Just perfect...

A lot of fun.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Back in the late Sixties/early Seventies, a friend of mine introduced me to a disparate range of musical performers, stuff I would never have discovered on my own, but he persisted in having me borrow his albums and I came to appreciate various artists and styles. Stuff like Ten Years After, Canned Heat, King Crimson, Muddy Waters and the list goes on. One of them was The Band, a group I immediately took a liking to with their albums Music From Big Pink, The Band and Stage Fright."The Last Waltz" chronicles The Band's final concert appearance at San Francisco's Winterland Theater on Thanksgiving Day, 1976. There's probably no better venue for assembling some of the best musicians in the world in one place at one time, and music fans who weren't even born yet will appreciate the performances here from the likes of Ronnie Hawkins, Joni Mitchell, Paul Butterfield, and Bob Dylan. My favorite number was probably Neil Young joining The Band with a soulful rendition of 'Helpless', while Muddy Waters kicks out those blues jams with 'Ain't That a Man'. One of the surprising numbers comes from someone you wouldn't expect to see here, with Neil Diamond offering up a passionate version of 'Dry Your Eyes'.Intersperesed with quickie interview segments, the film captures the emotional exhaustion of The Band's members as they come up on sixteen years of musical touring. I guess for them it was time to move on, even though a group like the Stones has more than doubled that tenure since this film came out. 1976, it seems so long ago.As I write this, Levon Helm passed on a couple of months ago. Watching him as a vibrant and energized performer in this documentary was in sharp contrast to a concert appearance I saw him in just last year performing with his own band. On that night he didn't even sing because he was recuperating from an illness. It's sad to see these legends pass on, but having these moments captured on film and recordings allow us to relive their glory days any time we like. If you haven't seen "The Last Waltz" yet, it's time that you do. If you have, watch it again.

It's hard to imagine a better film about music after watching this. There's so much love from all involved of the sounds people create when getting together and making harmony happen with voices and/or instruments. The director Martin Scorsese, The Band themselves, their special guests and the crowd, apparently not one of whom left the venue before the final encore (ironically, the first song in the film).So many great talents are on display here, this movie could have been nine hours and I wouldn't have left the theatre at all (except for a quick bathroom break). The commentaries, both of them, are worth hearing, especially as you watch the movie. The years since this concert just add to the overall appreciation one should have for everybody that took part in this amazing event."The Last Waltz" is kind of like the "Raging Bull" of concert films. The only thing that could really stop The Band were themselves. Playing for so many years without a break must take a toll on anyone. But the state of mind they were in by 1976 makes me wonder if Jake La Motta felt the same way about boxing at the end of his run as the only fighter who couldn't be knocked down.

this documentary chronicling the last concert of the rock group the Band,directed by Martin Scorsese is nothing short of brilliant.the music is(not only from the Band,but from guest performers)is first rate.the movie flows perfectly and when it was over,i couldn't believe how quickly the time seemed to go.and i wished it hadn't ended.i'm no filmmaker,but i do know that Scorsese seems to capture the essence of the show perfectly,all the cameras in the right angles.the lighting was also perfect,which is a testament to he lighting crew.the sound crew also outdid themselves.i thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this documentary.for me,The Last Waltz is an easy 10/10

I have to agree that Scorsese has made the finest of all rock movies I have watched the movie in its entirety and individual performances many times. If nothing else it shows these great performers in their prime when they looked and sounded their best Van Morrison, Neil Young, Eric Clampton, Ron Wood and of course The Band and all the rest. It is hard to believe that 30 years have past since this film was made and I have to say I get a very melancholy feeling watching these guys perform in this time-locked film. Some are gone and the ones still around have aged, as we all have, but when I put "The Last Waltz" on my DVD player they all come back to life looking and sounding fantastic.