The Last Waltz

Name: The Last Waltz
Genre: Music, Documentary
Released: April 26, 1978
Duration: 117 min
Rating: 84
Cast: Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Neil Diamond

1978

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 16 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 36 Ratings

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8.1

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8.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 36 Ratings

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The Last Waltz

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Movie Details & Credits

MGM Home Entertainment | Release Date: April 26, 1978 | PG

Starring: Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Neil Diamond, Neil Young, Robbie Robertson, Van Morrison

Summary: Martin Scorsese's 1978 documentary chronicles The Band's farewell concert on November 25, 1976 in San Francisco.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Genre(s): Music, Documentary

Rating: PG

Runtime: 117 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Peter Rainer

No other concert film has ever expressed so fervently the erotic root of rock. Seeing it is the opposite of taking a trip down memory lane; it's more like a plunge into the belly of the beast. Read full review

100

Staff (Not Credited)

An outstanding rock documentary. Read full review

100

Richard Harrington

Is "The Last Waltz" the greatest rock movie of all time? It makes its case persuasively in a restoration overseen by director Martin Scorsese and producer Robbie Robertson that's been released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the concert it made famous. Read full review

Hazel-Dawn Dumpert

To see the film in this meticulously restored and remixed version is like watching it for the first time, so clear is the sound, so vivid the sights. Read full review

New Times (L.A.) Robert Wilonsky

Scorsese's rockudrama withstands big-screen scrutiny some 24 years after its initial release. Read full review

Roger Ebert

The music probably sounds fine on a CD. Certainly it is well-rehearsed. But the overall sense of the film is of good riddance to a bad time. Read full review

Josh Goldfein

Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz proves Andrew's point by gathering so much talent into one theater that the stage buckles and the subject drops out of sight. Read full review

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User Reviews

Nesbitt10

Dec 21, 2012

What started out as a concert transformed into a celebration. In the fall of 1976, The Band played their final concert, documented by Martin Scorsese, and is widely considered one of the finest rock films ever made. A wide range of musical quests: Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison,What started out as a concert transformed into a celebration. In the fall of 1976, The Band played their final concert, documented by Martin Scorsese, and is widely considered one of the finest rock films ever made. A wide range of musical quests: Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Dr. John, Emmylou Harris among others. Martin Scorsese masterfully captures their interactions on stage, while off stage he interviews each member (Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson, Levon Helm) sharing their experiences from sixteen years on the road. To quote Robbie Robertson: "We wanted it to be more than a "final concert". We wanted it to be a celebration: The Last Waltz. For additional reviews visit: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/member/Nesbitt10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Tam

Sep 12, 2007

I've never seen any other concert video even come close to this. They have captured a piece of what I can only imagine attending one of their shows would've been like.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

EtanC.

Mar 1, 2006

Greatest concert film ever created. A true masterpiece

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MM.

Jan 23, 2008

The Last Waltz transcends its genre AND transcends its medium -- it is, simply, a remarkable work that succeeds both as Art and as Fun. My favorite moment: Look into Neil Young's eyes at he sings "Helpless" (harder than it sounds, given the jaw-dropping beauty and intensity of his The Last Waltz transcends its genre AND transcends its medium -- it is, simply, a remarkable work that succeeds both as Art and as Fun. My favorite moment: Look into Neil Young's eyes at he sings "Helpless" (harder than it sounds, given the jaw-dropping beauty and intensity of his performance). The whitewalls around his nostrils may have been edited out, but the manic, cocaine-fueled thousand-yard stare remains for posterity to enjoy. And as a bonus, you understand why Neil scared the living bejeebus out of Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, and the rest of the "Canyon Rock" royalty when he so famously threatened, in song, to "kill them in their cars." God bless him :-)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

sirrong

Apr 3, 2020

It is not that I wouldn't recommend, but "the greatest rock documentary ever made"? Not for me.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

gracjanski

May 26, 2021

The music didnt touch me much, only the last song on the stage was nice. Other than that the movie doesnt offer much, just some superficial pieces of the history of the musicians and thats all.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JimD.

Jan 19, 2010

Everybody ought to read Levon Helm's book, "This Wheel's On Fire" before they render their judgments. The movie's a fraud and it, Marty Scorcese and Robbie Robertson ought to be tarred and feathered out of the same pot.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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