Disney+ restores The Beatles’ Let It Be movie
April 17, 2024
By Nik Roseveare
Disney+ has announced that Let It Be, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s original movie about iconic Liverpudlian band The Beatles, will launch exclusively on Disney+ May 8th, marking the first time the film has ben available in over 50 years.
First released in May 1970 amidst the swirl of The Beatles’ breakup, Let It Be now takes its rightful place in the band’s history. Once viewed through a darker lens, the film is now brought to light through its restoration and in the context of revelations brought forth in Peter Jackson’s docuseries, The Beatles: Get Back.
Let It Be contains footage not featured in the Get Back docuseries, bringing viewers into the studio and onto Apple Corps’ London rooftop in January 1969 as The Beatles, joined by Billy Preston, write and record their celebrated album Let It Be, and perform live for the final time as a group.
With the release of The Beatles: Get Back, fan clamour for the original Let It Be film reached a fever pitch. With Lindsay-Hogg’s full support, Apple Corps asked Jackson’s Park Road Post Production to dive into a restoration of the film from the original 16mm negative, which included remastering the sound using the same MAL de-mix technology that was applied to the Get Back docuseries.
“I’m absolutely thrilled that Michael’s movie, Let It Be, has been restored and is finally being re-released after being unavailable for decades,” commented Jackson. “I was so lucky to have access to Michael’s outtakes for Get Back, and I’ve always thought that Let It Be is needed to complete the Get Back story. Over three parts, we showed Michael and The Beatles filming a groundbreaking new documentary, and Let It Be is that documentary – the movie they released in 1970. I now think of it all as one epic story, finally completed after five decades. The two projects support and enhance each other: Let It Be is the climax of Get Back, while Get Back provides a vital missing context for Let It Be. Michael Lindsay-Hogg was unfailingly helpful and gracious while I made Get Back, and it’s only right that his original movie has the last word… looking and sounding far better than it did in 1970.”
Let It Be stars John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, with a special appearance by Billy Preston. The film was produced by Neil Aspinall with The Beatles acting as executive producers. The director of photography was Anthony B Richmond.