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

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  • Stanley Stewart
    Late Member
    • Nov 2010
    • 1071

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

    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
    Guest
    • Aug 2015
    • 6983

    #2
    Originally posted by Stanley Stewart View Post
    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.

    Comment

    • Richard Tarleton

      #3
      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.

      Comment

      • kernelbogey
        Full Member
        • Nov 2010
        • 5749

        #4
        This doesn't appear to be on iPlayer. Has anyone found it?

        Comment

        • Richard Tarleton

          #5
          Originally posted by kernelbogey View Post
          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).

          Comment

          • ferneyhoughgeliebte
            Gone fishin'
            • Sep 2011
            • 30163

            #6
            Originally posted by Richard Tarleton View Post
            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):

            The story of Bob Dylan, from a rock 'n' roll-loving kid in the Midwest to his arrival as a major force in the world of folk music. Including unseen footage and rare recordings.
            [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

            Comment

            • johncorrigan
              Full Member
              • Nov 2010
              • 10363

              #7
              Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
              - 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'.
              Another chance to hear an episode of Theme Town Radio Hour dedicated to radio.

              Comment

              • kernelbogey
                Full Member
                • Nov 2010
                • 5749

                #8
                Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
                - 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!

                Comment

                • gurnemanz
                  Full Member
                  • Nov 2010
                  • 7389

                  #9
                  Dylan UK tour 2017 tickets available from today. Just booked Bournemouth. Could be last time we see him live. Seem to be selling fast.

                  Comment

                  • Richard Tarleton

                    #10
                    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.

                    Comment

                    • johncorrigan
                      Full Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 10363

                      #11
                      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.
                      Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

                      Comment

                      • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                        Gone fishin'
                        • Sep 2011
                        • 30163

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Richard Tarleton View Post
                        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.
                        [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

                        Comment

                        • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                          Gone fishin'
                          • Sep 2011
                          • 30163

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Richard Tarleton View Post
                          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.
                          [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

                          Comment

                          • Richard Tarleton

                            #14
                            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.

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