Never-Released Beatles ‘Let It Be’ Footage Being Made into New Film
On the 50th anniversary of the band’s legendary final concert atop Apple’s Savile Row London office, a new Beatles film has been announced.
The currently untitled film will be helmed by Academy Award-winning director Peter Jackson and will be draw from 55 hours of never-released footage of The Beatles in the studio, shot between January 2-31, 1969.
This footage came from the original filming of Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s documentary Let It Be, which ended with the famous rooftop concert.
In a statement, Jackson said, “The 55 hours of never-before-seen footage and 140 hours of audio made available to us, ensures this movie will be the ultimate ‘fly on the wall’ experience that Beatles fans have long dreamt about – it’s like a time machine transports us back to 1969, and we get to sit in the studio watching these four friends make great music together.”
The making of Let It Be has been long assumed to be full of tension, but Jackson made clear that wasn’t the case.
Jackson said, “I was relieved to discover the reality is very different to the myth. 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. I’m thrilled and honored to have been entrusted with this remarkable footage – making the movie will be a sheer joy.”
Like the most recent Beatles film, 2016’s The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years, this project is being made with the full cooperation of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon, and Olivia Harrison.
Once the Jackson-helmed film is released, a remastering of the original Let It Be film will be released.
Erica Banas is rock/classic rock news blogger that loves the smell of old vinyl in the morning.
