Bob Dylan: The Golden Years 1962-1978

This unauthorised, British-made DVD set with lo-fi production values provides a wealth of insights about Dylan from critics and a who’s who of past associates. A marked improvement in narrative coherence and cinematic style occurs between Tales from a Golden Age: Bob Dylan 1941-1966 and Bob Dylan 1966-1978: After the Crash. The first film is a thin, skeletal account of the same period covered so remarkably by Martin Scorsese in No Direction Home. Whereas Scorsese’s big budget epic brings Dylan and key figures in his career to life in the flesh, Golden Age relies on stock footage, stills and the wisdom of a few "experts,” like author Clinton Heylin and drummer Mickey Jones. The creative team clearly came into some funding for the follow-up, as interviews with key collaborators are rendered gracefully and rarely seen footage culled from films and TV appearances with expensive licensing fees are included. Alternately gaudy and educational, this set is a worthwhile addition for Dylanologists.