Product Description

Inspired by the life and songs of Bob Dylan I'm Not There is "a profoundly personal and passionate film" (A.O. Scott The New York Times) that captures the essence of this elusive genius. Six different actors - including Heath Ledger Christian Bale Richard Gere and Oscar nominee Cate Blanchett in a "soon-to-be-legendary performance" (Peter Travers Rolling Stone) - each embody part of the Dylan legend: from Greenwich Village folk singer to electric guitar trailblazer to born-again preacher. Directed by Academy Award nominated writer/director Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven) I'm Not There is "unquestionably the year's most original American movie" (Thelma Adams US Weekly).System Requirements:Running Time: 135 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/BIOGRAPHY Rating: R UPC: 796019810906 Manufacturer No: 81090

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #394 in DVD
• Brand: WELLSPRING/GENIUS
• Released on: 2008-05-06
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 135 minutes

Amazon.com
Unapologetically audacious, I'm Not There is more post-modern puzzle than by-the-numbers biopic. A title card sets the scene: "Inspired by the music and many lives of Bob Dylan." Yet the film features no figure by that name. Instead, writer/director Todd Haynes presents six characters, each incarnating different stages in the artist's career. Perfume's Ben Whishaw, a black-clad poet, serves as a slippery sort of narrator. The action begins with the wanderings of an 11-year-old black runaway named "Woody Guthrie" (Marcus Carl Franklin)--his raucous duet with Richie Havens on "Tombstone Blues" is a highlight--and ends with a silver-haired Billy the Kid (Richard Gere) watching the Old West die before his eyes. In the interim, there's the folk singer-turned-preacher (Christian Bale), the actor (Heath Ledger), and the rock star (Cate Blanchett, who has Don't Look Back Dylan down to a science). The chronology is purposefully non-linear, and editor Jay Rabinowitz cuts rapidly, Jean-Luc Godard-style, between cinéma vérité black-and-white and saturated color, Richard Lester-like slapstick and Fellini-inspired surrealism (Ed Lachman served as cinematographer).

What makes the picture fun for Dylan fans--and potentially frustrating for neophytes--is that every album and movie bears an alternate title. Ledger's Robbie, for instance, stars in "Grain of Sand," actually a reference to the Pete Seeger song. As in Haynes' glam rock reverie Velvet Goldmine, the trickery involves the entire cast. While Julianne Moore plays former lover Alice, a dead ringer for Joan Baez; Michelle Williams embodies elusive scenester Coco, i.e. Edie Sedgwick. If I'm Not There is less affecting than Control, the year's other big music film, it rewards repeat viewings like few biographical features. The soundtrack mixes originals with covers, like Jim James's heartfelt "Goin' to Acapulco." --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews

THROUGH A CRACKED LOOKING GLASS BRIGHTLY
I imagine that I know Dylan's work and his persona at least as well as the average person that has enjoyed his music or has seen this movie, and I think I understand much of the criticism generated by this innovative movie. Dylan is represented by seven actors that each portray particular aspects of his life, creative influences and self portraits. Dylan's performance in life as an artistic interpreter of his perceptions has made him known as a myth, mystery, legend, genius, imposter and recluse. While all the time, he was very busy disappointing those that adored him and being misunderstood by the rest. At this, such a composite is most successful, and maybe most satisfying for the lyrical maestro.

Through the innovatively creative portrayal of Dylan as separate personas, an evolving enigma emerges that opens seven windows into his life performance. This is not a conventional biopic and it is not a musical. I enjoyed 'I'm Not There' the first time I saw it. I watched it the second time because I knew it was necessary and I enjoyed it more. I watched it the third time with the lyrics of his songs on the screen, and I enjoyed it more. The fourth time I viewed it with the director's commentary and it was brilliant. I suggest that some might want to watch the director's commentary as the first viewing because it is an insightful commentary on the evolution and purpose of the characters. The soundtrack by various artists is delightful and fresh, and remember, even for all those Dylan-philes, Dylan has enjoyed fresh interpretations of his music. The acting is wonderful and there are many standout performances. Dylan's image is fragmented in a cracked looking glass and all the separate images are held together as one by the movie, as I suppose art, in this case, imitates life. Enjoy.

Everywhere And Nowhere...
I have been a fan of Dylan for 40 years and while it is interesting to see some key moments of his biography reenacted...Newport switching from folf to rock, The UK Royal Albert Hall incident, visiting Guthrie in the hospital, truth be told the actors depicting the different sides/personalities were irritating, screeching,egoistic,childish and had nothing to do with this mercurial, enigmatic icon, The REAL Dylan is best captured in Scorsese's " No Direction Home" and "Don't Look Back" another good one.

The Cowboy Junkies did a song "Cheap is How I Feel" and that is why this movie disappoints.. calling Dylan Edelstein, his roving with Ginsburg, his vomiting, come on....taking well known aspects of the picture and highlighting them for consumerism is not the real Dylan in my minds eye.Dylan is complicated stuff and this movie sure isn't despite the occasional wisdom lines.
Seeing a young conning hustling Black Dylan, a spaced out mercurial Dylan, An old drifter, recluse etc. is one mans image of Dylan..the pictures that come to my mind is very different..I don't think the portrayal can be captured effectively and one is left with a jumble..Yes, the best line in the movie is at the end "living with past,present future,
in the same room" and that is why I'm Not There is neither here or there and to quote from an album title "Time Out Of Mind"..his later life neglected in the movie.

Where is Dylan the mystic?? The man standing in Jerusalem not as a convert to Christianity BUT as a man grappling with his contradictions?
Where is Johnny Cash, the Gypsy Dylan of Rolling Thunder despite the paint mask of "Going To Acapulco", somehow I feel all these juxtapositions were not handled correctly despite the idea that the movie captures an elusive character that was probably the intention at the outset..too much was left out and to think that you can classify and break down a complex personality into periods or different personalities is where the movie fails despite it's cuteness on making the film a creation for the mass market and youth who are better served going back and listening to The Basement Tapes, Blonde On Blonde, New Morning on their own..
I highly doubt Dylan approved of this movie although it is cute seeing The Tarantula image and is entertaining despite some of the annoying actors portraying Bob..but again Dylan as some crazed marriage breaker of 2 daughters..the facts make it appear that the movie is almost a total fiction to the man himself.
Entertaining but I think it is better to see Scorsese and draw your own images by listening to his music on your own.

I've been there...from the beginning. C.C.TX
This movie so totally suks. You have to remember that no ONE knows Dylan like himself. Don't believe what every nickle and dime punk, that comes along and tries to make a name for himself by offering us some doped up information on (propably) the greatest musician that was ever born. The only thing the director does here is throw more chaos into the already chaotic world of information on Bob Dylan. Leave me alone, is all he wanted. But the press hounded him, trying to make him something he didn't want to be. Like the Pharisees and the Sadducees did to Jesus in his days. I've been listening to Dylan since the beginning. He has penned some of the greatest lyrics that have ever been written. And there are many who tried to make them say something it didn't. To them I say, "Just listen to the words and the music, SHUT UP and listen". Awesome! One star for songs by the original artist, Bob Dylan.