The Last Waltz (Special Edition)
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Movie Reviews of The Last Waltz (Special Edition)
Movie Review: A Concert Film Masterpiece For The Ages
Summary: 5 Stars
The Band are fortunate to have had Martin Scorsese film this historic concert in 1976. The Band and their guests are all in peak form, and a top-shelf film crew captures it all. A masterpiece in many ways.
When Scorcese and Robbie Robertson edited the film, it was kept short enough to fit theatre-preferred movie time slots. Maybe if they'd known the film was to become so critically-acclaimed, they would have originally included the rest of the concert in its first release.
Gratefully, we now have a remastered DVD release. Yet other than footage of one of the after-concert jams, nearly half the concert remains unreleased on film. As Scorcese said in an interview for this release, they'd done an exhaustive search and what became of the rest of the footage is presently a mystery. (The complete audio of the entire concert is preserved on the new expanded 4-CD set.)
I was lucky enough to be at the concert. The Band played an entire concert of their songs, and after a break, brought out the guests, backing them so well it rivaled or surpassed the guest's original release of their songs. The Band was on stage for at least 5 hours that Thanksgiving night.
It's hoped someone eventually stumbles upon the rest of the footage in the vaults, and we may then have a complete film of the historic performances of a concert for the ages.
Movie Review: THE GREATEST CONCERT EVER
Summary: 5 Stars
On Thanksgiving 1976 I went to see The Band at Winterland in San Francisco. While I was standing in line outside the theatre a guy came up to me and asked if I had any spare change. When I told him that I did not he gave me fifteen cents. Thus began a most memorable night. After a full Thankgiving dinner and some waltzing,the concert began. The Band took the stage for the final concert of their long career in music. Looking back now, the members all seem way too young to be calling it quits even though The Band had always appeared to be from another century, always photographed in grainy black and white. After a full and wonderful set by The Band, special guests from throughout their career took the stage with The Band, culminating with an amazing performance from Bob Dylan. A jam ensued that included more guest stars. Almost every major band or musical icon of the sixtes was represented. Hours after the concert began, The Band returned for one last song, Don't Do It. it is this performance which opens the film version of the concert. Two years later a two record set was released with only some of the songs from the concert. Now a more comprehensive record of the event has been made available! Sorry you weren't there for the turkey, but at least you can enjoy the recordings made at one of the greatest musical events of the 20th century.Movie Review: WHO was Playing BASS?
Summary: 5 Stars
Now you gotta know I'm a player.. a quite good keyboardist.. and I've played some of this material in bands, and I can read guitar chords and bass lines just from watching.
And I tell you honestly, Rick Danko was NOT playing the basslines I heard song after song.. he'd jump around, and wag his elbows around, and pretend to do some flashy stuff on the fretboard.. it's just not him that you hear. It's screamingly obvious on a couple of the blues numbers, he's just thumping away on one note while the bass you HEAR is doing climbs and drops.. you know, professional.
So I don't know what was up with his playing, and I don't know if there was a ringer offstage or whether they overdubbed bass in a studio later (i.e. they recorded the audio to a 24-track).
But I swear, Rick Danko was NOT playing the bass you're hearing.
MY THEORY: Eric Clapton was around all evening, and played several times. His bass player from Derek and the Dominos, Carl Radle, mysteriously showed up during the one 'all star' jam that got filmed.. Carl's tone and playing style sounded suspiciously familiar.. as if I'd been hearing him all along.
Other than that, a fabulous look at some classic rock performers that'll never be on the same stage again.
**avoid Robbie's stoned, boring commentary..
Movie Review: The Day the Music Died:
Summary: 5 Stars
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.Movie Review: Top of the Line Music Film
Summary: 5 Stars
They don't come much better than this one when it comes to films on music making and of music to be listened to. Martin Scorsese once more showed himself to be a master of film as The Band comes to the last night of its existence and celebrates (or mourns) the event with the help of some outstanding guests. Happily, there are no hokey
introductions or buddy buddy mutual self-congratulation. The guests just come on and do their thing with the vigorous help of The Band. Despite excellent performances by all, with a special bow to Neil Diamond, who turns in a fine performance amongst all these Authentic Rock people, it is Bob Dylan for whom all wait, and Dylan, without whom it could not have been half so good. Not that his performance, in itself, rose above those of the others, it is simply that his mystique adds a dimension that lesser figures in the Rock World cannot match.
I rarely watch the extra stuff but this time I did watch the conversation of the Producer, Robertson, and the Director,Scorsese. It proved a worthwhile lesson in the details of film-making which gives us an inkling of the kind of skills needed by a director.
I would recommend this beautifully restored DVD to music and film lovers regardless of their response to Rock Music.