Bob Dylan - No Direction Home

I bought this DVD for my husband for his Christmas gift, and he has been playing it almost everyday before going to bed. He simply loves it dearly and enjoyed watching and listening to it very much. Somehow, we both just enjoyed it so much and can never get tired of it. Thank you for the fantastic production of this DVD. We think it's one of the best DVD of the time!

Absolutely Dylan. A must for your DVD collection. The Dylan phenomenon has only started to amass its glactic force despite forty years of overt avoidance. Baby-boomers are remembering, X-gen is starting to appreciate, and Y/Z crowd are discovering Bobby Z and his poet tree. He may yet learn to roll with the punches.

I found "No Direction Home" an entertaining document chock full of old footage and photographs of the era of Folk music in NYC. I found the interviews with the Bob Dylan of today intriguing and found what he said to be insightful, rather than full of cryptic messages in his old interviews. I do wish, that it would have continued on with more current years as that's of interest to me as well.

I thought I knew about Dylan but this DVD proved otherwise. I watched it many times and bought copies for friends and family. I am grateful for this series and hope they continue to produce docu's like this.

'No Direction Home' is the penultimate DVD chronicle of Bob Dylan's life. It documents the long Bob Dylan career using the original footage of Bob Dylan's song material. It interviews the now approaching-old age Dylan, who reflects on his career over a series of interview clips spread about the documentary.

The music footage is the capturing detail of the documentary. After all, music was what Dylan was known for, what he became famous for. The politics, the poetry, the legendry, that was all concocted by the media. More than any other artist, Bob Dylan has been scrutinized and given a sweltering investigation by the press under lights in front of a stalk of microphones. Just like a politician, he was being asked questions beyond what he was capable of answering. People attributed greater esteem to the guy than his songs could account for.

And in response, Bob Dylan is seen lashing out at the press: "I don't know what you folks are asking me for?", Dylan says in his down-home dialect. "I'm just an artist." But the press kept pressing on Dylan on what seemed to be just an enormously popular reaction to his music. The press almost pushes him to admit he's a pop culture icon without coming out and saying that's what they want him to say.

Yet Bob Dylan's music, his deep devotion to the folk tradition started by Woodie Guthrie, and his effervescent musicianship is the stronghold of Dylan's career as underscored by the video. Just a normal man doing what came natural to him at a certain time made him a pop culture icon. And that's all that Dylan can say about his success. He prefers to communicate through his music.

And Dylan's songs are chock full of messages. People ask for his interpretations, but he would rather have the songs speak for themselves. He is a "take from it what you will" kind of guy.

This DVD chronicles most of Bob Dylan's career in terms of 1) the music itself, 2) Dylan's effect on social and political matters of the day, 3) Bob Dylan's social connections, such as his relationship with fellow folk guitarist Joan Baez. 'No Direction Home' tells Dylan's story in a narrative, splicing in excerpts of Dylan footage with interview explaining that footage.

You'll be left thinking about songs such as "Like A Rolling Stone," "Desolation Row," and "Blowin' in the Wind" for weeks, months into the future. And Dylan will stay with you.