From the conception in Liverpool, to their numerous world tours, The Beatles soared to heights never before seen by any band in history. “The Beatles: Get Back” documentary series was released in December 2021 on Disney +. The

documentary follows the making of The Beatles’ 1970 album, “Let It Be.” The three-part series has a lengthy run time of almost eight hours, with the individual episodes running just about two and a half hours each. While this may seem excessive, director Peter Jackson wanted to make sure viewers got the full experience of the story. Jackson’s decision paid off as the show has been extremely well received, earning a rating of 9.4/10 from IMDB and a 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

The series begins with unseen footage documenting the early stages of the band’s journey to success. Their album “Let It Be” was originally known as “Get Back,” but was changed in later production. The name was instead used for the outro track, which gave this documentary series its title. In just the first few minutes, the series immediately stands out. The clips of all four band members sitting around their equipment while writing the songs completely unrehearsed, was fascinating to watch.

What was highly noticeable was the style of the footage itself. The quality of the film is some of the best I’ve seen, coming from the 70s film and television era. The un-edited clips give viewers a feeling of being in the same room as the famed artists. The crew captured many unique moments that made this series far from boring. 

When viewing this series, I felt as if I wasn’t watching a documentary. Instead it felt as if I was sitting in the same room as John, Paul, George, and Ringo while they wrote one of the most iconic rock albums of The Beatles’ discography. “The Beatles: Get Back” veers away from this typical structure of non-fiction entertainment. Rather, the series tells the story in a style that more closely resembles a drama movie, rather than the average documentary. 

This is shown in the camera angles, where the producers tell a story rather than simply a compilation of all the shots that they had. As someone who wouldn’t consider themselves a Beatles fan, I still found everything about this series to be more interesting than any similar entertainment.

All three episodes capture something different; from the bands’ early stages of building “Let It Be” to their eventual break up that same year. The second and third episodes in particular follow the rejoining of The Beatles as well as their impromptu rooftop concert that displayed a much larger selection of music than ever seen in previous documentaries. 

Using the incredible footage captured, Jackson built a strong story and created one of the more enjoyable musical documentaries to be released in recent years. The footage gathered brings fans even closer to all four members of The Beatles, and gives a better understanding of their relationship. Scenes of their creative process are inspiring and truly prove their musical genius. Whether or not you are a die-hard Beatles fan or a casual listener, the documentary has something for every viewer, making it one of the best documentaries released last year.