I saw the new Todd Haynes movie -- sort of about Dylan -- "I'm Not There," and wrote a piece about the real-life Bob and the press, which you may find interesting, please comment even if you haven't seen the flick. Here's link to the story, plus video of the legendary clip from "Don't Look Back" of Dylan interviewed by a Time reporter http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003677046
14 comments:
Nah, Dylan was never God. That job has always been held by Clapton.
Hi Greg, really interesting article but you seem to miss the point of Haynes's movie. The Dylan who talks in sardonic riddles to the London press in 1965 is no more the 'real' Dylan than the man who told his audience they were living thru the final days, and they were going to straight to Hell if they did not accept Jesus. (Dylan preached like this from the stage between November 1978 and April 1980.) I liked the way Haynes's film juggled all the pieces but did not attempt to make them add up. For example, the film dramatises the moment where Pete Seeger is so angry with the sound of Dylan's electric band at Newport in 1965 that he seizes an axe and tries to sever the power cables. Then Albert Grossman grabs him and the two of them wrestle in the dirt. Now I've read a lot of books about Newport (eg Joe Boyd's White Bicycles) and it's clear that Seeger never did this, nevertheless this was a story that I heard about Newport. It's part of the myth. In the same spirit, Haynes's film has a shot of Dylan and his band machine gunning the audience. If you just want the facts, stick to Howard Sounes's biography and Scorsese's film. But Haynes's film says much about why the shape-shifting Dylan was never trapped by the cliches of popular culture. Re-inventing himself when they tried to label him "Voice of a generation" "Rock & roll rebel" He became a good ol' boy from Nashville when that was not fashionable (Oh me oh my, love that country pie), a Born Again Christian. A prince of grunge and many more. Best wishes..
"...to coin a phrase, too much of nothing."
"Forget the Haynes movie -- Dylan truly is "Not There"..."
My good man! What exactly are you trying to do to my poor eyes?
Greg,
I completely agree with your article. Hayens messed up everything. The real Dylan is much more amazing and carismatic than that six pretenders. Scorsese's NDH offers the right approach to Dylan figure, where the deep words of the real Allen Ginsberg are a good render of Dylan stature.
Brunocat
Greg - As a Dylan fan for over 40 years I enjoyed the film immensely. It would very confusing to anyone not familar with the intracacies of Dylan's career. I would have preferred a chronological approach to this biopic. It is sui
Just saw the Movie, "Dylan the MOvie: He's Not There" and absolutely LOVED IT! I think Cate's performance was spot on, she desires any awards they give out for her performance. I agree it was long, but oh, so lovely too - beautiful movie, really. Don't miss it - don't try to think about what's happening as you watch the film, just let it happen.
" Dylan always had a combative relationship with reporters, and wrote one of the most scathing and influential attacks on the press (at least it 's been interpreted that way) in modern times, “Ballad of A Thin Man."
No need to interpret. There was a Mr. Jones and he died on November 13th. Here's the story:
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007711130327
Thanks for tip, Kenzo Joe, I have now done a piece on "Mr. Jones"...at:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003677046
I thought the movie, on its own terms, was intermittently brilliant and definitely worth seeing.
The MAN.
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But Haynes's film says much about why the shape-shifting Dylan was never trapped by the cliches of popular culture. Re-inventing himself when they tried to label him "Voice of a generation" "Rock & roll rebel" He became a good ol' boy from Nashville when that was not fashionable (Oh me oh my, love that country pie), a Born Again Christian. A prince of grunge and many more. Best wishes..
Haynes has reported in interviews that the film I'm Not There was praised by Rosen, Dylan's son and others close to Dylan, but he was unaware as to whether Dylan himself had viewed the film.I think that this kind of films are so good, I feel so interested on it"22dd
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