‘Let It Be’, scheduled to hit streaming on May 8th, receives remastering.
O Disney+ announces that ‘Let It Be’, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s original 1970 film about Beatleswill be released exclusively on Disney+ on May 8, 2024. It will be the first time the film has been available in over 50 years.
First released in May 1970, amidst the whirlwind of emotions caused by the Beatles’ break-up, ‘Let It Be’ now occupies its rightful place in the band’s history. Once seen through a darker lens, the film is now brought to light through its restoration and in the context of the revelations brought about by Peter Jackson’s Emmy-winning documentary series, ‘The Beatles: Get Back’. Released on Disney+ in 2021, the documentary series shows the affection and friendship of the iconic quartet, capturing a pivotal moment in music history.
‘Let It Be’ features records not featured in the Get Back docuseries, bringing viewers into the studio and on the roof of Apple Corps in London in January 1969, as the Beatles, accompanied by Billy Preston, compose and record the GRAMMY-winning album , Let It Be, with its Oscar-winning title song and their final live performance as a group. With the release of ‘The Beatles: Get Back’, fan clamor for the original Let It Be film has reached a fever pitch. With Lindsay-Hogg’s full support, Apple Corps asked Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post Production to undertake a meticulous restoration of the film from the original 16mm negative, which included careful remastering of the sound using the same mixing technology. BADLY used in the Get Back documentary series.
Michael Lindsay-Hogg says: “’Let It Be’ was ready for release in October/November 1969, but it wasn’t until April 1970. A month before its release, the Beatles officially split up. And then people went to see ‘Let It Be’ with sadness in their hearts, thinking, ‘I’ll never see the Beatles together again. I’ll never have that joy again’, and that really darkened the perception of the film. But really, how often do you see artists of this stature working together to turn what they hear in their heads into songs? And then you get to the roof and you see their enthusiasm and their camaraderie and their joy in playing together again as a group, as we know now, that was the last time, and we see it with complete understanding of who they were and still are and poignant . I was amazed at what Peter was able to do with ‘Get Back,’ using all the footage I shot 50 years earlier.”
Peter Jackson said he was absolutely thrilled that Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s ‘Let it Be’ has been restored and re-released after being unavailable for decades.
“I was very lucky to have access to the deleted scenes for Get Back, and I always thought we needed ‘Let It Be’ to complete the story of Get Back. In three parts, we show Michael and the Beatles filming a groundbreaking documentary and Let It Be, a film released in 1970, is that documentary. Now I think of it all as an 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 offers vital context that ‘Let It Be’ was missing. Michael Lindsay-Hogg was unfailingly helpful and kind while I was making Get Back, and it’s only fitting that his original film gets the last word… looking and sounding so much better than it did in 1970.”
‘Let It Be’, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, stars John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, with a special appearance by Billy Preston. The film was produced by Neil Aspinall with the Beatles serving as executive producers. Cinematography was directed by Anthony B Richmond.
Let It Be premieres exclusively on Disney+ on May 8, 2024.
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