Following the release of the 1970 documentary, Let It Be, on Disney+, which has been restored in 4K definition, The Beatles have shared a new video for the titular song.
The new visuals have been directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who also made the documentary, and captures the moment that The Beatles recorded the classic track with Billy Preston at Twickenham Film Studios in 1969.
According to the description on the YouTube video, the footage was captured on January 31st, 1969, the day after The Beatles took to the roof for their famous final concert.
Despite documenting a pivotal part in Beatles history, Let It Be hasn’t been available to watch freely for decades, and due to its shorter running time, it doesn’t go into the same level of intricate detail as Get Back. Peter Jackson restored the footage with his Park Road Post Production company, and it has received the full support of Lindsay-Hogg.
He remarked: “I think Peter Jackson has done an incredible job, and which he took the one that’s coming out is the original. For me, not a lot of joy in it. It’s from the point of view of the director, and that was up to him. We found 56 hours of unused tape, we found it and Peter Jackson put his heart and soul into it and it works really well.”
In a three-star review of Let It Be, Far Out wrote: “For fans who are content to go into Let It Be not expecting to learn anything but simply happy to have another piece of Beatles footage to enjoy, the documentary is a treat. It’s stunningly restored, musically incredible and packed with clips that really never get old. Witnessing the moment songs like ‘Get Back’ or ‘Dig It’ were born is spectacular.”
It continued: “The eternally funny footage of the grouchy policeman barrelling up to the roof still prises a laugh, too. But in the shadow of the 2021 documentary, which used the same footage but with miles more insight and a far deeper look into their same era, the 1970 film has been usurped by its own heir, rendering this restoration rather moot and obfuscated, like an airbrushed highlights package when you’ve already seen the guts and glory of the full game.”
Controversially, Ringo Starr recently distanced himself from the film, which likely partially explains why the movie was unable to be viewed for many decades. The drummer told the Associated Press: “I think Peter Jackson has done an incredible job, and which he took the one that’s coming out is the original. For me, not a lot of joy in it. It’s from the point of view of the director, and that was up to him. We found 56 hours of unused tape, we found it and Peter Jackson put his heart and soul into it and it works really well.”
