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MOVIES / ON DVD / NO DIRECTION HOME: BOB DYLAN
No Direction Home: Bob Dylan

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No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005)

93%
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91%
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93 %
Reviews Counted: 14 Fresh: 13  Rotten:1 Average Rating: 8/10
Runtime: 3 hrs 27 mins
Synopsis:
Spawning both politically charged folk ballads that came to embody the very spirit of the turbulent 1960s ("The Times They are a-Changin") and sprawling, stream-of-consciousness litanies that irrevocably changed the face of rock music ("Like a Rolling Stone"), the years between... [More]
Spawning both politically charged folk ballads that came to embody the very spirit of the turbulent 1960s ("The Times They are a-Changin") and sprawling, stream-of-consciousness litanies that irrevocably changed the face of rock music ("Like a Rolling Stone"), the years between 1961-1966 were inarguably the most artistically fertile for legendary singer/songwriter Bob Dylan. Director Martin Scorsese--who had previously worked with Dylan on the Band's farewell concert film THE LAST WALTZ (1978)--crafts an unprecedented exploration of the musician's creative process during this crucial five-year period with the historical PBS documentary event NO DIRECTION HOME. Part of PBS's AMERICAN MASTERS series, the film is the first ever film biography of the enigmatic, near-reclusive Dylan, who grants Scorsese his first full-length interview in 20 years for a startlingly intimate and endlessly revealing portrait of a true American icon. Bookended by his early days in the legendary Greenwich Village folk scene and the 1966 motorcycle accident that nearly claimed his life, Dylan's exclusive interview is supplemented with a wealth of archival footage that includes personal home movies from his childhood in Minnesota; unreleased interviews with colleagues Allen Ginsberg, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and Maria Muldaur; and rare live performances of classics like "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Mr. Tambourine Man." In addition, the Bob Dylan Archives opens its extensive film, tape, and stills collection for never-before-seen concert and television appearances (including the infamous "electric" set at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival) and outtakes from D.A. Pennebaker's acclaimed 1967 documentary DON'T LOOK BACK. The result is a richly visual counterpart to Dylan's bestselling memoir CHRONICLES: VOLUME 1 that stands as a cinematic testament to the life and work of one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century. [Less]

Genre: Musical & Performing Arts

Starring: Joan Baez, Allen Ginsberg, Maria Muldaur, Pete Seeger, Mavis Staples

Director: Martin Scorsese

DVD Info

Release:

Sep 20, 2005

[DVD Details]

DVD Features:

  • Region 1
  • Keep Case
  • Full Frame - 1.33

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital Stereo - English

Additional Release Material:

  • Featurettes - 1. Rare Concert Footage

Buy It On DVD

Reviews

 
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1 - 14 (sorted by date)
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Ratings Image

Framed by tons of rare footage, No Direction Home penetrates the soul of one of modern music's greatest icons - at least as much as Dylan will let us.

Full Review | Comment
10/08/06 02:08 PM
Ryan Cracknell
Movie Views
Ratings Image

A competent but fawning, focusless and utterly overlong tribute to a terribly mediocre entertainer who 'sings' like a bumblebee barfing. Bloated Boomers, feel free to be interred with a copy. Soon.

Full Review | Comment
08/29/06 11:59 PM
Gregory Weinkauf
ÜberCiné
Ratings Image

Anyone with more than a superficial interest in rock music and its possibilities should either see this film or own it.

Full Review | Comment
02/07/06 12:13 PM
Kurt Loder
MTV
Ratings Image

Robert Zimmerman achieved his dream of becoming a singer, but in doing so he surrendered the ability to define himself on his own terms.

Full Review | Comment
11/02/05 03:15 AM
Ethan Alter
NYC Film Critic
Ratings Image

Scorsese's superbly researched biography brings it all back home, confirming Dylan as the troubadour genius of sixties rock 'n' roll.

Full Review | Comment
10/21/05 02:32 PM
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly
Ratings Image

Scorsese assembles an impressive amount of footage and interviews -- many more candid that anyone could feasibly expect.

Full Review | Comment
10/20/05 12:20 PM
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
Ratings Image

One of the best music documentaries ever of one of the most unusual musicians ever...

Full Review | Comment
10/15/05 10:19 AM
Michael Szymanski
International Press Academy
Ratings Image

Makes some cracks in Dylan's mystique without trying to do any more than letting his story come out as is.

Full Review | Comment
09/27/05 08:58 PM
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
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As good as it gets in music documentaries.

Full Review | Comment
09/27/05 06:17 PM
Glenn Abel
Hollywood Reporter
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Ratings Image

To narrate selected details from this journey from the Iron Range to Greenwich Village to Rock Star Babylon, we get generous, attention-span respecting clips of Dylan performances and reminiscences from carefully selected talking heads.

Full Review | Comment
09/23/05 06:25 PM
David Yaffe
Slate
Ratings Image

Creates a portrait that is deep, sympathetic, perceptive and yet finally leaves Dylan shrouded in mystery, which is where he properly lives.

Full Review | Comment
09/21/05 11:10 AM
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
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No Direction Home ...becomes a portal back in time, a chance to relive some of...the most exciting years in the history of politics, personality and music.

Full Review | Comment
09/20/05 11:41 PM
Bill Gibron
DVDTalk.com
Ratings Image

Fans will be positively enthralled at the well-preserved nuggets, and neophytes will understand the fuss over the musician and the man.

Full Review | Comment
09/18/05 06:33 PM
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews
Ratings Image

A document that will satiate Dylan fans over repeated viewings and should bring naysayers into the Dylan fold.

Full Review | Comment
09/12/05 12:13 PM
Phil Gallo
Variety
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