The Band/Stagefright Live/The Last Waltz

Beginning with a title card saying "This film should be played loud!" the concert documentary covers The Band's influences and career. The group—Rick Danko on bass, violin and vocals; Levon Helm on drums, mandolin and vocals; Garth Hudson on keyboards and saxophone; songwriter Richard Manuel on keyboards, percussion and vocals; and guitarist, songwriter and occasional vocalist Robbie Robertson—started out in the late 1950s as a rock and roll band led by Ronnie Hawkins (Levon Helm was already a member of Ronnie Hawkins' band when Robbie Robertson came on board, and Hawkins himself appears as the first guest. The group backed Bob Dylan in the 1960s, and Dylan performs with The Band toward the end of the concert). Various other artists perform with The Band: Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Dr. John, Neil Diamond and Eric Clapton. Genres covered include blues, rock and roll, New Orleans R&B, Tin Pan Alley pop, folk and rock. Further genres are explored in segments filmed later on a sound stage with Emmylou Harris (country) and the Staple Singers (soul and gospel). The film begins with The Band performing the last song of the evening, their cover version of the Marvin Gaye hit "Don't Do It", as an encore. The film then flashes back to the beginning of the concert, and follows it more or less chronologically. The Band is backed by a large horn section and performs many of its hit songs, including "Up on Cripple Creek", "Stage Fright", and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". The live songs are interspersed with studio segments and interviews conducted by director Martin Scorsese in which The Band's members reminisce about the group's history. Robertson talks about Hudson joining the band on the condition that the other members pay him $10 a week each for music lessons. The classically trained Hudson could then tell his parents that he was a music teacher instead of merely a rock and roll musician. Robertson also describes the surreal experience of playing in a burnt-out nightclub owned by Jack Ruby. Manuel recalls that some of the early names for The Band included "the Honkies", and "the Crackers". Because they were simply referred to as "the band" by Dylan and their friends and neighbors in Woodstock, New York, they figured that was just what they would call themselves. Danko is seen giving Scorsese a tour of The Band's Shangri-La studio, and he plays a recording of "Sip the Wine," a track from his then-forthcoming 1977 solo album Rick Danko. A recurring theme brought up in the interviews with Robertson is that the concert marks an end of an era for The Band, that after 16 years on the road, it is time for a change. "That's what The Last Waltz is: sixteen years on the road. The numbers start to scare you," Robertson tells Scorsese. "I mean, I couldn't live with twenty years on the road. I don't think I could even discuss it." Now deep in the heart of a lonely kid Who suffered so much for what he did Gave this ploughboy his fortune and fame Since that day he ain't been the same See the man with the stage fright Just standin' up there to give it all his might And he got caught with the spotlight But when we get to the end He wanna start all over again I've got fire water right on my breath The doctor warned me I might catch a death Said, "You can make it in your disguise Just never show the fear that's in your eyes" See the man with the stage fright Just standin' up there to give it all his might And he got caught in the spotlight But when we get to the end He wanna start all over again Now when he says that he's afraid Take him at his word And for the price that the ploughboy has paid He gets to sing just like a bird, ooh ooh ooh My brow is sweatin' and the mouth gets dry Fancy people go driftin' by The moment of truth is right at hand Just one more nightmare you can stand See the man with the stage fright Just standin' up there to give it all his might And he got caught with the spotlight But when we get to the end He wanna start all over again Now please don't make him stop, no no Let him take it from the top , oh , oh Let Him start all over again...