The Band News

(2/13/02, 12 p.m. ET) -- The film version of The Last Waltz, Martin Scorsese's documentary of the Band's star-studded farewell concert, will turn 25 in style this year. United Artists, MGM Home Entertainment, and Rhino Records are planning a celebration that includes the theatrical rerelease of the film, a special edition DVD, and a four-CD boxed set, all of which will feature performances from the concert that didn't make the original film or album.

Singer-guitarist Robbie Robertson tells LAUNCH that it's been a joy working on the reissues, and he describes some of the rarities that will be offered. "There are really interesting things from rehearsals for it. There's an interesting tape of me, when I was writing the 'Theme For The Last Waltz,' and it's a different version of it, but there's something really quite lovely about it. And there's other studio stuff that we did, too, when we were doing 'The Last Waltz Suite.' There's a slew of stuff."

The Last Waltz anniversary project will formally kick off at next month's South By Southwest Film And Music conferences in Austin, Texas, where Robertson will be the keynote speaker. At the festival, Robertson will host the movie's world re-premiere at the Paramount Theater on March 15.

The theatrical release will launch on April 10 at New York City's Ziegfeld Theater--where the film premiered 25 years ago--before opening on April 12 in San Francisco (where the concert took place), New York City, and Los Angeles. Seattle, San Diego, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto, and Washington, D.C. will then get the film on April 19, with other cities to follow. The new release features a soundtrack remixed and remastered in 5.1 stereo surround sound by Robertson as well as color-corrected proofs by Scorsese.

The DVD then comes out May 7, containing not only the film but also previously unreleased "jam footage" featuring the Band and concert guests such as Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Neil Young, the Rolling Stones' Ron Wood, Dr. John, and Stephen Stills. Scorsese and Robertson provide scene-by-scene commentary for the DVD, and there are interviews with surviving Band members Levon Helm and Garth Hudson, concert guests Ronnie Hawkins and Mavis Staples, and various crew members and journalists who covered the event, along with a photo gallery and the original theatrical trailer for the film. Suggested retail price for the DVD will be $24.98.

The Last Waltz boxed set comes out April 16 on Rhino. Its four discs feature a variety of previously unreleased performances featuring Van Morrison, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield, and Emmylou Harris. New liner notes have been written by Rolling Stone magazine's David Fricke, and an 80-page booklet will feature previously unseen photos, notes, and memorabilia.

-- Gary Graff, Detroit

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