A Complete Unknownis the latest historical biopic that critics have fallen in love with, charting the early days of Bob Dylan’s career as he rose to stardom as the leading voice in America’s folk music scene. The film takes place throughout the early 1960s, as Dylan first made a name for himself and brought folk music into the mainstream for arguably the first time.A Complete Unknownis a fairly accurate biopicthat stays true to Dylan’s music and legacy while introducing his career to a new generation.
Although he’s now considered one of the greatest songwriters of all time,there was a time when Bob Dylan was viewed as a much more controversial figure. Folk music wasn’t particularly well-respected in America in the early ‘60s, and he was among the first people to bring these unique country sounds to popularity in New York City. However, the evolution of his career was an especially turbulent one, and many of the artistic choices that he made were met with criticism. This is something that’s thoroughly explored inA Complete Unknown’s ending, with his performance at the Newport Folk Festival.
Some Believe The Crowd Booed Bob Dylan Because He Played Electric Guitar
When performing at Newport in 1965, Bob Dylan was promptly booed off-stage after just a few songs. The main reason for this reaction is historically understood to be the musician’s transition away from acoustic folk, which initially made him popular, to electric folk rock.Dylan took to the stage with a Sunburst Fender Stratocaster, which offered a completely different sound to his usual acoustic music. This was widely seen as Dylan “turning his back” on folk music and embracing a more commercial sound.
A Complete Unknown Box Office Lands On Major All-Time Domestic Chart In Just One Week
A Complete Unknown, James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet, lands on an all-time domestic box office chart after just one week.
Ultimately, the decision to “go electric”turned out pretty well for Bob Dylan, despite the criticism that he faced. After the Newport Folk Festival,Bob Dylan released his greatest albumsyet. His more modern projects such asBringing It All Back Home,Highway 61 Revisited, andBlonde and Blondewere the works that made Dylan the superstar he ended up being, while later albums such asBlood on the Trackssaw him fully transition into that electric sound.
Others Say Bob Dylan Was Booed Due To Sound Issues & A Short Set
Al Kooper Believes Fans Just Wanted More Dylan
However, this isn’t the only theory regarding the poor reception to Dylan’s Newport set. Speaking withOpenVault,musician Al Kooper (who performed alongside Dylan in 1965) claimed thatmost audiences were simply upset by the length of the performance. Dylan only played 15 minutes, in comparison to some lesser-known artists playing up to 45, and the fans were allegedly displeased. Kooper said that “Bob Dylan comes out and plays 15 minutes [and…] they all went nuts. Not because he played electric. But because they’d paid all this money […] and heard 15 minutes of Bob Dylan”
In truth, the controversy surrounding Dylan’s Newport set was likely a combination of the two. While the performance was short, there were certainly discussions about his decision to play an electric guitar, and this defined the rest of the musician’s career. It’s something that’s briefly explored inA Complete Unknown, though the film centers mostly around his career before Newport.
A Complete Unknown
Cast
A Complete Unknown is a biographical movie that follows a young Bob Dylan as he integrates with New York and catches the eye of the folk singers in the area, eventually propelling him into stardom.
