Robbie Robertson - Guitar: The Band has been together 16 years. Together, on the road. We did 8 years in bars, dives, dance halls, 8 years of concerts and stadiums, arenas. We gave our final concert, The Band's final concert, and we called it The Last Waltz.
Robbie Robertson - Guitar: We wanted it to be more than just a concert. We wanted it to be a celebration.
Martin Scorsese - Interviewer: A celebration of a beginning or an end?
Robbie Robertson - Guitar: Beginning of the beginning of the end of the beginning.
Robbie Robertson - Guitar: Maybe, I don't know if the years connect or its coincidence or what it is, but, it seems like that's it! That's what The Last Waltz is. I mean, 16 years on the road, the numbers start to scare ya. I mean, I couldn't live with 20 years on the road. I don't think I could even discuss it.
Levon Helm - Drums: New York, it was an adult portion. It was an adult dose. So it took a couple of trips to get into it. You just go in the first time and you get your ass kicked and you take off. As soon as it heals up, you come back and you try it again. Eventually, you fall right in love with it.
Chosen answer: The show was recorded on Thanksgiving, 1976. The movie was released April 26, 1978, 17 months later closer to 1.5 years. The movie was not just the straight footage of the one concert, it includes various interviews, studio sessions, etc. filmed at different times. It had to be edited, produced, distribution had to be arranged. Then a release date was picked probably based on some marketing scheme - what other movies were being released around that time, etc. 17 months is not at all an unusual delay for this process.
Myridon