Most filmmakers tend to stay in their creative lanes. Wes Craven thrived in the horror genre, John Carpenter constantly flirted with science fiction, and the Wachowski sisters love a high-concept action flick. But, the very best filmmakers to have ever graced the art form tend to spread their creative wings, with the likes of Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese succeeding in several different genres.
Best known for his complex crime dramas, such as 1976’s Taxi Driver and 1990’s Goodfellas, Scorsese’s filmography is as wonderfully eclectic. Helming horror pictures in the form of Shutter Island, children’s adventure films in Hugo and western tales such as Killers of the Flower Moon, perhaps Scorsese’s most impressive adventures have been his documentary efforts.
A music obsessive, Scorsese has made five documentaries that explore some of the art form’s most iconic talents, including The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and George Harrison of The Beatles.
The best of such projects, however, is undoubtedly his 1978 documentary The Last Waltz, which depicts the final concert of The Band, a group that included the likes of Levon Helm, Rick Danko and the late Robbie Robertson. Capturing the performance with the use of some incredibly immersive cinematography, Scorsese puts the audience in the thick of the iconic night where The Band were joined by other iconic artists like Neil Young, Van Morrison and Bob Dylan.
Following the concert depicted in The Last Waltz, Scorsese booked several days in an MGM studio soundstage, where he worked with The Band, the Staple Singers and Emmylou Harris to film extra performances and also interview the group members. When this week had been completed, and Scorsese had spent time working with some of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, he wrote “this has been the happiest week of my life” on a piece of paper before handing it to Robbie Robertson.
Decades later, when Robertson sadly passed away, Scorsese took to social media, alongside other icons of the industry like Bryan Adams, to pay tribute to the indelible American artist.
“Robbie Robertson was one of my closest friends, a constant in my life and my work. I could always go to him as a confidante. A collaborator. An advisory. I tried to be the same for him,” Scorsese reflected in a statement.
Continuing, the filmmaker added: “Long before we ever met, his music played a central role in my life—me and millions and millions of other people all over this world. The Band’s music, and Robbie’s own later solo music, seemed to come from the deepest place at the heart of this continent, its traditions and tragedies and joys…It goes without saying that he was a giant, that his effect on the art form was profound and lasting. There’s never enough time with anyone you love. And I loved Robbie”.
Take a look at a clip featuring Scorsese and Robertson below, filmed during the making of The Last Waltz, where the pair enjoy an existential experience whilst listening to Van Morrison.
