The Last Waltz (Special Edition)

Universally acclaimed as one of the great concert films, The Last Waltz, Martin Scorsese's gorgeous account of the Band's star-studded 1976 farewell concert feels at times like a Canadian musical reunion, as Joni Mitchell and Neil Young join the Band in their celebration of a long life on the North American road. The movie captures some of the tensions between Hollywood-ready Robbie Robertson and his more inward bandmates, but its true glory is in the concert's camaraderie and good-natured one-upmanship, which drives great performances by Mitchell, Muddy Waters, the Staples Singers, and, best of all, Van Morrison's riveting "Caravan."

Martin Scorsese's 1978 capsule history of the Band is mixed with footage of the group's allegedly last performance (certainly their last performance as a quintet) in this particularly stylish concert film. Scorsese shoots the players and their sundry guests with the same flair and enthusiasm one can see in the later The Color of Money or Goodfellas. He also proves a good interviewer with Band members, particularly Robbie Robertson, whose sleepy-sexy good looks make a star-caliber impression in close-up. But the film's real hook is the stage show, which features a rotation of rock legends (Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Paul Butterfield, Bob Dylan, and so on) playing with the Band before a wildly appreciative audience. --Tom Keogh

For its 25th anniversary, The Last Waltz received a meticulous color-corrected new film transfer approved by director Martin Scorsese and a new digital 5.1 surround audio mix supervised by producer Robbie Robertson, better known as the Band's chief songwriter and guitarist. The DVD adds a crisp anamorphic digital transfer and a clutch of additional features that represent satisfying enhancements to this superb concert documentary. Two full-length audio commentaries tacitly acknowledge the schisms within the surviving membership of the Band: on the first, Scorsese and Robertson deconstruct the film and its production, while the second taps Band drummer Levon Helm and organist Garth Hudson, along with erstwhile mentor Ronnie Hawkins, pop gospel veteran Mavis Staples, and various crew members. A featurette offers new interviews with Robertson and Scorsese, and fans will relish extended "jam footage" of previously unreleased performances by members of the Band, Dr. John, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Paul Butterfield, Ron Wood, Stephen Stills, and Neil Young, although the footage itself never approaches the passion or coherence of the film's best songs. DVD enthusiasts disappointed at the lack of more audio bonuses should pick up the companion restoration of the movie's soundtrack, expanded to four CDs to contain a wealth of previously unreleased performances from the historic 1976 concert. --Sam Sutherland