Last week I blogged about The Band’s Stage Fright and The Best of the Band. Just by coincidence, the new Criterion Collection version of The Last Waltz arrived the next day and I spent time watching it. I have a couple different versions of The Last Waltz, at least one DVD version and a Blu-ray. This new Criterion Collection disc is a Blu-ray and the quality is very good. The colors are crisp and the sound is sharp.
Not only do you get to see and hear The Band play its final performance, you get to see them share the stage with Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, the Staple Singers, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Dr. John, Ronnie Hawkins, Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, and Mavis Staples. Martin Scorsese’s classic rock documentary from 1978 looks remastered for the 21st Century! Terrific! GRADE: A
MUSICAL NUMBERS:
| A1 | Theme From The Last Waltz Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 3:52 | |
| The Concert | |||
| A2 | Up On Cripple Creek Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 5:31 | |
| A3 | The Shape I’m In Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 4:10 | |
| A4 | It Makes No Difference Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 6:51 | |
| B1 | Who Do You Love? Vocals – Ronnie Hawkins Written-By – Ellas McDaniels | 4:51 | |
| B2 | Life Is A Carnival Written-By – Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson | 4:26 | |
| B3 | Such A Night Vocals – Dr. John Written-By – Mac Rebennack | 4:42 | |
| B4 | The Weight Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 4:51 | |
| B5 | Down South In New Orleans Lyrics By [Additional Lyrics] – Bobby Charles Vocals – Bobby Charles Written-By – Jack Anglin, Jim Anglin, Johnny Wright | 3:11 | |
| C1 | This Wheel’s On Fire Written-By – Bob Dylan, Rick Danko | 3:54 | |
| C2 | Mystery Train Lyrics By [Additional Lyrics] – Robbie Robertson Vocals – Paul Butterfield Written-By – Herman Parker, Jr.*, Sam Phillips | 5:04 | |
| C3 | Caldonia Vocals – Muddy Waters Written-By – Fleecy Moore | 6:09 | |
| C4 | Mannish Boy Vocals – Muddy Waters Written-By – Ellas McDaniels*, McKinley Morganfield, Melvin London | 6:41 | |
| D1 | Stage Fright Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 4:31 | |
| D2 | Rag Mama Rag Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 4:34 | |
| D3 | All Our Past Times Vocals, Guitar – Eric Clapton Written-By – Eric Clapton, Rick Danko | 5:02 | |
| D4 | Further On Up The Road Vocals, Guitar – Eric Clapton Written-By – Don Robey, Joe Veasey | 5:30 | |
| E1 | OpheliaWritten-By – Robbie RobertsonWritten-By – Robbie Robertson | 3:46 | |
| E2 | Helpless Written-By, Vocals, Guitar – Neil Young | 5:53 | |
| E3 | Four Strong Winds Vocals, Guitar – Neil Young Written-By – Ian Tyson | 4:37 | |
| E4 | Coyote Vocals, Guitar, Written-By – Joni Mitchell | 5:28 | |
| F1 | Shadows And Light Vocals, Guitar, Written-By – Joni Mitchell | 5:45 | |
| F2 | Furry Sings The Blues Vocals, Guitar, Written-By – Joni Mitchell | 5:09 | |
| F3 | Acadian Driftwood Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 7:07 | |
| F4 | Dry Your Eyes Vocals – Neil Diamond Written-By – Neil Diamond, Robbie Robertson | 4:16 | |
| G1 | The W.S. Walcott Medicine ShowWritten-By – Robbie Robertson | 3:39 | |
| G2 | Tura Lura Lura (That’s An Irish Lullaby) Vocals – Van Morrison Written-By – James Royce Shannon | 4:11 | |
| G3 | Caravan Written-By, Vocals – Van Morrison | 6:12 | |
| G4 | The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 4:35 | |
| G5 | The Genetic Method / Chest Fever (Excerpt From Movie Soundtrack) Written-By – Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson | 2:41 | |
| H1 | Baby Let Me Follow You Down Vocals, Guitar – Bob Dylan Written-By – Reverend Gary Davis | 2:56 | |
| H2 | Hazel Written-By, Vocals, Guitar – Bob Dylan | 3:42 | |
| H3 | I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) Written-By, Vocals, Guitar – Bob Dylan | 3:29 | |
| H4 | Forever Young Written-By, Vocals, Guitar – Bob Dylan | 5:51 | |
| H5 | Baby Let Me Follow You Down (Reprise) Vocals, Guitar – Bob Dylan Written-By – Reverend Gary Davis | 2:59 | |
| H6 | I Shall Be Released [Finale] Written-By, Vocals, Guitar – Bob Dylan | 4:50 | |
| I1 | Jam # 1 | 5:32 | |
| I2 | Jam # 2 | 9:11 | |
| I3 | Don’t Do It Written-By – Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Edward Holland, Jr. | 6:20 | |
| I4 | Greensleeves (From Movie Soundtrack) Arranged By – Garth Hudson Written-By – Trad. | 1:38 | |
| The Last Waltz Suite | |||
| J1 | The Well Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 3:33 | |
| J2 | Evangeline Vocals – Emmylou Harris Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 3:10 | |
| J3 | Out Of The Blue Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 3:20 | |
| J4 | The Weight Vocals – The Staples Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 4:36 | |
| J5 | The Last Waltz Refrain Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 1:32 | |
| J6 | Theme From The Last Waltz Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 3:27 | |
| Concert Rehearsal | |||
| K1 | King Harvest (Has Surely Come) Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 3:52 | |
| K2 | Tura Lura Lura (That’s An Irish Lullaby) Vocals – Van Morrison Written-By – James Royce Shannon | 3:53 | |
| K3 | Caravan Written-By, Vocals – Van Morrison | 6:30 | |
| K4 | Such A Night Vocals – Dr. JohnWritten-By – Mac Rebennack | 5:25 | |
| K5 | Rag Mama Rag Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 3:53 | |
| Studio Ideas | |||
| L1 | Mad Waltz (Sketch Track For “The Well”) Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 5:31 | |
| L2 | The Last Waltz Refrain (Instrumental Version) Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 0:50 | |
| L3 | The Last Waltz Refrain (Sketch) Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 3:35 |
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
- New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Martin Scorsese, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack supervised and approved by musician Robbie Robertson
- In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- Two alternate soundtracks: the original 1978 2.0 surround mix, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio, and an uncompressed stereo mix from 2001
- Two audio commentaries, featuring Scorsese; members of the Band; members of the production crew; and performers Dr. John, Ronnie Hawkins, and Mavis Staples
- New interview with Scorsese, conducted by critic David Fear
- Documentary from 2002 about the making of the film
- Outtake
- Interview from 1978 with Scorsese and Robertson
- Trailer and TV spot
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by critic Amanda Petrusich
Great film. Almost tempted to dock it a notch since they didn’t do Chest Fever. One of my two favorite filmed concerts. The other being Stop Making Sense filmed by Jonathan Demme. Talking heads last tour. I need to get this but will wait until the next B&N Criterion sale.
Steve, you’ll enjoy all the extra features on this Criterion Collection Blu-ray!
Steve nails it, and this reminds me how disgracefully long it’s been since I saw it.
Michael, this new Criterion Collection Blu-ray is the version to see. Plenty of intriguing extras! And, it looks great!
Wow.
Jerry, I’m a big fan (and financial supporter) of the Criterion Collection. I purchase them as soon as they’re released and spend a day (or two!) enjoying the added content!
I have never seen it although I have seen STOP MAKING SENSE if that counts. Some friends brought over a blue ray of a doc on CLUB 47, a folk club in Cambridge in the Sixties Other than a few singers (Baez, Dylan) I knew very few of them. And, of course, they played very little of their music. It was all talking heads.I had never seen Baez this young (17) before. She was apparently born with that voice.
Patti, I love Joan Baez and regret she didn’t achieve the stardom her fabulous voice should have delivered. Yes, STOP MAKING SENSE is a classic documentary, too.
As mentioned last week, I love THE LAST WALTZ. We listened to the CDs again since then. I always thought Neil Diamond was an odd fit in that concert. Of course, several people have died since – Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, Dr. John, Muddy Waters. And Joni Mitchell can’t sing anymore. But some are still going strong, like Emmylou Harris.
Jeff, I thought Neil Diamond was an odd fit, too. Joni Mitchell can’t sing anymore but she sure could back then!
Glad you enjoyed this film/concert.
Happy Tax Day.
Rick, I e-filed my taxes back in February. The IRS is warning that if you file a paper return it might be months before you get your refund check.
Ah, Club 47! Kitty and used to frequent it often (she had a membership card) until it burned down while I was in college. Jim Kweskin, Tom Rush, Jackie Washington, The Staples Singers, Jim and Jean, Muddy Waters, Carolyn Hester, Grampa Jones, Joni Mitchell…and so many more. Good memories! (It was there that I first heard a flugelhorn being played live.)
Does seem to have earned its legend.
Jerry, I’m not sure if I ever heard a flugelhorn played live. You’re a lucky guy to have achieved that special event!
I had barely heard the Band when I first saw the film, at the University of Hawaii’s film program showing (in 1982-3, the administration had a film series with the likes of THE LAST WALTZ and DINER, and a French-born permanent student made his living showing a range from IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES through WOMEN IN LOVE to THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME as a campus “club” across the way). It’s a hell of concert and probably Scorsese’s best documentary work. The additional features are tempting…I’ve had the augmented album, but haven’t ever gotten around to buying the DVD.
Diamond getting as much play as he does does seem a bit odd, though I think the Band members were perhaps throwing their Weight around a bit in making the Beatle and the Rolling Stone wait till being allowed only to join in with the closing number. We can mourn those who have died, and those who have gone off their (perhaps not well-calibrated) rockers, such as Van Morrison and Eric Clapton.
Todd, you would love the extras included in this CRITERION COLLECTION Blu-ray!
Well, it’s not a The Band song but I just had to get on YouTube for Robbie Robertson’s Somewhere Down That Crazy River.
Good stuff!
Beth, of all The Band members, Robbie Robertson did the best after the group broke up.