The Last Waltz (1978)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writer:

Mardik Martin (treatment)

Release Date:

26 April 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Tagline:

It Started as a Concert. It Became a Celebration. [original theatrical]

Plot:

A film account and presentation of the final concert of The Band.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Interview | Final Concert | Guitar | Concert Film

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

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
Ronnie Hawkins	...	Himself - Performer
Mavis Staples	...	Herself - Performer (as The Staples)
Roebuck 'Pops' Staples	...	Himself - Performer (as The Staples)
Muddy Waters	...	Himself - Performer
Ron Wood	...	Himself - Performer
Michael McClure	...	Himself - Performer (as Michael Mc Clure)
Lawrence Ferlinghetti	...	Himself - Performer
Martin Scorsese	...	Himself - Interviewer
Jim Gordon	...	Himself - Performer
Tom Malone	...	Himself - Performer
Howard Johnson	...	Himself - Performer
Jerry Hey	...	Himself - Performer (as Jerry Hay)
Richard Cooper	...	Himself - Performer
Charlie Keagle	...	Himself - Performer
Larry Packer	...	Himself - Performer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bob Margolin	...	Himself - Plays guitar with Muddy Waters
Bill Graham	...	Himself (at edge of stage) (uncredited)
Robert Guidry	...	Himself (uncredited)
Pinetop Perkins	...	Himself - Plays piano with Muddy Waters (uncredited)
Carl Radle	...	Himself (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Scorsese

Writing credits
Mardik Martin		(treatment)

Produced by
L.A. Johnson	....	line producer: concert
Frank Marshall	....	line producer: studio & documentary
Steven Prince	....	associate producer
Robbie Robertson	....	producer
Jonathan T. Taplin	....	executive producer (as Jonathan Taplin)
Joel Chernoff	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Michael Chapman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jan Roblee
Yeu-Bun Yee

Production Design by
Boris Leven

Set Decoration by
Anthony Mondell

Makeup Department
Jim Gillespie	....	makeup department head (uncredited)

Production Management
Mel Dellar	....	unit production manager (as Melvin D. Dellar)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Grandey	....	first assistant director
Linda McMurray	....	second assistant director (as Linda Mc Murray)
James Quinn	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jay Drevers	....	construction coordinator: FM Productions

Sound Department
Ed Anderson	....	chief technical engineer
Rick Ash	....	sound recording engineer
Andy Bloch	....	sound recording engineer
Neil Brody	....	sound recording engineer
Steve Gagné	....	sound: FM Productions (as Steve Gagne)
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer
Stephen Katz	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (as Steve Katz)
Tim Kramer	....	sound recording engineer
Paul Laune	....	sound effects editor
Jerry L. Levinson	....	assistant sound effects editor
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Elliot Mazer	....	sound recording engineer
Richard Oswald	....	sound effects editor (as Richard L. Oswald)
Art Rochester	....	sound recording engineer
Stuart Taylor	....	sound recording engineer
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeremy Zatkin	....	sound recording engineer
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)
Jack Snyder	....	sound engineer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Dion Hatch	....	roto artist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Delton Bass	....	lighting: FM Productions
Hans Baumgartner	....	first assistant camera
Dustin Blauvelt	....	first assistant camera
Gary Boren	....	first assistant camera
Bobby Byrne	....	additional director of photography
Ray De La Motte	....	camera operator (as Ray J. De La Motte)
Sean Doyle	....	camera operator
Selwyn Eddy	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Cary Griffith	....	key grip (as Cary E. Griffith)
Tim Griffith	....	chief set electrician
Lawrence Gruenberg	....	first assistant camera
László Kovács	....	additional director of photography (as Laszlo Kovacs)
Bill Krattiger	....	gaffer (as William E. Kratiger)
Paul Marbury	....	assistant camera
Joe R. Marquette Jr.	....	camera operator (as Joe Marquette)
David Myers	....	additional director of photography
Hiro Narita	....	additional director of photography
Walter Nichols	....	gaffer
Steve Peterson	....	first assistant camera (as W. Steven Peterson)
Tony Rivetti	....	first assistant camera (as Anthony Rivetti)
Tibor Sands	....	first assistant camera
Fred Schuler	....	camera operator
George Stevenson	....	first assistant camera
Ed Stewart	....	lighting: FM Productions
Don Stott	....	chief set electrician (as Don C. Stott)
Ted T. Sugura	....	first assistant camera (as Ted Sugiura)
John Toll	....	first assistant camera
Ron Vargas	....	first assistant camera (as Ronald Vargas)
Michael W. Watkins	....	additional director of photography (as Michael Watkins)
Vilmos Zsigmond	....	additional director of photography

Editorial Department
Karen Hoenig	....	assistant editor (as Karen V. Hoenig)
Eric A. Sears	....	assistant editor (as Eric Sears)

Music Department
Richard Cooper	....	musician: horn
Rick Danko	....	composer: song "Life Is a Carnival"
Rob Fraboni	....	soundtrack production
Jim Gordon	....	musician: horn
Levon Helm	....	composer: song "Life Is a Carnival"
Jerry Hey	....	musician: horn (as Jerry Hay)
Howard Johnson	....	musician: horn
Charlie Keagle	....	musician: horn
Tom Malone	....	musician: horn
Sonny Olivera	....	music coordinator (as Sonny J. Olivera)
Larry Packer	....	musician: electric violin
Robert H. Raff	....	music editor
John Simon	....	music producer: concert music
Kenneth Wannberg	....	music editor (as Ken Wannberg)

Other crew
Zohn Artman	....	public relations: FM Productions
Peter Barsotti	....	production coordinator: FM Productions
Rock Brynner	....	road manager
Neil Canton	....	production assistant
Gerry Caskey	....	equipment manager (as Jerry Kasky)
Sandy Castle	....	road manager
Cliff Crumpler	....	equipment manager
Jeanne Field	....	assistant production coordinator
Dave Furano	....	administrative executive: FM Productions
Jamie C. Glauber	....	assistant: Mr. Scorsese
Bill Graham	....	concert producer
Barry Imhoff	....	guest coordinator
Barry Imhoff	....	logistics
Clayton Johnson	....	stage manager: FM Productions
Paul Kimatian	....	assistant production coordinator
Peter Knoop	....	production assistant
Sylvia Lovegren	....	production secretary
Gregory Malozzi	....	production coordinator: FM Productions
Mardik Martin	....	creative consultant
Ava Megna	....	assistant to producer
Dayle Michelle	....	production assistant
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Taylor Phelps	....	road manager
Ron Rapiel	....	production assistant
Hannah Scheel	....	script supervisor (as Hannah G. Scheel)
Danny Scher	....	administrative executive: FM Productions
Sally Stringer	....	script supervisor
Queenie Taylor	....	advertising: FM Productions
Susan Winslow	....	production assistant

Thanks
Lisa Altamirano	....	special thanks: featured dancer (as Lisa Mariea Altamirano)
David A. Braun	....	special thanks
Bob Cato	....	special thanks
Michael DeTemple	....	special thanks (as Michael De Temple)
Douglas Dilge	....	special thanks: The Film League Inc. (as Doug Dilg)
Marshall Gelfand	....	special thanks
Henry Glover	....	special thanks
Steven Gok	....	special thanks: featured dancer
Lance Grode	....	special thanks
Albert Grossman	....	special thanks
Connie Hayes	....	special thanks
Blaine Novak	....	special thanks: The Film League Inc.
Bob Oppenheim	....	special thanks
Mo Ostin	....	special thanks
Sara Owen	....	special thanks
Thomas Rarick	....	special thanks: Berkeley Promenade Orchestra
Tom Rashford	....	special thanks
Ken Regan	....	special thanks
Bill Rose	....	special thanks
Tom Ross	....	special thanks
Amy Sayres	....	special thanks: The Film League Inc.
Thelma Schoonmaker	....	special thanks
Russell Schwartz	....	special thanks: The Film League Inc.
Barry Siegel	....	special thanks
Paul Wasserman	....	special thanks
Mary Wilkinson	....	special thanks: The Film League Inc.

Production Companies

• FM Productions
• Last Waltz Inc.

Distributors

• Chapel Distribution (2002) (Australia) (theatrical) (new 35mm print re-issue)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• United Artists

Other Companies

• Arista Records  "Sip the Wine" performed by Rick Danko courtesy of (as Arista Records Inc.)
• Enactron Truck  recorded by
• Filmways/Heider Recording  recorded by
• Goldwyn Studios  re-recorded by
• Lee Filters USA  color filters (as Lee Filters Ltd.)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios  production facilities
• Modern Film Effects  optical effects
• Norman's Rare Guitars  special thanks
• Panavision  camera equipment provided by
• Pattim Services  lighting equipment
• The Film League Inc.  special thanks
• Village Recorder, The  special thanks (as Village Recorder)
• Warner Bros. Records  soundtrack released by (as Warner Bros. Records and Tapes)

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Middle English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:S (cut) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Netherlands:AL | UK:U | South Korea:12 | USA:PG (Approved No. 25097) | Brazil:Livre | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

FM Productions

Trivia:

The infamous cocaine drop hanging from Neil Young's left nostril was airbrushed out by Martin Scorsese.

Quotes:

Richard Manuel: [describing how The Band got its name] Well, we were The Hawks.
Robbie Robertson: And everything was fine, we were sailing along, and all of a sudden, one day The Hawks meant something else altogether.
Richard Manuel: And it was right in the middle of that whole psychedelia. Chocolate Subway, Marshmallow Overcoat. Those kind of names, you know?
Robbie Robertson: When we were working with Bob Dylan and we moved to Woodstock, everybody referred to us as the band. He called us the band, our friends called us the band, our neighbors called us the band.
Richard Manuel: We started out with The Crackers. We tried to call ourselves The Honkies. Everybody kind of backed off from that. It was too straight. So we decided just to call ourselves The Band.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mardik: Baghdad to Hollywood (2008)

Soundtrack:

Stagefright

A Classic

Forget "Woodstock". Forget "Gimme Shelter". "Let It Be'? Forget that too. This is, truly, THE greatest rock and roll film ever made. Why? Well, try for a moment to forget that the actual performance itself features the great artists it does (including The Band) and focus on the film itself.

This film is shot in 35mm format which gives the picture pristine look (as opposed to all other previous rock films, which were shot on 16mm). But it's not just a spralling work, this is also well executed as well. By that, I mean the production value is outstanding. The lighting is unlike any rock concert I've seen (and I've seen many). The camera work is top-notch (apparently it was done by the best in Hollywood at the time). It's also easy to see that a great deal of planning went into the production. Other concert films (Woodstock, Monterey Pop) suffer from a "last minute scramble" look that simply isn't there with "Waltz".

Add to that the shear magnitude of what The Band had undertaken. Imagine learning, arranging and performing so many songs in so many styles by so many artists in one night with only one take of each allowed. When that is taken into consideration, you have to have a degree of respect for them. Of course, I'm bias. I'm Canadian, as were 4/5ths of The Band.

My only critique would be a technical one. It seems Rick Danko redubbed all of his bass playing. Whether this is attributed to a technical problem or unhappiness with his performance is unclear. However, what is clear is that what you hear the bass doing in the audio and what you see on the screen are completely different.