A Walk to Remember

8 Comments

1. ray mclaughlin

   September 30, 2010 at 3:09 pm

   Review by ray mclaughlin for The Last Waltz (Special Edition)
   Rating:
   Any music documentary that makes Neil Diamond look cool has got to be something worth indulging. Not only does Martin Scorcese provide the most coherently interesting document on one of the greatest bands of all time, he provides a wonderful entry into the music that held lasting influence on many of the period’s greatest artists. In one concert you have Muddy Waters, Ronnie Hawkins, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Dr. John, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan. What sets this apart from other concert films, are the interviews with members of The Band and the tension captured in the live performances; the pacing is dead on. You hear about the early days of touring, playing harp “til your lips bleed”, and the truth about how touring takes its toll. What makes this more than just another concert film is Dylan’s closing performance, as well a performance portrait of The Band as a headliner and then The Band as a backing ensemble. My point being, run, don’t walk, and get this for your collection. The only downside to owing this masterpiece is the realization that they simply no longer make ’em as good as Robbie (rock’s greatest guitarist bar none), Levon, Garth, Rick, and Richard (greatest voice in rock). Neil Diamond’s glitter never shone so brightly!

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2. Bob Martinez

   September 30, 2010 at 2:16 pm

   Review by Bob Martinez for The Last Waltz (Special Edition)
   Rating:
   To paraphrase a song by The Band. “A hippie’s dream..if I ever did see one”. Filmed in 1976, The Last Waltz captures the end of an era beautifully. The lighting has a dream-like quality to it. I guess if our generation died and went to heaven, this would be the closest thing. It centers around The Band and their magnificent musicians (Robertson, Danko, Helm, Manuel and Hudson) plus great performances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, the great Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Dr. John, Emmylou Harris and more! The DVD also includes audio commentaries, behind the scenes features and great digital audio. After 1976, we were bombarded with disco, new wave, and punk leading us into the techno 80’s. This film represents the music of the post-hippy late 60’s and early 70’s best. It is intelligent rock music performed by my some of the greatest names in rock history. This is one of the finest music films ever made. It comes across more like a movie than a concert and offers us a greater depth of understanding behind the personalities that dominated and influenced music during that period. Outstanding!

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3. Larry Glickman

   September 30, 2010 at 1:26 pm

   Review by Larry Glickman for The Last Waltz (Special Edition)
   Rating:
   “The Last Waltz” was one of the very first films I ever purchased new on VHS, and I have enjoyed it consistently for the last 12 years. This movie captures one of the most symbiotic relationships between music and film I have ever seen. Martin Scorsese only had one chance to get this movie right, and he did a great job.Watch the closeup footage of Levon Helm engulfed in a cool blue light while belting out an amazing version of “Ophelia”. Watch Joni Mitchell filmed in a silouhette backstage as she secretly sings backup to Neil Young’s “Helpless”. Watch Dr. John’s hands float effortlessly over the piano keyboard while performing a rousing version of “Such A Night”. Watch Rick Danko as he curiously peers over at Bob Dylan, completely unsure of what song they are about to launch into next. Filled with countless moments like these, “The Last Waltz” is pure enjoyment to the very end.Since falling in love with this movie, I have learned that drummer Levon Helm was a very uncooperative participant in the production of the movie. He was not ready for The Band to quit, he believed that Robbie Robertson wanted to make this movie only to further his “rock star” persona, he did not like the fact that Neil Diamond was involved in this project only because Robbie Robertson had just produced a record for him, and from Day 1, he did not like Martin Scorsese.Knowing that, it is interesting to note how removed Levon seems to be during the interviews, and how much Robbie playes the “Rock Star” role, professing exhaustion from the road, and not knowing how he can go on with this lifestyle.I am not saying that Levon or Robbie is right or wrong, I am just saying that it is interesting to watch this movie knowing how at least one of the members of the group felt about the project.If you care about music and quality filmaking, “The Last Waltz” should be part of your permanent collection.

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4. TheBandit

   September 30, 2010 at 12:57 pm

   Review by TheBandit for The Last Waltz (Special Edition)
   Rating:
   MGM really did an outstanding job with this release. The movie itself is justly celebrated as one of the greatest concert documentaries of all time. The Band is brimming with energy and they play their farewell concert, and the music sounds fantastic in the 5.1 mix. You don’t even have to be a huge fan of The Band to enjoy this movie, as long as you like classic rock. There are so many guest stars that join The Band, including Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, The Staples Singers, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and many others.There are two outstanding commentary tracks on this dvd. One of them features director Martin Scorsese and Robbie Robertson (of The Band). Over the course of the film, they provide a great deal of insight into the making of the documentary. Equally valuable is the second audio commentary, which features many participants (the other surviving Band members, a few of the guest performers such as Dr. John and Mavis Staples, and several crew members, among others). Although the many participants were recorded separately, the track tightly edited with nary a dull moment. A nice touch: you can select a subtitle feature which will bring up the name of the person who is speaking while the commentary plays.If all that weren’t enough, the 20 minute featurette contains good recent interview footage with Scorsese and Robertson. And there is a 12 minute outtake which is an all-star jam session (the instrumental jam itself isn’t all that exciting, but with that kind of line-up it’s well worth watching). Even the Still Photo gallery had more care put into it than most dvds, with the photos divided into three sections, many featuring captions to identify what we’re looking at.The movie itself looks and sounds so good, it justifies the purchase. But the supplemental material puts this way above the 5-star level.

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5. David A. Bede

   September 30, 2010 at 12:29 pm

   Review by David A. Bede for The Last Waltz (Special Edition)
   Rating:
   Rumor has it that at the debut screening of The Last Waltz in 1977, Ronnie Hawkins stood up at the end of the film and remarked sarcastically, “That was all right, but it sure could’ve used a few more shots of Robbie!” By now, any serious fan of the Band will be familiar with the antipathy between Robbie Robertson and some of his former comrades. A quarter-century later, this classic movie’s disproportionate concentration on Robertson at the others’ expense not only remains palpable, it’s even more lopsided in the updated version. But for better or worse, that is a key part of the story of the Band; and in retrospect, the Last Waltz is surely an even more accurate documentary than Robertson had aimed for. More importantly, it captures one of the greatest concerts of the rock era.As Levon Helm relates in his rather bitter memoir “This Wheel’s on Fire,” the decision to disBand was Robertson’s alone and the Last Waltz was a somewhat reluctant exercise on the part of the other four. This shows to varying degrees in the interviews which are dispersed throughout the concert footage: Robertson, who appears far more often than the others, looks animated and a bit rehearsed (although it’s hard not to feel some animosity towards him if you’ve read Helm’s book) while the others look tired or worse. (Helm’s description of Richard Manuel as “looking like Che Guevara after the Bolivians got done with him” is all too close to the mark!) While unflattering to a degree, the interview scenes do speak volumes about what the music industry did to one of rock’s all time greatest bands and the truth about the then-impending breakup. The Band did, after all, reunite sans Robertson as soon as they were legally able to use the name again without his blessing. The commentary itself is still interesting as well, particularly some of the saltier stories of life on the road in the early 1960s, a time too often thought of as rock’s “innocent” years.But the music itself is still the most important part of the show by far. However uncomfortable things had become behind the scenes, these guys could still play like no other band before or since, and it’s almost magical to watch them do so for the very last time. Given Helm’s well-documented distaste for the whole project, it’s remarkable how happy he looks during most of the performances, almost as if the bad blood disappeared during those last few hours while they were doing what they did best together. The late Rick Danko’s showstopping solo performance of “Stage Fright” just might be the concert’s most intense moment, which is perhaps just as it should be given the subject matter of that song and the reality behind the scenes. If there is any complaint to be made about the concert footage itself, it is that the guest performances by Hawkins, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters and Van Morrison featured here don’t necessarily do justice to the full brilliance of that night. The complete soundtrack (which was only recently released legitimately, after years of bootlegging) reveals stunning performances that didn’t make it into the movie, although Martin Scorcese claims in the retrospective documentary that this is only because he simply wasn’t able to shoot satisfactory footage of some of them. Nonetheless, the performances that did make the cut are superb across the board. Even the wildly out of place Neil Diamond does a decent job with his one song of the evening, even if I was left grateful that it was only one song. Best of all, we’re treated to dozens of unintentionally hilarious shots of Robertson singing with such emotion that the veins stand out on his neck – into a microphone which, as Helm gleefully recounted in his book, wasn’t plugged in. (This was no accident; guitar genius though he was and is, Robertson’s vocal abilities always paled in comparison to those of Helm, Danko and Manuel, who also delievers a number of touching performances here.)The new footage consists mostly of Scorcese and Robertson reminiscing about the making of the film; it’s predictably self-congratulatory, but fairly informative. More interesting to me, though, are recollections spread throughout the show from a wide variety of people who were involved with the project in various ways, playable as voice-overs with any given part of the concert. After 25 years, these provide a perspective on the event and its meaning through the eyes of someone – or really, many someones – other than Robbie Robertson. Perhaps this was the original intent behind the movie. In any case, it should have been. The new perspectives and footage are an undeniably nice touch, but the music still stands alone, and it sounds better than ever. It all makes for a new and improved look at one of rock’s all time great events.

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6. Gary

   September 30, 2010 at 12:25 pm

   Review by Gary for A Walk to Remember
   Rating:
   After seeing the trailers to A Walk to Remember, I have to admit, I wasn’t psyched about seeing this movie. It seemed to be yet another stereotypical cardboard cut out of recent teen movies in the past few years. There are a few ‘chick flicks’ that I have enjoyed in the past, but they’re not my favorite movies. But, because of my friends eagerness to see the movie, I gave in, and went to see it. The results were very surprising. This movie wasn’t just another average ‘chick flick,’ it was something much more. It became one of my all-time favorite movies. The movie is based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, and tells the wonderful tale of two people who are the definite opposites of one another only to be brought together by a miracle. There is Jamie Sullivan, played brilliantly by Mandy Moore, who is a shy and meek girl who is always teased on by her peers. Her head remains strong however, because she doesn’t allow the rude and immature comments penetrate and hamper her uplifting spirit. This is a true definition of a great person. I always admire someone who isn’t afraid to be themselves and not be terribly afraid of what other people would think or change themselves to be something they’re not. Jamie has high morals that she never allows to be jeopardized. There is also Landon, played by Shane West, whose only concern in life is not to jeopardize his reputation in other people’s eyes. Both of these characters are brought together by an incident and fall amazingly in love. This tells a wonderful and amazing story of how true love can be. Before watching this film, I doubted Mandy Moore’s acting capabilities, but now I realize just how fitting she was for this role. Shane West also plays his part convincingly. The story is combined with an awesome cast to produce a remarkable and very rememberable movie.

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7. D. Litton

   September 30, 2010 at 12:22 pm

   Review by D. Litton for A Walk to Remember
   Rating:
   I pretty much knew what to expect from “A Walk to Remember,” the latest in a long line of various romance dramas in which a popular boy meets and falls in love with an ugly-duckling girl who’s not so ugly at all. The movie leaves no cliché unturned, no familiar plot development in the shadows, leaving almost nothing to the element of surprise. What I didn’t expect from the experience was just how much I actually enjoyed every minute of this light, airy teen romance, despite its high predictability factor. The movie begins somewhat awkwardly by introducing us to a scene in which a group of teenagers have met to initiate a hopeful candidate into their circle of friends. When the boy is injured, one of the boys, Landon Carter (Shane West), stays behind to help him, only to be picked up by the police while trying to flee the scene. We soon learn that his rebellion streak stems from the absence of his father, who left his mother years ago; Landon, of course, resents him wholeheartedly. At school, he finds solace in his status and popularity, although the punishment of tutoring duties, a part in the drama play, and janitorial service as a result of his actions cramp his style. And then he meets Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore), the girl who has been in all of his classes for years and has been the target of wisecracks and put-downs for much of her life. At first, he is resentful of her coming up to him, but he soon finds himself asking her for help with his lines in the play. To his surprise, Jamie is not like other girls who would normally mind being insulted in public and treated nicely in private; the more she strays from his behavior, the more he is compelled to change his attitude and ways. As the previews have told us, they will fall in love, much to the dismay and scorn of Landon’s pals and ex-girlfriend, who cooks up a revenge plot that proves Landon’s devotion to his new love. As the story moves on, revelations will be made, characters will reconcile, and everything will follow a distinct path that has been the outline for many a romantic drama in the past. But who’s to say that predictability can’t be a good thing once in a while? As a critic, I admit the movie is nowhere near the realm of originality; as a romantic at heart, I found the movie to be a wonderful new spin on the old tricks of the genre, with some moments of delightful humor, and instances that are touching and filled with real emotion. The dialogue seems to have been polished to a brilliant new shine, however worn it may be, while the romance and teenage love aspects of the plot prove that the love story still has some kick left in it. The movie benefits greatly from its two talented leads, Moore and West, who prove their acting worth with great performances. Moore, in her second movie role (she played the prissy cheerleader in last year’s “The Princess Diaries”), embodies Jamie with a real sense of innocent charm and Christian faith, while West convinces us that Landon has undergone a change of heart and mind through his love for Jamie. The two share a chemistry and warmth that makes us believe in the movie’s message of love winning over all, making the old seem refreshingly new. Among the supporting cast are Daryl Hannah as Landon’s supportive mother, and Peter Coyote in an exceptionally well-done performance as Reverend Sullivan. One could go so far as to say that “A Walk to Remember” easily resembles Moore’s singing career: each one is far from being original, but they still manage to entertain in all the right ways. As a tale of realization and awakening amidst backdrop of love, the movie follows all the rules, resulting in little more than pure corn syrup that goes down easier than you’d first expect. It’s not exactly unforgettable, yet it’s not so quickly forgotten.

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8. sherman-nyc

   September 30, 2010 at 11:15 am

   Review by sherman-nyc for A Walk to Remember
   Rating:
   “Wow”. That’s about all I could muster at the end of the movie (embarrassingly, between a flood of tears – after all, a guy isn’t allowed to cry, right?) I must admit – my skepticism was extremely high upon first hearing about this movie. I queried myself as to the necessity of watching yet another “teenage love story”. However, upon a friend’s recommendation, I decided to give it a go, and realized that I had actually come close to making a terribly big mistake in my life had I not watched it. The movie was simply INCREDIBLE!Shane West does an excellent portrayal of High School bad boy Landon, and his desire to be popular and cool will surely strike a chord in many of our hearts. After all, during our precocious teenage years, there are arguably few things that are more important than being cool and universally liked by peers. One’s self esteem is invariably tied with how others perceive us. And so that is how Landon is, until he meets sweet Jamie Sullivan, the local preacher’s daughter played by beautiful Mandy Moore. Moore lends her character a huge amount of depth and surrounds her with an innocent, heartwarming aura, so much so that by the end of the movie, she can do no wrong. In addition, the movie is littered with many fabulous songs that are sung by none other than Moore’s beautiful voice. One piece that stands out is “Only Hope”, a beautiful song that will have your optical water droplets rolling out on more than one occasion. Another great tune that will get your good feelings swirling is “Someday We’ll Know”.As you watch their relationship blossom throughout the movie, your own feelings are inextricably linked and you find yourself cheering the couple on, marveling at their sweet times spent together and secretly envious of the intense love that they have discovered. For guys, I warn you – Jamie is so incredibly pure and unselfish that she will have your hearts fluttering by the end of the movie. As for Landon, he will no doubt reside in many girls’ dreams for months to come, and he demonstrates a type of love that transcends ordinary levels, completing Jamie’s life in each and every way. He shows her a love that she has not experienced before, and she helps him to discover himself and fills him with a desire to achieve higher things in life. There is a lot of hidden depth, and even when Landon fulfils Jamie’s first and foremost desire (which I shall not reveal for those that have not seen the movie), he says it in such an unselfish way that it evokes true admiration of his love for her. By being together, they have both achieved things that were previously not possible.By the end of the movie, the viewer’s faith in love and everything pure and good is restored to unshakeable heights. Love is truly the most powerful emotion known to mankind, and this heartwarming story reminds us that despite the challenges we face on a daily basis, there are things in life that make the experience truly worth it. To be able to witness the kind of love that Jamie and Landon shared is truly unforgettable, and as Landon says during the movie, “We had more happiness than most people experience in a lifetime.” A Walk to Remember is a truly moving story that urges us to have faith in true love and to cherish all the wonderful things that we have in our lives.

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