The new documentary was announced to commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ final rooftop concert and will feature 55 hours of unseen footage of The Beatles in studio, filmed between January 2 and January 31, 1969. Taking the reins of this mammoth project is none other than Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson.
“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,” said Jackson.
“I was relieved to discover the reality is very different to the myth,” continues Jackson, “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.”
Jackson rightly notes the long-perpetuated idea that 1969 was an especially contentious period for The Beatles, in particular during the recording sessions for Let It Be. These sessions produced a documentary of the same name, which gave uncomfortable insight into the tension between the band at that time.
The unreleased footage was originally intended for release as a TV special, an idea which is only now seeing the light of day. Instead, the Let It Be sessions culminated in The Beatles’ iconic rooftop performance – their final live performance together.
Next up: Read about the making of The Beatles’ White Album.
Image via Apple Corps Ltd.
