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The Last Waltz
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The Last Waltz (1978) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   6,118 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 11% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Martin Scorsese
Writer:
Mardik Martin (treatment)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Last Waltz on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
26 April 1978 (USA) more
Tagline:
It Started as a Concert. It Became a Celebration. [original theatrical] more
Plot:
A film account and presentation of the final concert of The Band. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
2 wins & 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(10 articles)
Who Should Play Frank Sinatra?
 (From Moviefone. 14 May 2009, 2:00 PM, PDT)

Martin Scorsese to Direct Frank Sinatra Biopic
 (From HollywoodChicago.com. 13 May 2009, 5:44 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Glare of the Spotlight more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Robbie Robertson ... Himself - Lead Guitar / Vocal (as The Band)
Rick Danko ... Himself - Bass & Violin & Vocal (as The Band)
Richard Manuel ... Himself - Piano / Keyboards / Drums / Vocal (as The Band)

Levon Helm ... Himself - Drums / Mandolin / Vocal (as The Band)
Garth Hudson ... Himself - Organ / Accordion / Saxophone / Synthesizers (as The Band)

Eric Clapton ... Himself - Performer

Neil Diamond ... Himself - Performer

Bob Dylan ... Himself - Performer
Joni Mitchell ... Herself - Performer
Neil Young ... Himself - Performer
Emmylou Harris ... Herself - Performer

Ringo Starr ... Himself - Performer
Paul Butterfield ... Himself - Performer
Dr. John ... Himself - Performer
Van Morrison ... Himself - Performer
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Additional Details

Runtime:
117 min
Country:
USA
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Company:
FM Productions more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In the interview where Helm and Robertson talk about their first time in New York, Robertson states that they stayed in the Times Square Hotel located on 42 Street. The Times Square Hotel is actually located on W. 43 St between 7th and 8th Avenues. The building has since been renovated into apartments but the lobby and most of the building remains true to its hotel roots and is still named the Times Square. more
Goofs:
Continuity: During Garth Hudson's solo in the song "Stagefright", the entire song cuts forward approximately 25 seconds. more
Quotes:
[while performing his guitar solo, his guitar strap comes undone]
Eric Clapton: Hold on.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008) more
Soundtrack:
Up On Cripple Creek more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
26 out of 29 people found the following comment useful:-
Glare of the Spotlight, 11 January 2005
Author: catchick37 from Alabama

This movie was only a name to me until I saw it last year. Immediately, I was riveted by everything about it. I've always been a casual fan of The Band, and of Levon Helm in particular. However, I'd never been bowled over by Bob Dylan, except as a songwriter, so much of The Band's work remained unknown to me as well. I wouldn't say I've become a rabid fan, but I am much more interested in their work, now.

It's a Scorsese film--how could it not be beautifully photographed, but Scorsese managed a difficult feat: he keeps himself out of the movie, except as interviewer during those sequences. This is not really Scorese's vision of a rock concert. It happened mostly organically, certainly with mistakes, gaffes and grit. This is part of its charm.

There are better singers than the guys in The Band, but few better musicians. This can be illustrated with Robbie Robertson in the Clapton song: Clapton's guitar strap comes off and Robertson, with one beat, picks right up on the solo. It looked planned, but wasn't. Joni Mitchell was notoriously hard to back up, due to her original guitar tuning, and ragged song phrasing, but bassist Rick Danko fills in every space with intricate bass figuring.

Perhaps we have become too accustomed to the overwrought, over-hyped, overproduced, overexposed, shiny gack that passes for popular music to appreciate the raw, the imperfect, the sheer humanness of this music. Scorsese shows it all. The guys in The Band were largely worn out and sometimes strung out in the interviews. They are tired, scrawny, empty-eyed from the excesses of the road. Rick Danko is hovering on the ragged edge, as his band is dissolved, and he says his goal is to "keep busy." Richard Manuel looks lost as he says "I just want to break even." These are two musicians who desperately needed the music, but who were murdered by the road. We see their bleak destinies in their eyes in this film.

It is bittersweet certainly, but also a moment in time, crystallized into something great by the music, the love of friends, the willingness of the director to simply stand back and allow the music to happen. It also reminds us what good music used to sound like and makes me wish could exist again.

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ALMOST a good movie. fabcasper
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