Would you BUY a Long Extended Version of “Get Back”?

From The Playlist / Christopher Marc

“Get Back”, The Beatles Rockumentary directed and shaped by filmmaker Peter Jackson—based on footage shot by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg for the 1970 “Let It Be” documentary— could be presented in an even LONGER form! There is perhaps no piece of pop culture that has reignited Beatlemania like this documentary has, save for maybe the “The Beatles Anthology” docu-series in 1995. Released last fall to much acclaim, Jackson’s gargantuan six-hour, three-episode-long series put the band in a whole new light for a whole new generation, presenting never before seen footage of the band writing, practicing, and recording their final album before their infamous breakup.

Since The Beatles spent a month working on these songs, you can imagine how much footage wasn’t used, and it’s been reported that Jackson could potentially make an extended cut. However, during a chat with THR journalist Kim Masters on The Business podcast, while Jackson said there’s still a huge treasure trove of unseen and unused “Beatles: Get Back” footage that could be turned into something more, the filmmaker admitted he’s not really sure an extended version will ever happen, and he’s “fighting” with Apple and Disney for it to happen.

Asked what’s next, Masters said, “I know you’re doing an expanded version of ‘The Beatles: Get Back,’ to which Jackson immediately responded, “I’m not, no.” he quickly replied Meanwhile, as you see below, “Get Back” has been nominated for 5 Emmy Awards so maybe the answer should be YES.

If YOU would likely PURCHASE an expanded version of the Rockumentary, then consider signing this petition, launched recently: PETITION TO RELEASE MORE GET BACK

The filmmaker further explained, “Disney and Apple are reluctant because they say — and they might be quite right—that there’s no market anymore for extended cuts,” he explained. “But I know that there’s five or six hours of fantastic material that we didn’t include, and I don’t want it to go back into the faults for fifty years. So, let’s just say that it’s a conversation that’s happening, but it’s not necessarily a definitive one at this point.”

This isn’t terribly shocking given that Disney isn’t known for being huge advocates for extended/director’s cuts with their feature films. There are also rising complaints when folks have tried to screen 20th Century Studios films at various theaters, or special screenings have come up against Disney trying to squash those plans, refusing access.

The Disney vault is very much real, and it sounds like Apple is being just as stubborn. Hardcore Beatle-philes will surely be aghast at the idea of all that footage going back into the vaults, but one has to wonder, how much different could five or six hours of recording that same album be? Perhaps to the die-hards, any glimpse of the musical gods is a gift, and to be fair, that’s hard to argue. Fingers crossed that someone allows Jackson to keep tinkering.

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