Bob Dylan - Don't Look Back (1965 Tour Deluxe Edition)

Terrific tour document by D. A. Pennebaker, this 1965 effort captures Dylan behind the scenes transitioning from folk hero to urbane rock icon. (He had already recorded Bringing It All Back Home when he makes this tour of England.) Dylan is transfixing on stage and a petulant brat backstage, enabled by a sycophantic entourage including boorish manager Albert Grossman, an irritating Joan Baez (along for the ride expecting an invitation to perform with him. It never came.), and road manager/partner-in-cynicism Bob Neuwirth. They were young, hipper-than-thou, and stardom had gone to their heads. But what remains is the quality of Dylan's post folk acoustic songwriting and performance. Though Dylan would claim to be bored with performing solo at this point at this point, you wouldn't know it from his stage craft; steely and dramatic under one bold spotlight. Pennebaker scores brilliantly with the concert footage, though intentionally "not a concert film".For a stark contrast of just how much Dylan's persona had changed in a brief 2 years, a 1963 clip of him earnestly singing Only A Pawn In Their game at a Voter's Registration Rally at a rural farm in Greenwood, Mississippi (filmed by another) is included.As for the extras in this Deluxe set, the hefty price ($64.95) does not justify it. There is a book that includes a word for word transcript of the dialogue in the film, and a little flip book of the Subterranean Homesick Blues film clip. Though novel collector's items, I've yet to take either out of the box. The desirable feature is the extra disc called '65 Revised that contains additional performance and documentary footage. The extended performance footage is brilliant and the commentary track is highly informative; Pennebaker and Neuwirth discussing film technique and intent and Dylan's skill as a stage artist in hindsight. Neuwirth's role, though at first seeming to be simply a hanger on, of providing the fuel of wit and creative spark for Dylan, is not to be underestimated.It's a 5 star film, given only 4 stars here for the bloated price of this particular edition. But check out Criterion's newer edition that includes '65 Revisited and a bunch of other special features for about a third of this price!

Anyone like me, who owns the VHS tapes from this 1992 concert in Madison Square Garden titled Bob Dylan, The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration, Volumes I and II will likely be bitterly disappointed to learn that many of the great performances on the VHS tapes are missing from this DVD. Most tragically, the best performance by a medley of musicians and singers ever recorded is missing. The first verse of My Back Pages on Volume II of the VHS tapes is sung by Roger McGuinn, the second by Tom Petty, the third by Neil Young, the fourth by Eric Clapton, the fifth by Bob Dylan and sixth by George Harrison, and includes some incredible guitar playing by Eric and Neil. This rendition of My Back Pages is unsurpassed for the stature of the performers, its quality and the way it moved the audience. 15 performances from the VHS were cut from the DVD, including Lou Reed singing Foot of Pride; June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash singing It Ain't Me, Babe; Kris Kristofferson singing I'll Be Your Baby Tonight; Johnny Winter's version of Highway 61 Revisited; Neil Young's rendition of All Along the Watchtower; Chrissie Hynde's excellent performance of I Shall Be Released; Eric Clapton on Don't Think Twice, It's All Right; and a wonderful singing of You Ain't Goin' Nowhere by Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Rosanne Cash and Shawn Colvin. Thankfully, the DVD does include Eric Clapton's amazing performance of Love Minus Zero/No Limit, which I would offer as some of the strongest existing evidence that he is the greatest electic guitar player ever. That performance alone makes this DVD worth the purchase price, and you'll get George Harrison's Absolutely Sweet Marie, Neil Young's excellent version of Just Like Thom Thumb's Blues and the Band's great job of When I Paint My Masterpiece to relieve some of the pain for all that's missing from this DVD. There is still a huge opportunity for the makers of rock concert DVDs to recreate in DVD format all that is on the VHS tapes.

This is the young Bob Dylan on a three week concert tour of England in 1965. It is a tour de force of cinema verite. It is fascinating to watch a young artist of extraordinary talent being asked questions about the meaning of his music.Dylan's incredulous manner in response is funny, ironic, and at times very sarcastic; especially with the totally "out of it" reporter from Time Magazine. The interview is one of the subjects of a very informative commentary by director and documentary genius D.A. Pennebaker and Bob Neuwirth, the tour manager.His treatment of his young fans is a sweet counterpoint to his sarcastic treatment of the press. He is kind and very solicitous of a gaggle of young girls he has up to his room before a performance.An added pleasure is the snatches of the beautiful voice of Joan Baez who accompanied him on the tour. Her offstage voice is as beautiful and radiant as onstage; strong and pure.The deluxe edition has full tracks sung by Dylan while on the tour, including It Ain't Me Babe, It's All Over Now Baby Blue, Love Minus Zero/No Limit, The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll, and To Ramonna. They are great.This a "must see" for Dylan fans. See it before you see "No Direction Home", a brilliant follow-up by Martin Scorsese about a subsequent much more controversial English Dylan concert tour when Dylan had switched from acoustic to electric.

Great film. Not just for Dylan fans either. It is also a remarkable historical record of parts of London in the 1960s. This box presentation has two DVDs. One is "Don't Look Back" and the other is one of outtakes from "Don't Look Back" -- both with commentaries, that can be turned on or off. The box comes also with a book of the "Don't Look Back" dialogue in transcript form, and has pictures from the film in it.

Reminded me of early Dylan when I was in my twenties. Great to see him naturally going between concerts. Also Baez and Donovan and Price. I felt I was really there. It captured the origianl Dylan!

A DVD to have one's collection, dylan was the beacon of light of a generation, then came neil young and others but he was the trailblazer, woody guthrie was a strong influence on his songwriting

Brilliant, Bob at his awkward and playful best taking the rip out of lame British interviewers. Great cameos from Donovan and a few others. A time piece really.

Cheap and uncomplicated - no problems with the freight vom Britain to Germany :-))