For the first time in 50 years, Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s 1970 documentary on The Beatles, Let It Be, will be available for streaming. Offered exclusively on Disney+, the historic capture has undergone the restoration process to lighten shots and properly illuminate happenstances, leading to one of the most celebrated sets of music ever. The restored movie hits the streaming site on May 8, 2024.
Let It Be was initially released in May 1970. It presents John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr rehearsing and recording material for their 12th and final studio album–the highly praised set for which the documentary is named. Rather than utilize narration, scene titles, or interviews with the subjects, the movie leans into a fly-on-the-wall perspective, making for candid catches that further emphasize the band’s state of mind at that time and moment.
The forthcoming video arrives after the global success of the Get Back docuseries. Let It Be unveils another layer to The Beatles’ complicated past, taking viewers inside the making of their Grammy-winning record and inevitably to the rooftop of London’s Apple Cords for their famed January 1969 concert–shots fans might already be familiar with. One month before the movie’s initial release, The Beatles broke up, further emphasizing the historical value of the capture.
With Hogg’s blessing, Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post Production began the meticulous restoration process of converting the original 16mm negative. The set also underwent sound remastering using the same MAL de-mix technology used in making 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,” offered 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,” continued Jackson.
Scroll down to view The Beatles’ Instagram unveiling of the official video announcement.
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