Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back (1967)

100% of critics liked it
(19 reviews)
91% of users liked it
(5,303 ratings)

In 1965, filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker accompanied Bob Dylan to England to make a film about the singer/songwriter's British tour. At the time, no one could have known how fortuitous Pennebaker's timing would prove to be. Within a few months of this tour, Dylan would forsake his role as The Conscience… More In 1965, filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker accompanied Bob Dylan to England to make a film about the singer/songwriter's British tour. At the time, no one could have known how fortuitous Pennebaker's timing would prove to be. Within a few months of this tour, Dylan would forsake his role as The Conscience of Folk Music to pick up a Fender Stratocaster and play rock and roll. Within a year, Dylan would suffer a motorcycle accident that would put him out of commission for nearly 18 months. Recording several brilliant solo performances and capturing a wealth of fly-on-the-wall footage of Dylan's interactions with friends and strangers, Pennebaker caught Dylan on the cusp of a radical career change, and the man in this film seems to be thrashing about in his shackles, looking for some sort of escape route. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: D.A. Pennebaker
Genres: Documentary, Musical & Performing Arts, Special Interest

In Theaters: Jun 1, 1967 Wide
On DVD: Dec 28, 1999
Studio: Docurama

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
D.A. Pennebaker's 1967 record of Bob Dylan's 1965 English tour is a genuine blast from the past, evoking the 60s like few other documents.
Jim Ridley, Village Voice
An unforgettable all-access pass behind the scenes of Bob Dylan's '65 British tour, D.A. Pennebaker's landmark 1967 rock doc all but invented the form while presaging the music video.
Donal J. Henahan, New York Times
Whether one is a member of the under-30 set that regards Mr. Dylan as a spokesman, or one of the vanishing Americans over that age, this look into the life of a folk hero is likely to be both entertaining and occasionally disturbing.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
D.A. Pennebaker's 1967 film, which invented the rock documentary, is a time capsule from the period when Sgt. Pepper was steamrolling Mr. Tambourine Man.
Chris Cabin, Slant Magazine
It's unlikely that Don't Look Back will ever look better than it does on Docurama's Blu-ray release, making this two-disc package an essential purchase for rock-doc aficionados.
Mike Scott, Times-Picayune
Unencumbered by voiceover or any sort of forced narrative, the result is an intimate and riveting look at Dylan unfiltered, a portrait of the artist as a 24-year-old superstar.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's a classic doc worth savoring for its brilliant bitchiness.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Dylan courses through like loose mercury, a capricious nightmare, inscrutable jester, brilliant artist
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The film's greatest incidental pleasures are images of a time when outlaw musicians wore suit jackets and the craggy Dylan was a delicate, unconventionally handsome young man.
, Film4
The film that gives rockumentaries a good name.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Essential raw Dylan.
, Time Out
A fascinating document.
Chris Parcellin, Film Threat
Great stuff for Dylan fans or anyone interested in a street level look at a pop culture icon.
James Rocchi, Netflix
Bob Dylan documentary still thrills in this restored DVD.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Lanning :

Amazing . . . <p> My dear niece, who first invited me to join flixster actually, was working the bar at a London venue where Bob Dylan was playing. At some point she was sent backstage to deliver Dylan a beer. Like me, my niece is a big fan of his; we still are. Her report:… More
Amazing . . . <p> My dear niece, who first invited me to join flixster actually, was working the bar at a London venue where Bob Dylan was playing. At some point she was sent backstage to deliver Dylan a beer. Like me, my niece is a big fan of his; we still are. Her report: He was not very pleasant. <p> I'm sure Dylan is not the only celebrity who may not come off well from time to time in public interaction. I know I'd never want to have a beer with Dylan, but I won't let his personality quirks color the power of his music for me. My niece and I do remain big fans. <p> Note to self: You will never be famous. How do I know this? No one ever follows me around like this in my day-to-day routine with a camera.
Michael G

A must for any Dylan fan from his best era.
Mike T

This isn't just a great music documentary... this is a great film. Director D.A. Pennebaker does a lot of inventive things to ensure that his movie will stand on its own and he succeeds. This is a candid, brilliantly energetic glimpse into the life of a genius, and it captures so… More
This isn't just a great music documentary... this is a great film. Director D.A. Pennebaker does a lot of inventive things to ensure that his movie will stand on its own and he succeeds. This is a candid, brilliantly energetic glimpse into the life of a genius, and it captures so much of the madness and the humour and the excitement that we want to see. Dylan is the best subject that a filmmaker could find for this sort of feature. He is absolutely fascinating to watch. The final scene is so intimate, it could arguably be seen as profound. The loose black-and-white photography is beautiful, and Dylan's music further underlines how enjoyable this movie is.
Andre T

Great documentary of this genious musician.
MJS M

I?ve always been a casual Bob Dylan fan, and recently I?ve become more and more aware of this D.A. Pennebaker documentary chronicling his 1965 English tour. A lot of this footage has become iconic out of context, a handful of quotes from it were used in Todd Hayne?s film I?m Not… More
I?ve always been a casual Bob Dylan fan, and recently I?ve become more and more aware of this D.A. Pennebaker documentary chronicling his 1965 English tour. A lot of this footage has become iconic out of context, a handful of quotes from it were used in Todd Hayne?s film I?m Not There and outtakes from the film were used in Martin Scorsese?s documentary No Direction Home. The film has a lot of footage of people making asses of themselves in Dylan?s presence, and Dylan being a dick to them partly because they deserve it and partly because he?s an asshole. While Dylan?s behavior is not entirely savory, it is interesting, so the Doc works pretty well.
Patrick D

It's a great "fly-on-the-wall" documentary. D.A. Pennebaker really constructed one heck of a portrait. Although it seems somewhat on the side of trying to show Dylan as "super cool" and "super philosophical", which ends up making him look like… More
It's a great "fly-on-the-wall" documentary. D.A. Pennebaker really constructed one heck of a portrait. Although it seems somewhat on the side of trying to show Dylan as "super cool" and "super philosophical", which ends up making him look like he's a jerk talking out of his ass. Great musician though.
Jared H

I wanna chill with Bob Dylan and we can just be jerks together.
Christopher B

Great pioneering documentary on the legendary Bob Dylan. Pennebaker made a masterpiece sure to be enjoyed by Dylan and non Dylan fans alike. Remember when documentarians let the subjects speak for themselves?