The Last Waltz (1978)

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

The Band	...	Themselves
Rick Danko	...	Himself - Bass & Violin & Vocal (as The Band)
Robbie Robertson	...	Himself - The Band: Lead Guitar & Vocal
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
Staple Singers	...	Themselves - 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 - Playing Guitar with Muddy Waters
Bill Graham	...	Himself - At Edge of Stage (uncredited)
Robert Charles Guidry	...	Himself (uncredited)
Pinetop Perkins	...	Himself - Playing 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
Eric Anderson	....	assistant camera
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
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 Stephenson	....	first assistant camera (as George Stevenson)
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
Selwyn Eddy	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

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

Music Department
Baker Bigsby	....	music engineer/mixer
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)

Also Known As:

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 Band's management had overbooked the show. Two days before the show, they tried to have Muddy Waters taken off the bill. Levon Helm, The Band's drummer, threatened not to play the show if Muddy Waters was asked to leave. Muddy Waters is in the final cut of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: During Garth Hudson's solo in the song "Stagefright", the entire song cuts forward approximately 25 seconds.

Quotes:

[singing]
Eric Clapton:Further on up the road / Someone's gonna hurt you like you hurt me / Further on up the road / Someone's gonna hurt you like you hurt me / Further on up the road / Baby, just you wait and see.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Bob Dylan: Change on the Tracks (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

One of the best, simplest, and most joyous films ever made

In the words of Robbie Robertson, "The Last Waltz" began as a concert and turned into a celebration. There is no word that can be used to describe "The Last Waltz" better than 'celebration'. This is a celebration of The Band, and of music, specifically American music, which The Band loved and played so many styles of.

"The Last Waltz" is a concert film, and there's a common sentiment outside of the rock fan community that such films can never be true art films. If proof exists that this is not true, "The Last Waltz" is it. The film is brilliantly directed by Martin Scorsese, who captures this incredibly powerful and remarkable performance with skill that can't be described as anything other than amazing. This film looks absolutely stunning. What else can one ask for other than a film that looks pristine and beautiful, and contains some of the best music ever written? Scorsese is a smart filmmaker and knows that he could add to the film by including short interview segments with the members of The Band, all of which are relevant to and enhance the film.

The beauty of "The Last Waltz" is its simplicity. The Band were probably the most unpretentious major musical group there has ever been. They were interested in nothing other than playing good music, and Scorsese, at least in this instance, is not interested in doing anything other than creating a simple, true document of a memorable, great musical event. That's what he does, he captures a brilliant concert where the addition of celebrity musical guests does not cheapen it at all, but makes it a true celebration of music. Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield, Joni Mitchell, Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Neil Young... the list goes on and on.

Phenomenal musicianship, phenomenal film-making, a phenomenal film all around. One of the best and most joyous films ever made.

10/10