portrait of this blog's author - by Stephen Blackman 2008

Friday, May 18, 2018

SOMETHING IS HAPPENING . . . . . . . 


Anybody remember where they were when they first saw this film? I do, in my parent's living room. It shocked me. Why, there's Alan Ginsberg like some wandering nomad mystic guru (which let's face it he was!) and how clever is this discarding the lyrics nonchalantly discarding the posters as he goes. . . . . .this was pop video! Don't look back is an eatrxxotraindry revelation and we pored over it in detail. Why there's Alan Price . . .  and Donovan and Joan and Grossman and everyone. Favourite film


On this day in music history: May 17, 1967 - The documentary film “Don’t Look Back” is released. Directed by D.A. Pennebaker (“Monterey Pop”, “Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars”), the film documents Bob Dylan’s 1965 tour of the UK, and provides a rare, intimate glimpse into the personal life of the prolific, but enigmatic musician. It also features appearances from numerous people in Dylan’s inner circle including manager Albert Grossman, Joan Baez, Donovan and poet Allen Ginsburg. The opening scene of the film includes the now iconic “music video” for the song “Subterranean Homesick Blues” featuring Dylan standing in an alley way displaying cue cards of various lyrics from the song. This segment is often parodied over the years by various artists. The film has its premiere screening at the Presidio Theater in San Francisco, CA. “Don’t Look Back” is  selected for preservation by the United States National Registry by the Library Of Congress in 1998 for its historic and cultural significance. In November of 2015, The Criterion Collection releases a fully restored version of the film on DVD and Blu-ray disc, featuring a new 4K high definition transfer from the original camera negative and ¼ inch monaural soundtrack masters.  

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