The Times They Were a-Filmin': Bob Dylan in 'Dont Look Back' (1967) and 'I'm Not There' (2007)

The Sleepless Cinematic Podcast

Madeline, Julian, and Emilio continue their "Musicians on Film" episode cycle with a "Two-Shot" entry on a pair of unforgettable cinematic portrayals of Bob Dylan, namely D. A. Pennebaker's trailblazing 1967 documentary "Dont Look Back" (apostrophe not included), and Todd Haynes' kaleidoscopic 2007 film "I'm Not There." As two of many films out there which focus on the enigmatic musician, the group aims to distill from them whatever greater truths they can, both about Dylan himself and broader musical artistry and publicity. Starting with "Dont Look Back," they consider how the film's fly-on-the-wall look at Dylan's 1965 tour of England serves to dually build the legend and arguably demystify its young and newly famous subject. They then fast-forward forty years to "I'm Not There," which refracts Dylan's well-established mythos into a sprawling, non-linear ensemble drama that illuminates as much about the artist as it obscures. The two films also mark milestones for the podcast itself, the former being the first documentary which the trio cover in-depth, and the latter being the third Todd Haynes film they've discussed, making him the most-covered director on the show to date.
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