The second instalment of Peter Jackson's three-part editing down of original director Michael Lindsay-Hogg's exhaustive filmed material of the Beatles recording their new album, shows the band edging back from the precipice of their splitting up with George's exit and apparent decision at the end of part one to leave the group. Off-camera, the other three meet up with him at Ringo's house but we're told that the situation was only exacerbated and that it could be days before Harrison returns to the fold, if at all.
Of course, as we know, he did recant and got back after a few days absence, which significant occurrence, combined with a shift of recording location to the more compact and conducive Apple Studios plus the introduction of guest musician, virtuoso keyboard player Billy Preston, saw the group pull together and start gelling again, not only as a group, but as long-standing friends. There's a remarkable recording of a surreptitiously-recorded conversation between John and Paul where they seem to own up to sidelining George up to this point, although it still seems, as the film progresses, that his own songs are hardly front and centre. Still, it was good to see him fully interacting with his bandmates again, smiling, joking and playing well, as he himself later admits.
Paul, meanwhile, who had dominated Part One as de-facto group leader, takes more of a back seat this time, while Lennon steps up to act as sometime conciliator, sometime joker as Ringo stays quiet in the background and generally goes with the flow. There's a surprise visit to the set by Peter Sellers, soon to act in "The Magic Christian" with Ringo, but it's the arrival of the modest, smiling, talented Preston which really works a charm with the group as they improve not only their personal behaviour but also their playing. George Martin, for one, immediately notices the change in mood and indeed comments on it.
I agree that a little more judicious editing could have been exercised, especially that of an overlong clip of Paul reading out verbatim a newspaper article on the apparent inter-group tensions while Lennon belts out a rock and roll number to no one in particular. Nevertheless, seeing the group magic gradually emerge and watching them cooperate in the arrangements for the new songs is wonderful to behold and I for one feel privileged to get this extended sneak-peak into the world's greatest-ever-band at work in the recording studio.
Just the finale on the Apple Roof to come now and the question of whether or not the group can rise to the occasion - spoiler alert, they can and do!
Of course, as we know, he did recant and got back after a few days absence, which significant occurrence, combined with a shift of recording location to the more compact and conducive Apple Studios plus the introduction of guest musician, virtuoso keyboard player Billy Preston, saw the group pull together and start gelling again, not only as a group, but as long-standing friends. There's a remarkable recording of a surreptitiously-recorded conversation between John and Paul where they seem to own up to sidelining George up to this point, although it still seems, as the film progresses, that his own songs are hardly front and centre. Still, it was good to see him fully interacting with his bandmates again, smiling, joking and playing well, as he himself later admits.
Paul, meanwhile, who had dominated Part One as de-facto group leader, takes more of a back seat this time, while Lennon steps up to act as sometime conciliator, sometime joker as Ringo stays quiet in the background and generally goes with the flow. There's a surprise visit to the set by Peter Sellers, soon to act in "The Magic Christian" with Ringo, but it's the arrival of the modest, smiling, talented Preston which really works a charm with the group as they improve not only their personal behaviour but also their playing. George Martin, for one, immediately notices the change in mood and indeed comments on it.
I agree that a little more judicious editing could have been exercised, especially that of an overlong clip of Paul reading out verbatim a newspaper article on the apparent inter-group tensions while Lennon belts out a rock and roll number to no one in particular. Nevertheless, seeing the group magic gradually emerge and watching them cooperate in the arrangements for the new songs is wonderful to behold and I for one feel privileged to get this extended sneak-peak into the world's greatest-ever-band at work in the recording studio.
Just the finale on the Apple Roof to come now and the question of whether or not the group can rise to the occasion - spoiler alert, they can and do!
