Don't Look Back is more than an intimate look at a series of concerts with the young Bob Dylan.  Filmed by the legendary D.A. Pennebaker in 1965 England, the documentary crosses a celebrity boundary, capturing the private as well as the public Dylan.  It exposes him as both the soft-spoken poet and the flippantly cruel man who mauled unsuspecting reporters with fits of philosophy.

Don't Look Back is a collection of Dylan's last solo acoustic stage performances, lazy afternoons jamming in the hotel, and press conferences showcasing his absurdist sense of humor. More importantly, it is Dylan the "folk poet" and "protest singer" dropping any kind of idealistic agenda or cause.  Preferring not to be the instrument of truth ("It Ain't Me Babe"), he plays the part of a chain-smoking Socrates, "the most ignorant of men," who can point towards the truth, but feels uncomfortable making any instructive statement until true knowledge is attained.

Most importantly, the film shows Dylan redefining pop culture ("The Times They Are A-Changin'") by infusing mainstream music with artistry and philosophy.  In an era of "I Want To Hold Your Hand," he created dark and painfully directed songs such as "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll."  The film marks the arrival of skepticism about the rigid moral boundaries of the dominating bubblegum pop culture, alluding to the difficulty in defining "truth."

Don't Look Back is the first documentary to capture a celebrity in his true light: smoking, philosophizing, cursing, writing a book, arguing with reporters, and painting himself as a true artist unconcerned with social repercussions. "I just go out and sing 'em...I don't even try and get anyone to listen." 

essay by Chris Rennier
panel discussion following the screening: Jillan Spitzmiller,