Originally released in 1970, Let It Be documents the Fab Four creating their next studio album (which was called Get Back at that point in time). The movie has been a topic of controversy as the it documents the tensions between the band, as the recording of the new album began in Twickingham Studios. To defuse tensions, the band went back to the basement of Apple Records to record the rest of the album. Pianist Billy Preston was also invited, which then led up to the band's historic Rooftop Concert. While originally intended to be a TV movie, Let It Be was released in theaters to some acclaim. The band themselves were critical of the movie when released, given how the band were portrayed. The movie would be broadcast on TV over the years until 1981 when the movie was released on VHS, Laserdisc, and Betamax- along with a CED videodisc release the following year. Almost as soon as it was on home video, the movie went into obscurity. For the next three decades, there have been many attempts made in re-releasing the movie.
Below is a list of attempted re-releases of the movie:
- Ron Furmanek remasters the movie from the original 16mm. This footage is later seen in the Beatles Anthology mini series. There are plans for the new remaster to be released on VHS but this never happens.
-In 2003, a remix of the Let It Be album is released. Entitled Let It Be...Naked, it was reported that the new album would coincide with a re-release of the movie on DVD. The album is released but the movie remains unreleased.
-In 2003, a remix of the Let It Be album is released. Entitled Let It Be...Naked, it was reported that the new album would coincide with a re-release of the movie on DVD. The album is released but the movie remains unreleased.
-In 2008, it is reported that Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr stopped a remaster/reissue of the movie on DVD from going through. In the years that follow, some anonymous sources claim that Yoko Ono was the one who kept it from being released. In 2017, someone claimed it was not only Yoko blocking the release but also the estate of George Harrison- possibly Harrison's widow, Olivia.
As a result of the movie's unavailability, the movie has been bootlegged heavily amongst Beatles fans over the decades- using the 1981 release as the source. In the last decade or so, McCartney and Starr have spoken up about the movie's status. In a 2012 interview with Rolling Stone, Starr remarked that the movie should be released. In 2016, McCartney told Rolling Stone that he didn't know why the movie wasn't out yet. Toward the end of 2018, McCartney hinted that the movie might be re-edited in "a year or two." While the main announcement is centered around the new Peter Jackson project, the press release claims the original movie will be restored.
This is very exciting news. This is long overdue and I really wish this would all come out later in 2019. Realistically, I'm thinking both movies will be released in 2020, which will mark the 50th anniversary of the Let It Be album- as well as the 50th anniversary of the band's split. Apple is most likely focused on celebrating Abbey Road's 50th this year- as a follow up to the remixes of The White Album and Sgt. Pepper.
An official DVD/Blu-ray release of the Let It Be is probably the holy grail of Beatles releases. What has me concerned is that while the original movie will be restored, I'm afraid of the possibility of that not seeing a home video release. This was the case with the Eight Days A Week movie- in which the Shea Stadium concert was shown in theaters but not on home video. I am all for this new version from Peter Jackson but even if that movie ends up being better than the original, I would still like to see the original released. Either way, this should be an exciting next few years down the line.
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