Bob Dylan films to watch before (or after) you see A Complete Unknown

The upcoming Bob Dylan biopic, "A Complete Unknown," directed by James Mangold, is about to hit Australian cinemas, a fact almost universally known due to the extensive promotional campaign led by its star, Timothée Chalamet. Consequently, during the summer break, like any film enthusiast, I chose to stay home and focus on watching Bob Dylan's filmography, in anticipation of the biopic's release.

So, what's it like to watch only Bob Dylan-related films for a short period? Here are some of my viewing experiences: "Don't Look Back" (1967), a landmark documentary by D.A. Pennebaker, is not only the first "rockumentary" but was also considered by Kurt Cobain as "the only good one." Shot on black-and-white 16mm film, it captures Bob Dylan's 1965 tour in the UK from a close-up perspective, documenting his pivotal transition from a folk hero, the "voice of a generation," to a pop culture icon.

The impact of "Don't Look Back" on music documentaries cannot be overstated; without it, there would be no "Get Back," "The Last Waltz," nor parodies of the genre like "This is Spinal Tap" or "Walk Hard." Watching it, you witness Dylan's witty philosophical debates with journalists, his interactions with Joan Baez and Donovan, and even a comical scene involving a broken glass.

"No Direction Home: Bob Dylan" (2005), a 3.5-hour documentary directed by Martin Scorsese, chronicles Dylan's arrival in New York City in 1961 until his career hiatus due to a motorcycle accident in 1966. Dylan's greatest achievement is maintaining his status as a cultural icon for over six decades, while remaining a deeply enigmatic figure. This is partly due to his rare interviews and intentional misinformation when he does speak. Scorsese presents Dylan's early career through interviews with key figures from that period, rare relaxed and candid conversations with Dylan, and precious archival footage, from his high school rock band to the infamous "Judas!" performance in 1966. This documentary is the perfect entry point for anyone interested in Dylan but unsure how to delve into his vast and complex legacy.

"Inside Llewyn Davis" (2013), while not directly about Bob Dylan, this melancholic dark comedy by the Coen brothers is set in the scene where he emerged: the coffeehouses of Greenwich Village in 1961. It tells the story of a week in the life of a fictional, struggling folk singer, Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac, in a career-best performance), reportedly inspired by Dylan's early contemporary, Dave Van Ronk. The Coens create a dark and brooding atmosphere as we follow the broke, apathetic, and constantly unlucky Davis on his hopeless quest for success in the music world, which invariably ends in bleakness. Like all of the Coen's work, the film boasts an amazing cast, including Carey Mulligan, Adam Driver, John Goodman, and one of the greatest screen cats ever: Ulysses.

"Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story" (2019) is Scorsese's second film about Dylan. Unlike its relatively straightforward predecessor, this film leans into Dylan's penchant for self-mythologizing and fabricated narratives. Part-fiction, this documentary chronicles the 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue tour, where Dylan and a group of collaborators performed intimate shows in small venues across small towns in North America. While the documentary initially appears relatively "normal," featuring interviews with Dylan and the folk singers who toured with him, things take a very strange turn when interviews are interspersed with people (real or fictional) who weren't involved in the tour at all, such as Sharon Stone. The live performances are spectacular, especially the definitive rendition of "Isis," which became its final version.

"Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973) is most memorable for the score composed by Dylan, which spawned the legendary song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." This revisionist Western directed by Peckinpah was a failure upon release due to studio interference and re-editing, removing over 20 minutes from his intended version. But later, after restoration and re-evaluation, it is now considered a classic of the genre. Dylan makes his screen acting debut in this film, playing a shopkeeper who eventually joins Billy the Kid's (Kris Kristofferson) gang, known only as "Alias."

“I'm Not There” (2007) takes a novel and direct approach, with Alexander Payne casting multiple actors as stand-ins for Dylan in a collage-like “I’m Not There,” to capture a complex and multifaceted life, and to do justice to this decades-spanning, often self-contradictory artist. The result is like a shuffle of Dylan's playlist, Payne interweaving multiple eras, faces, and scenes, creating a tone poem of Dylan's life and work. The film evokes iconic images from Dylan's life, featuring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Robert Redford, and the scene-stealing, mercurial Cate Blanchett. The film is less a success than a commendable attempt to bring Dylan to the screen.

"Hearts of Fire" (1987) is the worst of the Dylan-related films, including the notoriously long, nearly four-hour, Dylan-directed "Renaldo and Clara." This crass, overwrought remake of "A Star is Born" is a full-blown 80s nightmare with a strong direct-to-video vibe, directed by the late Richard Marquand ("Star Wars: Return of the Jedi"). Reportedly tailored for Dylan, who was suffering the worst reviews of his career at the time, he plays washed-up rock star Billy Parker, who befriends a young up-and-coming rocker, Fiona, after seeing her cover his songs at a bar. The film is strange, incomprehensible, and often uncomfortable, but it’s worth watching to see a leather-clad, earring-wearing, visibly disinterested Dylan incorrectly predict that he wouldn’t be “one of those rock singers who wins the Nobel Prize.”

"Masked and Anonymous" (2003) is the strangest on this list. Initially conceived as a slapstick comedy series inspired by Jerry Lewis, it was initially pitched to HBO. The script was co-written by director Larry Charles ("Seinfeld," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Borat") and Dylan himself, reportedly based on a collection of scraps of paper Dylan had accumulated over the years, containing dialogue and character names. This is evident. Set in the near future, iconic rock musician Jack Fate (Bob Dylan) is asked to put on a benefit concert for a politically divided North America, now under authoritarian rule. Bob basically plays Bob, which isn't surprising, but so does everyone else. The powerful cast (Penelope Cruz, Val Kilmer, Jeff Bridges) all act and speak like characters from Dylan songs, every line feeling like a verse written by Dylan. Despite this, the film, while very strange, is perhaps the most honest representation of Dylan on screen. At the very least, it facilitated Dylan’s iconic look at the Sundance Film Festival premiere, which was then replicated by Timothée Chalamet at the New York premiere of “A Complete Unknown.”