Mike wanted to see this movie. He was 16 years old when Bob Dylan arrived on the scene; and later as a student at Ohio State and Kent State, he observed or experienced events that were a catalyst for many young artists. Therefore, he recognized the music and the time and space (political unrest, racial strife, the Cold War and the Vietnam War) that this music was rooted in. He related. He enjoyed revisiting the songs. He also enjoyed the movie’s references to Woody Guthrey. For very different reasons, Mike met Woody’s widow several times. We always relate more to a movie when we have some small bits of knowledge of the characters and the events. Also, Mike really enjoyed revisiting the songs. I’m betting he has a Bob Dylan album (yes…album) in the stack of old records we keep.
For me, I was 8 years old. I lived in rural Southwest Virginia and did not have a television. Our radio was only an AM station that played until 5 pm or 6 pm daily. That did not change until after I graduated from high school. During many of the years where Dylan’s music was most relevant and popular, I had no knowledge or concept. For me, House of the Rising Sun is the most recognizable song in Dylan’s playbook.
So maybe that is why we have different viewpoints. I enjoyed the movie but where I gave it a 6 or a 7, Mike leaned more toward a 9.
From Mike’s vantage, he felt the movie portrayed an artist who wanted to continue to grow and change, and Dylan’s destructive actions demonstrated his frustration at being “put in a box.” According to the movie, Bob Dylan’s roots were in acoustical folk music–think Woody Guthrey–and when he transitioned to a rock and roll genre, it was not without some angst from his fans and managers. This angst resulted in a moody Dylan (in the movie).
For me, the movie made Dylan look selfish; and while he appeared to (understandably) want to broaden as a singer/songwriter, he looked narrow in empathy and appreciation for those that helped him rise to fame. The movie portrayed a talented, yet petulant, man.
Artists who complain about fame yet seek the spotlight–for any reason–make it difficult for me to like them.
However, Bob Dylan has always been represented as being “cool”; and perhaps moviegoers feel a little bit of that coolness by attending the move. Maybe it rubs off on us!
However, this was the movies. Who knows what the real Bob Dylan is like? There is a generation who cares about that answer, and then there is another group that is a bit lukewarm about the whole subject.
Where are you?
