I have not read all of them but I have read many of the negative reviews and try (really hard) to understand the reviewer's point of view. Yes, Martin Scorsese has done much better work and yes, "tiresome" comes to mind when watching some of the less-than-stellar performances but, if you were born in the 7 years from 1948 to 1955, this film is an irreplaceable cinematic classic of that era. The setting was unique, the cast was the era's finest of that genre and the technical value was up to date for when it was made. Sure, if the Band had decided to "retire" 10 years later, we would have seen a completely different film. But they didn't and this is what we got.
I saw The Band, live, at Sunday Break II @ the Steiner Ranch outside of Austin, Texas in the late 70s. They were "dots on the horizon" and their music entertaining but, every time I watch this film (I have seen it 4 or 5 times) I find another gem. Whether it is from a recently departed blues man or a band member himself, the film brings back an age that is long gone but, because of films like this one, not forgotten.
I saw The Band, live, at Sunday Break II @ the Steiner Ranch outside of Austin, Texas in the late 70s. They were "dots on the horizon" and their music entertaining but, every time I watch this film (I have seen it 4 or 5 times) I find another gem. Whether it is from a recently departed blues man or a band member himself, the film brings back an age that is long gone but, because of films like this one, not forgotten.