Ringo Starr has said there is 'not a lot of joy' in The Beatles documentary Let It Be, ahead of its restored re-release on Disney+ on May 8. The film, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, was first released in cinemas 54 years ago and has been difficult to obtain since, prompting bootlegging.
In a new interview with Associated Press, Starr praised Peter Jackson's restoration work but expressed mixed feelings about the content. 'For me, not a lot of joy in it. It’s from the point of view of the director, and that was up to him,' he said. The documentary features footage of the band writing and recording their final studio album in January 1969, including the iconic rooftop concert.
Jackson, who previously directed the 2022 docuseries Get Back, used state-of-the-art digital technology to restore the 55-year-old film reels. Lindsay-Hogg noted that the original print had not been well preserved, and Jackson's restoration work for Get Back also improved the Let It Be footage.
Starr has previously shared similar sentiments about the film, saying in 2021 that he 'didn’t feel any joy' in the original documentary, which focused on a tense moment between Paul McCartney and George Harrison. The new cut retains the original film's structure but includes a new introduction featuring a conversation between Jackson and Lindsay-Hogg.
