Meeting the Beatles in India (Paul Saltzman, 2020, Canada)

Meeting the Beatles in India is a 2020 documentary directed and written by Paul Saltzman, who is the subject of the documentary. The film centers on the titular meeting between Saltzman and the Beatles in India, while the Beatles were there on retreat with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1968. Saltzman's photographs which he took during the retreat are now widely regarded not only as a capsule of this exciting phase of the Beatles' career but also some of the more candid photos of the Beatles and their working process in general.

Saltzman, now in his 60s, retraces his steps - first going to Liverpool to see the Beatles museum, where his photos are now shown. He then returns to India, visiting the site where the Beatles stay and reminiscing. We learn about the origin of various songs on the White Album, even meeting the subject of "Bungalow Bill." Interspersed throughout are talking head interviews with others who were influenced by the Maharishi, most notably director David Lynch, who has become one of the world's most vocal advocates of Transcendental Meditation through his foundation.

One of the weaknesses of the film, of course, is that Saltzman was unable to secure the music of the Beatles. This makes sense due to the huge fees Saltzman would likely have to pay to secure this music. Nevertheless, it leaves the film feeling only partially finished. Instead, we are treated to instrumental music that attempts to capture the feeling of the Beatles. Many animations fill in some of the blanks of the historical memory. This is a charming and personal documentary, although one wonders if the filmmaker needed a full hour and a half to tell this story. Still, for fans of the Beatles, this is worth watching for insight into a particularly obscure period during their career.

7/10