The Movie: Don’t Look Back (1967)
What Is It?: There
was one hell of a swelled head under all that frizzy hair, and Dylan lets it
take over the screen for better and worse in D.A. Pennebaker’s classic,
warts-and-all documentary. As soon as you laugh at one of D’s clever snipes,
you feel the sudden pang of guilt for the victim that he surely didn’t feel
when this movie was shot in 1965. When that victim is dear Donovan (whom Dylan
eviscerates by saying “That’s a really good song, man”!), the guilt stings all
the worse. Still, this is who the guy was, and the fantastic music he performs
in the film almost justifies the egomania. After all, he does finish off Donovan
by playing “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”.
Why Today?: On
this day in 1965, Dylan plays the Royal Albert Hall
concert featured in the film.
