Bob Dylan - 1975-1981 Rolling Thunder and The Gospel Years
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Movie Reviews of Bob Dylan - 1975-1981 Rolling Thunder and The Gospel Years
Movie Review: an amateur load of...
Summary: 1 Stars
I'm a huge Dylan fan and interested in all the different phases he has experimented with, but this DVD is poorly made, boring and filled with distracting cornball effects and edits. What's worse: NO DYLAN PERFORMANCES IN THE FILM!! This DVD should be titled "Some People Who Knew Dylan in the 70's: Dylan Impersonator Asks Mundane Questions!" What a huge bore, and the stinkiest thing I've ever bought on Amazon.Movie Review: Spend 240 minutes listening to Dylan's cds instead!
Summary: 1 Stars
I'm one of the biggest Dylan fans out there but this film is pretty poorly made. How anyone can sit through this entire dvd is beyond me. Cheesy effects galore! The same Rolling Thunder Review footage shown OVER AND OVER again! The WORST photos of Dylan in existence! Why is Rob Stoner wearing those STUPID sunglasses for his entire interview? He's INSIDE! Will someone PLEASE hand Hurricane Carter a towel so he can wipe the sweat from his brow? I've seen school plays that were more entertaining.
If you do decide to give it a go do yourself a favor and see if your library has it instead of throwing your money away. Then skim through the dvd to the semi-interesting parts...you'll be done in a half hour tops.
Movie Review: Why does Joel have to be so silly?
Summary: 3 Stars
This documentary is mostly fascinating, yet is peppered with moments of silliness. For the die-hardenest of Dylan fans, especially his mid-70's transformation(s), you will absolutely love how the director/interviewer (and "star") delves deep into this interesting yet elusive period by asking all the questions that fans like myself have always wanted to ask. Fortunately, he is able to interview a few key former Dylan associates, asking very interesting questions.
It's not a hugely star-studded list of interviewees that most everyday music fans would recognize, but to the Dylan devotees, Joel Gilbert (the filmmaker) couldn't have asked for anyone better, especially the heart-and-soul of the Rolling Thunder Revue, Rob Stoner and Scarlet Rivera. They both were incredibly forthright and insightful and revealed much about the behind-the-scenes goings-on during the infamous Rolling Thunder Revue. Stoner especially was very articulate and generous with his recollection of those whirlwind events.
Hurricane Carter is very engrossing and a just a wonderful interview, and many others are also wonderful interview subjects. Myself, I was always a closet fan of the "Hard Rain" album, even with the sub-par recording quality. I played that album just as much as any other. The passion and intensity Dylan was exuding during that tour was spine-tingling (just listen to that version of "Idiot Wind"). If I had the money or the resources, I also would have made a film like this. So, hats off to Joel for pulling it off and beating me to it!
However, as much as I loved the purpose of Joel's documentary, I had a hard time sitting through all the terribly distracting "clip art" images intertwined with the captivating interviews. I wish he would issue a "Director's Cut" or something where all of that garbage is edited out, like the cartoons of the rubber duckies and Christ and crucifixes, and just about every other silly image that he uses. It takes away from, and almost makes fun of, what I feel is a very serious subject. Dylan wasn't writing songs about partying or sex, or acting stupid, he was a serious artist during this period, and sang about turning his life over to Christ, the deep darkness of love lost, the struggle of the falsely imprisoned, or gunned-down gangsters seen as modern folk heroes. This is all deep subject matter, and doesn't deserve to sliced up with silly amateurish clip-art images. A good 30-45 minutes in total is devoted to these distractions, and displayed during intriguing interview segments. I would pay fifty bucks for a version that omits all this silliness and keeps the cameras rolling on the interview subjects instead. Again, more importantly, this is only my opinion, and I would still strongly encourage Dylan fans to buy this DVD. To all you casual Dylan fans, I would stay away from it.
Movie Review: Passion Behind the Art
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a long piece, but it really captures the essence of Bob Dylan's journey as an artist through this period of his life. If you ever wondered what made the man tick, or write that bit of poetry, watching this documentary will answer all those questions. There is a spirit in which art is made and genius seems to be able to harness it so very well. After watching this DVD, I have such tremendous respect for Bob Dylan as an artist because it was evident that his passion and conviction are at the core of his work. He was unafraid to stand up and bear the burdens of those treated unjustly.
My husband and I attended the Vineyard during this time period and we can attest that there were quite a few famous people who passed through. Our pastors were young men sold out to Jesus and were very integrous and sensitive to the spiritual hunger and growth of these people. At no time was their name exploited or their privacy not upheld. The focus was Jesus. While no one of us was perfect, we were all sincere seekers of God. I'm sure that Mr. Dylan was no different.
A friend at the Valley Vineyard Church turned us on to this DVD. He stumbled onto it quite by accident because he was interested in the life of Bob Dylan. To his surprise, his own pastor was in the film. Our Pastor Bill has never ever mentioned that he even participated in the making of this documentary. While there are those who might capitalize on a celebrity in the name of Christ, he chooses to capitalize solely on the name of Christ. Bob Dylan was just another soul drifting through on his way to heaven. Kenn Gulliksen and Bill Dwyer were used as instruments of the Lord to help him find the way.
Movie Review: If you want more and more Dylan,,,,,,
Summary: 5 Stars
This disc covers a period that's somehow missed much attention.
There's excellent, in depth interviews, with people who all contributed to the music created, and tons of background information rarely mentioned before.
To be honest, I can't seem to get enough. For the most part, I've actually stopped buying new releases by new artists, and the only things I jump to buy are the Dylan tribute CD's which seem to come out weekly. When the songs are great, AND THEY ARE, the Dylan tribute CD's are way more interesting then whatever else is being promoted and sold.
And now we have this DVD, which, is for FANS who want more, and will get it, and appreciate it. Anybody who's met the Man, and is willing to say anything at all about him, I'm there, and all ears, because I think Bob is a true master/everyman, and I will never say "enough already",,,,,(I hope you can follow what I'm saying here, because, now that I'm reading it, I'm not sure I do.)
anyway,
if it's about Bob, I want to see and hear it,,,,,,
This is well worth the $13-14,,,,,,