FEATURE:
Let It Be
IN THIS PHOTO: The Beatles in 1969/PHOTO CREDIT: Apple Corps Ltd./Courtesy of The Beatles
Will We Get Another Documentary About the Beatles Soon?
_________
I guess there have been…
IN THIS PHOTO: Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison, circa 1965/PHOTO CREDIT: Bettmann
more than a fair share of documentaries about The Beatles through the years. In the past few years, we have seen more examples. The Beatles: Get Back was released in 2021. There have been audio documentaries and plenty of Beatles-related series and documentaries. In all, I think the band have been covered well in recent times. The thing is, most of the recent documentaries – say the past ten years – are of a particular time period or part of their career. I can’t remember the last time where there was a more career-spanning documentary. I think, whilst we still have Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr with us, it is a perfect time to plan ahead and consider something. Maybe one of the last Beatles documentaries with surviving members. Some may say that it is overkill. Sure, there have been plenty of Beatles activity and projects. Books and other bits. Now that the band are gaining new fans and attention after The Beatles: Get Back and its aftermath, there will be curiosity about their entire catalogue. From the start and period before the 1963 debut album, Please Please Me, right through to the final days. Maybe that late period has been more than covered, though there are large swathes without much recent representation and re-investigation. Making a stylish and fascinating documentary that takes apart albums, album covers, looks at live gigs. Speaking with various high-profile fans, long-time fans, people who worked in the studio with the band, plus podcasters and modern-day fans who are keeping their music and legacy alive. Maybe words from the world’s leading Beatles authority, Mark Lewisohn.
It would be easier getting it green-lit compared to documentaries about other artists. Paul McCartney especially would be interested and invested, as he is the world’s biggest Beatles fan. I guess it might be a hard task covering so much ground in a single documentary. What I was thinking was a multi-part documentary. Maybe something with the length of The Beatles: Get Back, though it would look through the years. Bringing in Paul McCartney photos, older interviews and new clips, together with a dive into their songs and albums. Bringing in Revolution in the Head by Ian MacDonald, together other books about the band. Mixing filming techniques. A pictorial and graphical look at the albums and key moments. Rather than it being a general overview for fans, it would be an authoritative career-spanning documentary about a band who not only changed music in the 1960s – they changed popular culture forever. Maybe each episode in terms of themes. One about the albums and songs. Another dedicated to fans and touring. Stuff would have to be left out I guess. You literally cannot cover everything! I think we are very lucky having Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr with us. Not to be too morbid, but we maybe have a decade or so at the most with these two in the world. Having their recollections and words. Revealing things they might not have discussed before. It would be amazing to get them to look back on The Beatles’ lifespan this long after they broke up. Discussing the impact of the band. Also, The Beatles became popular again in the 1990s. This renewed interest perhaps after the 1995 documentary, Anthology. It is hard to find ways of streaming this essential series. Maybe a lot was covered back then. Nearly thirty years later, there is more to cover and discuss.
It is no coincidence that so many artists emulated and incorporated The Beatles into the music not long after that series came out. Many Britpop players – such as Blur, Oasis and their contemporaries – very much inspired by The Beatles. You had countless cases of artists nodding to the band. You can look around now and wonder whether The Beatles and impacting new artists. Maybe in a less obvious and prolific way as we say in the 1990s. Perhaps the Pop scene now does not have the same sort of wave and space for this representation. I would love to see a host of new artists and bands with The Beatles at their core. People might say we have cases of that today. I cannot name too many obvious examples. Since 1995, a lot has changed. We have seen album reissues by Giles Martin (son of the late Beatles producer George Martin). Discussing about that and doing animated videos and clips of different talks and demos. So many podcasters, actors, musicians and other people who are fans and want to discuss the band. Updates about their legacy. Fans who were there at the start. Mark Lewisohn taking us inside his expansive and authoritative Beatles book, Tune In. That was published in 2013. We have been treated to a continuation of Beatles projects and things for years and decades. A year does not go by without a book, series or something else. I have been thinking about Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. How important they are. If they have spoken extensively about The Beatles, maybe a final example of them coming together on film to talk about those great years would be more than nostalgia. A chance to get The Beatles out to new listeners and artists.
As much as anything, underlining how important they are. The cultural impact. So many areas to explore. Maybe there is something is in the works, though I fear most have the assumption that everything has been said and there has been a lot from the last few years – so why add anything else?! Is it a waste of money and time basically rehashing footage and covering the same ground. The thing is, as technology has advanced and there is so much more out there about The Beatles, there would be fairly little repetition. One could say Anthology is the definitive series/representation of The Beatles. I think there is room for more. It may be the last documentary we have to feature McCartney and Starr. Also, I wonder how many more album reissues will come. I guess 1964’s A Hard Day’s Night will be reissued at some point. I guess 1965’s Rubber Soul will be next. Following that, there is not really a lot else to come from the archives. Or maybe there is. Most of the best books have been written. Not to say that things will dry and we will search around for Beatles things years from now. However, after a certain point, there will be a natural drying up. Having this extensive documentary/series that ties almost everything together and would be a compendium with lots of archive footage plus valuable words from McCartney and Starr. People like Glyn Johns (chief engineer during The Beatles’ Get Back sessions) and Yoko Ono. Almost a desperation and acknowledgment of mortality. Capturing words and recollections whilst we have this incredible archive. People who were there at the start. Beatles children and tribute bands. I also like the idea of uncovering and diving into the studio albums.
It would take a lot of time together, but I can’t think of many reasons against the idea. There would definitely be a momentum and demand. If it did something new and was this attempt at something definitive, it would be worth investing in. It would take years to come together and complete, so I hope that something similar is being planned. I don’t think that there has been a recent documentary or series that has been broad and career-spanning. There are audio documentaries and podcasts, yet it is the visual aspect that is the key. Taking us inside album covers and the studio. Getting a real sense of what it was like being on the road with The Beatles. Importantly, and in terms of a unique selling point, discussing what their legacy is now and how that has shifted. Trying to inspire a new wave of artists to keep The Beatles’ sound alive. At a time when the scene is lacking that obvious influence. In any case, for fans and those in The Beatles’ world, it could be a celebration and final visual chapter. Something that can remain for decades and sit alongside the films, documentaries and series on The Beatles. Again, that chance to feature modern-day Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Who would have plenty more to say. The final words with them. What The Beatles meant to them and how they would like the band to be remembered. If some say it would be too ambitious or not new, I would argue against that. It is achievable, if time-consuming and a lot. It would definitely provide opportunity for lots of new information and angles. I am not sure what it would be called but, when considering a new Beatles documentary or series, just imagine…
WHAT could be.