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THE
TOP 5
PROJECT

WEEK NO. FIFTEEN
Main Page (including links to all past Top 5 weeks)

THE TOP 5 CONCERT FILMS:

view full results       see how points are awarded
Rank Film Points L #1
#1 The Last Waltz (Martin Scorsese, 1978) 32 8 3
tie Stop Making Sense (Jonathan Demme, 1984) 32 7 4
#3 Gimme Shelter (Albert & David Maysles/Charlotte Zwerin, 1970) 16 5 1
tie Woodstock (Michal Wadleigh, 1970) 16 6 1
#5 Don't Look Back (D.A. Pennebaker, 1967) 14 6 -
L=How many lists each film appears on             #1=How many number one votes each film recieves

This week's Top 5 was one of the most hotly contested weeks we've had yet. Down to the wire and the final winner was...a freakin' tie. Yeah, you heard me, Scoresese's The Last Waltz and Demme's Stop Making Sense, after a long battle for first, ended up in a dead heat tie at the last moment (and I do mean the last moment - the final list evened them out). It was only the third first place tie in Top 5 Project history.

As for third place, again we had a freakin' tie. This time it was Gimme Shelter and Woodstock coming in a rather distant third (and third-and-a-half) - actually only half the points as first place. The top 5 was rounded out by Don't Look Back. Some would say that some of these films are not "actual" concert films - and they are probably right - but here they are nonetheless. The biggest surprise (in my mind at least) was the near complete shut out of Let it Be - other than my own fourth place vote.

Individual lists:

Albert H. Muth
Auteurophile

Since I suggested the Top 5 Concert Films as this week's topic, let me define what I have in mind. That is films which are primarily a single concert, a performance, music or otherwise. Although there may be background material, the primary focus is the concert itself.

This definition eliminates some great films, which although of a musical nature, are more documentaries of larger events which may culminate in the performance experience. Of such films there are some important, seminal, epical films which are major masterpieces. These are:
1. Gimme Shelter - Maysles Brothers. The end of the "sixties," whatever that meant. The death of the illusional love and peace generartion. "It's just a shout away shout away shout away."
2. Don't Look Back - D.A. Pennebaker. It was as important to the deification of Bob Dylan as his music was. "You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows."
3. Straight, No Chaser - Charlotte Zwerin. The brilliant and sadly tragic life of Thelonious Monk observed dispassionately with an eye for the truth which may break your heart.
4. Grateful Dawg - Gillian Grisman. David Grisman and Jerry Garcia's musical partnership is chronicled in its final stages leading to Garcia's death, hastened by the phonies, posers, and fratboy drunks whose demand for more and more of something they could not begin to comprehend, destroyed and killed a kind gentle man and musical genius.
5. I am Trying to Break Your Heart - Sam Jones. The upheavals, clashes and eventual parting of two enormous creative personalities who could not co-exist. Wilco survives as one of the most important bands recording and performing today.

Now for the Top 5 of this week's category:

  1. The Last Waltz (Martin Scorsese, 1978) - It was said that to get invited to perform at this amazing concert, you had to have fucked Joni Mitchell. Whatever, (she had great taste) it contains the most important musical artists of the period. Highlights are Neil Young's big birds flying across the skies, Van "The Man" Morrison's Radio City Rockette kicks, Joni's white lines on the freeway, The Staples taking a load off Mary, Emmylou Harris call for Evangeline, and the finale of the PI's melancholy release.

  2. Stop Making Sense (Jonathan Demme, 1984) - Talking Heads were probably the most intellectual band who could get down and dirty and rock and roll. David Byrne's mad genius peaks with the oversized suit sequence. "Take me to the river, drop me in the water."

  3. Divine Madness! (Michael Ritchie, 1980) - Miss Better Midler and the amazing Harlettes, put on a show covering swing, dixieland, soul, pop, and rock and roll. She is outrageous, tits bouncing, dancing, singing rolling across the stage culminating in a medley of songs by Jagger-Richards and Dylan. She more than covers them, she makes them her own.

  4. Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll (Taylor Hackford, 1987) - Chuck Berry is a musical genius largely responsible for what we call Rock 'n' Roll. The films tells the story of a concert organised by Keith Richards honoring the great man's life and music. Great performances by great artists but paled by the original, who Keith sums up, "He's a great man, but a real pain in the ass."

  5. (tie) Bring on the Night (Michael Apted, 1985) -With an array of great jazz and rock players, Sting establishes credibility as a solo act.
    Graceland:The African Concert (Michael Lindsay-Hogg, 1987) - Paul Simon adapts the music and rhythms of Africa to create a new vitality of music, with the native performers, and shows that art can change the world.

And Then there is that which does everything that all of the above strive to do, create a higher order of art and truth. Bob Dylan's Renaldo and Clara. Just rock with it, it is beyond your understanding or comprehension. Above all the competition, not included in meaningless polls or contests.


David Sterritt
Chairman, National Society of Film Critics

  1. The Last Waltz (Martin Scorsese, 1978) - This is still the best of its breed, and also a history-maker with its first-ever 35mm concert footage. Martin Scorsese rarely lets us down, and this is one of his best nonfiction films.

  2. Stop Making Sense (Jonathan Demme, 1984) - This seemed like a disappointment when it first came out, but when it was reissued some years ago it suddenly looked like a winner, with ample amounts of energy and wit. It's probably Jonathan Demme's best "documentary."

  3. Renaldo & Clara (Bob Dylan, 1978) - Of course the movie is a mess by conventional standards, but since when was Bob Dylan a conventional musician, much less a conventional filmmaker? Donn Pennebaker's fine "Don't Look Back" isn't really a concert film, and the concert sequences here are sensational, especially the electrifying rendition of "Isis," which stands with Dylan's greaest work, period.

  4. Monterey Pop (D.A. Pennebaker, 1968) - Jimi Hendrix. "Nuff said.

  5. Philip Glass (Peter Greenaway, 1983) - Peter Greenaway's doc is technically a short, since it runs less than an hour, made for his four-part TV miniseries on cutting-edge American composers. Its straightforward record of the Philip Glass Ensemble in action is well worth seeing for Glass admirers and newcomers alike. Also worth noting on the classical-music front are selected moments from pianist Glenn Gould's idiosyncratic music videos.



Jeffrey M. Anderson
Freelance Film Critic, San Francisco Examiner, Las Vegas Weekly, Oakland Tribune

  1. Stop Making Sense (Jonathan Demme, 1984) - The rock concert as cinema, deconstructed and re-assembled for the big screen.

  2. Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (Jeff Margolis, 1979) - The rock concert as comedy show, complete with its own beats, rhythms, refrains and sections.

  3. The Last Waltz (Martin Scorsese, 1978) - The rock concert as precision, clear, up-close and invigorating.

  4. Gimme Shelter (Albert Maysles/David Maysles/Charlotte Zwerin, 1970) - The rock concert as history, ragged, shocking and life-changing.

  5. Jazz on a Summer's Day (Bert Stern, 1959) - The rock concert as compilation, comprised of brilliant bits from many masters (Thelonious Monk, Dinah Washington, Chuck Berry!)

Runners Up:
Neil Young: Heart of Gold (2006), Dave Chappelle's Block Party (2006)

go to: Jeffrey Anderson's site


Laura Clifford
Film Critic & Co-Host, Reeling: The Movie Review Show

  1. Stop Making Sense (Jonathan Demme, 1984)

  2. Neil Young: Heart of Gold (Jonathan Demme, 2006) - Demme has an uncanny ability to infuse his concert films with the personality of his subject performers. Both films are true classics of the genre.

  3. The Cure in Orange (Tim Pope, 1987) - Director Tim Pope makes the most of the fabulous 2,000 year old outdoor Roman theatre in Orange, France (famed for its acoustics) and a band in the full flush of its talent.

  4. Kate Bush: Live At The Hamersmith Odeon (Keef, 1979) - A cherished document of one of the most elusive of live performers.

  5. The Great Rock 'n Roll Swindle / The Filth and the Fury (Julian Temple, 1980/2000) - Not exactly concert films per se, but the first is a raucous collage of animation, video, fantasy and concert footage from the warped perspective of Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and the second a far more sober followup with the more considered (and sometimes surprisingly moving) reflections of John Lydon. A valuable double bill spanning two decades from director Julien Temple.

go to: Reeling Reviews website


Robin Clifford
Film Critic & Co-Host, Reeling: The Movie Review Show

  1. The Turandot Project (Allan Miller, 2000) - One of the very few classical concert films/documentaries that exist and it is a treat. It combines the opera performance, Turandot, with the difficulty of staging such a grand effort in Beijing. Definitely for the opera buffs but fascinating to watch for all.

  2. Woodstock (Michal Wadleigh, 1970) - For an old hippie like me, "Woodstock" is a cornucopia of 60's rock and, though uneven, is well worth the time for those of us who love its music. I mean, it has Jimmy Hendrix, for cripe's sake!

  3. The Cure In Orange (Tim Pope, 1987) - I'm not a Cure fan (though my wife, Laura, is big time) but I can recognize a well made concert film when I see it. Director Tim Pope uses his many cameras, enthusiastic audience and one of the Cure's best performances (I have seen them in concert, willing or not, six or seven times) to create an outstanding concert movie.

  4. Gimme Shelter (Albert Maysles/David Maysles/Charlotte Zwerin, 1970) - The Stones and Hell's Angels. Need I say more?

  5. Neil Young: Heart of Gold (Jonathan Demme, 2006) - This is a finely crafted concert film that doesn't use flash, just good filmmaking combined with a terrific concert. For Neil Young fans, for sure, but appealing to a broader audience, too.

go to: Reeling Reviews website


Peter Sobczynski
Film Critic

1. Stop Making Sense (Jonathan Demme, 1984)

2. The Last Waltz (Martin Scorsese, 1978)

3. Richard Pryor Live On the Sunset Strip (Joe Layton, 1982)

4. Rolling Stones: Live at the Max (Julian Temple & others, 1991)

5. Don't Look Back (D.A. Pennebaker, 1967)


The Rest:
Chuck Berry Hail! Hail! Rock 'N' Roll (1987)
Wattstax (1971)
Gimme Shelter (1970)
Truth or Dare (1991)
Rust Never Sleeps (1979)
Sign O' The Times (1987)

And even though I have left them off the list for being too recent, I suspect that if I am asked this question again in a few years, I would probably add Neil Young: Heart of Gold and A Prairie Home Companion as well.


Kelley Baker
Filmmaker

  1. Woodstock (Michal Wadleigh, 1970) - So many bands in 2 hours. I saw it as a kid, would probably be embarrassed to see it now. If you weren't a fan of The Who or Jimi Hendrix before that movie, you certainly were after. I even paid money to go see Sh Na Na when they played Portland, they were so different from everyone else in that movie.

  2. Stop Making Sense (Jonathan Demme, 1984) - After this movie I became a true Talking Heads fan. That Jonathon Demme can film almost anything...

  3. Urgh! A Music War (Derek Burbridge, 1981) - I saw this in the late 80's(?), and was impressed by all the different bands that were shown. The bands in this movie never really became house hold names, but they brought an intensity to their performances that really blew me away. I don't think this movie was technically what Stop Making Sense was, but it showed the grit and the passion that was that music scene. I don't remember any narration, just live performances.

  4. Don't Look Back (D.A. Pennebaker, 1967) - What can you say about Dylan, and Dylan being booed. I like everything about this movie

  5. The Concert for Bangladesh (Saul Swimmer, 1972) - Hearing the audience applaud Ravi Shankar and his group, and having Ravi thank the audience for enjoying the band "tuning up" was wonderful. So much great footage of Harrison and Clapton, and Leon Russell. This movie looked so good and sounded great in the theater. I should probably go out and buy a copy of this...

Honorable Mention:
The Kids Are Alright (Jeff Stein, 1979) - Not really a concert film, but it's The Who damn it! There is lots of concert footage, and television footage that to me gives the band a sense of time and place. I laugh every time I see them on The Smothers Brothers show, doing such a poor job of lip synching, watch Keith Moon on the drums working so hard at NOT hitting them, and smashing Tommy's guitar at the end of it all. They have always been one of my favorite all time bands... Can't help it!
The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (Michael Lindsay-Hogg, 1996) -This was a strange one! The interesting thing for me is that most of the performers are so much better than the Stones. I like the Stones, but Jethro Tull, John Lennon, and The Who had unforgettable performances, ant the Stones were, forgettable. And you got to love the fashions... This wasn't really a concert film like the others, since it was a selected audience, but I think it qualifies. Tell me I'm wrong.

go to: Kelley Baker's Angry Filmmaker website


C.C. Webster
Filmmaker

1. Gimme Shelter (Albert & David Maysles/Charlotte Zwerin, 1970)

2. Don't Look Back (D.A. Pennebaker, 1967)

3. The Last Waltz (Martin Scorsese, 1978)

4. Woodstock (Michal Wadleigh, 1970)

5. Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll (Taylor Hackford, 1987)



Michael Parent
Film Student

1. Buena Vista Social Club (Wim Wenders, 1999)

2. Sympathy for the Devil (Jean-Luc Godard, 1968)

3. The Last Waltz (Martin Scorsese, 1978)

4. Neil Young: Heart Of Gold (Jonathan Demme, 2006)

5. Woodstock (Michael Wadleigh, 1970)


Le Hinton
Poet, Publisher, Editor & Jazzman

1. Miles Davis Live at Montreux (Quincy Jones?, 1993)

2. The Last Waltz (Martin Scorsese, 1978)

3. Pat Metheny Group: We Live Here: Live in Japan (1995)

4. Don't Look Back (D.A. Pennebaker, 1967)

5. Woodstock (Michal Wadleigh, 1970)


Adam Trovillion
Film Enthusiast

1. Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii (Adrian Maben, 1972)

2. Gimme Shelter (Albert & David Maysles/Charlotte Zwerin, 1970)

3. Woodstock (Michal Wadleigh, 1970)

4. The Kids Are Alright (Jeff Stein, 1979)

5. Don't Look Back (D.A. Pennebaker, 1967)


Kevin Cassidy
Film Enthusiast

1. Stop Making Sense (Jonathon Demme, 1984)

2. Rust Never Sleeps (Neil Young, 1979)

3. Rattle and Hum (Phil Joneau, 1988)

4. Calle 54 (Fernando Trueba, 2000)

5. Urgh! A Music War (Derek Burbridge, 1981)


Kevyn Knox
Film Critic, Essayist + Historian

  1. The Last Waltz (Martin Scorsese, 1978) - The Band, Dylan, Diamond, Clapton, Dr. John, Ferlinghetti, McClure, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ronnie Hawkins, Emmylou Harris, Muddy Waters, Ron Wood, Neil Young, Ringo Starr...must I go on?

  2. Don't Look Back (D.A. Pennebaker, 1967) - Perhaps not so much a concert film as a docu-concert-thingee, but just to hear Dylan bitch about a bad harmonica is well worth it...oh yeah, and then there is the music from the greatest songwriter to ever grace the planet Earth.

  3. Gimme Shelter (Albert Maysles/David Maysles/Charlotte Zwerin, 1970) - Perhaps, in hindsight, it wasn't the brightest idea to hire the Hell's Angels to do security, but that notwithstanding, this film shows the raw energy of The Stones and the melancholy mistakes of that one day in December 1969 - even if it goes beyond just a concert film.

  4. Let it Be (Michael Lindsay-Hogg, 1970) - The final live performance from the Fab Four should have had more votes than just mine - c'mon, this is The Beatles at the musical best (Abbey Road and their final days, sadly enough, is their greatest period) and they're on a fucking rooftop for Christ's sake.

  5. Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (Terry Hughes & Ian MacNaughton, 1982) - All the classic sketches done live in front of thousands. Even today, I laugh out loud at Python. They never get old and they never get tired...and that damn parrot is still dead.

Several films I have shamingly not seen but that would otherwise probably make this list (at least judging from what I know of them) are: Dylan's Renaldo & Clara, Demme's Stop Making Sense, Temples's The Great Rock 'n Roll Swindle and Godard's Sympathy for the Devil.

*points are given as follows: for numbered lists, first place recieves 5 points, second place recieves 4, third place 3, fourth place 2 and fifth place gets 1 point; for unumbered lists, each film will recieve 3 points; total points are then tallied up and a comprehensive Top 5 list is created


The Next Topic is:
Name The Top 5 Silent Films

e-mail me at kevynknox@thecinematheque.com with your picks for week #16,
no later than 4pm on Sunday, July 30, 2006.

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