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Directed by Martin Scorsese
USA 1978

 

Martin Scorsese's documentary of the 1976 final performance of the legendary Sixties rock group The Band is at once a show featuring some of the greatest rock performers of their generation and a bittersweet look back at an era that was just beginning to fade. As Scorsese guides the group through interview segments discussing their 15 years together, these relatively young men sound like battle-weary survivors. But The Band were in splendid form for this show, and their multiple guest stars pulled out all the stops, especially Muddy Waters, whose "Mannish Boy" is so powerful it nearly burns a hole in the screen; Van Morrison, with a rousing performance of "Caravan;" and Bob Dylan, whose "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" displays the brilliant cockiness of his barnstorming days with this band. The all-star camera crew and superb stereo sound mix create what is considered to be of the best-looking and sounding rock films ever (as the opening credit says, play this movie loud!), and two studio-shot sequences with Emmylou Harris and The Staple Singers stand on their own.

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

 

 Posters

 

Theatrical Release:  April 26th, 1978 - USA

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Review: Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Also available from MGM on a Region FREE Blu-ray

    

Distribution Masters of Cinema - Spine #200 - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:57:13.693
Video

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 47,285,970,691 bytes

Feature: 39,317,419,392 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.90 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

 

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 4532 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4532 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Commentaries:

Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps

Subtitles English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Masters of Cinema

 

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 47,285,970,691 bytes

Feature: 39,317,419,392 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.90 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Audio Commentary by director Martin Scorsese and Musician Robbie Robertson
• Audio Commentary by "The Band" members Levon Helm and Garth Hudson, journalists Jay Cocks and Greil Marcus, creative consultant Mardik Martin, producers Jonathan Taplin and Steven Prince, Cameraman Michael Chapman, Music Producer John Simon, Irwin Winkler and performers Mavis Staples, Dr. John and Ronnie Hawkins (includes optional subtitles identifying who is talking)
• Revisiting The Last Waltz [22:30 mins]
• Archival Outtakes (jam 2: 12:17)
• Stills gallery (04:56)
• Trailer (02:46)
PLUS: A 100-PAGE perfect bound collector s book including writing on the film by Adam Batty, Greil Marcus and Robbie Robertson; an abundance of extremely rare archival imagery; extensive notes, storyboards and sketches from the film s production [Limited Edition Exclusive]


Blu-ray
Release Date: November 12th, 2018
Custom Blu-ray Limited Edition Hardbound Case (3000 copies)

Chapters 10

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: (November 2018) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray: Eureka! (Masters of Cinema) present the Scorsese-helmed classic "The Last Waltz" on a dual-layered Blu-ray. The 1.85:1 image is housed on the disc with a fully maxed-out bitrate. Though we don't have the MGM disc for comparison, this transfer is apparently from the same source, so one could assume they are similar. The 1080p image greatly improves upon the previous SD image from the Scorsese boxset. This is definitely evident in the amount of detail in any given frame. The film is also less stretched out, with more information on all sides of the frame. There are instances of damage, with frequent tiny white flecks showing up throughout the feature, probably indicating a lack of digital tinkering to improve the image. That said, aside from some very dark, and uniformly black portions of the screen in some scenes, this is a very decent transfer. The experience here is mostly all about the audio, let's be honest.

The audio is where the film shines, we are given a few options here. There is the choice of watching the film in either 24-bit 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio or in an uncompressed 24-bit linear PCM 2.0 track. Either choice is going to impress, with Levon Helm's drums and Danko's bass sounding powerful without drowning out the various tones of guitars, saxophones, vocals, piano and organ. There are optional English SDH subtitles on this Region 'B'-locked
Blu-ray.

Eureka! has included not one but two vintage audio commentaries, one with director Martin Scorsese and musician Robbie Robertson, the other with "The Band" members Levon Helm and Garth Hudson, journalists Jay Cocks and Greil Marcus, creative consultant Mardik Martin, producers Jonathan Taplin and Steven Prince, Cameraman Michael Chapman, Music Producer John Simon, Irwin Winkler and performers Mavis Staples, Dr. John and Ronnie Hawkins (includes optional subtitles identifying who is talking). These are both worth a listen, full of info regarding how the project came to be, and the technical stuff required to accomplish it all. "Revisiting The Last Waltz" is a 22.5-minute archival short documentary featuring interviews with Martin Scorsese and Robbie Robertson. "Jam 2" is from archival footage from the Last Waltz concert, with most of the musicians jamming on stage together. There is a stills gallery broken down into sub-categories and the film's trailer and TV spot as well. Also included here is a 100-PAGE perfect bound collector's book including writing on the film by Adam Batty, Greil Marcus and Robbie Robertson; extremely rare archival imagery; extensive notes, storyboards and sketches from the film's production.

This is the first Blu-ray release of "The Last Waltz" in the UK, and if you ever wanted to see on of the best concert films of all time, here is your chance. Eureka! have assembled a nice package with some great extras and a decent image, but as the title card warns before the film, “This film should be played loud!
 

Colin Zavitz


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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Screen Captures

 

1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP
2) Eureka (Masters of Cinema) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
BOTTOM

 

 


1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP
2) Eureka (Masters of Cinema) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
BOTTOM

 


1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP
2) Eureka (Masters of Cinema) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
BOTTOM

 


1) MGM - Region 0 - NTSC TOP
2) Eureka (Masters of Cinema) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
BOTTOM

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


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Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

Also available from MGM on a Region FREE Blu-ray

    

Distribution Masters of Cinema - Spine #200 - Region 'B' - Blu-ray




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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