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.
