Paul McCartney hates this film

It was released on LaserDisc in 1981 I think, this disc has been copied to DVD and is being sold in numerous "Special Edition" bootlegs, but of course the quality is just the same as the sources. Some of the DVDs are probably mastered from VHS tapes from the eighties. Yet these DVDs will probably be the only way of accessing this film in the near future.

I gotta admit, whenever I first saw him with the greasy long hair and the hiddeous beard I seriously had a moment where I said, "Who's that ugly guy and why is he singing for the... OH MY GOD IT'S PAUL!"

Yeah, I hate that look too. lol.

Any society that would give up liberty to gain security will deserve neither and lose both.

They don't want to release all Beatles junk in too close period of time. For LET IT BE there must be a lot of outtakes available and they may be making a totally new version of the film as well.

I'm just an optimist.


The Apple Scruffs Corps, 05
In 1822!

I think the reason Paul McCartney hates this film is because I have read years later that Paul was addicted to cocaine during that time. He isn't proud of the way he was behaving or looking then. He was acting very obnoxious and looking high is some scenes and crashed in others.

Everything McCartney said is in "Many Years From Now", an unofficial-official bio.

It's no secret that John was in rough shape, and maybe Paul was on something, but I just think that whoever the rocket scientist was that said "hey let's use the James Bond set" should've been fired from the get go. If they had been rehearsing for a tour, it would've been fine. They had the songs, without a doubt.

There were ideas tossed around like what wound up in Pink Floyd's "Pompeii" movie, but they could've headed back to Liverpool and worked under the radar there. John's house was already set up to record by then, and prob. would've made more sense to have been working in, and Yoko prob. would've been working on her projects and not as focused on the band. Funny considering the Paul vs Yoko stuff over the years, how in the outtakes ALL of the Beatles are jamming with Yoko wailing and having a good time doing it. She had contributed on the White Album and "Because" she never got credit on, but John and Paul mentioned that she had a lot to do with that song.

It would've been better had they set it up in a more intimate location and kept the cameras out of the way. The way they film "making of" today is way better. Even if you don't like Metallica, "Some Kind of Monster" is what "Let it Be" should've been. I think had the Maysles brothers (who were busy with the Stones) or Pennebaker been doing the film, it would've been way better. They get out of the way and let things happen.

Paul was trying to keep things together, but he kept going behind the band's back and being the one to speak for the band, which was actually John's job. He was the de facto frontman, and he was the one who declared it over within the circle, but Paul announced it to the public first. Rankled John and George big time.

There's a reason why "Something" and "Come Together" was the single and not "Oh Darling" or "Maxwells Silver Hammer".

Let It Be was one of the first movies I ever saw in my life (I was 5) at a theater. The Beatles have always been and will always be my favorite band. True enough, Macca looks like a school marm and a bit of an ass in the movie, but, I find it hard to believe he would be holding back the release. In the Anthology Book, the remaining band members weren't afraid to discuss the tensions within the band and the subsequent break up. There is a hilarious description (given by Paul) of George's talk to Paul where he says "you'll stay on the f'ing label, Hare Krishna." There is George's disucssion regarding Paul's use of a reunion as publicity. There is Paul discussing his screaming tirade at Ringo (Ringo's far more diplomatic in his version). Plus, let's face it, everyone who still cares about the Beatles knows all the stories around Let It Be. Indeed, one poster upthread talked about the Fly On the Wall disc. In it, John does chide Paul. Paul certainly authorized that release.

I think part of the problem is that even now it must be difficult for Ringo or Paul (or Olivia or Yoko) to watch the film as it shows the beloved Beatles disintegrating before our eyes. It was a bad period for all the boys. And, yet, Paul is big on the Beatles legacy and there is no denying that once the boys were on the roof and playing together, they still had the magic. No one can deny how this band clicked when they just played music. Also, IMO, although this album does not compare with, say, Revolver or the White Album, to suggest that it is "so so" (as some upthread have said) is patently absurd. This is a just short of great album and has some outstanding songs. Goes to prove that the Beatles could be having a rough spot and still produce great music. The Long and Winding Road (particularly the Naked version or the live version on Paul's Wings Over America) is one of the top 10 Beatles songs of all times.

The time to release the DVD would have been when Naked was released. But, I've read that the whole Cirque de soleil thing was coming out and there would have been too much Beatles products out and the remastering was taking longer than expected.

However, given the fact that everything the Beatles have done has virtually been re-released, it seems likely this will too. I can't wait.

"George left the group after a week of filming cos he was sick of Paul; that's basically it, and you can forget the myths."

Not entirely true - yes, he was sick of Paul, but he was also sick of John. On the same day that he and Paul had that little disagreement that was caught on camera, George and John had an even bigger fight because George was sick of John's obvious disengagement from the band and Yoko's presence. It is rumoured that they were even throwing punches at each other, although I'm not sure if that has been confirmed or not. It was the day that George left the band and drove up to Liverpool to escape from it all. John suggested that they replace him with Eric Clapton but Paul and Ringo said it wouldn't be the Beatles without all four of them.

"There's a scene in LIB where he's blathering on about the trip to India to a clearly bored-to-tears John - he goes on and on and on, trying to get John to talk or laugh. The desperation in Paul's face as he sees he's not succeeding, and that his best pal pretty much detests him now, is painful to watch."

That's not 100% true either. I've seen a video clip of this on YouTube where Paul and John are laughing about the India trip, when Paul reminds John of his helicopter trip with the Maharishi ("I thought he might slip me the answer"). Again, it's George that is looking the most uncomfortable.

I do think Paul comes out of this film looking like the villain, which is unfortunate in my opinion, as it wasn't only him that was acting like a massive douchebag at this stage. Had all the other fights etc been filmed and included, it would have given a more balanced (yet probably more harrowing) account of the band's relations.

Amazing post, straker-1. I think I'm a little more sympathetic toward Paul than you, but going by everything I've heard about the disintegration of this band, there is a lot of painful truth in this post.


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Okay, in the released version of Let it Be, McCartney (in some scenes) looks like he is in control. Bit of a control freak, perhaps. However, putting this in perspective, it looks like he didn't have much of a choice.
It was his idea to film the movie, just to have something to do for the group. On paper, maybe it was a good idea. Mind you, when they began filming, things changed.
The group obviously did not like the film studio, too big. Also, Lennon/Harrison/Starr were not too enthusiastic about the project. If McCartney would not have "taken charge", chances are, there would not have been a movie or an album. In fact, the group would probably have broken up right there and then.
Tensions were still high within the group, spilled over from the White Album sessions. The other three (minus John, of course) were still not too happy about Yoko involved with their recording sessions. George had been playing with other musicians and, according to him, was enjoying it. I think Ringo still liked being in the group, however, he could see that the "Battleship Beatles", was sinking. Sure, he was making movies, but he probably thought he would still be in the group for some time. Let's face it, when they got along as a group, they were great in the studio. When they began fighting, their music suffered.
So, if people feel that McCartney was a "megalomaniac", during the Let it Be filming and recording, just keep this in mind:
If he had just sat there, kept his mouth shut and waited for John or George to take control, chances are, nothing would have been completed. No album or movie. Plus, the group may have called it quits at that time. Therefore, we would not have had Let it Be, the movie or album. Also, no Abbey Road album either.
So, maybe, due to the diligence of McCartney, this movie and album were finished. And, he kept the band together for another few months to record Abbey Road.......possibly one of the best Beatles' album in their collection (just my opinion, folks) Just a thought, people, just a thought.

The album would have been better than it was if they released "Dig It" and "I Me Mine" exactly as they were heard in the film, and if John and Paul decided to pick one or two of George's future "All Things Must Pass" songs.


I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked.