No Direction Home - Bob Dylan
Studio: Paramount
Year: 2005
Rated: NR
Length: 207 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: Dolby Digital English 5.1
English Subtitles
Closed Captioned
Special Features: Full length Bob Dylan performances, Guest Performances, Promotional Spot
Suggested Retail Price: $29.99 USD |
Release Date: September 20, 2005
No Direction Home is more than a film about Bob Dylan. Much more. It is a film about the turbulent times in which he grew into what he became, and the times in which his art took a different direction, and his fans felt betrayed.
The film masterfully weaves Dylan’s early life and career with the public consciousness of the times. We see the artists who inspired Dylan, who were mimicked by Dylan, and whose stars were outshone by Dylan. We see and hear performances by Hank Williams, John Jacob Niles, Odetta and Woody Guthrie. And so many more... We see Dylan take their music and create something that was the same, yet different. We see him grow as an artist, and find his own voice in the clubs of Greenwich Village. He became the voice of a generation - a mere boy of 20 who said what others wouldn’t, or couldn’t. Dylan spoke through his music only what he believed. He was an apolitical soul, and his music was soulful and apolitical - though it spoke about the times. They were protest songs, but Dylan was not an activist. He sang from the heart.
The musical luminaries who speak on camera of Bob Dylan are far too numerous to name... but even those who had reason to be jealous of Dylan’s rising star couldn’t deny his talent. The speed of Dylan’s rise evoked the story of The Crossroads, where blues men would sell their soul to the devil in order to gain legendary talent.
We watch Dylan’s rise in the early sixties, in the era of the downfall of McCarthyism and the rise of the civil rights movement. These were important times, and Dylan is the man whose music spoke so many truths about the tumultuous decade.
And then, in a very short time, Dylan’s star began to fall. He took his music in a new direction, and backed the lyrics with rock and roll. Lost were the days when he would stand on stage, alone, with a guitar, a harmonica, a microphone, and a soulful story told to music. There were many folk musicians and folk fans who felt betrayed - but Dylan was tired of being what others wanted him to be.
This film, directed by Martin Scorsese, masterfully portrays the atmosphere of the early sixties, how the decade influenced Dylan, and how Dylan influenced the decade. The film has an incredible amount of archival concert and interview footage, along with modern interviews with Bob Dylan and dozens of people who were active in the music scene in the sixties. It is truly an immersive experience. It is a production of Apple, Spitfire Films, GWP, American Masters, BBC, and Paramount Pictures.
The Video is delivered in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The vast majority of the film is sourced from old archival footage and photographs - much of which is actually home movie footage. The quality of this footage varies tremendously. The archival footage is interspersed with modern interview footage which looks fine. While a bit soft, there is decent detail, good color, and no obvious compression artifacts.
The Audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, and, like the video, varies tremendously according to the source of the archival footage. Some of it is frequency limited and scratchy, while the professionally recorded concert footage gives good fidelity. Considering the various sources, I have no complaints about the quality.
Special Features
There are several complete Bob Dylan performances included, outside of the concert footage in the documentary.
Blowin’ in the Wind - live on TV: March 1963
Girl of the North Country - from Canadian TV special “Quest”: February 1964
Man of Constant Sorrow - live on TV: March 1964
Mr. Tambourine Man - Newport Folk Festival: July 26, 1964
Love Minus Zero / No Limit - London, England: May 1965
Like a Rolling Stone - Live in Newcastle, England: May 21, 1966
One Too Many Mornings - Live in Liverpool, England: May 1, 1966
There is also a brief, unused promotional spot for “Positively 4th Street.”
Finally, there are a few “Guest Performances” by several interviewees. These are not studio produced - they are impromptu performances during interview sessions. The guest performances include music from Mavis Staples, Liam Clancy, Joan Baez and Marie Muldaur.
There is also instant access to performances within the documentary, which are often incomplete.
Final Thoughts
Even for a casual Dylan fan, like me, this is a very interesting documentary. It’s a good balance of the 60’s culture, and the music scene of the time. It’s a treasure trove of clips from vintage performances of interest to any folk music fan.
Recommended.
