The Criterion Collection was out with news this past week related to its March of 2022 film restoration release calendar. Leading the selections is none other than auteur filmmaker Martin Scorsese’s 1978 music-themed documentary, The Last Waltz.
This new 4K film restoration, supervised and approved by musician Robbie Robertson, will be ready for fans to enjoy on Mar. 29 as a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack.
Back in 1973 Martin Scorsese directed Mean Streets, which, along with Boxcar Bertha (for Roger Corman in 1972), moved him from making obscure experimental films into the ranks of being a promising director. The producer for Mean Streets was Jonathan T. Taplin, who was at one time the manager of The Band, so when lead vocalist Robbie Robertson decided to wrap it up, he talked to Taplin and Taplin talked to Scorsese (who had been a film editor on Woodstock and Medicine Ball Caravan) and the next thing you know Scorsese is on board to direct the documentary/farewell concert of The Band.
The concert would take place during Thanksgiving of 1976 at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom … The Band and guest artists (an impressive list that would come to include Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, Neil Young and the Staple Singers) would perform. Instead of a simple concert, Scorsese hit upon the idea of multiple award-winning cinematographers filming the event from different perspectives.
According to reports in the trades from the period, things went well. Sometime in either late April or early May of 1978 Scorsese had a “rough-cut” screening for some notable filmmakers, including Samuel Fuller, Brian De Palma and Vincente Minnelli (Best Director Oscar-winner for Gigi) … they suggested that it was very good, but not finished. He took their advice and shot additional background footage with members of The Band … not complete; a classic.
Bonus features include two vintage commentary options — one with director Martin Scorsese and recording artist Robbie Robertson, and the second featuring performers Dr. John, Ronnie Hawkins, and Mavis Staples; documentary filmmaker Stephen Altobello’s 2002 short film titled Revisiting The Last Waltz, outtakes and vintage interviews.
Also on the March release calendar from the Criterion Collection is French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville’s 1970 film release of Le Cercle Rouge (available Mar. 15 as a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack), Blu-ray and DVD editions of director Márta Mészáros’ Adoption (in Hungarian, Mar. 8), The Flight of the Phoenix (Blu-ray only on Mar. 22) and writer/director Theodore Witcher’s Love Jones (Blu-ray only on Mar. 29).
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