Bob Dylan: No Direction Home- ARENA, BBC 4, 9 Dec.

[Stanley Stewart]

This riveting documentary with a keen sense of direction by Martin Scorsese, held my attention for its three and a half hours duration as it chartered the career of folk pioneer, Bob Dylan. The narrative covered his early years from the iron range in Minnesota to Greenwich Village with articulate comments from Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, Joan Baez and Allen Ginsburg. The old Left encouraged him to become a political activist, while the media wanted him to express the growing concern of America's youth in the turbulent years of the late 60s and 70s but he really wasn't interested. However, Scorcese's use of archive footage perceptively includes the 'greening of America' age. Dylan remains a complex but fascinating character with a natural sense of the poetic.

The end credits show 2005 as the production year and I recall the first rate ARENA series with a standard 50 mins slot, with the occasional extension to a two or three part series. I did an overnight transfer from HD to DVD master copy as stand-by as I will want to see this programme again as a reference point.

[Lat-Literal]

This riveting documentary with a keen sense of direction by Martin Scorsese, held my attention for its three and a half hours duration as it chartered the career of folk pioneer, Bob Dylan. The narrative covered his early years from the iron range in Minnesota to Greenwich Village with articulate comments from Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, Joan Baez and Allen Ginsburg. The old Left encouraged him to become a political activist, while the media wanted him to express the growing concern of America's youth in the turbulent years of the late 60s and 70s but he really wasn't interested. However, Scorcese's use of archive footage perceptively includes the 'greening of America' age. Dylan remains a complex but fascinating character with a natural sense of the poetic.

The end credits show 2005 as the production year and I recall the first rate ARENA series with a standard 50 mins slot, with the occasional extension to a two or three part series. I did an overnight transfer from HD to DVD master copy as stand-by as I will want to see this programme again as a reference point.

Thank you for highlighting this programme Stanley.

I hadn't realised that it was being broadcast and hope to find it on the I-Player.

[Richard Tarleton]

Just watching again, in bite-sized chunks (saw it first time round). Just got to the bit where Allen Ginsberg talks about having returned from Tibet to hear "Hard Rain" for the first time and realising the torch had passed - and talking about the eloquence of "But I'll know my song well before I start singing"....

When Suze Rotolo's death was announced in 2011 something made me print off a picture of her and Dylan's young selves and to take it into the office. None of the 3-4 colleagues gathered together there had any idea who either of them was. I retired the following year. Lovely to see and hear her 2005 self talking with such affection.

[kernelbogey]

This doesn't appear to be on iPlayer. Has anyone found it?

[Richard Tarleton]

This doesn't appear to be on iPlayer. Has anyone found it?

I recorded it onto my satellite box hard disc - but I've just checked, if you go to Catch-upTV/red button>Channels>by day>Friday 9, it's there (I have Sky but I imagine it must be similar elsewhere).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I recorded it onto my satellite box hard disc - but I've just checked, if you go to Catch-upTV/red button>Channels>by day>Friday 9, it's there (I have Sky but I imagine it must be similar elsewhere).

- it's not under "B" for "Bob"; "D" for "Dylan" or "Direction"; nor "N" for "No". You have to look under "A" for "Arena" (which makes sense once you know):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0074sgb/arena-bob-dylan-no-direction-home-part-1

[johncorrigan]

- it's not under "B" for "Bob"; "D" for "Dylan" or "Direction"; nor "N" for "No". You have to look under "A" for "Arena" (which makes sense once you know):

Just exactly Bob would want it, ferney!
By the way, I posted elsewhere that 6 music ran one of Bob's very entertaining Theme Time Radio shows on Sunday in tribute to the grizzly old laureate...subject 'RADIO'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jl3f

[kernelbogey]

- it's not under "B" for "Bob"; "D" for "Dylan" or "Direction"; nor "N" for "No". You have to look under "A" for "Arena" (which makes sense once you know):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...on-home-part-1

Many thanks ferney: I did look under Arena, and still missed it - not sure how. Got it!

[gurnemanz]

Dylan UK tour 2017 tickets available from today. Just booked Bournemouth. Could be last time we see him live. Seem to be selling fast.

[Richard Tarleton]

Finished watching part 2 (again) last night. Touching testimony from Joan Baez, more Ginsberg, some tremendous footage from the Highway 61 sessions including from the version of Desolation Row that didn't make it onto the disc....(I recommend Colin Irwin's "Highway 61 Revisited", ISBN 978-1-84451-295-9 for the full story of this album) and some amazing footage of live performances with both the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and The Band. Al Kooper - hilarious.

But really - I'd forgive Dylan anything after the reminders of the crass, cretinous questioning to which he was subjected at one press conference after another in the mid-60s, and the booing from stupid, cloth-eared audiences. Is it any wonder he has attitude? That English fan - "we paid to see a folk singer" . His contributions to the documentary were wise, measured, thoughtful and revealing.

A brilliant documentary by Mr Scorsese, with acknowledgements to DW Pennebaker and a great many more.

[johncorrigan]

Reminded me that Joan Baez said she got the inspiration to write 'Diamonds and Rust' after Dylan phoned her out of the blue and sang his just written song 'Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts' down the line to her. She later lied to Bob that it was about him, saying instead it was about her husband.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MSwBM_CbyY

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

A brilliant documentary by Mr Scorsese, with acknowledgements to DW Pennebaker and a great many more.

And a reminder that if anyone wants to watch the two parts, they're only available until midnight TONIGHT (Friday, 16/12/16). After then, you'll have to wait for the nest TV repeat.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

But really - I'd forgive Dylan anything after the reminders of the crass, cretinous questioning to which he was subjected at one press conference after another in the mid-60s, and the booing from stupid, cloth-eared audiences. Is it any wonder he has attitude? That English fan - "we paid to see a folk singer" . His contributions to the documentary were wise, measured, thoughtful and revealing.

I completely agree. I devoted the whole of this evening to watching the whole 3.5 hour documentary (astonishing that this amount of endlessly fascinating material could be devoted to just eight years or so of a career) - I knew about the "Judas" cry, of course, but the sheer, unrelenting booing night after night from parts of the British audiences, and the dumb questions and requests from journalists ("Would you suck you glasses, please?") - and that couple sticking their heads into his car, demanding his autograph whilst simultaneously calling him a "bum"!!! Unbelievable - Dylan's responses were a model of dignity in comparison. And then, in the middle of it all - the segue to Dylan teaching Johnny Cash a new song ... perfect.

[Richard Tarleton]

I recommend a charming miniature from Sky Arts' "Urban Myths" series - Bob Dylan - Knockin' on Dave's Door was on February 11, still available on the red button. It's the story of how Bob comes to London in 1991 to visit his friend Dave Stewart, is dropped on Crouch End Hill rather than Crouch Hill by the taxi driver, and knocks instead at the door of Dylan-loving plumber...Dave. He is welcomed by Dave's girlfriend, who hasn't a clue who he is...Dave comes home....A review from the Guardian, another from the Observer. Note perfect.