I'M NOT THERE

US, 2007, 115 mintues, Colour.
Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale, Ben Whishaw, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Burce Greenwood, Michelle Williams, Julianne Moore, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Marcus Carl- Franklin,

I’m Not There is a very ambitious project. It states that it is based on the life and times of Bob Dylan.

Todd Haines has directed only a few films, but all of them somewhat offbeat, independent features including Safe, Savage Grace, Far From Heaven.
In constructing this film about the life and times of Dylan, he chooses six actors to portray the core of the singer’s career and life. These include Marcus Carl- Franklin, a young African-American? boy, as the youngest of the actors. He calls himself Woody Guthrie to give the link between Guthrie’s songs and Bob Dylan’s folk songs in the late 50s early 60s. It is a very strong performance. After that comes Ben Whishaw - who is seen throughout the film, in a black and white interview style. The criticism is of the young Dylan and of his whole life, especially his protest activities.

Christian Bale follows as the protest singer of the 1960s, the friend of Joan Baez (fictionalised and performed by Julianne Moore), who upsets people by his drinking, his un-thought-through answers at press conferences and awards. These are followed by apologies. However, there is a lot of criticism of Dylan and his protest songs and his songs of the earlier 60s. Later, Bale portrays a religious experience by Dylan and his conversion to a Pentecostal church. The next actor is Heath Ledger who portrays the singer in his acting career as well as his marriage. Charlotte Gainsbourg is the French wife, artist, mother of their children. It is in this period that the Vietnam War is strikingly presented, frequently as the characters watch television reportage.

The next character is Richard Gere portraying Billy the Kid, the character that Bob Dylan portrayed in Sam Peckinpah’s 1973, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. Pat Garrett was played in that film by Kris Kristofferson who does the overall narrative for this film.

The film is interesting in its presentation of Dylan by Cate Blanchett who won the actress award at Venice 2007. The androgynous Dylan is well portrayed by this actress, who does a strong impersonation as well carry the later part of the film. She portrays the Dylan who is under attack by audiences and fans, especially in his changing to electronic music which is seen as a betrayal.

Throughout the whole film there is a wide selection of Dylan’s songs so that the film becomes an anthology of his music, sung in particular social settings, in the context of American politics and protest of the 20th century.

1. The impact of the film? A different cinema experience? The variety of visual styles? Bob Dylan's music? The cast and their performances?

2. The title, the nature of the voice-over, the commentary on all the characters, the multi-faceted aspects of Bob Dylan, his ghosts? Kris Kristofferson and the commentary?

3. The visual style: straightforward cinematography, documentary material, period archival material, the 60s? The black and white sequences? The world of film and film-making? The 1880s and Billy the Kid? The editing and putting all these jigsaw pieces together?

4. The strength of the cast, the different facets of Bob Dylan: the boy, the teenager, the singer, the actor, the older singer, Billy the Kid? Bob Dylan and aspects of African American, feminine, preacher, cowboy, actor?

5. Audience knowledge of Bob Dylan and his career, his life and background, his music, lyrics, the songs? The initial folk music, celebrating the past and the unions, transferring to the present and the 60s and social concerns? From Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan? The background of Joan Baez and the protest songs? The early 60s? The actor, his career, marriage and children, separation? The tours, especially to England? The fans, the change to electronic music, the BBC interviewer and the questions in England? His personal life? The background of Bob Dylan as Billy the Kid in Sam Peckinpah's Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid? The reality of Dylan's career after this period, at the beginning of the 21st century? Success?

6. The effect of the intercutting of the various characters, times? Each throwing light on the other? With the voice-over to help?

7. The child, Woody Guthrie? His age, African American, the background of the reformatory, songs and lyrics, riding the trains, meeting the old-timers and singing with them, the vicious attacks, his being thrown into the river, the rescue? 1959? His encounter with the black family, the black woman telling him to sing about the present? The white family and their listening, his accomplishment? The future?

8. The teenage interviews, the black and white photography, in the witness box, the voice, the appearance, the explanations - especially of the rebel?

9. Jack Rowlands as the singer of the 1960s, Christian Bale's impersonation of Bob Dylan? The social issues, the songs, performance, the Civil Rights movement? The visualising of the 1960s, the protests? Julianne Moore and the Joan Baez-type character, her retrospective, her comments? The award, his foolish speech, people upset, the drink? The post-Kennedy assassination era? Issuing the apology? His being seen later in life, the close-up of the crucifix, the Pentecostal church, his preaching?

10. The actor, Heath Ledger's impersonation? The scene of the filming? The reviews? Not so favourable? Meeting Claire, their discussions, French, artists, love? Their years together? The two girls? His own womanising, especially on location in England? The phone calls, the break-up? The portrait of Claire, her art, French background, at home, upset, the phone calls, her speech and the need to leave, the separation? Later seeing the husband come to take the girls out, presence? Claire being able to accept this? The period of Vietnam, interspersing the film with television shots of the war in Vietnam, especially the self-immolations and the comments about this kind of sacrifice and protest?

11. The older singer, Cate Blanchett's performance? The black and white photography? On tours, the interviews, the BBC? Singing 'Mr Jones', Jones, his criticisms, his questions, the singer turning them back on him? The performance, the cage, Mr Jones in the cage? Visualising the song? Issues of sincerity and insincerity? The TV interviewer wanting the celebrities to say what they wanted? The celebrity on TV? The fans, the concerts, turning on the singer and throwing objects onto the stage? The entourage? The mad waiter, drawing the knife, his attack, saying that the singer had betrayed the fans? The issue of electronic music? Illness, the entourage, Allen Ginsberg and his passing, lost in admiration of this celebrity?

12. Richard Gere as Billy the Kid, the re-creation of the 1880s, Pat Garrett and his role in the town, Billy the Kid with the mask, taking it off, the denunciation of authorities, the continued protest? Pat Garrett (and the irony of Bruce Greenwood performing this role in heavy makeup)? The arrest, travelling in the modern car - the significance of Bob Dylan in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid? It becoming an alter-ego?

13. The variety of backgrounds, how well created? Different personalities, Allen Ginsberg, the world of television? Promotion?

14. The cumulative effect of this kind of experience of different screen styles, Bob Dylan's music, an interpretation of his life and times?