GEORGE HARRISON
Martin Scorsese Uses My Photos
To Enhance His HBO Documentary
Story and Photos
by Tim Boxer
ARTIN SCORSESE licensed three of
my exclusive photos for his latest documentary, George
Harrison: Living in the Material World. The film will be
shown on HBO in two parts on October 5 and 6.
I had these rare photos in my files
thanks to Pete Bennett. On May 1, 1970, Bennett, the
enterprising promotion manager of Apple Records and
promotion manager of each of the Beatles
individually, invited me to his Manhattan office. Harrison was
preparing to record his first post-Beatle album to be called
All Things Must Pass and Bennett was already promoting his
client.
I came in and found Village Voice
writer Howard Smith interviewing Harrison for his ABC-FM
radio program to air a week later. It was evident that Harrison
was unhappy with the breakup of the Beatles. Asked about the
possibility of a reunion, he replied, "I think it’s very selfish
if the Beatles don’t record together."
With solemn demeanor Harrison posed
with Bennett and Smith. I thought they were too serious. Bennett
reached for an American flag. Harrison scribbled on a card, "We
are not these bodies," reflective of his Eastern philosophy. He
was warming up.
Suddenly he grabbed Bennett’s hand
and, with a great big smile, skipped around the room. It was
spontaneous and it was wild! It caught me by surprise but I
managed to capture five extraordinary images of Harrison
cavorting with his promo man.
From May to September, Harrison worked
with producer Phil Spector on recording his first solo album. In
October Bennett called again. He said come to Media Sound Studio
where Harrison and Spector were listening to the final recording
mix of the album. This was my second time to create unique
images of Harrison.
The album, All Things Must Pass,
was released in the U.S. in December and became an instant
smash. As a follow-up to his success, Harrison released
Living in the Material World in 1973, which also became a
monster hit.
Martin Scorsese’s associate producer
called last year to review my cache of George Harrison images.
Scorsese selected three prints to use in his documentary of the
Beatle who died of cancer at age 58 in 2001.
