Bob Dylan - 1966 World Tour - The Home Movies
Written by Eric Banister
Friday, 24 November 2006
Americanroots.com
1966 was a pivotal year in music in general and Bob Dylan’s music specifically. Albums such as the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, Simon and Garfunkels’ Sounds of Silence made their way into the conscious of America while the Beatles continued to captive audiences worldwide. In that year, Dylan continued his move to electrification by kicking of a World Tour in May of that year.
For that tour he put together a band handpicking the musicians that made up the Hawks, the former backing band of Ronnie Hawkins and a drummer whom he had seen behind Johnny Rivers, Mickey Jones. As the tour left for its first stop in Hawaii, Jones carried his camera with him.
Now, the DVD is titled, Bob Dylan – The 1966 World Tour – Home Movies, but to be honest, that is a little misleading. They are home movies and many were made during the 1966 World Tour, but there is very little Bob Dylan in them. There are a few shots of him on stage, a few shots at a distance and eve a few shots through the darkened glass of his passing car. If you are looking at long passages of Dylan at play, you won’t find them here. Actually, you won’t even find short passages of Dylan at play. To see that footage you would have to get a copy of D.A. Pennebakers’ documentary Eat This Document. Originally released in 2004, this 2006 version updates with a new interview with Mickey Jones as he gives his take on the Martin Scorsese documentary No Direction Home.
So why call it Bob Dylan – The 1966 World Tour – Home Movies? Let’s be honest, would you buy it if it said Mickey Jones – The 1966 World Tour – Home Movies?
But, there are two types of people who would be interested in this DVD, that’s why I am reviewing it here. The first are the diehard Dylan fans that want/need everything Dylan related.
The second are people like me who love music history, even the minutiae. The bulk of the DVD is Jones sitting in front of an editing bay telling his story from coming up as the drummer for Trini Lopez to his acting rolls. Interspersed is film footage from the 1966 Tour as well as clips from prior to that (including clips from a 1964 gig with Lopez in France with opening act The Beatles). His stories are entertaining and he comes of as a good guy who was fortunate enough to make a living and have some fun doing what he loved.
Four new interviews are included as special features. There are interviews with Johnny Rivers and Trini Lopez as they recount Mickey’s time with them and how they viewed the impact of Bob Dylan on music both in the Sixties and now. Also included is an interview with Charlie Daniels including several stories of his time in the studio with Dylan.
The final interview is an updated interview with Jones where he talks about No Direction Home and the conclusion it purports in regards to one of the more famous moments of the 1966 Tour.
It was interesting to hear many of the stories from the perspective of someone who was there. It’s not for the casual fan, but I found the DVD enjoyable for what it was.
24th November 2006 05:36 AM
Ten Thousand Motels
DVD News
Dylan’s Don’t Look Back gets 2-disc collector’s edition
By Patrick Luce Nov 23, 2006,
Monsters & Critics.com
Four decades ago, innovative filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker chronicled the ’65 tour of a 23-year-old American rock poet named Bob Dylan. This influential and intimate film Dont Look Back (originally released in 1967) became the gold standard for music documentaries and helped to define the genre.
Now, Docurama commemorates this landmark achievement with the ultimate version on DVD - Bob Dylan: Dont Look Back – 65 Tour Deluxe Edition available on Feb. 27th for the suggested retail price of $49.95. The 2-disc collector’s set, highlighted by a digital transfer of the original film, also features Pennebaker’s brand new, hour long work, Bob Dylan 65 Revisited, the original 1968 companion book to the film, collectible packaging, and more.
More than just a concert film, this ground-breaking documentary is a window into the spirit of the ‘60s, and one of the poet-musicians whose words and songs defined a generation.
A must have for every Dylan fan, classic rock music collector and film buff, Bob Dylan: Dont Look Back – 65 Tour Deluxe Edition features the meticulously digitally remastered original feature film, as well as Bob Dylan 65 Revisited, Pennebaker’s newly edited feature culled from countless hours of never-before-seen archival footage shot during the tour through England, providing a fresh “fly on the wall” perspective of the young musician on the road and on the rise.
The definitive set also contains two photo-laden books – a rare, collectible reproduction of the 168-page companion Dont Look Back book and a “Subterranean Homesick Blues” flip book, providing a frame-by-frame look at what many consider to be the very first music video.
Also featured are a full-length audio commentary by Pennebaker and Dylan’s tour manager (and artist in his own right) Bob Neuwirth, as well as a new Bob Dylan 65 Revisited commentary by the pair. Additional bonus material includes an alternate version of the now-famous “Subterranean Homesick Blues” cue-card sequence, and the original theatrical trailer, a D.A. Pennebaker filmography, a Bob Dylan discography, and cast and crew biographies, all housed in collectible packaging, assuring fans an immersive Dylan experience in three mediums: film, music and print.
When rock music’s elusive Bob Dylan combined forces with acclaimed political documentary-maker D.A. Pennebaker and his cinema verité style of filmmaking, the result became the most intimate glimpse of the rock legend ever put on film. Pennebaker’s hand-held camera and raw, unobtrusive style caught Dylan during his best performances and his most intimate moments, and Dylan’s manager Alan Grossman, folk goddess Joan Baez, The Animals’ Alan Price, Marianne Faithful and Donovan add to the circus that is a rock music tour.
Dont Look Back was not only Pennebaker’s first music film (Monterey Pop, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Elaine Stritch at Liberty, etc. followed), it is considered the foremost rock documentary, and raised the bar for documentaries of any subject. “Don't Look Back is an uncompromising look at an artist dealing with the burdens of fame while trying to grow, and is required viewing for all music fans,” (AllMovie.com). In 1998, Dont Look Back joined a very select group of culturally significant films when it was nominated to the prestigious National Film Registry.
As Don’t Look Back chronicles the beginning of Bob Dylan’s successful career, his latest works continue to enthrall both new and original fans alike. Dylan’s most recent release, “Modern Times,” debuted at the top of the Billboard album charts, Martin Scorsese’s Dylan documentary No Direction Home recently aired on PBS, and I’m Not There, a new feature film starring a virtual who’s who of Hollywood - Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Adrien Brody, Heath Ledger, Julianne Moore and Richard Gere - is slated for release in mid-2007.
24th November 2006 09:56 AM
Gazza
Yessssssssssssss!
Cant get enough of Dont Look Back. Already have a nice collection of outtakes (which were presumably leaked around the time Scorsese was finishing his 'NDH' project) and it'd be great to see more!
Isnt Eat The Document supposed to be coming out officially soon? Theyve just released the 1965 San Francisco Press Conference which is a riot.
Mickey Jones' film has been out for a couple of years. Its a bit disappointing to be honest. There just isnt enough Bob!
Cant get enough of Dont Look Back. Already have a nice collection of outtakes (which were presumably leaked around the time Scorsese was finishing his 'NDH' project) and it'd be great to see more!
Gazza, is the "new" double DVD boot a sensation, or is it just "nice", I was thinking of picking it up, but I haven't seen any reviews about it, so I thought it might be a let-down...
24th November 2006 03:24 PM
Gazza
well..its not out for another 3 months which might account for the lack of reviews, but from the info that TTM has posted above, it looks pretty good!
24th November 2006 03:44 PM
MrPleasant
We need more of this:
24th November 2006 03:57 PM
Erik_Snow
quote:Gazza wrote:
well..its not out for another 3 months which might account for the lack of reviews, but from the info that TTM has posted above, it looks pretty good!
Thanks! (though I meant the bootleg release from last year.)
[Edited by Erik_Snow]
24th November 2006 08:35 PM
Martha
Oh my, I'm drooling.......again.
Thanks for the great news TTM!
:-)
24th November 2006 10:36 PM
Lazy Bones
quote:Erik_Snow wrote:
I was thinking of picking it up...
think no longer - it's terrific!
24th November 2006 10:56 PM
Erik_Snow
Thanks mr Bones !
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