Haynes sets Dylan up as a tall tale folk hero in order to emphasize Dylan's fame and our ability as fans or observers to never truly know him. He does this from the start of the film with the character of Woody. Woody is a fast talking runaway that is a throw back to the dust bowl. His status a folk character is solidified when he is thrown from a railcar into the water, only to be swallowed by a whale. In keeping with this folk hero, tall tale theme, the character of Jude Quin, played by Cate Blanchett, makes sentimental references to traditional folk music, the magic and mythology of it. Also, book ending the film is another storyline centering around Richard Gere's character of Billy the Kid. There are many parallels between this piece and the beginning Woody piece. Both Woody and Billy find themselves on the run by hopping in train cars, and encounter large out of place animals (the whale in Woody's piece and a giraffe in Billy's). This serves to solidify a feeling of mythology and folk hero status around Bob Dylan, and makes it even more difficult for us to figure him out in a traditional sense.
Additionally, Hayne's uses multiple actors playing various different characters in order to emphasize the many or potential sides and states of Bob Dylan. Heath Ledger as an actor, plays a man who plays other people. He has the star mentality and struggles in be faithful to his wife, and there for his daughter. In addition Cate Blanchet as Jude Quin plays the troubled artist struggling with fame, and plagued by unhappy fans and a critical public. As Quin walks off stage post performance we hear people's reactions, complaining about how much "he's changed." This is done in order to show people's assumptions as to who Bob Dylan is, which is exactly what this film fights against.
No comments:
Post a Comment