Watch The Last Waltz For Free

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

I had never seen this entire film, hailed by many as one of- if not the greatest- concert film of all time; but finally got to see in it's entirety here recently off Netflix. "The Last Waltz" was a concert by that Canadian rock group the Band, held on America's Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. It was advertised as the Band's "farewell concert appearance", and the concert saw the Band joined by more than a dozen special guests, including Paul Butterfield, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Ringo Starr, Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Wood, Neil Diamond, Bobby Charles, The Staple Singers, Eric Clapton, as well as two artists the Band was actually the back-up band for at one time- Ronnie Hawkins, and later Bob Dylan. The event was filmed by director Martin Scorsese and made into a documentary released in 1978.I read all kinds of stories about the goings-on with this concert- the clashes between front men Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson, the legal issues that came up with Dylan's appearance in the film, and all that cocaine??!! LOL Apparently Neil Young's nose was covered in it in a shot, which was later edited out of the film-??? Director Scorsese even admitted he was a cocaine addict when he shot this film. And just a heads-up: apparently this movie is now streaming on Netflix and there have been some issues with the audio during the interview scenes between the performances. I heard this may have had something to do with some legal issues, but not sure-??-and not sure if the problem has been fixed as of yet. No matter- see this for the great musical performances- a once-in-your-lifetime event!...

"We wanted it to be more than a final concert. We wanted it to be a celebration."-Robbie RobertsonIn the fall of 1976, the band known simply as The Band (Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel) had been touring for almost 16 years. They had started out backing Ronnie Hawkins, ended up backing Bob Dylan, and in between had several hit records of their own. Their farewell performance at the Winterland Theatre in San Francisco included a star-studded line up of guest performers, and is filmed in accordance with a 300-page shooting script compiled by director Martin Scorsese, which includes revealing interviews with the members as well. The film is a technical breakthrough; it went far beyond the boundaries Woodstock had set for live-action footage. The film is a legendary benchmark for rock documentaries. Scorsese ensures that the music speaks for itself."The Last Waltz" is a passionate, symbolic toast to the glories of American rock & roll. Especially for those artists in the 1960s who took rock from its primitive foundations to a sturdier, more flexible form of music and expression. Although the quintet wrote many songs that helped define the era (e.g., The Weight, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down), several of the most inspirational songs in "The Last Waltz" are by other artists. The Band wraps itself around the style and talents of each guest artist, but never strays too far from its folk and blues roots. A wide range of musical guests: Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Dr. John, Emmylou Harris among many others. Martin Scorsese masterfully captures their interactions on stage, while off stage he interviews each member sharing their experiences from sixteen years on the road. While it certainly helps to be a fan of The Band, it's not essential in order to appreciate the film's eloquent accomplishments. From a technical perspective, it's undoubtedly one of the most impressive and authentic concert films ever made.

Back in the late Sixties/early Seventies, a friend of mine introduced me to a disparate range of musical performers, stuff I would never have discovered on my own, but he persisted in having me borrow his albums and I came to appreciate various artists and styles. Stuff like Ten Years After, Canned Heat, King Crimson, Muddy Waters and the list goes on. One of them was The Band, a group I immediately took a liking to with their albums Music From Big Pink, The Band and Stage Fright."The Last Waltz" chronicles The Band's final concert appearance at San Francisco's Winterland Theater on Thanksgiving Day, 1976. There's probably no better venue for assembling some of the best musicians in the world in one place at one time, and music fans who weren't even born yet will appreciate the performances here from the likes of Ronnie Hawkins, Joni Mitchell, Paul Butterfield, and Bob Dylan. My favorite number was probably Neil Young joining The Band with a soulful rendition of 'Helpless', while Muddy Waters kicks out those blues jams with 'Ain't That a Man'. One of the surprising numbers comes from someone you wouldn't expect to see here, with Neil Diamond offering up a passionate version of 'Dry Your Eyes'.Intersperesed with quickie interview segments, the film captures the emotional exhaustion of The Band's members as they come up on sixteen years of musical touring. I guess for them it was time to move on, even though a group like the Stones has more than doubled that tenure since this film came out. 1976, it seems so long ago.As I write this, Levon Helm passed on a couple of months ago. Watching him as a vibrant and energized performer in this documentary was in sharp contrast to a concert appearance I saw him in just last year performing with his own band. On that night he didn't even sing because he was recuperating from an illness. It's sad to see these legends pass on, but having these moments captured on film and recordings allow us to relive their glory days any time we like. If you haven't seen "The Last Waltz" yet, it's time that you do. If you have, watch it again.

It's hard to imagine a better film about music after watching this. There's so much love from all involved of the sounds people create when getting together and making harmony happen with voices and/or instruments. The director Martin Scorsese, The Band themselves, their special guests and the crowd, apparently not one of whom left the venue before the final encore (ironically, the first song in the film).So many great talents are on display here, this movie could have been nine hours and I wouldn't have left the theatre at all (except for a quick bathroom break). The commentaries, both of them, are worth hearing, especially as you watch the movie. The years since this concert just add to the overall appreciation one should have for everybody that took part in this amazing event."The Last Waltz" is kind of like the "Raging Bull" of concert films. The only thing that could really stop The Band were themselves. Playing for so many years without a break must take a toll on anyone. But the state of mind they were in by 1976 makes me wonder if Jake La Motta felt the same way about boxing at the end of his run as the only fighter who couldn't be knocked down.