Dylan, Bob: 1975-81...

How does one make a documentary about the six years encompassing what are arguably the wildest and most controversial periods of one of American popular music's most protean and influential artists? Without the artist's involvement, that is. If you're making Bob Dylan 1975-81: Rolling Thunder and The Gospel Years, you interview anyone else involved who will talk, keep the cameras rolling and don't believe much in editing. Coverage of the periods encompassing Dylan's nearly chaotic Rolling Thunder tour emphasizes joyous idealism leg eroding into frayed and battling egos by the time it ended.

The period of Dylan's triptych of overtly gospel albums gets a balanced overview. The producers were able to secure some interview and between-song concert verbiage alongside comments from pertinent clergy and journalists; the complaints of fans coming out of shows where they weren't expecting to be preached at hold equally countervaling power.

Transitional cartoons and graphics add more cheese than insight. Hardcore Zimmyphiles will endure them to experience more of their hero's exploits retold yet again.
[Highway 61 Entertainment] Jamie Lee Rake

02 : Obscenities
00 : Scenes of Gore
00 : Nudity / Sexuality
100% : Spiritual Relevancy

This DVD review was originally published in the May/June Issue (#119) of HM Magazine. Order the Print Version now.

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