In 1969, The Beatles went into the studio with a new approach: after a long period of experimentation, they would try making a more old-fashioned rock and roll album, and would have their recording sessions captured on film. The project would conclude with the band playing their first live concert in three years. Unfortunately, the presence of the documentary crew only seemed to increase the tension between the band members, and the sessions were fraught with disagreements, culminating in George Harrison leaving the band at one point.
The music was eventually shelved, and the band returned to their old methods to record their swan song Abbey Road. When the Let It Be sessions were revisited, conflicts over the handling of the material proved to be the final straw that wound up breaking up the band. The film was released while the band was still together, but the accompanying album hit record stores "posthumously". The band would go on to win an Academy Award for Original Song Score, though they were not present at the ceremony.
While the film was released on video in the early 80's, it was soon out of print, and attempts to re-release the film seemed to open old wounds between Harrison, Yoko Ono, and Paul McCartney, so the plans were eventually dropped. What remains is a fascinating and candid look into the songwriting and recording process of the band, with more humorous moments of levity than one would expect considering all the trouble the project caused.
Film runs approximately 90 minutes, and will begin at 8:00pm.
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