Last Waltz (1978)

"...will make you want to sing and dance.  Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner
"...one of the best films ever made, period.  Matinee Magazine, Chuck Rudolph
"Still matters and still moves...  Robert Wilonsky, Los Angeles New Times
"The finest of all rock movies!  Newsweek

Editor's Note In what just might be the finest rock & roll concert film ever, THE LAST WALTZ celebrates the final performance by the Band (Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, Levon Helm, and Garth Hudson). The show took place on Thanksgiving Day in 1976, at San Francisco's Winterland Arena--where the group had played their very first show more than 16 years before. In order to make their farewell even more unforgettable, they recruited numerous guests to join them onstage, including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Hawkins, Paul Butterfield, Emmylou Harris, Neil Diamond, the Staple Singers, Dr. John, Ringo Starr, Ron Wood, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Martin Scorsese, a former roommate of Robbie Robertson's, employs some of the world's greatest cinematographers--including Michael Chapman, Vilmos Zsigmond, and Laszlo Kovacs--to film the set in a way that captures the show's sweat and energy with a powerful intimacy. Interspersed into the songs are a series of interviews with the Band's members, who recall their early days playing for empty bars and their emergence as major players in the rock & roll game. THE LAST WALTZ is a thrilling concert film, mandatory viewing even for those unfamiliar with the Band or rock music in general.

	Michael Chapman - Cinematographer
	Laszlo Kovacs - Cinematographer
	Vilmos Zsigmond - Cinematographer
	Martin Scorsese - Director
	Jonathan Taplin - Executive Producer
	Ron Wood - Featuring
	Ronnie Hawkins - Featuring
	The Band - Featuring
	The Staples - Featuring
	Van Morrison - Featuring
	Joni Mitchell - Featuring
	Muddy Waters - Featuring
	Neil Diamond - Featuring
	Neil Young - Featuring
	Paul Butterfield - Featuring
	Ringo Starr - Featuring
	Bob Dylan - Featuring
	Dr. John - Featuring
	Emmylou Harris - Featuring
	Eric Clapton - Featuring
	Robbie Robertson - Producer
	Biros Leven - Production Designer

Martin Scorsese's stunning THE LAST WALTZ captures the Band's historic farewell performance in San Francisco on Thanksgiving Day, 1976, and features many revealing interviews with members of the legendary group. Among the many titles included are "The Weight," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "Helpless," and "I Shall be Released." Featuring some of rock & roll's most revered figures--including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell--THE LAST WALTZ is unquestionably one of the greatest concert films ever. Variety
"...An outstanding rock documentary....The film is a series of highlights....Tight and exciting...It fits together beautifully..." 04/12/1978

New York Times
"...A dazzling array of talent on display here..." 04/26/1978 p.C15

Chicago Sun-Times
"...A revealing document..." 04/29/2002 p.36

USA Today
"...The first rock-concert film shot in 35mm....It's a RAGING BULL knockout job supervised by Scorsese and Band guitarist Robbie Robertson..." 05/10/2002 p.16D

Entertainment Weekly
"...Some of the best musical performances ever caught on film..." 05/10/2002 p.56

Rolling Stone
"...The film boasts kinetic, crisply lighted camerawork and foot-of-the-stage sound..." 11/27/2003 p.78

Total Film
5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he gig is alive and momentous....The Band live up to their myth in Scorese's scorching testament." 01/01/2012

Sight and Sound
4 stars out of 5 -- "It's worth seeing in a cinema, partly because Scorsese took uncommon care over little things like camera placement and content, but also because they really crank the volume." 01/01/2012