Customer Reviews

Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years: Busy Being Born... Again!

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years is a DVD offering an inside perspective of how Bob Dylan, a Jewish folk singer from the Midwest, came to embrace Jesus Christ and Christianity. Passionate for his new faith, Dylan made three Gospel albums, and won a Grammy for "Gotta Serve Somebody". Yet the Christian direction of his music alienated fans and sparked the ire of critics, especially when he preached apocalyptic passages from the "Book of Revelation." Telling the story of Bob Dylan's transformation through interviews with notable figures ranging from "Slow Train Coming" producer Jerry Wexler to background singer Regina McCrary to San Francisco Chronicle rock reporter Joel Selven and many more, Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years includes rare photos, exclusive live concert footage from 1978-1981, and an interview from 1981 in which Bob Dylan himself speaks of the impact Jesus Christ had on his art and soul. Bonus features include full soundtrack MP3s! Highly recommended especially for Bob Dylan fans who wish to better understand and appreciate this turning point in his life's work. 120 minutes.

If people claim that their lives are the same from the cradle to the grave they are being less than truthful. If we put our entertainers up on pedestals and hold them to our own standards without seeing them as living, growing, changing people we do ourselves and them a disservice. Bob Dylan is nothing if not one who goes his own way. He sees the world from his point of view that just happens to be what many other people would like to see. He sees in a light that is really quite different and very personal. The songs he writes come from a place that only he knows and understands.

When he declared his belief in Jesus as his Lord and Savior it was a very personal decision that was expressed in his art and music. This time in his life was very mysterious to his hardcore fans who lived through a time of sex, drugs, and rock & roll. The problem is that the Christianity that most people know is expressed in very severe terms; just check out the televangelists of the health and wealth gospel. This presentation goes to the heart of what Dylan lived at the time both in his new found faith and his art. The interviews come from both sides of the debate: his Christian teachers and the musicians who worked with him. One of the most interesting segments is the interview with Jerry Wexler, the producer of "Slow Train Coming." Pay attention to this.

To get a balanced view of this time in Bob's life buy this. It will be well worth the time spent watching and the money spent acquiring it.

Marty Cramer

I own:'Bob Dylan 1975-1982: Rolling Thunder And The Gospel Years'. From reading the product information of this DVD "Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years,..." it seems like Gilbert just edited his 2006 'Bob Dylan 1975-1982: Rolling Thunder And The Gospel Years' by removing all the Rolling Thunder content and renaming it "Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years: Busy Being Born... Again!". "Again" is right! Rip off, I'd say if you already own the 2006 DVD. My review of that DVD would be in agreement with the previous review - a little cheesy, Bob Dylan is not in it because it is unauthorized, but you do learn some interesting information. If I am mistaken, please someone who has seen both of these straighten me out. I emailed Gilbert but did not hear back.

Bob Dylan's so-called 'Jesus years' have been cruelly maligned by fans and onlookers alike, perceiving his conversion to Christianity as his second betrayal. His move from folk to rock 'n roll, embracing the electric guitar, and all the potential that such a weapon of Dylan's would have, had the same impact as his salvation, both events being decried by his audience.

The records that belonged to this period include, Slow Train Coming, the awesome, spirited and uplifting Saved, as well as part of the gospel tinged Shot Of Love. This documentary covers this period by seeking commentary from pastors, musicians, record producers, journalists, a little bit of footage from Dylan's live performances and one interview.

Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years: Busy Being Born Again, is a curious documenatry, highlighting something that has been all but ignored by many music fans, inspite of the reverence of his adoring fan base. It does give the impression it was made on a small budget, but the interviews are warm and wonderful and all the right questions are asked. Definitely worth a look.

I wasn't sure why this video was made. I found most of it entertaining because I lived through this time in history and was in San Francisco for the concert Bob Dylan gave. It brought back some fond memories. I knew what was shared about the concert was true. I am curious what Bob Dylan's take on this video would be. It left me with more questions than answers. I was hoping for more of Bob Dylan's personal testimony and found it odd that he was not part of its making.

I'm comfortable with evangelical Christians and I loved Dylan's first couple of gospel albums. This "documentary" does neither any great credit. The best you can say for it is that the DVD is well-intentioned. But seldom have good intentions proved so dull. (Contains no original Dylan music.)

This EASILY could have been a 70 minute TIGHT documentary. Instead it's running time has been bloated with horrible shots of the director driving and walking around. It also has the worst editing I've ever seen in a docu. Every few seconds during the interviews the video will cut to a cheesy clip-art image of one of the subjects a person is talking about. If someone says "drugs" we are treated to pics of syringes in someone's arm. If they say "car" we are shown a lovely stock shot of a car for no reason. If they say "funny", cut to a clown's face...EXTREMELY annoying and childish. It would have been much better without all this amateurish bunk. Even with these faults I DID find this to be an interesting docu and appreciate the fact that someone bothered to tackle the subject of Dylan's conversion at all. I just wish it was shorter and without all the horrible stock images.

I think that there are some people who do not know very much about this period of Bob Dylan's life. This story is very inspiring. However, I wish that there could have been more of Dylan's gospel music in the video. Also, Closed Captions would have been helpful.

Yes Karen, I just watched 5 minutes and pulled out my "Rolling Thunder Gospel Years" and came to post the same comment. What a drag this Gilbert guy is. Amazon too, for sending me the, "Look what's new, Dylan fan" email. Don't waste your time, these Gilbert videos are interesting, but not that interesting. You want to see or hear Dylan, this isn't the place. You want to see Gilbert trying to look like Dylan, have at it.

I purchased this for my husband for Christmas as he is a really big Dylan fan. It didn't live up to the glowing reviews that i had read, it could have been done better, a little corny. But it was informative, we learned some things we hadn't know before. Left us wanting to see more old footage of Dylan's concerts and music!