The Band's Levon Helm (1940 - 2012) is remembered with screenings of Martin Scorsese's THE LAST WALTZ, one of the greatest concert films ever made, and Loretta Lynn biopic COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER (with Helm in his acting debut as Lynn's father, Ted Webb).
THE LAST WALTZ
1978, MGM Repertory, 117 min, USA, Dir: Martin Scorsese
"It Started as a Concert. It Became a Celebration. Now It's a Legend." On Thanksgiving Day 1976, 5,000 cheering fans gathered for the historic farewell concert of The Band. Martin Scorsese provides fascinating interviews with Band members, but the film's real hook is the stage show: A rotation of rock legends including Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Paul Butterfield, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Neil Young join The Band in one of the greatest concert films ever made.
COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER
1980, Universal, 125 min, USA, Dir: Michael Apted
Sissy Spacek turns in an Oscar-winning performance as Loretta Lynn, who rises from poverty to become one of the most popular country singers of all time. The Band’s Levon Helm makes his film acting debut as father to Lynn and her seven siblings, and Tommy Lee Jones excels as Lynn's troubled manager and husband, who drives his wife to success but has a hard time dealing with the end result.
