The Last Waltz (re-release)
Metascore
88 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 14 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
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  1. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    100
    It's never been topped.
  2. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: A.O. Scott
    100
    There are few concert movies that were filmed were such abiding feeling and respect. It's of a potent vintage that goes down deceptively smoother with age.
  3. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Carrie Rickey
    100
    One of the rare rock films that produces the effect of a live concert: After each number, the audience erupts into applause.
  4. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Wilmington
    100
    The greatest rock concert movie ever made -- and maybe the best rock movie, period.
  5. Seattle Post-Intelligencer
    Reviewed by: William Arnold
    100
    Soars on its purity of form, subdued elegance and tidy professionalism.
  6. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: Peter Rainer
    100
    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.
  7. Variety
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not Credited)
    100
    An outstanding rock documentary.
  8. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Richard Harrington
    100
    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.

User Reviews

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User Score
9.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 25 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Nesbitt10
    10
    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… Full Review »
  2. JimD.
    4
    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.… Full Review »
  3. MM.
    10
    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 :-)… Full Review »
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