THE BEATLES: GET BACK (2021)

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While my status as a decades-long Beatlemaniac with a penchant for deep dives into creative processes, group dynamics, and George's guitar solo on "Let It Be” (the album version) would make it obvious that I could easily sit through another eight hours of Jackson's love letter to the slog of doing The Work – another eight hours of Paul's efforts to hold the group together ("and then there were two" still stings) and the sheer scope of his musical talent; of George's creative frustration (making his triumph with ALL THINGS MUST PASS a little over a year later that much sweeter) and lamentations over his (wholly unfounded) inadequacies as a guitar player – true craftsman that he was; of the truth of the unfair treatment and mischaracterization of Yoko over the last half century (it's clear how deeply she and John loved one another – and how Paul recognized that, saying at one point "She's great; they just want to be together"); of Ringo's Ringo-ness throughout the whole thing (particularly loved the "Octopus's Garden" sequence where George helps him work something out on the piano – a helping hand that John and Paul seemed unwilling to lend George); and of Mal Evans's delight in hitting that anvil – the best part of my time with GET BACK has been getting to experience it with my wife who, up until Thanksgiving, had never been a Beatles fan: we’re currently, thanks to GET BACK, making our way through all of their work – her first time hearing much of it, my first time re-visiting in far too long: a true gift.

Make the time to savor all eight hours: may we all find ourselves as happy as Mal Evans with his anvil.

DAS PHANTOM DER OPER (1916)

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Such is my fascination with the lost 1916 version of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA that I’m moving it out of Friday’s Links post and giving it its own space here. Because I can. I’ll update accordingly if/when my ‘net scavengings reveal more.

  • This thread at The Classic Horror Board features some great information and discussion - especially this one, which includes the poster’s translation of a synopsis of the film (which seems to be quite faithful to Leroux's original); image above from linked post.