Culture Cabinet

Beatles fans rejoice: Let It Be is finally streaming. 

After over 50 years, Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s 1970 documentary film, The Beatles: Let It Be, is now available on Disney+. 

The film features nearly ninety minutes of pure, uninterrupted footage of The Beatles, as they spend time in the studio, working on their twelfth and final studio album, Let It Be. It’s not a traditional documentary in the sense that there are no talking-head cutaways, and no real narrative. Rather, it’s a simple look at John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison at work, as they fine tune some of their now-iconic songs, such as “Two of Us,” “The Long and Winding Road,” and “Let It Be.” 

The film ends with an impromptu concert put on by The Beatles on top of Apple Corps Limited’s headquarters, that eventually ends with police making their way to the rooftop to stop the concert, as it’s causing too much of a disturbance to neighboring businesses.

Given that there isn’t much of a narrative, this film is definitely best suited for Beatles fans. At the time of its release, Let It Be drew much buzz from fans and critics alike, who couldn’t help but notice that while the film did not necessarily focus on the band’s breakup, the makings of what would eventually lead to the band’s separation are ever apparent. McCartney shares his frustration with Harrison’s guitar playing. Lennon is hardly ever seen without Yoko Ono. McCartney rants about how much time they’re spending in the studio. Of course, it’s easy to view this fifty years later with the lens of a 2024 viewer, who knows how the story ends. But, even still, it’s fascinating to watch such pivotal moments of musical history being made. 

Let It Be was initially planned for a television broadcast that would accompany a recorded concert, but plans for the latter eventually fell through. The documentary thus had a brief theatrical run in 1970, and ultimately earned an Academy Award for the film’s title song. Let It Be then saw a very limited release on VHS and LaserDisc in 1981. However, due to complex aspect ratio conversions, the film was not able to be mass produced. In 2021, Disney+ debuted The Beatles: Get Back, a Beatles documentary series directed by Peter Jackson, which showcased some of the footage from Let It Be. 

After Michael Lindsay-Hogg heard of the restored footage used in Jackson’s documentary series, he worked with Jackson’s production company to meticulously restore the film’s original 16 mm negatives and restore the sound using the same technology used in Get Back. The result is a stunning piece of cinema, that feels a service to The Beatles and their fans, who have been long awaiting the re-release of the film.  

Let It Be is a must-watch for any Beatles fan, or for anyone who appreciates music making. It’s incredibly interesting to watch the construction of what is now known as one of the most iconic albums of all time, but to do so from one of the most legendary bands of all time, with four people who clearly know how to truly craft a song, is incredibly exciting. The painstaking work that went into the film’s digital restoration pays off, as the visuals are sweeping and colorful, and the sound quality of these recordings are spectacular. 

Ultimately, Let It Be serves as a reminder of The Beatles legendary status as musicians, and having it available for mass viewing feels long overdue.