October 13, 2011
Just like Monty Python, I was going to do something completely different tonight. But just like the other week, when I got outside it was rainy and cold as well. I didn’t wear a jacket to work and I was freezing. Plus I’m feeling really burned out tonight. A guy I work with is on vacation so I’ve been going in early and working about twelve hours a day. I’m actually getting out early tonight and now that it’s so rotten out, I just feel like going home, which I did and it’s where I’m at right now. I haven’t screened a movie on here in a long time, so I thought that’s what we’d do tonight.
One of my favorite movies of all time is the documentary by D.A. Pennebaker called “Don’t Look Back.” In the film, D.A. Pennebaker follows Bob Dylan on a 1965 tour of England. Also featured in the film are Joan Baez, Bob Neuwirth, Dylan’s manager, Albert Grossman, Donovan and Alan Price, a keyboardist who had just quit the English band, The Animals.
It’s actually kind of like the first reality show as Dylan is filmed onstage and off constantly. Throughout the film it shows Dylan writing, hanging out in his hotel room, playing shows, traveling and playing mind games and putting people on, like in this interview with a writer from Time magazine.
This is a scene with Bob Dylan’s manager, Albert Grossman telling off the hotel manager, he’s quite the crabby appleton!
Here’s a hotel scene of Dylan meeting some rich family and then hanging out before the show with Alan Price.
Within the movie, they shot one of the first music videos for the song, “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” This video has D.A. Pennebaker and Bob Neuwirth discussing it.
And here’s some shots I took while watching the film for the 19,796th time. Don’t Look Back, just look at the photos. Don’t think twice, it’s alright.
Further reading: Weekly Wire, New York Times and Pop Matters.
16 Comments
Reader Comments (16)
Bizare. I was just watching this. Then I remembered I didn't particularly like her, and almost (non-autoeroticly) asphyxiated myself like this this guy till I found the remote.
I saw it when it was released back in the late 60s, was a movie house on 34th Street & 3rd Avenue that played it. Was hard to find any downtown Village site that would play it. Even then Dylan was freaking weird.
"Subterranean Homesick Blues". The first rap song. I believe this was shot in SOHO but which one, Manhattan or London?
I'm not particularly fond of Joan Baez's singing voice, but she has a lot of energy on stage. Also, that one dude looks an awful lot like Barney Frank.
It's been quite a while since I've seen this movie. I remember seeing "Renaldo and Clara" back around 77 or 78 and it was like four or five hours long. Dylan and Lennon in the limo is unreal. "Blood on the tracks" and "blonde on Blonde" have always been my favorites,,,,but I still love "Street Legal", the song "Senor" really blows me away.
@csp: That's weird, the same thing just happened to me. Something's definitely blowing in the wind, could it be Monica Lewinsky? #Oudated Joke.
@Mykola Mick Dementiuk: I would've loved to have seen it in a NYC theater!
@Crazy Eddie: I'm 99% sure it was filmed in Manhattan. I'll Google around and try to find out for sure. And you're right about it being the first rap song!
@Biff: The Barney Frank looking guy is Albert Grossman, Bob Dylan's manager.
@Al: I never saw Renaldo and Clara, but heard it was pretty hard to watch. Dylan and Lennon look so fucked up in that limo. The rumor is that they were on heroin and a lot of booze.
I'm sorry, but I can't help but wonder how many times Bob got his ass kicked growing up in Hibbing Minnesota during the fifties...it had to have been more than once and he's probably STILL got the bruises...
OMFG!! I am TOTALLY finding & watching this movie ASAP!!!!!!
@Jaws: Ha! Although, I'm not sure there were that many people in the town to do the actual ass-kicking!
@meleah: I think you can watch most of it on YouTube.
I've never seen this. I've seen homesick blues vid countless times. He didn't make the Time magazine guy's job all that easy. Dylan was an angry young man...I can't say that I'm a huge fan but I'd watch this film for sure.
@Clacky: You should definitely check it out, I know you'd like it!
@MAD: inre #outdated joke Something's in the air. Watched Bill Clinton on Letterman last night. I miss the days when politicos were getting head instead of seeking purchase in everyone's posterior nethers.
Just for kicks:
Richard Burton:"Look Back In Anger"+Bob Dylan"Don't Look Back"=Oasis"Don't Look Back In Anger"
@CSP: Just for kicks? that is some brilliant stuff you put together!
i can't add much...'cept i did own every piece of vinyl w/ dylan's name on it before i went across the pond...it was all gone when i got back (that's another story)...this is a good thing 'bout MAD 'cause soon it's not gonna be just rainin' comin' outa wrok...aw the future don't we all look forward to it?...GREAT POST....
"Musically, we're more talented than any Bob Dylan or Paul McCartney. Mick Jagger can't produce a sound. I'm the new Elvis." - Time Magazine quotes Milli Vanilli "singer" Rob Pilatus (2-27-1990)
rr
Thanks for the post. I really love this film - what a crazy, exciting time. Dylan also looks at his ultra coolest during this period!
@csp: Ha ha ha! I'm with Al, great stuff!
@rr: I had it all on vinyl too, then sold most of them when I moved here. Glad you liked the post and that's a hilarious quote you found! Spot on as always!
@onemorefoldedsunset: One funny thing I read once is that when Bob Dylan is asking where his "cane" is, it's code for cocaine.