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In June and again in July, the director of the upcoming The Beatles: Get Back series gave interviews – in Vanity Fair and in GQ – holding forth on what to expect from his re-tooling of the Beatles Let It Be project. Though there was a certain amount of rehashing what had already been said, there were also things that provided much to discuss and analyze as we approach the countdown to broadcast.
I therefore reconvened Dr Duncan Driver and Dan Rivkin (They May Be Parted blog) for a discussion on the latest and how what Peter Jackson had to say – and didn’t say – suggests where the project is going and what to expect.
That Peter Jackson teaser is like the Zapruder film for you folks!
🙂
A wonderful and very thoughtful episode. I thought the section speculating on Peter Jackson’s motivations was the most interesting, because I’ve been holding out hope that GET BACK will be _more_ frank than LET IT BE (Sir Peter Jackson, three-time Academy Award winner, is presumably not working under the same power dynamic with Apple as was Michael Lindsay-Hogg).
Interesting episode. I sense some dishonesty and more public relations on the part of Pete Jackson’s comment about making sure Paul McCartney approves anything with the Get Back documentary.
But I wonder how much Disney had in spinning these references to McCartney. McCartney is very controlling and a revisionist on anything to do with his past (see Wingspan, Beatles Anthology, McCartney 3,2,1).
Am sure the footage and audio to the Get Back documentary mini-series will be exceptional. But there is also the dilemma of the writer who sits with a finished novel for too long. Eventually making unnecessary changes simply for the sake of changing it and effectively ruining its edge.
One wonders if the bread will be stale by the time its gets out of the oven.
Thanks for another fascinating podcast, Robert.
& so many more over the years!
Btw I recommend re-watching the Director’s Cut of Anthology again.
George’s dentist is named, there`s more on Maharishi, from memory
and definitely some criticism of Yoko being in the studio and how
it bugged George – from George!
Obviously cut for the broadcast /Official DVD version.
To keep everyone (else) happy!
Duncan seems to frustratingly underestimate Peter Jackson’s
intelligence tho.
to paraphrase his take on PJ : “Wow I heard that there was all this agro at the Get Back sessions –
– then I saw that there was nothing to the famous Paul/ George spat so THEREFORE the whole month was sweetness and light!”
Really? Duncan thinks Peter is that one dimensional?
PJ may choose to emphasise the upbeat moments in his cut (we’ll see) but even then I don’t believe the
guy is so clueless as to extrapolate from one argument.
Btw I really enjoyed the Pod on the passing of Alan Williams.
Back then you had Mark Lewisohn on as a guest. And you had an
amiable chat with him.
But I notice lately, as with this episode, when you refer to Mark
you always call him “Lewisohn” which seems a tad disrespectful.
And are bringing him up to disagree with him.
Is you new attitude to Mark due to the falling out with your previous
co-host?
Will you have Mark on again, as a guest?
Look fWd to your review of the new Let It Be Box and Get Back TV series!
I noticed that as well in reference to Mark Lewisohn. A bit subtle, but there nevertheless.
I’m ok with a happy PG friendly edit on it. Screw it. Taking out ‘Fuckface’ from that bantering episode takes the edge off, but there has to be a slant no matter how its cut. Even Mark L’s first vol. slants John and Pete’s mugging of sailors in Hamburg as ‘boys will be boys’, mentioning it only in passing.
The only way we could get a pure take is to have the complete footage and audio.
Thank you to all! This podcast is so important and a joy to return to. Its the only Beatle’s podcast that offers primary sources to the Beatle’s history.
The “Fuckface” line is in the film. Just not the broadcast-friendly promo.
Hello Robert,
I received the Get Back book and have read it twice already. I was just wondering if you know if it largely matches up to the dialogue that will be in the film.
There were various points I thought were important.
1- the dramatic irony…much like a Shakespeare play we get to see the impending doom as a result of Lennon’s complete mental capitulation to Allen Klein. Even when Glynn Johns warns him, “Klein can convince you that a black piano is green,” it goes completely over Lennon’s head.
2- you can see how Klein had set up his control. He impressed Yoko with the fake information that she was rehashing in the dialogue piece that Klein “owns half of MGM”.
3- He had set up Harrison with his fake ability to set up a concert for charity – Biafra etc.
Anyway- it would be great if you could do a show (if you get time) on your impressions on the book. What impressed you?
I hope they have the bit “we’re stars…you don’t interrupt stars when they’re working”…but that dialogue wasn’t in the book, but it was in the show reels, so my guess is the book doesn’t marry up to the movie.
Anyway, thanks either way for a great show.
Cheers.
Interesting to listen to this podcast after the Get Back docuseries has been aired, and the comments regarding the honesty of the version now produced by Peter Jackson. Pleasing that the hope of contacting and talking to Jackson came true ! Also interesting in the way “they” have tried to suggest that Paul and Ringo have “misremembered” the events seen in Let It Be as happening in May 1970 when the film was released. Possible ? Jury’s out on that one. I did see a Peter Jackson video where he did state that the restored Let It Be will be released – hopefully this is still the case.