upper waypoint

Peter Jackson To Direct Documentary On The Beatles Recording 'Let It Be'

Joshua Bote

Jan 30, 2019

Save Article

Failed to save article

Please try again

'Lord of the Rings' director Peter Jackson has been tapped to direct a Beatles documentary based on unseen footage from the 'Let It Be' session. (Courtesy of the artist)

It seems to be a big week for The Beatles: Director Peter Jackson is working on a documentary chronicling the recording process of the band’s final album with cooperation from Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison.

As was the case with They Shall Not Grow Old, which found Jackson reviving a trove of archival World War I footage, the Lord of the Rings filmmaker is mining 55 hours of unreleased footage of the band, using restoration techniques to render it in modern quality. The footage was originally intended for Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s 1970 documentary Let it Be.

Jackson claims that the footage he’s working from reveals a dynamic counter to the prevailing narrative that tensions ran high during the creation of Let it Be, which was released after The Beatles had broken up.

Sponsored

“I was relieved to discover the reality is very different to the myth,” says Jackson in press material. “After reviewing all the footage and audio that Michael Lindsay-Hogg shot 18 months before they broke up, it’s simply an amazing historical treasure-trove. Sure, there’s moments of drama — but none of the discord this project has long been associated with. Watching John, Paul, George, and Ringo work together, creating now-classic songs from scratch, is not only fascinating — it’s funny, uplifting and surprisingly intimate.”

The film, currently in production, does not yet have a release date set.

lower waypoint

Care about what’s happening in Bay Area arts? Stay informed with one email every other week—right to your inbox.

Thanks for signing up for the newsletter.

next waypoint

You Can Get Free Ice Cream on Tuesday — No Catch Sunnyvale’s Hottest Late-Night Food Spot Is the 24-Hour Indian Grocery Store Calvin Keys, Widely Loved Jazz Guitarist With Endless Soul, Dies at 82 Ticket Alert: Charli XCX and Troye Sivan Are Coming to San Francsico Here’s What Bay Area Rappers Are Eating (According to Their Lyrics)How Low Key Became the Coolest Skate Shop in San Francisco The World Naked Bike Ride Is Happening on 4/20 in San Francisco A Gallery Owner With a ‘Let’s-Do-This Attitude’ Launches a Residency on Market Street Three Eye-Opening Documentaries You Can Stream Right Now The Oakland Library's Main Branch to Close for Six Months for Repairs