Bob Dylan Defies Director with Fabricated Scene in New Biopic 'A Complete Unknown'
Bob Dylan wanted to include a fabricated scene in his upcoming biopic, disregarding the objections raised by director and co-writer James Mangold.
Taking an active role in the making of "A Complete Unknown," premiered Christmas Day, Dylan oversaw the production closely, with Timothee Chalamet portraying him in the lead role.
According to a report by Rolling Stone, Edward Norton, portraying Pete Seeger, disclosed an incident of mischief by Dylan during the production of the movie.
"Norton... says Mangold told him Dylan insisted on [adding] at least one totally inaccurate scene."
The movie maintains a semblance of truth, albeit with some historical deviations.
Monica Barbaro, cast as Joan Baez, initially felt uneasy about these alterations. Her reported primary goal was to portray Baez's story with utmost precision.
In questioning the authenticity of the portrayal, she disapproved the depiction of Dylan and Baez performing "Girl from the North Country" together, noting the absence of evidence supporting such a scenario.
Additionally, she challenged the inclusion of scenes showing Baez and Dylan playing guitars together, as it deviated from the usual dynamic where Dylan was the primary instrumentalist.
Despite her objections, the director defended these changes, asserting they enhanced the overall quality of the film.
"[Mangold] was like, 'I just love that image so much,'" Barbaro told the publication.
He emphasized that the film was a creative interpretation rather than a faithful representation of Dylan's life.
"You can't make it like a Wikipedia entry."
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The article further said, "There are several possibilities for the scene in question, including the moment when an infamous shout of betrayal from the crowd — which actually happened a year later — is placed at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival."
Norton mentioned that Dylan "obvious pleasure in obfuscation and distortion," adding how he's "such a troublemaker."
Chalamet also shared a memorable conversation he had with Mangold about a specific line of dialogue that caught his attention.
The actor fondly reminisced: "Bob would [insert] these one-off lines that were so fantastic. [Mangold] has an annotated Bob script lying around somewhere. I'll beg him to get my hands on it. He'll never give it to me."
Before the filming started, Mangold shared that he had encountered Dylan on several occasions.
Mangold expressed, "I felt like Bob just wanted to know what I was up to. 'Who is this guy? Is he a shithead? Does he get it?'... the normal questions anyone asks when they're throwing themselves in league with someone."
Whether Dylan revels in creating a veil of secrecy or simply enjoys the intrigue, one thing is clear - he has a penchant for spinning tales about his life.
For years, he maintained a narrative of being a runaway child who found solace in a traveling circus for six years.
The publication of his memoir "Chronicles" sparked a frenzy among Dylan fans, who scrambled to verify the accuracy of his narrative. They discovered that many details in his account were either exaggerated or entirely fabricated.
It is not unexpected at all. The musician has cultivated an enigmatic image over the years and openly embraces the intrigue it generates.
During a conversation with biographer Mick Brown in 1985, he revealed he wanted to interview other figures such as the Prophet Mohammed, the Apostle Paul, and Marilyn Monroe.
According to Dylan, "I'd like to interview people who died leaving an unresolved mess behind. And who left people for ages, to do nothing but speculate."