Whether known as a member of the Beatles, which is widely considered the largest and most successful band of all time, or for his solo career, Paul McCartney has had a musical presence for the better part of six and a half decades. “I think he’s a great musician. And he has kind of changed the way music has been made in modern days.” sophomore Imaad Laljiani said. His new album and documentary prove that he’s not going away any time soon.
“Paul McCartney: Man on the Run” released Feb. 19, to high levels of acclaim among critics and viewers. As a limited one day showing, this special event clearly had one purpose: to tell a story, which it certainly does. With a stunningly intimate look inside the life of Paul McCartney, the viewer learns about the breakup of the Beatles and his solo career through a compilation of old interviews, home videos and of course, music.
In terms of cinematography, the director, Morgan Neville, known for “20 Feet From Stardom” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor”, uses a delightful blend of techniques. A clear contrast is formed between the calmness of nature and the chaos of music through shots of McCartney’s Scotland farm and busy London. Beautifully intricate metaphors connect overarching themes. There’s a kinetic collage of rarely seen 1970’s archival film and audio, showing the inner workings of the musical progress. Last but not least, the presence of Linda McCartney’s photography provides a glance into the inner lives and personality of the protagonist himself.
While listening to McCartney’s music, you may very well forget or ignore that this revered celebrity is in fact still a person. This documentary serves as a tether back to the truth. This at times heart-breaking collection of stories and realizations recalls how much was put on McCartney’s shoulders after the break up of the Beatles and the weight of blame placed on him by the public and his own band members. “They don’t get where I am now; it’s an unfortunate reality, that distance” McCartney said in a documentary clip.
The accompanying album is no less intricate; the mix of outtakes, demos and unreleased tracks blends together to form the perfect accompaniment. “To see the human process and the creative process and differences is very valuable,” instrumental music teacher Dr. Peter Perry said. The Beatles were known for their three part harmonies and ballads, but McCartney’s separate work takes on a life of its own. “Alternative rock begins with McCartney, if you like,” said author Peter Doggett in a documentary clip. A more mellow take on music, for better or for worse, his songs with “Wings”, Linda McCartney and by himself tend to have a more relaxed and home-made spontaneity to them. “I think John Lennon helped McCarney to be a better musician, but there’s some natural musicianship that he has.” Dr Perry said.
The album contains a good mix of more well-known tracks and unknown songs. A key example of a much-appreciated song was “Live and Let Die”, played while discussing McCartney’s exasperation at the continuous hope of a Beatles reunion in the documentary, representing the fact that he wanted to build a future instead of rehashing the past. The soundtrack throughout the entire documentary to convey the deeper meanings of situations was artfully done, truly exemplifying the complexity of music and the difficulty at navigating the industry. “Maybe I’m a playaholic,” McCartney said in a documentary clip; this new release surely acknowledges that his career is far from ever being forgotten.
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