I couldn't find the Masked and Anonymous thread...

I will be waiting for your review. It won't be around here for awhile

 

I saw it and loved it. Very cool...

 

It's getting ripped to pieces by the critics, but what do they know---they drooled over Seabiscuit.

 

These critics are probably the same sort of people that booed Dylan when he first pulled out an electric guitar.

 

The band in the film is most of his touring band....Charlie Sexton is in the film and he has since been replaced on guitar. The movie is basically a vanity piece for Bob Dylan....those who are into Dylan will enjoy it and those who are not into Dylan will not enjoy it. It starts in a couple of weeks in Houston at the River Oaks theatre...I will definitely be there, because I am WAY into Bob Dylan.

 

Can't wait to see it. Thanks for the review across.

While I haven't seen every Dylan movie, I think I have seen the best ones. Of course "Don't Look Back" is by far the best (that I have seen anyway) "The Last Waltz" is great as well.

I thought he was great in "Hearts of Fire" The movie itself was lame, but Dylan (Billy Parker) just played himself (can't call it acting really) and was awesome IMHO.

Synopsis

This uninspiring drama was unfortunately the last feature film directed by Richard Marquard and was released posthumously. Bob Dylan plays the retired and reclusive rock star Billy Parker who falls for aspiring rocker Molly McGuire (Fiona) and takes her under his wing on his tour of England to benefit from his experience. When Molly is "discovered" by lecherous music promoter James Colt (Rupert Everett), Billy flies the coop back to his stateside chicken farm while Molly makes music magic. Billy and Molly are eventually reunited when she returns for a triumphant tour of the United States. Songs from Dylan, Neil Young, Shel Silverstein, Andy Goldmark, Tony Swan, Wang Chung, John Dexter, Cyril Neville, John Hiatt, and Steve Jolley help the thin script and uninspired thesping. The film opens up with the 1982 hit Tainted Love from Soft Cell. Musicians Ian Dury and Richie Havens are included in the acting cast. One can only wonder if the feature was just wrapped up too quickly after the untimely death of Marquand from a stroke at age 49 on September 4th, 1987. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide



What other movies are on your "must see" Dylan movie list?

 

I may be spacing a concert film or two, but of the official releases there are only a few others:

Eat the Document: sequel to Don't Look Back. Dylan and the Band on tour in London. Shot by D.A. Pennebaker (DLB), unfortunately edited by Dylan. The jump cuts make it almost unwatchable at times, but there are great highlights. This is the first electric tour, where he was booed regularly (the one they made the Live 66 CD from). My favorite part's the outtake at the end where Dylan rides in a limo with John Lennon and they banter back and forth for about ten minutes before Dylan gets sick. Used to be totally unavailable, but I think you can get a copy most places now.

Renaldo and Clara: Over four hours of non-linear scenes and great concert footage. Rolling Thunder Revue (maybe Dylan's greatest tour), with several famous, great players. The 'story' involves Renaldo (played by Dylan), Clara (played by his ex-wife Sara) and 'Bob Dylan' (played by ex-Band leader Ronnie Hawkins). There are funny bits, but it's pretty much a mess as a narrative and pretty much amazing as a concert. I liked the books about this tour better than the movie (the best being Sam Shepard's Rolling Thunder Revue Logbook and Larry "Ratso" Sloman's On the Road With Bob Dylan).

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid: A Sam Peckinpah spaghetti western starring James Coburn as Garrett and Kris Kristofferson as Billy. Dylan plays the third largest role, the appropriately named "Alias." He appears in the movie mysteriously aiding Billy the Kid in a shootout. He ambles through the gunfight throwing a knife. After hitting one guy, he'll walk over, take out the knife and throw it at another guy. After the fight, Billy the Kid thanks him and says, "What's your name?" D says, "Alias." B says, "What'll I call you?" Another guy says, "Why don't you call him Alias?" D says, "That's what I'd do." That part's great. Good movie in general. Dylan's pretty prominently featured and he wrote the soundtrack, including Knocking on Heaven's Door which was written specifically for the movie.

Other than that, there are a few official concert films (Hard to Handle with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and the "Hard Rain" concert which was made for television and released as a live album, but which I think wasn't officially released as a video. Also the 30th anniversary celebration, which features a bunch of great stars doing Dylan covers.)

My favorite bits of Hearts of Fire (which truly, truly sucked):

- Over the opening credits a mysterious stranger rides a motorcycle on a freeway as Tainted Love plays. He gets to the toll booth where Fiona works and is rocking out to TL. (She's the girl in the love triangle, along with the very gay Rupert Everett playing straight) Without lifting the black visor to his helmet, he says in his trademark voice, "He sucks!" As he rides off, Fiona yells, "YOU suck!"

- Dylan auditioning session players for a touring band. Ron Wood auditions and D says something like, "They're all terrible."

- Dylan throwing a limp as hell punch at Rupert Everett. I swear to god it looks like he's never taken a swing at anyone in his life. It's hilarious.

M&A opens next Friday at the River Oaks (where I used to work with Sterling Morrison's mistress). I'll be the first in line.

 

Yeah, that audition part with Ronnie Wood was timeless. And that attempted punch was hilarious.

Of course I forgot to mention "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" Great movie.

I have seen some of "Eat the Document", but would love to see the unedited version.

Will have to check out "Renaldo and Clara"

Thanks Batman