A Complete Unknown Review • Talkin' Bob Dylan Biopic Blues

[@thebrownmountainlights7718]

You have set me up for exactly what to expect when I see this now. Thank you for the time you took on this review.

[@FeatureUnderground]

And thank you for completing the circle by watching! I guess it can be unbroken after all. Also, I do make sure to frame my reviews as explaining what a movie is, rather than just giving a series of verdicts, so I'm happy that comes through.

[@stevecattani9545]

What a marvelous and intelligent review.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thank you for watching and the kind words! It takes a lot of time to do these, so I'm happy people enjoy them.

[@ddb12345]

Been watching many of these "reviews." This is the first from a real Dylan fan. Good job.

[@FeatureUnderground]

I don't watch any KZbin movie reviews myself, so you're braver than I. I can't get past people making dumb faces on the thumbnails. Thanks for watching mine and leaving the kinds words!

[@Pixie330-r1y]

Great review. I do hope that the younger generations can get a glimpse of Bob Dylan's genius - and it is great to listen to a young man who is so knowledgeable about him.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thank you very much! "My name it is nothing, my age it means less," as someone once said.

[@bradmuse]

Very thoughtful and interesting review. I am really looking forward to seeing it. Chalamet keeps growing as an actor. He already has the chops, but he's a young man, like Dylan in the film, and trying to figure out who he is and who he's going to be. I'll never get over how incredible he was in Call Me By Your Name.

[@FeatureUnderground]

I'm looking forward to Josh Safdie's new movie, which Chalamet is in, so here's hoping that one's good. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!

[@glennbolder2722]

After years , 60, of following Dylan I believe everyone has their own Bob Dylan.

[@FeatureUnderground]

This is true. You leave enough empty spaces, people will project to fill them. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!

[@nigelball3727]

Great review. Will see the film. Feel privileged to have seen Bob at the end of the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour, at Royal Albert Hall

[@FeatureUnderground]

That's a very cool place to see him. I saw him near the beginning of the tour in Sugar Land, TX. The venue wasn't great though; it's a new concert hall they just built. Thanks for watching and the kind words!

[@shukei]

Although I still haven't seen the film (it'syet to be released in my city), I can sense the honesty in your eloquent review, as in your others. I must say you are the best English speaking film critic I have found so far on KZbin ang your channel definitely deserves a hundred times more listeners than the present figures. Please hang on and conyinue with your good work. And a big thank you.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Your words are very kind. Thank you for watching! Spread the good word if you know anyone interested in my style of film criticism. I can't afford a billboard, so it's all word-of-mouth advertising in the Feature Underground.

[@mejbarron]

I am very impressed by your presentation. Many kudos! You are wrong about Chalamet when you say that Chalamet lacks acting talent. Your discussion here is of Chalamet and you should realize that you are viewing Bob Dylan being unable to bring charm, etc. You will soon realize that Chalamet is never present in any charaters he portrays. Chalamet becomes the character, What his characters give to the viewer is total transparency. He is the greatest male film actor today. Watch "Call me by your Name - (2017, a most beautiful look at Italy), and you will see his range and talents. The character's face, eyes and body reveals all. Best Wishes.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thank you for watching and leaving your opinion! Maybe he'll change my mind one day. I have seen Call Me By Your Name and think that Luca is good at using actors for his purposes. I am looking forward to seeing Josh Safdie's new movie, however, so maybe that'll be the day (John Wayne voice).

[@donniemoder1466]

IMHO, Bob's six years from when he arrives in New York is the most fascinating period in his life by far.

[@FeatureUnderground]

It's definitely a fascinating time. Although I feel like we've gotten a lot of his version of Dylan. I would really like to see the post-motorcycle accident, spiritual reset years dramatized. Maybe even have it go all the way to Blood on the Tracks. Thanks for leaving a comment!

[@mikekwon8825]

Rough and Rowdy Ways, The Complete Basement Tapes, The Cutting Edge... I haven't watched the video yet but I can tell this guy knows something.

[@FeatureUnderground]

For the eagle-eyed viewers, I always make sure they get the most bang for their Bach.

[@OldHenryLee]

Thanks much for the educated review. Happy that I took the time to watch it. Best wishes & safe travels to the Dylan Center. ... I haven't been yet. Hope it all proves to be a worth the while venture

[@FeatureUnderground]

And thank you for watching! I am also happy you took the time to watch; I know it's a long video. Tulsa is only about a seven-hour trip from where I am, so it's not too much of a journey.

[@TylerD288]

I was amused when I heard Dylan mention either being from Gallup, NM or passing through bc I've actually played a gig there, years ago. Gallup is interesting and funky, but not a final destination, at least for me. I greatly enjoyed your review, it's well-written and precise. I have similar worries about the biopic, but after listening to several reviews it looks to be entertaining enough to buy a ticket. My expectations are low. I love "No Direction Home" which inspired me musically, and I regard as something magical that probably can never be duplicated. Thanks for this review, looking forward to more.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thank you very much for watching! As long as you have your expectations in check, it can be fun experience. It's not an addition to the Dylan canon like No Direction Home; it's a breezy Hollywood movie that touches the hem of Dylan, but never quite gets ahold of him--not that it's easy to. I'd suggest going with someone who's not a Dylan fan, since the movie is really made for them. Once of these days, I'll have to go to Gallup and see what the deal is.

[@CareyTisdal]

Other than an adolescent wandering through the music on the radio in the 1960s, my significant introduction to Dylan was in a college course on dada and surrealistic prose and poetry. Dylan's wit with barbed similies and metaphors flying around piercing bullshit balloons is joyous! If they don't cover Kerouac and Ginsberg in the film, I sincerely hope someone will do a podcast, a documentary, or a book. Could you please post about that? Thank you for bringing those influences into your conversation about the film. Insightful review! I learned and smiled! Thank you!

[@FeatureUnderground]

Very happy to have pleased you with my review, which might not have pierced balloons but hopefully dropped some on your head in a New Year's sort of way. Not sure how you feel about Burroughs, but I just watched Queer, which comes out this weekend, I believe, and it's very good. Captures the darker and wackier sides of the beat scene very well. And no, thank you!

[@jaemyrick5277]

Dude, if you make any negative comments about this movie. I cannot watch your review. I will be seeing it in theaters during the holidays. Timothee Chalamet is a gift from GOD! The range of performances in his films are always moving, magnetic, and mesmerizing. I take negative comments towards Timothee very seriously, I am a follower. I am a fan. I will be tuning out from your channel. Happy Holidays. ❄❄❄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄☃☃☃

[@FeatureUnderground]

Fare thee well!

[@byronsauer2697]

Great review! I kind of wish they'd gone an alternate route like Love & Mercy and focused on Dylan's late '80s post-evangelical period right before he returned to his roots with Good As I Been To You and “come-back album” Time Out of Mind. It would've been an interesting moment, not mined, and given more exposure to the great underrated music he was putting out for new audiences.

[@FeatureUnderground]

I agree. Like I said in the review, the movie covers basically the same time period as No Direction Home, and the "going electric" storyline is well-known. There are periods of Dylan's life that are more mysterious. I've commented a few times that I'd like to see the post-motorcycle accident, spiritual reset period, but the ones you mentioned would also be interesting. Thanks for watching and the kind words!

[@TroubadourAtHeart]

This is a really thoughtful review. I haven't seen it yet so I obviously can't agree or disagree. I am hoping I am not disappointed by it because Dylan's brilliance deserves a great film - though it might be an impossible task to make that film, given Dylan's many reinventions.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thank you for watching and for leaving the kind words! I think the problem with the movie is James Mangold. I'm not sure what Jay Cocks' original script looked like, but Mangold is credited as a co-writer, so I'm guessing he went through it and altered a bunch. Cocks has proven himself to be a good writer with his filmography and--thanks to this comment section--I now know has had a personal connection with Dylan. For any Dylan movies that happen in the future--the post-motorcycle accident, spiritual reset period would be interesting, I think--getting a good director on board is tantamount. But that's true with any movie.

[@defrockedrabbi]

Jay Cocks was a student at Kenyon College in 1964 when Bob played there. Jay wrote the lengthy review in the Kenyon Collegian. Worth researching. Alas, I arrived at Kenyon a year later.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thanks for watching! That's a nice bit of info. I had no idea. I can't find the original review, but I've found a few articles talking about how Cocks spent the day with Dylan. I also didn't realize Cocks started as a film critic. Gives this broken bottle hope.

[@pocrack5714]

@@FeatureUnderground It's in Bob Dylan The Essential Interviews by Jonathan Cott

[@FeatureUnderground]

@@pocrack5714 Thankyuh!

[@mtf347]

VERY THOROUGH, THANK YOU. A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN SINCE 1963, I GREW UP WITH DYLAN. HAVING DONE SO, I'VE READ AND SEEN NEARLY EVERYTHING ON TOPIC. OF COURSE, HE IS RATHER A HERMIT, SO THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH TO KNOW. A SMART PERSON WILL SURMISE, BUT WHO KNOWS. I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS ONE!

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thank you very much for watching! One of the best things Dylan ever did, in my opinion, was decide to create his own myth.

[@briangonigal3974]

If nothing else, it's refreshing to hear a review of this movie by someone who actually has a decent level of knowledge on the subject and world it depicts, as opposed to the reviewer I happened to catch immediately before this one who somehow managed to mispronounce Joan Baez's name (I would have thought her name must have been said aloud in the film itself at some point, but apparently not). Since we're already blessed with "I'm Not There", a fantastic Dylan movie that truly takes risks, breaks the mold and tells Dylan's story in a unique, creative way (albeit one that pretty much requires the viewer to already know everything about Dylan that it tries to tell us in order to be able to make any sense of it), I'm a lot more tolerant of the idea of a competently made formulaic, paint-by-numbers Dylan Biopic that someone more unfamiliar with the man might more easily get his basic story from. And from what I've read so far that does seem to be this film: a decent enough cookie-cutter music bio-pic that gets the job done in a genuinely entertaining way.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Personally, I don't watch any KZbin critics for the reason you just specified. Lots of people who enjoy movies; far fewer with a breadth of cultural knowledge beyond Star Wars '77. And I think your cognitive reframing of this movie for maximum enjoyment is built on sound logic, and is a healthy approach. In addition to "I'm Not There," I would add "Inside Llewyn Davis" as a unique, creative movie we already have that captures the milieu of late '50s/early '60s Greenwich Village. If you haven't already seen it, Hal Ashby's "Bound for Glory" would make a good appetizer for this movie, too.

[@SpiceyHummus]

Thank you very much for this. Well done.

[@FeatureUnderground]

And thank you, Lou! I didn't pull the name of this channel out of nowhere.

[@kennkweder8057]

I am very impressed by your knowledge of Dylan. I mean it's incredible as u are from a different generation than an old bloke like me. Totally refreshing and remarkable! I will subscribe to ur site now. And will SHARE this review on my social media. Keep doing what u r doing. It's important.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thank you for watching and the kinds words! I've never liked the idea that you had to be a product of whatever generation the roll of the dice landed you in. This age of information makes it very easy to dine a la carte from history. On the music portion of my plate, there's a big scoop of Dylan.

[@Chris-lc8tw]

Thanks for the review. People just learning about Dylan, should check out the new book, "You Don't Need a Weatherman: Bob Dylan for Beginners "

[@FeatureUnderground]

And thank you for watching!

[@spirogoritz-x5x]

i'm extremely impressed by your articulate knowledge and convincing argument, so refreshingly from most of the music commentary and reactions i see on you tube. did the film deal with how dylan's often nasty interpersonal behavior reside in him with his empathetic genius as a song writer, especially his love songs?

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thank you very much! Yes, it actually does show Dylan's acidic side. There's a scene with Sylvie (Suze) where he casually tells her to never come back and a live performance with Joan Baez where you see it.

[@kasparhauser5922]

I appreciate that you wove in some classic lines of his songs haha

[@FeatureUnderground]

All I really want to do is quote Bob Dylan. Thanks for watching!

[@TroubadourAtHeart]

I noticed the "Play if fu*&ing loud" edit in the trailer and was hoping it was just for the trailer. Bad decision on that one, James!

[@FeatureUnderground]

So awful. When you walk out of a press screening, they give you a little comment card. Supposedly, it goes to the filmmakers. The changing of that line was the first thing I wrote down.

[@vincentwoodcock5457]

Thoughtful, articulate, insightful, honest.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thank you very much! Very kind of you to say. Hope to see you again around these parts.

[@Toggitryggva]

This is just excellent.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Very happy you enjoyed it! Hope you to see you around these parts again.

[@Toggitryggva]

@@FeatureUnderground Scanning the arcives as I write :)

[@wretchro100]

Did bob have any say in the location of the archive? I thought it was built by entrepreneurs that bought all of his writings?

[@FeatureUnderground]

According to this article, it was chosen by Dylan: www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/04/an-exclusive-first-peek-at-the-bob-dylan-museum. Since it's behind a paywall, you can get his full quote on the Center's FAQ page.

[@99RiverSt]

Well done.

[@FeatureUnderground]

And, I hope, a little rare. Thanks for watching and leaving the kind words!

[@cl759]

U were right dude, I did hit dislike button as soon as u said he's unexpressive Oh, & I'm old 😃

[@FeatureUnderground]

I knew it!

[@cl759]

@FeatureUnderground I totally respect that u weren't completely mesmerized by the movie or a drooling Timothy Chalamet fan but, seriously, he does not have dead behind the eyes countenance Made me cry in Interstellar & as soon as Wonka started I forgot that I was a drooling fan off his & broke my heart in Beautiful Boy

[@FeatureUnderground]

@@cl759 I don't even remember him being in Interstellar, and I also cannot claim to have seen Wonka or Beautiful Boy. I'm basing my opinion off of Call Me By Your Name, the Dunes, Bones and All, and Rainy Day in New York. I think I might've liked him in The French Dispatch, but I can't quite remember. I'm seeing that he was in Hostiles, which I loved, but I don't remember him in it.

[@cl759]

@FeatureUnderground yeah, off ur list I've only seen Rainy Day, he& Elle fanning were great but the movie was ruined by stupid casting of Selena Gomez& that thing about Woody Allen I don't willingly watch gay movies, the thought of that cannibal movie grosses me out & Dunes is a massive set of several loooooong novels so any movie attempt can hardly be any good, the 1984 one wasn't& this one has costumes so ridiculous that I gave up watching after 5 minutes

[@VenjerSixx.]

Hey new to your channel nice to meet you Hunter

[@FeatureUnderground]

Welcome, Mr. Sixx! I'll take your coat. There's yogurt in the fridge and the dog's friendly.

[@peterbe9349]

Best reviewer out there.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thankyuh for watching and the kinds words! Spread the good word. I leave a business card in the popcorn section every time I go to the grocery store, but I'm not sure it's working.

[@temporarystranger95]

Wow! Chalamet has no screen presence or charisma? I think the exact opposite. I think Chalamet is a brilliant actor whose young career already spans a broad spectrum of characters and his portrayals are always captivating, imho. Thank you for your honest review.

[@FeatureUnderground]

Thank you for watching! Yeah, I don't seem to see what other see. In my opinion, he always feels like he's just "there" and not really playing a character. But I do think he's much better overall in this movie than before. Different strokes and all. Thanks for leaving your opinion!

[@paulkindlon5496]

Hagiography? Yep

[@FeatureUnderground]

It's actually less of a puff piece that I was expecting. It does portray his acidic "Positively 4th Street" and "Idiot Wind" side, which is one of his more interesting qualities, if you ask me. Thanks for leaving a comment!