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A Complete Unknown

Don’t think we ever get film reviews, but I thought I would like to say how much I enjoyed the film about Bob Dylan.  Timothee Chalamet was excellent as Bob Dylan.  Definitely recommend and I am not a Dylan fan.

Martine Guy ● 100d6 Comments

Thanks Jonathan for the information on Manchester.  When I saw the film it made me realise how passionate the folk music fans were about the genre and why they felt betrayed at Newport.  I’ve seen Bob Dylan 4 times, but can only remember the Hammersmith concert.  Despite not being a fan, I enjoyed the concerts. What an Isle of Wight festival line up.  I envy you.  
Lucille, mentions Timothee Chalamet as a musician.  I was astonished to learn he was actually singing in the film and I think playing the guitar too?  I don’t go to the cinema much anymore, the previous time was in 2021 James Bond, but I will be looking out for the Oscars this year, as I hope Timothee Chalamet gets the Best Actor Oscar, he so richly deserves.

Martine Guy ● 99d

This is a great film, both lead actors are brilliant and the music is just wonderful.  I've been a Dylan fan for decades.  He went electric at Newport in 1965 but it was in Manchester a year later where he was accused of being Judas.I wasn't there (even though I was living just a few miles away) but I've seen him live several times, the first time at Earl's Court in (?) 1981.  I went to the Isle of Wight festival in 1970 (Dylan was there the year before when I was too poor to go) so I had to make do with Joan Baez, the Doors, the Who, the Moody Blues, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, John Sebastian, Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix (his last ever concert), and many others including .... Tiny Tim.  Those were the days!

Jonathan Callaway ● 100d

Lucille, glad you loved it too.  I hope Timothee Chalamet gets the Oscar for best actor.  Really enjoyed the scenes in 1960s New York.  I didn’t know anything really about Pete Seeger or Woody Guthrie, so the film filled in a gap in my musical knowledge. I always thought that Dylan went electric in Manchester, but I am not a Dylan expert, so maybe someone can enlighten me? By the way, we saw the film at the Olympic in Barnes.  Really a great place to see this film, because of the musical history of the Olympic Studios and it was a very comfortable cinema too.

Martine Guy ● 100d

Michael, yes I think we might be going to see that film too. As regards the Dylan film, I’d like to say how wonderful I thought Monica Barbaro is, in the role of Joan Baez.  I can’t stand folk music, so that is big praise from me.  When I got home, I put on “Like a Rolling Stone”, which is a first for me. I had heard vaguely about what happened when Dylan went electric and, having seen this film, I thought he did the wrong thing going electric at Newport and that he let down his friend Pete Seeger.

Martine Guy ● 100d

I loved the film and Timothee Chalamet deserves all the accolades for not just the acting but also as the musician himself.

Lucille Grant ● 100d

That sounds good, and want to see the one about Zeppelin ... :-)

Michael Ixer ● 100d