Bob Dylan - Dont Look Back (1967)

Towards the end of Don't Look Back, a reporter asks a babbling, pretentious, possibly stoned Bob Dylan how much of what he says he actually means. While Dylan blows up at the reporter, the question is central to the movie, which portrays a young, arrogant, brilliant folk singer playing music and arguing with people.At times it all seems like a put on, with Dylan poking and prodding people just to see how they'll react. He let's everyone know that he doesn't really care what anyone thinks, yet at times you can see how concerned he is with his own image. Dylan is contrary, but he has something to say, both in his songs and in moments like a weird argument with some guy about whether Dylan should take an interest in this guy.The movie also has his posse, most notably a young Joan Baez who seems like a lot more fun than her woke-Madonna persona lead me to believe.This is cinema verite, which means it just tosses a bunch of stuff at the viewer and lets them sort it out. Dylan pontificating, Dylan's manager negotiating payment, Dylan on stage, singing almost invariably with less passion than when he's singing offstage. It's an interesting movie, although I'm not sure how interesting one would find it without a preceding interest in Dylan.

I wonder how many of the people saying how Dylan put Donovan in his place singing "baby blue" are really saying that because either they think it's a better song, or they just like Dylan better? Expecting down votes, but in that scene Donovan's song was much better - guitar work nothing major for either one, but his voice and singing was much better.With that out of the way, Dylan is not a favorite. But I still found this pretty interesting as a snapshot of the times and to see the debates with the press. It kind of confirms how Dylan wanted to play the 'artist' but knew that being difficult with the press would actually sell more records and help give him the credibility he wanted so much.So even if you aren't of a certain age, or don't think Dylan was the big thing, you might still like this as a look back to a different time.

Been listening to a lot of Dylan recently and so I watched this again. Probably not seen it since video days and the only drawback that I remember from that viewing was that some of the dressing room/hotel room conversations were a bit inaudible. Much clearer now and what a superb documentary this is. Again, perhaps, particularly seeing it 45 years after it was shot it is amazing to see Dylan performing the very songs I am still listening to and seeing him in conversation and argument with pals and interviewers. How old the people sent to interview him now seem and how unprepared for the changing times. So fantastic to have such a document without over dubbed narration or nodding heads just a swirling camera glancing from face to face and following Bob down labyrinthine corridors until finally out of the darkness and onto the spotlight stage. Clapping and not screaming greets his songs and the relaxed and jokey style is a joy to watch. Not sure what my favourite bits are but apart from the stage songs there is a great exchange with a journalist from Time magazine and another with a university student/interviewer. Probably best for me, though, was the turn with Donovan who bravely performs a song in front of Dylan and his entourage to quiet appreciate and some success. But, Dylan then borrows his guitar and replies with a devastating performance of It's All Over Now Baby Blue. It wasn't over for Donovan for a few more years but it is still not yet over for the amazingly creative, Bob Dylan.

The movie follows Dylan on tour throughout England. The beginning of the movie starts with a Dylan song in the background and a famous cue-card scene depicting the words of the song. Here we get an interesting visual and are drawn into what is going on in the film. We then travel with Dylan on the road and in the studio, meeting with fans and other musicians to make the full spectrum of what he does as an artist. We are able to understand all sides of the music for him and by seeing him interact with his fans and make music we see a side of the artist that most never get to fully understand. The movie is never has a true time line, it is a stream of images from one concert to the next. Because of this, we are able to see Dylan as a person who stays the same no matter where he is and that what he is truly about is the music and performing. The whole movie focuses on Dylan and has a constant influx of other characters. We see the press, fans, his manager, and other business people. Throughout the movie, we never really know whom those people are, making the movie completely about Bob Dylan and his life. These other people are merely characters in his life, but he is the real important person. D.A. Pennebaker, the documentarian, is never a character either, showing that the movie is all about Dylan and not about the other people around. This allows for a deeper understanding of the singer and lets the audience see who he is for themselves, without riddling their opinion with interviews with other people. D.A. Pennebaker has an artistic flair for music and introducing people to the deeper meaning in it. He has done other works about John Lennon, Jerry Lewis, and Jimi Hendrix. This shows that he understands the music genre and it is a place that he has delved many times. He is known for having the direct cinema style to his work. He just allows the camera to roll and it is a natural and true look at what is going on with the people he is documenting. The whole movie is an easy flow of life, combining scenes of travel and life on the road with songs of Dylan's to capture to true mood of the tour. The music is key because to truly understand Bob Dylan, you must understand the music. He writes very personal music and by using that in the documentary we are able to gain a better understanding of the man himself. Even those that go to see him understand that his music is important and something that is changing people and the way people think. So to have all the music be Dylan's allows the viewer to understand both Dylan and the impact that he had on the people during his tour. The editing of the film is consistent with the direct cinema style. There are no real cut aways or a narrator; rather there are sequences of people talking all together that then go into Dylan playing. Whenever music is being played, there is no interview or audio being used over it, it is just Dylan playing in concert or with his group of friends. Because it was edited this way we are able to hear the music and realize how important it is to the film and to the life of Bob Dylan. It is edited to seem as one constant period of time; we never see the real change as time goes on. The tour continues but it is never edited to seem as though things change from place to place. The great editing combines with the interesting cinematography that Pennebaker uses in the documentary. The film was done all in black and white and has a mix of shots that were used. The black and white is generally grainy with a balance of black and white. Pennebaker shoots the time backstage, in hotels, and in concert as if we are there. It is as if we are naturally sitting there with Dylan and all of his managers and others that tour with him. There are close up shots that show Dylan playing either on stage or behind the scenes and this gives the viewer the sense of how much he thinks and works on his songs. Most of the camera work is very controlled, though there are times where they are walking backstage, or trying to escape from a concert hall that the camera is very shaky. However, the shaky camera work allows the viewer to feel as if we are part of the tour and that we are there with them. Overall, the film Don't Look Back shows a side of Bob Dylan that most are unable to see. We see the person behind the songs and are able to understand Dylan as a person. We see that he is somewhat cocky about himself and tends to want things done his own way. We see all the chaos that follows touring as a famous star and how someone like Dylan deals with that. He is outspoken and passionate about what he believes. Pennebaker is able to give us this in depth look at Dylan and let the fans become more a part of the artist. It is a great look at Dylan and frames his life and music in a way that makes it more accessible and understandable to the general public. Looking back now, over 40 years later, we can see how Dylan started and translate that into his fame that continues today. We can see why he is one of the best artists of our time.