The Let It Be film arrived in cinemas in May 1970, shortly after the Beatles had gone their separate ways. This page has been updated to reflect the film’s long-awaited 2024 restoration and return to official release.
The project began under the working title Get Back, Paul McCartney’s idea to capture the band returning to their musical roots. The plan was to record new songs live on camera, ending with a simple “back-to-basics” concert broadcast to the world.
While the full concert never happened, filming continued at the band’s own Apple Studios, where George Harrison felt more at ease. These sessions culminated in the now-famous rooftop performance — The Beatles’ final live appearance together.
McCartney originally envisioned a different outcome for the project. Still, Let It Be remains a revealing record of the group’s final chapter. Audiences saw the Fab Four as they really were in early 1969: still creative, sometimes divided, but unmistakably The Beatles.
Key Facts
- Original Release: May 1970
- Restored Streaming Release: 8 May 2024 on Disney+
- Director: Michael Lindsay-Hogg
- Producer: Neil Aspinall
- Featuring: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr
- Music: The Beatles
- Special Appearance: Billy Preston
- Cinematography: Anthony B. Richmond
- Editor: Tony Lenny
- Production Companies: Apple Films / ABKCO Industries
- Distributor: United Artists
- Running Time: 80 minutes
- Genre: Documentary / Musical
Let It Be Film: Rooftop Concert
The Let It Be project grew out of Paul McCartney’s idea to bring the band back to live performance. After the difficult start at Twickenham, the sessions moved to Apple, where the atmosphere improved and the project finally produced its most famous sequence: the unannounced rooftop concert on Savile Row.
That performance became the Beatles’ final live appearance together and remains the emotional climax of the film. For the full story behind the songs, the setup, and the police interruption, see our Beatles rooftop concert feature.
The restored 2024 release matters here because Apple said the original film includes footage not used in The Beatles: Get Back. That makes Let It Be more than a shorter version of Peter Jackson’s series – it is a companion piece with its own value and perspective.
Controversy and Restoration
When Let It Be was first released on home video formats in the early 1980s, it appeared on VHS, Betamax, and LaserDisc. The transfers were from television masters and suffered from poor picture quality and the original 4:3 aspect ratio. Despite its importance, the film soon went out of print and remained unavailable for many years.
In 1992, Apple Corps began remastering the original 16 mm footage, exploring options for a higher-quality release. Plans to include a restored version alongside the Let It Be… Naked album in 2003 were later shelved. Neil Aspinall of Apple Corps explained in 2007 that revisiting the material had proved sensitive, noting:
For decades, fans speculated about an official reissue, but Apple Corps preferred to wait for the right time and technology. That opportunity arrived in 2024, when the film was finally restored in 4K and released exclusively on Disney+ on 8 May 2024.
Overseen by the team behind Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back, the new version presented Let It Be with vastly improved sound and visuals, bringing long-awaited closure to one of the most discussed chapters in Beatles history.
Apple also said the restoration was completed from the original 16mm negative, with the sound remastered using the same MAL de-mix technology applied to The Beatles: Get Back. That technical work is a major reason the film now plays less like a faded historical artefact and more like a living document of the January 1969 sessions.
Let It Be Album
Apple Records released a companion album in May 1970, continuing the tradition of earlier Beatles soundtracks. However, most of the performances on the Let It Be album differ from those heard in the film. The documentary includes several songs that the record completely omits.
After the band broke up, producer Phil Spector took over the project and added orchestral and choral arrangements to several tracks. Consequently, his production style gave the album a grander sound that differed from the band’s original concept. Paul McCartney later voiced his dissatisfaction with the added arrangements.
That tension is part of why the film and album are often discussed together but should not be treated as the same experience. The 1970 album reflects Phil Spector’s post-session production choices, while the film preserves more of the original working atmosphere that McCartney had hoped to capture.
Instead, he believed they clashed with the original “back-to-basics” spirit of the Get Back sessions. He cited “The Long and Winding Road” as an example, preferring its simpler piano-based arrangement.
In 2003, Apple Corps released Let It Be… Naked, a remixed and re-sequenced version that removed Spector’s overdubs and presented the songs closer to their original form. The film and its accompanying albums capture a period of creative tension for The Beatles. However, they also show how the band continued to innovate during their final months together.
Watch the official preview for Let It Be (1970).
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Songs In The Film
The list below shows the songs and tracks in the order they first appear in the film.
In Conclusion
More than half a century after its release, Let It Be remains one of the most revealing and important music documentaries ever made. It captures The Beatles during their final months together — still creative, sometimes strained, but always compelling to watch.
The 2024 restoration has given the film new life, allowing fans to experience its sound and vision as never before. Whether viewed as a farewell or a celebration, Let It Be stands as a lasting record of how The Beatles worked, laughed, and performed right to the very end.
You can leave your thoughts and opinions about this film in the Beatles Fan Club Forum.
Sources and References
- The Beatles – official film page and overview.
- The Beatles – 2024 restoration announcement and context.
- Disney UK Press – Disney+ launch details and restoration summary.
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