Search - Bob Dylan: 1978-1989 - Both Ends of the Rainbow on DVD

...roll away the stone...

rocky-o | 05/29/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"like the previous two 'isis' documentaries, "tales from the golden age" and "after the crash", this new one continues to travel down the long, illustrious career of bob dylan, with great interviews and insights into what made him who he is, and what he is...
this film takes over just when dylan was hitting, what is essentially, his 'trinity trilogy', the albums that truly displayed his christianity...
that's not to say that he didn't ever display his faith before (as many 'fans' seem to think...)
no, quite the contrary...on all his albums prior to, and preceeding, this period, you can find themes that deal with the spiritual side that are illuminated throughout this period...
from the brilliant "slow train coming" album to "saved" and finally "shot of love", dylan pressed his soul out on his sleeve, concerned with hearts, rather than the charts...
the fans and critics that obviously never understood him turned away at this point, but those who found it a natural flow stayed with him to present day...and this documentary continues that flow up to the "oh mercy" years, which only suggests that there will be even more great documentaries to follow...thank God..."

No Pot-O-Gold

Martin R. Rose | Tinley Park, Illinois | 07/06/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Although this disk explains the period of Dylan's life that took him and his listeners down unexpected paths, it lacks any commentary from him and any actual performances other than those you've seen already. It does give insight to the performer's plight with his convictions and the vicious attacks by critics. It also includes some interesting commentary by producers who explain their adaptations to Dylan's unique recording styles. Especially with the Shot of Love album.
If you expect footage of live performances, there is no pot-o-gold here!"

A documentary of Dylan's most controversial decade

Michael Dalton | Eureka, CA United States | 07/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bob Dylan 1978-1989 Both Ends of the Rainbow is the third Dylan documentary in the series produced by UK-based Chrome Dreams. The first two are now part of a limited edition set titled Bob Dylan: The Golden Years 1962-1978. If you like documentaries and are a Dylan fan, you can't go wrong by adding both of these to your DVD collection. It doesn't get much better than this.

The DVD starts with extensive commentary on one of the most fascinating and controversial periods in Dylan's career. It encompasses the period marked by the three recordings that made Dylan's new Christian faith evident: Slow Train Coming (1979), Saved (1980) and Shot of Love (1981).

If Dylan's emergence as an icon for the counter-culture in 1965 divided the hip from the unhip, his declaration of the gospel on Slow Train Coming divided the saved from the damned. Many saw this as a betrayal. Slow Train Coming went platinum, but his next two Christian recordings charted poorly in the US, which reflected the disenchantment of some of his fans. The opinion of a record storeowner that I spoke with during that time probably reflected the views of many Dylan fans. He liked the music but didn't like the message. There was nothing subtle about it, and it was too much for many fans to handle.

What remains a mystery is where Dylan stands in relation to his faith today. One person reiterates that he has never renounced it. Dylan has chosen to keep this subject out of the limelight.

The film shows what a difficult time the eighties were for Dylan and other aging rock stars. MTV, disco and DJs took music in a new direction less favorable to rock. Dylan struggled to be successful in his recordings and performances.

Infidels (1983) was a departure from the Christian trilogy that preceded it. Dylan was once again becoming more subtle and poetic. Empire Burlesque (1985), Knocked Out Loaded (1986) and Down in the Groove (1988) charted poorly, but they contained standout tracks that are now revered as classics. The release of Oh Mercy (1989) was seen as a return to form.

The DVD feels a little long at 127 minutes, but the depth of analysis is excellent. It even provides a perspective on the politics of the time. The performance clips and appearances are brief but noteworthy, punctuating some of the highs and lows of Dylan's career.

One of the highlights is a short segment of Dylan performing "Maggie's Farm" with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It makes you wish you could see the whole song, but this is a biography and documentary.

I think the producer gets the content right. Full performances are outside the scope of this independent review and critique. One interesting bonus is an audio interview of Dylan when he was in the most fervent phase of his Christianity.

This is a must-have for fans and anyone interested in Dylan's music and career.
"

One end of the rainbow.

Gary L. Brendel | Leesport, Pa. U.S.A. | 05/29/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Both Ends Of The Rainbow is a well done documentary as I am just now watching documentaries concentrating on this time period. The points I didnt like was the anti-Christian bigotry displayed by too many of the venomous critics. It is true, and I do believe that only those who are born-again are going to understand the lyrical content of these albums. As the book says, to those who are saved, it is the fragrance of life. To those who are not, it is the steanch of death. And that is very evident on this documentary.
I also was frustrated how they would take an entire album, take the hokiest song from that album, and that song alone, and play it over and over as if to say the whole album is just like this. Nothing could be farther from the truth as Dylan fans know, these are some of the most creative and sincere of his career. Lets face it, if the lyrics would have been secular, the critics would have been applauding.
Finally, after listening to the arm-chair generals knock the Live Aid performance, there was a brief cut from Farm Aid with Tom Petty. I felt this deserved more attention. That night was pivitol for Dylan. He was rejuvinated and his performance was nothing less than phenominal.
All in all I would still recommend this dvd as long as you can get by the one sided points of view.
One more thing, I liked the "Shot Of Love" cover."