The missus and I finally sat down long enough to watch I’m Not There this past weekend. Both of us are pretty big Dylan fans (there’s a reason that our little guy has the groovy middle name, you know) and enjoyed the pic overall.
I had been prepped beforehand that I would have to give in to the art house feel of the flick — as if knowing that the artist in question was being played by six different actors, including a woman and a 15 year-old African-American male, wasn’t enough. While shifting gears took a few minutes, allowing the film’s unique style and approach to sink in early on, it was a great ride after that.
Dylan is certainly a figure that looms larger than life, owing much to the mythology and legends that have surrounded him throughout his career and life. And let’s not kids ourselves; Dylan is just as responsible for crafting and perpetuating his own myths as any smitten critic or punch drunk academic ever has been. Ultimately, it’s this exploration of the artist, his ego and hurricane-like creative force through the construction/deconstruction/reconstruction of identity that makes the film so damn fascinating.
The downer was that I really wanted to like the film more, though I have to agree that Cate Blanchett was absolutely amazing. I’ve never seen an actor so completely give themself to a quasi-biographical role and so completely get lost in the character they’re playing. My main issue was that the film only serves to deepen the nostalgia and neuroticism that is Dylanology, of trying to understand the artist and what makes him tick. It’s almost as if the film is carefully constructed to serve as an apologetic explanation for the sort of fame that Dylan enjoyed/enjoys. “Sorry you were with burdened with being a GIANT FUCKING CULTURAL ICON rather than just a run-of-the-mill fok/rock star. Bet that must’ve been a pisser. Hope that didn’t make you too crazy.”
The sound track is stellar as well, with Richie Havens’ rendition of “Tombstone Blues” and the Jim James/Calexico cover of “Going To Acapulco” both being completely top notch.
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If you’re into Dylan, one the best books I’ve read about him is Positively 4th Street by David Hajdu. It really gets to the heart of what made him tick in the early years, and how he began crafting his own mythology.
DLC, I’ll have to check that one out. Great blog, btw.