Product: Classic Albums: The Band - The Band (1997)
Rating: 5.0
Timeless music - well made documentary
This DVD has tracks from both The Bands first two albums. So you get some analysis of the first album (Big Pink) as well as the famous brown album. The reason being that they were all recorded at the same sessions.Its a fabulous documentary, with great interviews and analysis at the mixing desk, perhaps most memorably Levon who still gets carried away with the music.Little known gems like Whispering Pines are given added poignancy when Richard Manuels suicide is mentioned late on in the film. Sadly Rick Danko died a few years after this film was made. When you think that Richard Manuel, Rick Danko and Levon Helm all variously sang lead vocals, depending on the song, you begin to realise how unique this group was in its original line-up.Garth Hudson improvises at the keyboard for the camera a number of times demonstrating one of his many talents. We also see him playing Soprano Sax with John Simon - getting that classic Band horn sound.Although not discussed in the film, it is documented that Levon has a problem with Robbie, so Robbie gets little credit (if any) from Levon. I don't think the reverse is true, but the truth in these matters is always difficult to establish.There is some great early 70's footage of the group playing at the pink house, plus the inevitable clips from The Last Waltz.Various musicians, including Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Don Was extoll the virtues of the group and there are some interesting points made by Greil Marcus. Sometimes Marcus can be a little pretentious, but most of the time here he doesn't go to far overboard.This is one of the best Classic Albums DVD's and I would strongly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn more about one THE most important Rock 'n' Roll groups to come out of North America (four of them were Canadian).Note this is a documentary, so most of the time the tracks are interrupted by people talking. If you want a concert DVD by The Last Waltz....