I'll confess straight up that my interest in the music of the beatles is passing and while I recognise its cultural significance I dont generally listen to their songs.
None the less this documentary offers interesting insights into the creative process of the artists and offers glimpses of the group dynamics at the time.
And the songs being created are (at least from time to time) iconic.
In some was it plays like a love triangle between Paul, John and George.
Ringo sits behind his drum kit, above and beyond the internal politics of the song writers .
Paul is frustrated by John's lack of commitment, George tries to offer ideas but is casually dismissed by Paul .
John is more interested in smooching with Yoko than in writing new songs.
"I work best with my back against the wall" he says at one point.
With the backroom talk about venues and the cigar chomping besuited management types try to get their way. The film maker is desperate to go to Libya and take advanyage of the setting and natural lighting of an ancient amphitheater by the sea. The band want to play in front of fans.
While none of the rehearsal is staged its clear that for much of the time the band are conscious of being filmed and I snse that the creative tensions are expressd more politley than they might have been off camera.
When George finally says he is leaving the band it is masterfully understated. There has been no real hint of this beyond the odd sullen glance and the body language as he says to Paul "I'll play anything you ask me to or not play at all, just tell me what you want." and Pauls unhelpful responses which suggest he is doing all the creative thinking (which from this edit is not true ). It just underlines that what he asking for is input from John and that he has no interest really in co-creating with George.
The scenes of the three remaining Beatles both during and after George's departure are strangley muted. . They dont really seem to take at seriously first and then appear to be in a state of mild shock & denial. There is also a slight sense that George wont be missed in the way that Paul or John would. "We'll phone Clapton" says John at one point.
In other ways it is like watching the remaining group grieve.
They then convince themselves/managment /hangers on it will be fine and that they will have a chat with him overnight.
The closing voice over suggests otherwise.
None the less this documentary offers interesting insights into the creative process of the artists and offers glimpses of the group dynamics at the time.
And the songs being created are (at least from time to time) iconic.
In some was it plays like a love triangle between Paul, John and George.
Ringo sits behind his drum kit, above and beyond the internal politics of the song writers .
Paul is frustrated by John's lack of commitment, George tries to offer ideas but is casually dismissed by Paul .
John is more interested in smooching with Yoko than in writing new songs.
"I work best with my back against the wall" he says at one point.
With the backroom talk about venues and the cigar chomping besuited management types try to get their way. The film maker is desperate to go to Libya and take advanyage of the setting and natural lighting of an ancient amphitheater by the sea. The band want to play in front of fans.
While none of the rehearsal is staged its clear that for much of the time the band are conscious of being filmed and I snse that the creative tensions are expressd more politley than they might have been off camera.
When George finally says he is leaving the band it is masterfully understated. There has been no real hint of this beyond the odd sullen glance and the body language as he says to Paul "I'll play anything you ask me to or not play at all, just tell me what you want." and Pauls unhelpful responses which suggest he is doing all the creative thinking (which from this edit is not true ). It just underlines that what he asking for is input from John and that he has no interest really in co-creating with George.
The scenes of the three remaining Beatles both during and after George's departure are strangley muted. . They dont really seem to take at seriously first and then appear to be in a state of mild shock & denial. There is also a slight sense that George wont be missed in the way that Paul or John would. "We'll phone Clapton" says John at one point.
In other ways it is like watching the remaining group grieve.
They then convince themselves/managment /hangers on it will be fine and that they will have a chat with him overnight.
The closing voice over suggests otherwise.