Customer Ratings & Reviews

Classic history on a mixed sound stage! Seems to have been recorded with omnidirectional mic so the been are low volume. I was going up and down with the volume the whole time. Nice to get to be the fly on the wall listening in on their conversations.

The Criterion Collection of The Band's "The Last Waltz" is a new 4K restoration which was created from a scan of the 35 mm original camera negative under the supervision of Director Martin Scorsese. It is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, 4K UHD with Dolby Vision. The 5.1 DTS-HD surround soundtrack was remixed from the original 24 track masters in 2001 under the supervision of musician/producer Robbie Robertson and the audio includes two stereo soundtracks as alternatives (the original 1978 mix in 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio and a uncompressed stereo mix from 2001). There are two commentary tracks featuring Scorsese, members of The Band, crew, and performers (including Dr. John, Ronnie Hawkins, and Mavis Staples), outtake and interviews. There is a fold-out essay by critic Amanda Petrusich. Okay, now that I've got the technical stuff out of the way... To those that have never seen "The Last Waltz" you've missed the most glorious concert/documentaries of the greatest musical groups to come out of North America in the 1960's... with a bunch of their friends joining in to celebrate their final performance. Having seen The Band play live several times in their original iteration, with Robbie Robertson, including at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, CA, on Jan 24, 1970, there has always been a soft spot in my heart for The Band and this their final performance. Along with the Winterland live performances intercut with interviews, are several 'set' pieces including "Up On Cripple Creek" accompanied by the Staple Singers and "Evangeline" with Emmylou Harris. It seems that with each passing year, the emotions seem to well-up in me a bit more watching the late Rick Danko's wistful take on "It Makes No Difference" a song that epitomizes the greatness of the music of The Band. Other moments to treasure are Richard Manuel, who sadly took his own life in 1986, telling of just how broke they all were in the early days that he would resort to shoplifting bologna so that they could eat and the virtuoso work of Garth Hudson in the unfortunately edited version of "The Genetic Method / Chest Fever." Then there's the priceless "Mannish Boy" sung by Muddy Waters, who was nearly cut from the night's lineup of guests until Levon Helm threatened to walk off. So many terrific performances from Van Morrison, Eric Clapton (who always makes it look so easy), Paul Butterfield, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Doctor John, Neil Young, Ringo Starr, Ron Wood, Ronnie Hawkins, etc. But I must admit I usually tend to the cat or make a cuppa when Neil Diamond takes to the stage. I have recordings of "The Last Waltz" on every possible medium including LP, video and audio tape, laserdisc, CD, dvd, etc., and this Criterion Collection 4K blu-ray is the best by far.

Classic history on a mixed sound stage! The volume is inconsistent.

I have the earlier Blu Ray release of this and I much prefer the new menu structure and the better HDR video quality. A great concert film with great sound and now a great picture.

It's the Last Waltz. Kind of says it all. Can't watch in 4k but it was only 8 dollars more to get both. The blu-ray is awesome though.

Yes friends there was a time before swillfests such as American Idol, The Voice, etc, blighted the musical landscape, where we had true MUSICIANS who ACTUALLY had talent and a passion for their craft, played live and well without lipsyncing, and really cared about doing music well...............this is a beautiful testimonial to this truth! I've seen this film several times throughout my life, and each viewing is a treat, from my original copy, to a well worn DVD, to (finally!) a Blu ray, this thing just ROCKS from start to finish. Reads like a Who's Who of great musicians, an absolute must for any fan of timeless music! This Blu is a generation back, as the 40th Anniversary was issued late in 2016, but still very clean sound and video and a bargain to boot...................I highly recommend this disc

I had the blu ray from the previous release (dvd before that) and I hesitate to just keep buying the same titles over and over but glad I decided to pull the trigger, Great sound and be sure to take the opening scene advice and play this movie loud!

Bought this for my sister's husband (widowed). It reminded me of her and the music she loved. He is a senior with some lifestyle limitations, likes to listen to music and watch films when he's home alone, so I thought he'd enjoy this. I have not seen it myself yet, but am looking forward to an opportunity to do so. Love that I could get it from Best Buy instead of their unfair online competitors.

My purchase was based on wanting to have some of the past in my living room. Im finding that its hard to find history of some of the good ole days I grew up with. I had a hard time finding these two digital memories and am glad that you carried them. Thanks for the memories.

This is one of the greatest music documentaries of all time. Excellent performances with several other musical guests. Love the interviews throughout.

Crystal clear picture and the sound is great. This movie documents one of the greatest moments in rock history. I cannot recommend enough

Martin Scorsese one of films greatest directors helms this remarkable following of one of the true classic rock bands The Band . Follow The Band on one of their last tours and see the reaction from the crowds as they soak in the moment.

This is a great documentary that is a must for any music lover. Not much can be said about this DVD that hasn't been said already. Highlights include "Evangeline", "The Weight", and MUDDY WATERS! I mean this has Muddy live in concert....which makes it worth the price alone.

Classic concert film from Scorsese presented fantastically by Criterion with some good supplemental material.

Great sound... Been a fan since the begining!! And with all of the great guests, just light up and enjoy.

I partly checked this movie out due to being a huge Martin Scorcese fan. I was familiar with the song The Weight but that was about it. I have to say after viewing the film I became a big fan of The Band. Audio/Video quality on the blu ray are excellent. Video is not pristine quality due to age and source elements, but a major upgrade over the DVD.

One of the best musical concerts ever. Thankfully it was captured and now fully enhanced.

This is a great film, deserving of Blu-ray treatment. However, the original DVD release contained two commentaries, including one with members of the band. It's not on the Blu-ray, presumably because of the content. I'd recommend hardcore fans buy the Blu-ray for the sound and picture quality, but seek out the DVD for the commentary.

One of the very best concerts ever recorded. Great music, great musicians make this a must see. Make the popcorn, get the drinks before you set down, you wont want to get up while it is playing. Simply Awesome !!

The Band was one of the most important bands in evolution of American music, and the group of artists that came together for their last concert is both testament to that and tribute to their influence.