This is a short 12-minute documentary about how John Lennon’s scratchy home demo became what was billed as the last Beatles song.
I currently have “Now and Then” ranked #7 on my list of The 10 Best Documentaries on The Beatles.
Full Short for “Now and Then”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- In February 1995, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr tried to finish “Now and Then,” but they hit a wall because Lennon’s vocal was trapped on the same old tape as the piano.
- The song sat unfinished for decades until Peter Jackson’s team used the same “demixing” technology from “Get Back” to separate Lennon’s voice from the piano.
- The final song uses Lennon’s 1970s home demo, George Harrison’s 1995 guitar work, and new parts from Paul and Ringo recorded in 2022.
Watch “Now and Then”
You can watch “Now and Then” for free on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APJAQoSCwuA.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 92/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: not yet rated
Director’s Note: Directed by Oliver Murray, this 12-minute short works because it does not overstay its welcome. It gives you the emotional Beatles story and the tech breakthrough without turning it into a padded feature.
Release Date: November 1, 2023
Other Unique Stuff
- Peter Jackson’s technology did not create an AI version of John Lennon. It simply separated Lennon’s real voice from the piano on an old cassette recording that had frustrated the Beatles since 1995.
- George Harrison once dismissed “Now and Then” as “rubbish,” but guitar parts he recorded during the abandoned 1995 sessions were ultimately used in the finished 2023 release.
- Paul McCartney added a new slide guitar part specifically designed to sound like George Harrison, giving the song one final musical contribution from all four Beatles across more than 50 years.
Wrap Up:
“Now and Then” is only 12 minutes, but it hits hard if you care about The Beatles. It’s less a making-of short and more a final goodbye.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc