Philip Papas

Have to agree with many points already made in the thumbs down reviews. One more thing that bugged me: in this documentary, The Last Waltz is presented as if it were a 'break in the action' or a celebration of where they were at; "To be Continued." If you watch the Last Waltz film it is indeed a celebration of their career but also VERY clearly stated to be their farewell. Levon Helm stated in his book that none of the others wanted the Band to end - and that is corroborated by the fact that they soon reformed with a new guitarist and played on for years without Robertson. In fairness to Robbie, the Band still had a strong following after 1976, but they never produced the same level of acclaimed recorded work without him. That is a testament to his overall contribution. I've been in enough bands to know there always needs to be a responsible one, the member who leads/directs/initiates/pushes, etc. That person typically makes arrangements, finishes up work (like songwriting), communicates with management and the press, meets deadlines and manages schedules. It's no surprise they are typically the band member least dependent on substance abuse. I have no problem believing that in their case that person was Robbie. Bands don't get anywhere without leadership. The problem is when that leader begins to take all the credit, or believes they are the only reason for the band's success. To compound the problem, there always seems to be no shortage of outsiders willing to tell that person they don't need their 'brothers' and every one else in the band is replaceable. Ego is a powerful component in music, and that can and does lead to problems eventually. Sad. In the end, this just struck me as a guilt trip project.