What it’s about
Continuing a tradition begun with his co-editing of Woodstock close to a decade earlier, Martin Scorsese captures “The Last Waltz” for posterity. This was The Band’s final 1976 tour, after a back-breaking sixteen years on the road. To mark the milestone as a celebration, and not a wake, the group assembled a veritable rock hall-of-fame to join them, including Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, Dr. John, and Neil Young. The rest is music history.
Why we love it
Often hailed as the greatest concert movie ever, it may just be. Robbie Robertson, the film’s producer and guiding light behind The Band, is charismatic off-stage, electric on. All the guest musicians sing and play at the top of their games. Highlights include Joni Mitchell’s “Coyote,” Waters’s earthy, soulful “Mannish Boy,” Dr. John’s dreamy “Such A Night,” and Clapton’s jaw-dropping guitar work on “Further On Up The Road.” Scorsese hired top directors of photography to film this event from every conceivable angle; the result is an intimate, exhilarating ride into the heart of rock music.