Bob Dylan Revealed

Self-proclaimed “Dylanologist” A.J. Weberman, who appears here, may be the world's most obsessive Bob Dylan fan, but he's got serious competition in Joel Gilbert. This is at least the sixth Dylan offering directed and produced by Gilbert, who plays in a tribute band called Highway 61 Revisited and cultivates a mid-'60s Dylan look. Like Gilbert's other films, this one was made without its subject's participation—there are no Dylan songs or performances, and the only interview material comes from ancient press conferences that show him delivering his usual cryptic evasions to bemused reporters. Instead, combining photos, interviews with people who worked and played with His Bobness, home movies, and other archival material, Gilbert divides Dylan's career into various periods, including “Times Are A-Changin'” (1962), “Electric World Tour” (1966), “The Comeback” (1974, when Dylan returned to the stage backed by The Band), “Busy Being Born Again” (referencing Dylan's conversion to Christianity in the late '70s), and the birth of the “Never-Ending Tour” in '92. Some of this was covered at length in Gilbert's earlier works, yet Bob Dylan Revealed is not without interest. The musicians interviewed, including bassist/bandleader Rob Stoner, violinist Scarlet Rivera, and folk legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott, offer genuine insight, and some of the visual material is terrific. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (S. Graham)