James R | On 15, Oct 2021

In 1969, a film crew was given unprecedented access to document The Beatles at work. This November, we get to see the end result – a new trailer gives us a fresh look at Peter Jackson’s series The Beatles: Get Back.

The documentary takes audiences back to the band’s recording sessions during a pivotal moment in music history. It is the story of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr as they plan their first live show in over two years, capturing the writing and rehearsing of 14 new songs, originally intended for release on an accompanying live album. The documentary features – for the first time in its entirety – The Beatles’ last live performance as a group, the rooftop concert on London’s Savile Row, as well as other songs and classic compositions featured on the band’s final two albums, Abbey Road and Let It Be.

The result is a three-part series, with each episode about two hours in length. Among the 6-plus hours of never-before-seen restored footage is The Beatles’ last live performance. It will roll out on Disney+ over three days – on 25th, 26th and 27th November.

Here’s the video:

 

Disney+ expands The Beatles: Get Back into six-part series

17th June 2021

Peter Jackson and Disney are thinking big for their upcoming documentary The Beatles: Get Back, which is expanding from the previously announced film into a six-part series.

The documentary takes audiences back to the band’s recording sessions during a pivotal moment in music history. It is the story of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr as they plan their first live show in over two years, capturing the writing and rehearsing of 14 new songs, originally intended for release on an accompanying live album. The documentary features – for the first time in its entirety – The Beatles’ last live performance as a group, the rooftop concert on London’s Savile Row, as well as other songs and classic compositions featured on the band’s final two albums, Abbey Road and Let It Be.

The documentary showcases the warmth, camaraderie and creative genius that defined the legacy of the iconic foursome, compiled from over 60 hours of unseen footage shot in January 1969 (by Michael Lindsay-Hogg) and more than 150 hours of unheard audio, all of which has been restored. Jackson is the only person in 50 years to have been given access to these private film archives.

Because of the wealth of footage Jackson has reviewed, which he has spent the past three years restoring and editing, The Beatles: Get Back will now be presented as three separate episodes. Each episode is approximately two hours in length. The series will feature over 6 hours of never-before-seen restored footage, including The Beatles’ last live performance.

“As a huge Beatles fan myself, I am absolutely thrilled that Disney+ will be the home for this extraordinary documentary series by the legendary filmmaker Peter Jackson,” said Bob Iger, Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board, The Walt Disney Company. “This phenomenal collection of never-before-seen footage offers an unprecedented look at the close camaraderie, genius songwriting, and indelible impact of one of the most iconic and culturally influential bands of all time, and we can’t wait to share ‘The Beatles: Get Back’ with fans around the world.”

Peter Jackson commented: “In many respects, Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s remarkable footage captured multiple storylines. The story of friends and of individuals. It is the story of human frailties and of a divine partnership. It is a detailed account of the creative process, with the crafting of iconic songs under pressure, set amid the social climate of early 1969. But it’s not nostalgia – it’s raw, honest, and human. Over six hours, you’ll get to know The Beatles with an intimacy that you never thought possible.”

The Beatles: Get Back is being made with the support of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison. It will roll out on Disney+ over three days – on 25th, 26th and 27th November.

Here’s a sneak peek presented by Jackson last year:

Add to Watchlist