The Beatles Get Back Documentary

[Chris P.]

I know Rob/Basvarken doesn't like it, but I'm totally intrigued by the 'new' Beatles documentary Get Back. 8 hours on Disney +. I wanted to wait for Xmas, but I read so many posts on facebook of people totally digging the documentary, i decided to subscirbe to a month of Disney+ some days ago. Besides the dcumentary I can watch the Macca/Rick Rubin interviews, so the best 8,99 dollars spent. A friend, not even a big Beatles fan - said: 'After eight hours it was like I was watching a group of my close friends play on that rooftop.'

Get Back. Yes, the first three hours are the least spectaculair, but still. And I watch it in parts. It's so great and recognizable to see this band making a record. Very recognizable if you play or played in bands: the chemistry, the irritations, the waiting, the insecurities. I guess we've all been there. After the first part they go to the brand new Apple Studios and there's much more to see.

Paul is the leader of the band and extraordinary to see him write some classics on the spot. Macca is really the producer and Lennon the easy one. Ringo just sits, makes everybody comfortable and George is the insecure one, but sometimes also a bit of a whiner. I still love George! Apart from some tape opps, who would be famous later on (Alan Parsons and Chris Thomas), Glyn Johns is really the co-producer. Such a nice guy and as a completely heterosexual man, I got a man crush on the young Glyn after this documentary haha. I think Glyn was never really credited as producer, btu he;s very important for those recordings. Yoko is much more sympathetic than I thought and she just sits (and does some screaming) and doesn't really interfere with the band. She looks as a nice girl and she's just reading and knitting. There is some tension within the band, to say the least, but when the awesome Billy Preston comes by, a lot disappears. What a player! Billy on Rhodes lifts up all the songs.

Bass wise there is enough to see. In the first part Macca uses his old Höfner with the close spacing, afterwards he uses his current Höfner and he tries the Rickenbacker for a song, but it has some issues with the nut. All are played through a big Bassman piggyback. There's a Fender VI used by Harrison, Lennon (quite a lot) and Preston. I spotted the headstock of a 4-string Fender somewhere in a shot and a Fliptop, but I really haven't seen them well yet.

I have one hour to go, but it's one of the best things I've ever seen. And I wish there would be something like this of The Who, Stones, The Band and other bands I like.

So if you're a Beatles fan, a Macca fan, playing in a band: spend those 9 dollars for one month of Disney +!

[Basvarken]

I never said I don' t like it.
It's spectacular. The quality of the images and the sound is incredible. The insight in the birth of the songs is great too.

I did say I think part 1 (which is the only part I've watched so far) is a bit long winded/tedious. Often you get the feeling of "get on with it guys".
I felt myself sympathising with George ...

The director could have left parts out and still tell the story.

[westen44]

I'm not sure if I'm going to subscribe to Disney + just to watch this.  I'll probably wait to see if it can be viewed another way in the future.  Still, I guess it's good they've been able to document something like this.  It's just a little unfortunate, though, that this turned out to be by far the Beatles worst album.  This is definitely not the Beatles at their best.  I'm referring to what was going on behind the scenes and the songs themselves that came out of all of this.  I would have been, for example, way more interested in seeing how the "Abbey Road" album was recorded--an album which was far superior, IMO.  It might not have had the drama, but the songs, in general, are so much better.  As for the "Let It Be" album, some of those songs really do just sound like outright throwaway songs, IMO.  Of course, to be fair, there were also some great ones in there.  But the consistency found in literally any other Beatles album seems to be lacking.  Also, if George Harrison seems to be disgruntled, he had very good reasons for being so at that point in time.  I'm just glad things turned out as well as they did, all things considered.

Note:

After making my post, I watched again a video reviewing this documentary.  It gave me a deeper perspective.  This was just a point in time for the Beatles.  It was them probably at their worst, but it set in place some other things that were good.  It was like a steppingstone for the Abbey Road album which was much better.  And although George wasn't accepted on equal footing for Let It Be, he was for Abbey Road. 

[Chris P.]

A lot of Abbey Road songs are being made in this documentary. And besides George leaving the group for a moment, they have a lot of fun together!

And why not subscribe on Disney + for just a month and leave again. Easy!

Well, Basvarken, if you only post about it being tedious with a sad face smiley on my facebook, that didn't looked like you enjoyed it 

[BTL]

There have been so many discussions on the details already, so I'll just say that I enjoyed seeing the process unfold and it made me want to be in a band again.

[westen44]

There have been so many discussions on the details already, so I'll just say that I enjoyed seeing the process unfold and it made me want to be in a band again.

With or without the Beatles as inspiration, I would already want to be in a band again anyway.

[Dave W]

Loads of people enjoyed this, that's fine, but I wouldn't watch it even if I already had Disney +. I love listening to the music, this background stuff doesn't interest me in the least.

[westen44]

This is just my opinion, sheer subjectivity.  But by the time of the Rubber Soul album the Beatles had set a very high standard for their music.  From time to time they would stumble a little on some albums.  But like I've stated earlier, it wasn't until the Let It Be album that things really fell flat.  It would be easier and much shorter to list the songs I actually like:  The Long and Winding Road and the Let It Be song itself.  Strangely enough, I've read that the Long and Winding Road seems to be one of their least popular songs--and not just because of Phil Spector.  So I guess this really is subjective on my part.  Nevertheless, as has already been pointed out, they concluded with Abbey Road, one of their best albums, if not the best.  God only knows how many times I have listened to that one, but probably about ten times more than the Let It Be album.  But it has been well known for years that the Beatles were at a low point on the Let It Be sessions, maybe somewhat similar to Jimi Hendrix's low point at the very sad and unfortunate Isle of Wight concert.  Now this movie/documentary brings out that certainly the Beatles were only human.  I tire of people idolizing them too much just like I tire of Hendrix worshippers who take things way too far.  Hendrix himself probably would be embarrassed.  As for the Beatles, we now have only Paul and Ringo.  Maybe Paul likes the attention.  I don't know.  Certainly, it is clear he was the Beatle who was the shining star brightest at the end of their career. 

[Chris P.]

And for the people who like those documentaries: Disney also has a series of interviews with Macca by Rick Rubin.

[westen44]

And for the people who like those documentaries: Disney also has a series of interviews with Macca by Rick Rubin.

I've heard about that and since it's on Hulu, too, I can see it whenever I want.  It is supposed to be outstanding.  Something that went beyond anything that Paul McCartney himself was expecting. 

[godofthunder]

 It's a wonderful look into The Beatles and I enjoyed every moment.  I really felt as if I was in the same room with them.  A fascinating  look into thier equipment and writing process. 
I  thought the two week and even the stretched time line unbelievable,  I can't imagine the pressure.  I was sad when the concert ended,  just like that it was over. Get Back reminded me how much I love The Beatles,  not that I really needed to be reminded.

[westen44]

The policeman you see silencing the Beatles at the rooftop concert says today (at age 72) that he has never owned a Beatles record and prefers Simon and Garfunkel.  It looks like this guy remained a loser all his life.  No matter who you are or where you are, there often seems to be at least one person like that around--the wet blanket of the group.

https://nypost.com/2021/12/11/cop-who-silenced-beatles-last-gig-speaks-for-first-time/

[westen44]

A spontaneous review of the documentary by Mary Spender.

[Basvarken]

Finally got round to watch the third episode.
In my opinion the fun starts somewhere halfway through episode 2 when Billy Preston joins them. Up till that moment to me it seemed like they were desperately waiting for that shot in the arm.
It struck me how John Lennon is goofing around all the time, Never seems to take anything serious. Sometimes McCartney just gives in on the foolishness because he has no other choice.
But Lennon really puts down a great performance on that final performance on the rooftop. Like he was bored out of his mind during the weeks prior to that, because he already knew exactly what he needed to play and sing.
Like a bright kid in school who is so ahead of the rest of the class he starts to do subversive stuff.

[BTL]

[...] Like a bright kid in school who is so ahead of the rest of the class he starts to do subversive stuff.

That's exactly how I perceive John and why I find him compelling.