Customer Reviews

Last Waltz [VHS]

5 star:		(276)
4 star:		(41)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Rumor has it that at the debut screening of The Last Waltz in 1977, Ronnie Hawkins stood up at the end of the film and remarked sarcastically, "That was all right, but it sure could've used a few more shots of Robbie!" By now, any serious fan of the Band will be familiar with the antipathy between Robbie Robertson and some of his former comrades. A quarter-century later, this classic movie's disproportionate concentration on Robertson at the others' expense not only remains palpable, it's even more lopsided in the updated version. But for better or worse, that is a key part of the story of the Band; and in retrospect, the Last Waltz is surely an even more accurate documentary than Robertson had aimed for. More importantly, it captures one of the greatest concerts of the rock era.

As Levon Helm relates in his rather bitter memoir "This Wheel's on Fire," the decision to disBand was Robertson's alone and the Last Waltz was a somewhat reluctant exercise on the part of the other four. This shows to varying degrees in the interviews which are dispersed throughout the concert footage: Robertson, who appears far more often than the others, looks animated and a bit rehearsed (although it's hard not to feel some animosity towards him if you've read Helm's book) while the others look tired or worse. (Helm's description of Richard Manuel as "looking like Che Guevara after the Bolivians got done with him" is all too close to the mark!) While unflattering to a degree, the interview scenes do speak volumes about what the music industry did to one of rock's all time greatest bands and the truth about the then-impending breakup. The Band did, after all, reunite sans Robertson as soon as they were legally able to use the name again without his blessing. The commentary itself is still interesting as well, particularly some of the saltier stories of life on the road in the early 1960s, a time too often thought of as rock's "innocent" years.

But the music itself is still the most important part of the show by far. However uncomfortable things had become behind the scenes, these guys could still play like no other band before or since, and it's almost magical to watch them do so for the very last time. Given Helm's well-documented distaste for the whole project, it's remarkable how happy he looks during most of the performances, almost as if the bad blood disappeared during those last few hours while they were doing what they did best together. The late Rick Danko's showstopping solo performance of "Stage Fright" just might be the concert's most intense moment, which is perhaps just as it should be given the subject matter of that song and the reality behind the scenes.

If there is any complaint to be made about the concert footage itself, it is that the guest performances by Hawkins, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters and Van Morrison featured here don't necessarily do justice to the full brilliance of that night. The complete soundtrack (which was only recently released legitimately, after years of bootlegging) reveals stunning performances that didn't make it into the movie, although Martin Scorcese claims in the retrospective documentary that this is only because he simply wasn't able to shoot satisfactory footage of some of them. Nonetheless, the performances that did make the cut are superb across the board. Even the wildly out of place Neil Diamond does a decent job with his one song of the evening, even if I was left grateful that it was only one song. Best of all, we're treated to dozens of unintentionally hilarious shots of Robertson singing with such emotion that the veins stand out on his neck - into a microphone which, as Helm gleefully recounted in his book, wasn't plugged in. (This was no accident; guitar genius though he was and is, Robertson's vocal abilities always paled in comparison to those of Helm, Danko and Manuel, who also delievers a number of touching performances here.)

The new footage consists mostly of Scorcese and Robertson reminiscing about the making of the film; it's predictably self-congratulatory, but fairly informative. More interesting to me, though, are recollections spread throughout the show from a wide variety of people who were involved with the project in various ways, playable as voice-overs with any given part of the concert. After 25 years, these provide a perspective on the event and its meaning through the eyes of someone - or really, many someones - other than Robbie Robertson. Perhaps this was the original intent behind the movie. In any case, it should have been. The new perspectives and footage are an undeniably nice touch, but the music still stands alone, and it sounds better than ever. It all makes for a new and improved look at one of rock's all time great events.

MGM really did an outstanding job with this release. The movie itself is justly celebrated as one of the greatest concert documentaries of all time. The Band is brimming with energy and they play their farewell concert, and the music sounds fantastic in the 5.1 mix. You don't even have to be a huge fan of The Band to enjoy this movie, as long as you like classic rock. There are so many guest stars that join The Band, including Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, The Staples Singers, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and many others.

There are two outstanding commentary tracks on this dvd. One of them features director Martin Scorsese and Robbie Robertson (of The Band). Over the course of the film, they provide a great deal of insight into the making of the documentary. Equally valuable is the second audio commentary, which features many participants (the other surviving Band members, a few of the guest performers such as Dr. John and Mavis Staples, and several crew members, among others). Although the many participants were recorded separately, the track tightly edited with nary a dull moment. A nice touch: you can select a subtitle feature which will bring up the name of the person who is speaking while the commentary plays.

If all that weren't enough, the 20 minute featurette contains good recent interview footage with Scorsese and Robertson. And there is a 12 minute outtake which is an all-star jam session (the instrumental jam itself isn't all that exciting, but with that kind of line-up it's well worth watching). Even the Still Photo gallery had more care put into it than most dvds, with the photos divided into three sections, many featuring captions to identify what we're looking at.

The movie itself looks and sounds so good, it justifies the purchase. But the supplemental material puts this way above the 5-star level.

"The Last Waltz" was one of the very first films I ever purchased new on VHS, and I have enjoyed it consistently for the last 12 years. This movie captures one of the most symbiotic relationships between music and film I have ever seen. Martin Scorsese only had one chance to get this movie right, and he did a great job.

Watch the closeup footage of Levon Helm engulfed in a cool blue light while belting out an amazing version of "Ophelia". Watch Joni Mitchell filmed in a silouhette backstage as she secretly sings backup to Neil Young's "Helpless". Watch Dr. John's hands float effortlessly over the piano keyboard while performing a rousing version of "Such A Night". Watch Rick Danko as he curiously peers over at Bob Dylan, completely unsure of what song they are about to launch into next. Filled with countless moments like these, "The Last Waltz" is pure enjoyment to the very end.

Since falling in love with this movie, I have learned that drummer Levon Helm was a very uncooperative participant in the production of the movie. He was not ready for The Band to quit, he believed that Robbie Robertson wanted to make this movie only to further his "rock star" persona, he did not like the fact that Neil Diamond was involved in this project only because Robbie Robertson had just produced a record for him, and from Day 1, he did not like Martin Scorsese.

Knowing that, it is interesting to note how removed Levon seems to be during the interviews, and how much Robbie playes the "Rock Star" role, professing exhaustion from the road, and not knowing how he can go on with this lifestyle.

I am not saying that Levon or Robbie is right or wrong, I am just saying that it is interesting to watch this movie knowing how at least one of the members of the group felt about the project.

If you care about music and quality filmaking, "The Last Waltz" should be part of your permanent collection.

To paraphrase a song by The Band. "A hippie's dream..if I ever did see one". Filmed in 1976, The Last Waltz captures the end of an era beautifully. The lighting has a dream-like quality to it. I guess if our generation died and went to heaven, this would be the closest thing. It centers around The Band and their magnificent musicians (Robertson, Danko, Helm, Manuel and Hudson) plus great performances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, the great Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Dr. John, Emmylou Harris and more! The DVD also includes audio commentaries, behind the scenes features and great digital audio. After 1976, we were bombarded with disco, new wave, and punk leading us into the techno 80's. This film represents the music of the post-hippy late 60's and early 70's best. It is intelligent rock music performed by my some of the greatest names in rock history. This is one of the finest music films ever made. It comes across more like a movie than a concert and offers us a greater depth of understanding behind the personalities that dominated and influenced music during that period. Outstanding!

Any music documentary that makes Neil Diamond look cool has got to be something worth indulging. Not only does Martin Scorcese provide the most coherently interesting document on one of the greatest bands of all time, he provides a wonderful entry into the music that held lasting influence on many of the period's greatest artists. In one concert you have Muddy Waters, Ronnie Hawkins, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Dr. John, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan. What sets this apart from other concert films, are the interviews with members of The Band and the tension captured in the live performances; the pacing is dead on. You hear about the early days of touring, playing harp "til your lips bleed", and the truth about how touring takes its toll. What makes this more than just another concert film is Dylan's closing performance, as well a performance portrait of The Band as a headliner and then The Band as a backing ensemble. My point being, run, don't walk, and get this for your collection. The only downside to owing this masterpiece is the realization that they simply no longer make 'em as good as Robbie (rock's greatest guitarist bar none), Levon, Garth, Rick, and Richard (greatest voice in rock). Neil Diamond's glitter never shone so brightly!

Possibly the Greatest of all Rock Concert Films.

Until I saw The Last Waltz, I was somewhat ignorant of The Band's music. I never cared for their classic hits, and I dismissed their critical acclaim as requiring a taste that I didn't care to acquire. After seeing this film, I now regard The Band as one of the great groups in the history of Rock.

On Thanksgiving Day, 1976, The Band got together at San Francisco's Winterland auditorium to play what was supposed to have been their last live performance. To go out with style, The Band enlisted the talents of a dizzying array of guest artists. And, for good measure, they hired Martin Scorcese to film the thing.

The film switches between live concert footage, interviews, and a few numbers that were recorded at an MGM soundstage. The music is the highlight of The Last Waltz. Sometimes Jazz fans say that audio recordings rarely capture the magic of live Jazz. Similarly, there was a certain "magic" to The Band's music that was rarely captured before this film was made. Career-topping performances of The Band's now-classic repertoire, combined with first rate guest performances from legends like Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and Eric Clapton (to name just a few) made for a fine evening of music. Fans of all styles of music will appreciate the mature musicianship of a group that had spent the previous 16 years on the road together. Given The Band's level of playing, plus the great performances from the invited guests, and the fact that Martin Scorcese was in charge of filming the show, it's no wonder that the film turned out so well.

Martin Scorcese himself interviews the members of The Band. Most of these interviews are interesting, too. This is particularly true when the guys start talking about the history of Rock and their respective musical influences. The music is so good, though, that you're almost always glad that the music is starting again.

As you would expect, the DVD offers a marked improvement over the old VHS format in both image and sound quality. The image is widescreen, and crystal clear. All of the music has been remixed using today's best technology. The concert footage has a deep, rich, warm sound. The DVD also offers special features (including a selectable 5.1 digital audio track, for those who have the system to support it). For the DVD, original guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson has written some great liner notes with the kind of trivia craved by people who actually read liner notes. Among other things, Robertson tells us how they chose the unusual combination of guests, which was "to pay respect to some of the musical influences that inspired the whole era," and Robertson also reveals that before the show "the crowd had no idea who was performing besides The Band." Talk about being pleasantly surprised!

There are certainly some flaws in this movie, but it is still a truly great concert film.

IMPORTANT NOTE for FANS of RINGO and RON WOOD: Their names are listed in the credits, but there's almost none of these guys in the movie.

not only a great selection of the best musical artists of the last half-century, but the band at its live best. Their collaboration with the other artists is perfect and makes for some great musical moments not found elswhere, such as with Emmylou Harris...the Staple singers, Clapton and Robbie Robertson's guitar duel.....Levon Helm and Paul Butterfield on "mystery train", and band's back up for Niel Young, Van Morrison, etc. Classic performances by Dr. John and an elderly Muddy Waters (still with power to spare). Scorcese's interviews show the artists sincere feeling for their music, as well as his own. Outstanding juxtoposition of interviews and song performances, such as Levon Helms recounting of meeting Sonny Boy Williamson shortly before his death, followed by the rendition of "mysery train" The documentary rock concert film has been done.

I anxiously await the release of this movie on DVD, particularly if there is lost footage available for the extras. Anything available Mr. Scorsese or Robertson?

It's all the little things that really make this move great; Joni Mitchell's vocal coming in perfectly on que from backstage. Neil Young's "greatest pleasure of my life". Clapton losing his guitar strap and Robbie not missing a note jumping in for him. I could go on and on.

Then of course there is The Band themselves. Musicians who have change my appreciation of all genres. Can you imagine any band today that could pull off Ragtime, Blues, Country, and as Levon would say "Rock and Roll" in one performance?

As you watch, keep an eye on the folks backstage in the wings. They all knew they were watching an historical event and didn't want to miss a moment.

I have watched this classic so many times the tape is worn out. RIP Rick Danko - your voice will be missed.

In '72' the meaning within Don McCleans "American Pie" lyrics were difficult to grasp for many of us of that generation - I was 25 yrs old back in that day. After watching "The Last Waltz" I know exactly what he meant. When put against the backdrop of that period, and before, todays music and musicians are plastic entertainment at best. The Last Waltz moved me from my recliner and made me dance. I haven't done that in years. Today it is all about 'packaging'. Today's country music is nothing more than 'rock-a-billy, two-step, gee he sounds just like Garth Brooks'stuff. And Rock and Roll lives only on oldies stations. Maybe I'm just an 'old fart' but for me the music of today is dead. A perfect example of what I'm talking about was on display at Super Bowl XXXVII. I could feel the music when Santana played pre-game. I don't even know who that Madonna look-a-like was "singing" with, I guess that was Sting, at half-time, but what was that "SOS". Maybe 'Same Old Sh_t'. And Bon Jovi at post-game? Give me a break. Santana should have been the feature, not the warm up. And the other's could have stayed home. I saw The Last Waltz on Encore but am going to buy the DVD and a copy for each of my son's so they will always know what music is when it is good.

It's a worn-out formula nowadays. Bob Dylan did it, Chuck Berry did it, and Luciano Pavarotti does it all the time. They also do it every time somebody dies, and in this case you don't even have to be a musician. Yeah, I'm talking about that dreary event, the celebration concert with guest musician buddies. But there are exceptions to the rule, and this is definitely the case here.

To celebrate that they were quitting the `god---n impossible' life on the road after 16 years, The Band gave a farewell concert in San Francisco, on Thanksgiving Day, 1976. To join them, they invited artists who represented the rich and varied array of styles that went into their musical melting pot: Rock'n' Roll, Blues, Folk, New Orleans R'n'B, Country, Gospel, Rockabilly ... who would sing their own numbers backed up by them. They, noblesse oblige, brought in their first mentor, Ronnie Hawkings, a man who sure knows how to entice a teenager into joining a rock'n'roll band, and Bob Dylan, of course, (who had just released Blood on the Tracks and Desire), Joni Mitchell (The Hissing of Summer Lawns and Hejira her most recent albums), Neil Young (Tonight's the Night and Zuma were his latest solo efforts), Muddy Waters (who would release Hard Again, his best late day work the following year), and many, many more I have no space here to mention. All top-notch and in their musical prime. Well, and Neil Diamond.

The result was a concert that can only be described as dazzling and magical. The Band do ecstatic versions of some of their best songs and the guest appereances are also amazing, Van Morrison does what's probably the best version ever of Caravan, Muddy Waters proves why he is the M-A-N, chile, The Staple Singers send a shiver up your spine that can rend you comatose for life, and Robbie Robertson and Eric Clapton bring the house down with their scorching six-strings and then they burn the ruins to ashes. All this just to quote a few. But I have a minor complaint here, the movie only features one song (The Shape I'm in) sung by Richard Manuel, one of the most soulful and moving singers that ever walked the face of the earth. This gives the newcomer a somewhat off-balanced account of how vocal duties were shared in The Band, as one can deduct that Levon Helm sang almost everything with a little help from his friends Rick and Richard. And Levon is darn good, but Richard is the shhh ....sheer top of the heap.

Casting these trifles aside, the movie is a masterpiece. Direcrted by a Martin Scorsese in a state of grace (those were the days of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull), and beautifully darkly photographed by Michael Chapman (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull), Michael W. Watkins (later X-Files direcror and producer), and Vilmos Zsigmond (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Deer Hunter, Heaven's Gate), this was to be more than your average rock concert documentary.

The filmmakers were set on an ambitious goal, to show what it is and what does it feel to play great music. And they achieved it in such a way that we mere mortals get to feel what it is to be up there on the stage, enraptured, playing that great music to an enthusiastic and receptive crowd. The featurette that is one of the DVD bonus add-ons shows how Scorsese had these sheets of paper with the lyrics of each song to be played written down in one column, the main moments of each performance in another (when a singer would join in the chorus, or the guitar solo was to begin, or a special part of the lyric would be sung, etc), and the camera shots and movements for each moment in a third column. This is called making the best of the means of your art instead of just doing anything that would do, and it shows on the screen in a way that leaves you breathless. Watching Scorsese frantically directing the movie like a tightrope walker with no net to fall down on must've been worth another documentary. They had only one take for everything, mind that, and I guess that's what might have attracted such a brave and audacious director as Scorsese: Jumping into the unstopping swirling midst of life and trying to extract art out of it with just spotlights and cameras. Souns enticing, isnt't it? And for no money nor any promises of getting more you-know-what than Frank Sinatra.