My MPSIMS contribution:
I saw this movie on July 4, 1976. My bicentennial evening.
Did the IFC have the version where Neil Young came on stage with his nose full of blow? Cause that, my friends, is high comedy. The Van Morrison bit as well, which is both awe-inspiring (“wait, that voice comes from that guy?”) and jaw-dropping (“what the hell are you wearing? what kind of dance is that?”).
Side note: there was talk about re-opening Winterland up here a few months ago. Any Bay Area folk know anything about this or was it pure rumor & conjecture?
Good trick! The concert itself took place in November 1976, and the film came out in '78.
That’s always been amazing to me, how little the singing voice matches with appearance, or even with spoken voice. I heard Bonnie Raitt’s speaking voice for the first time last night and was amazed at how she sounds. Nothing like.
[/hijack]
I’ve always thought Van Morrison was the best part of The Last Waltz.
[double hijack] Before I saw a picture of Van Morrison, I was pretty certain he was black. Then I saw a picture, circa maybe 1979, and my brain exploded. Not that it changes Domino or anything, but imagine my surprise: mental image of smooth black R&B singer replaced by fat, stumbly white dude with unfathomable pipes. That said, Astral Weeks is one of the best CDs ever made. [/double hijack]
Me too, watching The Last Waltz. Who the hell is that? Sounds like Van Morrison, but the dude’s white… 