Sir Peter Jackson is the best of us. He's talented, wildly successful and a powerful nerd.
Most people make a living doing stuff they don't want to. Not PJ; he has earned the right to do whatever he wants. His new Beatles documentary "Get Back" is a classic example.
In an era of TikTok-length attention spans, Sir Pete has released eight hours of his fave band sitting around doing almost nothing. Who apart from Jackson could get away with this?
In another life, Pete would've happily worked out the back of Te Papa dusting antiquities. In this life, his geeky restoration projects get multimillion-dollar Disney releases.
Why would the home of Marvel throw big money at a doco most superhero fans find unwatchable? Because Sir Peter Jackson is involved. He has the power. He doesn't care what Mickey thinks; he cares about the historical record.
Far from worrying Get Back is too long, he apologises it isn't longer. Each episode begins with: "The Get Back project in January 1969 produced over 60 hours of film footage and more than 150 hours of audio recordings. Numerous editorial choices had to be made during the production of these films."
When you sit down to watch, you may experience some anger. How dare PJ put together something so boring and expect people to watch? Then suddenly, in the middle of the din, Paul McCartney pulls "Get Back" out of his arse. He just makes up one of the greatest songs ever on the spot, and you are there to see it happen.
From then on, it's just fun to be around the Beatles. I didn't realise how bubbly John still was in 1969 and how chill Ringo is. George is the clever but annoying little brother.
Paul is the powerhouse talent, but he's nice about it. I love how happy all the guys are when their old buddy from Hamburg, Billy Preston, turns up. They invite him to join the biggest band of all time without a second thought.
Yoko can piss off. There are a lot of Yoko apologists out there. They are wrong. I have expertise in the area of Yokoing.
I was once a low-level Yoko. The mother of my children is in a successful rock band. In 2005 I followed her overseas for the recording of their second album.
Unlike Yoko, I didn't go to their studio every day and sit one millimetre from my partner while she was recording. That would have been weird, creepy and inconsiderate to the other members of her band.
No. I did what all right-thinking talentless people do while their rockstar lovers are at work. I provided support by drinking all day at the hotel bar. I was there and ready to party when they needed me.
I also delivered lunch on one occasion and cigs on another. Unlike Yoko, I didn't cramp anyone's style. The only band friction I caused was around room bills. I charged everything to the drummer's room for a joke.
After eight hours as a fly on the wall, the Beatles become your family. You know them so well. John isn't the guru figure you might think. He's a goofy, funny guy. Paul McCartney, far from the tyrant some have claimed, is virtually egoless.
How could a man as famous and young as McCartney is in 1969 be so down to earth? I interviewed Paul when he was here in 2017. He was the same guy you see in "Get Back". Just a lovely, funny, open bloke. At one point, he threatened to pull my pants down and smack my bottom.
There's a secretly recorded conversation between John and Paul in the doco. They are talking about why George is upset. In these candid moments, with no way of knowing they were being bugged, you see what good people they are.
God, I wish John and George had lived and the four of them had the chance to patch things up and hang out again in their 40s and 50s. It's a tragedy.
I love "Get Back". It's changed me. "Let It Be" has jumped from my 9th to my 4th fave Beatles album. Paul has moved from 2nd to 1st fave Beatle. The band has become simultaneously more genius and more idiotic. Their songs more meaningful and less meaningful.
I've read a dozen Beatles books, watched everything I can get my hands on, and no one has revealed who they are like PJ has. His trick was being powerful enough and nerdy enough to make a documentary that is way too long. PJ and the Beatles forever.
