The Big Picture
- ‘Let It Be’s remastered release on Disney+ highlights pivotal Beatles moments like the rooftop concert.
- The original documentary hinted at problems within the band that eventually led to their breakup.
- The re-release of ‘Let It Be’ coincides with a resurgence of Beatlemania, with more Beatles-related projects in the works.
If there’s one boy band that truly withstood the test of time, it is The Beatles. The UK musical group was part of a phenomenon that can only be explained through hundreds of hours of footage and interviews, and luckily for Beatles fans, all of that is available. It’s also never a bad time to revisit some classics related to the band, and this is why Disney+ decided to release, for the first time ever, a remastered version of the legendary documentary Let It Be. The movie will debut on the platform on May 8.
Released over 50 years ago, Let It Be chronicles a game-changing moment in The Beatles’ history. The movie centers around the production of the group’s twelfth and last studio album. Back when it first premiered, the documentary only hinted at problems between band members that would eventually lead them to break up. Now, with their story heavily documented and additional footage in other media — especially the Peter Jackson documentary The Beatles: Get Back — fans know when to spot some pivotal moments in the 1970s documentary.
Let It Be also features one of the most famous presentations from the band: The surprise rooftop concert that happened on January 30, 1969, in central London and took fans by storm. The concert became legendary not only due to its surprise factor, but also because it was interrupted by the police because they were causing quite a disturbance with keyboardist Billy Preston. It was also the final public performance of the group.
Beatlemania Is As Alive As Ever
The re-release of Let It Be is also a great way for fans to celebrate the additional Beatles material that is coming their way. Earlier this year, director Sam Mendes (Empire of Light) announced an ambitious four-movie biopic project that will tell the story of The Beatles. Each movie will tell the story from the POV of a different member. Even though there are several other movies that touch on George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr‘s history, there’s a chance that the upcoming project becomes the definitive biopic of the group.
Let It Be was directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, a two-time Emmy nominee who became associated with helming music videos for some of the world’s most famous singers, including Whitney Houston, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, Elton John and many others. Lindsay Hogg also helmed The Concert in Central Park, the Simon & Garfunkel show that reunited the pop music duo in 1982 in New York.
Disney+ premieres Let It Be on May 8. You can watch the trailer below:
