Acclaimed director Peter Jackson has given an update on his forthcoming documentary The Beatles: Get Back, which will now take the form of a six-hour series on Disney+. The three-part series is slated for a November 25th arrival on the streaming service.
For Get Back, Jackson reportedly sifted through 60 hours of never-before-seen video and upwards of 150 hours of unheard audio. It appears that, with such a wealth of material, Jackson—or perhaps Disney executives—have opted to change the format. The documentary film was originally set for a theatrical release on August 27th, 2021.
The film will focus on the recording sessions for The Fab Four’s final album, Let It Be, and seek to correct the supposedly misguided impression given by the documentary of the same name released in 1970. Jackson, along with drummer Ringo Starr, has taken aim at the Michael Lindsay-Hogg film, claiming that it showed a bickering band of musicians racing toward the finish line. According to Starr, however, “There was hours and hours of us just laughing and playing music, not at all like the version that came out. There was a lot of joy and I think Peter will show that. I think this version will be a lot more peace and loving, like we really were.”
Paul McCartney has also given Jackson’s film his blessing, saying, “I am really happy that Peter [Jackson] has delved into our archives to make a film that shows the truth about The Beatles recording together. The friendship and love between us comes over and reminds me of what a crazily beautiful time we had.”
In addition to footage shot by Lindsay-Hogg inside Apple Studios back in 1969, Get Back will also include new footage from The Beatles’ iconic rooftop concert atop the band’s corporate headquarters. Disney has stated that Jackson is “the only person in 50 years to have been given access to these private film archives.” Back in December 2020, Jackson offered fans a five-minute sneak peek of the film, which will also be accompanied by a 240-page book.
“In many respects, Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s remarkable footage captured multiple storylines,” Jackson said in a statement. “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.”
[H/T IndieWire]