing so here Paul has to get this together and the only way to do that is by taking charge. I mean suggesting things they should do came off as the boss or him taking over the group. You can almost see the tension in George's face because I don't think he wanted to be there for even the White album, not that they all didn't like each other they were just tired of Being the Beatles

I am loving it.

I do feel for George and when he leaves i dont blame him. Paul was being a dick right from the start and talked down to all of them...esp George. George looks PISSED and DONE (mad) the morning before he left.

HOWEVER, Paul's talent is really amazing to watch. He is on such a creative high. Its so cool how they are all talking about the "show" and where to have it...while Paul is on piano working on the song Let it Be. Same thing with the Long and Winding Road. Get Back was wild how he's strumming and the song starts coming together.

John is so absent and looks high as a kite a lot of the time. At the same time, he seems to be having fun and the musical connection with Paul is still there throughoout. This also confirms for me Yoko DID add to the tension they were feeling at the time. Why was she there??

Ringo is definitely the peacemaker and Mel's face while hitting "Maxwells Silver Hammer" is priceless.

I also don't see anyone caring about this outside of the hardcores. My husband fell asleep 10 minutes into it (mind you it was post-turkey coma...

Paul is the greedy Beetle.

Just watching the previews, I'm sorta creeped out that Yoko is just lurking all the time, sitting there, offering nothing much except a shadow to Paul. I don't see any other spouses taking up space like that. It almost (visually) supports the old adage about her breaking up the Beatles. I guess as a creative person, the last thing I'd want is someone's spouse just skulking around my studio. haha

[Edited 11/26/21 13:35pm]

Hamad said:

Naturally, there was little emphasis on the over inflated egos within the band and how everyone of them was spent from being in that group, god forbid any of them wanted to leave, that would be absurd, so let’s all blame the Asian girlfriend because she was there all the damn time, oh & btw, she ate one of George’s biscuits *clutches pearls*

Yoko is Japanese and this was not all that long after WWII. Look at the mainstream entertainment in the USA during the time. There's the Mickey Rooney Japanese character in Breakfast At Tiffany's, and similar ones in an episode of Gilligan's Island, cartoon shorts (.eg Bugs Bunny), Three Stooges, etc. Many of them were played by white actors, same with Chinese & Native Americans (aka Indians in westerns). Even John Wayne played Genghis Khan.

Hamad said:

The whole “Yoko is the pariah that broke the band” notion to me has always seemed like it came from a bunch of disgruntled and super racist white fans and critics. She took the brunt of that lashing because she was visible due to John, he was the one who pushed her to the forefront more than anyone of the band did with their girlfriends/wives. Naturally, there was little emphasis on the over inflated egos within the band and how everyone of them was spent from being in that group, god forbid any of them wanted to leave, that would be absurd, so let’s all blame the Asian girlfriend because she was there all the damn time, oh & btw, she ate one of George’s biscuits *clutches pearls*

Though it may be part of it, I think given the Beatles popularity which has never been closely matched long term, I feel that ANY person that was there all the time, especially during this time which is viewed as the beginning of the break up. But truth is the band was coming apart once it stopped playing live and now were growing very quickly artistically as they were producing more complex works. I mean you can also site JOHN as being so "not there" at times, many times as being the culprit, so naturally people will say WHY are you suddenly not interested in this anymore, well they looked at someone that was very vocal and also always at his side in everything. So i think if Linda was in the studio everyday with Paul and she was not but also if Paul was taking on other things outside the band she would have been viewed as the one. Look at PRINCE what two people are really disliked most by fans of his, Mayte and Larry G they view LARRY as the one that got him "off" being risky and the use of language and guiding him in religious views, and Mayte they didnt like her because they felt there were "better" women for him. So I dont doubt this at some level, but anyone that was in the picture that much would be. The band was breaking for many reasons as Paul said then and also Ringo said in an interview from 1978, all things were part of it, we all had other interests that simple.

Can't wait to see this thing and have been watching every minute and a half clip they put on youtube.

Maybe someone could shed some light on something I'm a little confused about.

Just watched a clip of Ringo showing the band Octopus's Garden and George helping him flush out the song.

My confusion is that this film was recorded in January of 1970 but the song is on the 1969 album Abbey Road.

[Edited 11/27/21 9:07am]

S2DG said:

Can't wait to see this thing and have been watching every minute and a half clip they put on youtube.

Maybe someone could shed some light on something I'm a little confused about.

Just watched a clip of Ringo showing the band Octopus's Garden and George helping him flush out the song.

My confusion is that this film was recorded in January of 1970 but the song is on the 1969 album Abbey Road.

[Edited 11/27/21 9:07am]

Let It Be the movie came out in 1970 along with the Album, but the film was done January 1969 and shelved with the album, that was when George Martin said "this band is over" and the beatles got together and felt we need a solid album together as an ending so they went to George Martin to produce this new album and agreed, he even said they seemed together probably because they knew it was over. After their annoucement of the break up the album and film were released.

lastdecember said:

S2DG said:

Can't wait to see this thing and have been watching every minute and a half clip they put on youtube.

Maybe someone could shed some light on something I'm a little confused about.

Just watched a clip of Ringo showing the band Octopus's Garden and George helping him flush out the song.

My confusion is that this film was recorded in January of 1970 but the song is on the 1969 album Abbey Road.

[Edited 11/27/21 9:07am]

Let It Be the movie came out in 1970 along with the Album, but the film was done January 1969 and shelved with the album, that was when George Martin said "this band is over" and the beatles got together and felt we need a solid album together as an ending so they went to George Martin to produce this new album and agreed, he even said they seemed together probably because they knew it was over. After their annoucement of the break up the album and film were released.

Thank you!

I don't think Yoko Ono was the reason The Beatles broke up, but I do think her continued presence must have been annoying to the others. I mean what was she doing there, sitting in the inner circle with the band?

It would have annoyed the hell out of me if one of my bandmembers would suddenly insist on having his gf there all the time, while working with the band. The very least she could have done was just sit somewhere out of the way, like the other people sitting more in the back of the hall.

I'm not sure someone blaming Yoko for the breakup of the group is racism. I think had it been Linda McCartney sitting there, she'd have been the target. People idolized the guys, so anyone else would've been the de facto scapegoat. It just happened to be Yoko here.

I don't know that I ever believed she had anything to do with the breakup. My previous statement was that visually, it'd support the adage of her being the cause. The guys were together a lot longer, and had more of a relationship with each other than John had with Yoko by that point. Not better or worse, just different; and longer. More complex with the guys. And so few bands stay together long term like that.

And yes, John did sort of thrust her into the spotlight with him. Sometimes she looked uncomfortable in those situations in the press.

I did start to take notice of the mannequin-like skin on everyone due to the up-scaling. Seems like they could've found a happy medium to leave skin tones and textures in place. I don't mind things being cleaned up, but perhaps they made one too many tweaks on it. It's not distracting, but it does make it feel a bit more Kubrickesque or something.

So far, we've watched an hour of the first episode. We'll try to plow through the other 90 minutes tonight, then plod our way through the rest. I can't take it all in one or two sittings.

-

Just binge-watched the three episodes.

One word : WAAAAW !

Props to Peter Jackson.

Everything is handled and showed with so much respect.

The end is so absolutely well assembled, a long good ending.

And the joy of these 4 loose Liverpoodlians, who did not change once they played together.

-

To me, the true heros of this 3 part documentary are the camera men, the sound men.

For some strange reason they filmed ''everything''.

I mean every move, every second.

And how the magic of a band and all that comes with it is nearly exposed.

-

Fantastic to see the boys having so much banale fun.

''Boys'', that's what they were, in their late twenties... Not really grown-up men yet.

And that is the reason why everything went the way it did.

The recognisable age of being in your twenties.

They were not 'grown'-up' enough to comprehend the feel and need of respect when there were troubles. Foru fantastic egos. At least three of 'm.

I have to say, Ringo came off as a true great nearly invisible gentleman, being able to make the others talk to each other. He constantly undisturbedly payd attention when the others were improvising, creating the beat, without interfearings.

Paul had a complete other view of his Beatles. A more commercially, big/dramatic, pompous band even. Which could've been great if all four were on the same wave.

But he lacked the empathy to feel what really was going on, and welled over the others feelings, unknowingly mostly.

Actually John (heavenly in love) still was spot on in whatever he said, when they had a serious talk.

Ringo basically never pushed or even gave his opinion.

George was so honest, and even then Paul welled over him.

Also great to see George Martin amongst his 'boys'. He kept enough distance,waiting for the magic to happen so he could be the wizzard behind the console.

-

Once they were on the roof, you can so clearly see they were ready for more.

To me it seems like they love 'the stage', 'the performace'... playing live.

Paul went wild, John went serious, Geroge watched both, and Ringo did what he had to do, with m-pleasure - banging the skins.

It was also super great to hear the people's opinions on the street too.

As if 50/60 years ago seemed only yesterday.

How FANTATSICALLY everything was cleaned by the equipe of Peter Jackson.

I'm really thrilled. And certainly going to watch it again...

as if still in a dream that The Beatles are alive and kicking.

-

And it seems that bands nowadays don't differ so much.

Struggles, writing together, performing together, and all the troubles that come with it.

The search for ideas, randomly choosing one, and there they go.

-

Hamad said:

George Martin was truly a wizard, I would love to watch a documentary with him being the sole subject. I’m curious to know about his musical background, his development and how he became the curator for such amazing & mad ideas when it came to recording The Beatles in their latter years. He was a true musical world builder than a producer to me, just like Charles Stepney, Phill Spector, Brian Wilson and even to some extent Sly Stone were, in the sense that he treated the studio as a portal to another dimension, as opposed to a means for recording. His intuitive ear for innovation was a jewel on his crown.

-

From the 'over 60 hours of film' Jackson could get his hands on, I'm pretty much convinced will we see more.

This time all was focused on the four boys and the final performance.

The building up to that momentum.

It seems impossible that George Martin wouldn't have had more to say.

For some reason i'm pretty convinced he had a bigger role in this (last idea of documenting the recordings for an album).

George Martin was there bascially dayli, as we can see form the footage.

I don't see why else he was there.

They had enough recording engineers just doing to basic recording.

Funny enough they recorded everything, not alone when Paul or John asked the engineers to puch 'record'.

There also was just one single mention of Brian epstein in the first part... another thing not much talked about so far it seems.

My gguess is that there is so much more stuff.

As John says, halfway the documentary, ''we have enough materiaal for six films by now''.

-

George is literally like "hey I have this tune ALL THINGS MUST PASS" which will become the title track of his solo album because Paul and John show no interest in his contribution.

They are still acting like he is "baby George" because he was the youngest when he joined the Quarrymen back in 1958.

It is frustrating to watch because John didn't bring ANY songs to the project. Yoko was minding her business with knitting or a book. Eventually, we see everyone's spouse or bestie hanging out at Apple Studios as well.

So if no one is offering up material, that leaves Paul trying to get everyone (except Ringo who is reliable) to come to rehearsal on time, and also arrange every song.

The interesting thing to me is the time line of it all because Abbey Road came out in 1969 and then Phil Spector's Let It Be was released in 1970, apparently because they were trying to sync the album's release with the problematic documentary.

But Let It Be was finished January 1969 as depicted in the Disney+ film, then Abbey Road was recorded February-August 1969.

So when you see them starting with sketches of Abbey Road songs, they aren't rehearsing them for the show, they are trying to see if they can be recorded! I heard "Mean Mr. Mustard", "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" (with the old chap smiling every time he struck the anvil), and Ringo debuting "Octopus' Garden" with the assistance of George Harrison.

It becomes clear to me that they are all just done with Paul because he goes and makes an album by himself then forms Wings, while the other three make solo albums with a little help from their Beatles friends.

Hamad said:

Cinny said:

It becomes clear to me that they are all just done with Paul because he goes and makes an album by himself then forms Wings, while the other three make solo albums with a little help from their Beatles friends.

Paul & John did try to record some songs in the early 1970s. Stevie Wonder & Linda McCartney are on it too. Nothing became of it because John & Harry Nilsson were too high or drunk. This was during the period John & Yoko were separated and he was with girlfriend May Pang. The songs came out on a bootleg called Toot & Snore In '74.

There's a song John released called How Do You Sleep (about Paul's adult contemporary hits), which has George & Ringo playing on it. Paul replied with Silly Love Songs. George once said in the 1970s that he would be in a band with John & Ringo, but not with Paul.

This documentary puts ALOT to rest. One the whole Yoko thing is not even an issue, the band was breaking up and no matter who was there a lot they would be blamed. Also put to rest is that they hated each other and this was all about a break up . NO NO NO, the original film was shot edited and structured to focus on one moment, George and Paul fighting or debating. In all this other footage which there were hundreds of hours the Harrison walk out was it. We also are forgetting the age of these guys . When things started getting rocky with this band say the sgt pepper days or white album days, George was 23 going on 24. When the Beatles broke up John and Paul weren't even 30 yet. They had this huge career between 64-70 with tons of hits and mania and money and marriage and kids all while they were in their early 20's to late 20's, I think some people think "oh they were old and fighting etc..." no they were at that age when you want to branch out , George was at this age of 23 and 24 trying to grow and being in a group with Lennon and Mcartney I mean where you going to go. So this whole they hated each other is BS, they actually got along better than most bands do that actually stay together, but it had run its course, as George said before Abbey Road , "we'd done it all, it ran its course"

MickyDolenz said:

Cinny said:

It becomes clear to me that they are all just done with Paul because he goes and makes an album by himself then forms Wings, while the other three make solo albums with a little help from their Beatles friends.

Paul & John did try to record some songs in the early 1970s. Stevie Wonder & Linda McCartney are on it too. Nothing became of it because John & Harry Nilsson were too high or drunk. This was during the period John & Yoko were separated and he was with girlfriend May Pang. The songs came out on a bootleg called Toot & Snore In '74.

There's a song John released called How Do You Sleep (about Paul's adult contemporary hits), which has George & Ringo playing on it. Paul replied with Silly Love Songs. George once said in the 1970s that he would be in a band with John & Ringo, but not with Paul.

I never heard about them recording in 74. That's interesting...esp with Stevie Wonder being involved.

Paul actually started the whole song feud thing with Too Many People on Ram (You took your lucky break and broke it in two...). Then John responded, of course being way more direct, on How Do You Sleep? which George contributed slide guitar on (Ringo wasn't involved on that song). Then Paul responded one more time with Silly Love Songs. But like all close friends they all got over it and moved on. Who knows what would've happened if John wasn't killed.

I started to watch the first episode. First conclusion, Paul McCartney is a living legend!

..and a driving force in the Beatles, what I have seen so far! Even more than Lennon.

[Edited 11/30/21 9:30am]

I love...love...love this Beatles documentary! It would be a shame if nothing similar will ever be released from Prince. Fingers crossed for the Netflix documentary. Because it is part of Music History and should be documented and available for future en current generations. I hope we will experience it! If done well it will support his legacy.

George Harrison was not appreciated that much in this time. He wrote some really great Beatles songs, like Here Comes The Sun, Something and I Me Mine

lion88 said:

George Harrison was not appreciated that much in this time. He wrote some really great Beatles songs, like Here Comes The Sun, Something and I Me Mine

also Isn't it a pity and My sweet lord which are released on his solo album

lion88 said:

I love...love...love this Beatles documentary! It would be a shame if nothing similar will ever be released from Prince. Fingers crossed for the Netflix documentary. Because it is part of Music History and should be documented and available for future en current generations. I hope we will experience it! If done well it will support his legacy.

Nah, The Beatles have this unnmaed British thing where shame is not a wrong thing to show or being wrong is not a crime the way it would be in a Prince camp (imho).

I hardly can imagine this happening for any Prince documentary really.

Or.... they should handle it to Peter Jackson.

Yes that's it !

Peter Jackson up for the Prince documentary.

Well, I can dream, can i.