Film: A Complete Unknown, The Brunton at Loretto Theatre, Musselburgh

***** (5 stars)

“Simply Phenomenal”

Oh the joy of having a cinema in Musselburgh!  Since the closure of the Brunton itself, due to the ‘wrong kind of concrete’, the little theatre on Loretto school’s campus has been serving as a replacement cinema and theatre for many of the Brunton’s events.  I was delighted to go there last night to see the Bob Dylan film, A complete unknown – and also delighted to be treated by my companion to a drink from the well-stocked fridges in the theatre’s foyer.

The film itself was fascinating.  As someone who grew up in that era, learned to play the guitar and spent many many hours singing folk songs with my friends Frances and Christina, I was instantly transported back in time: it was with difficulty at times that I refrained from joining in the so-very-familiar songs….

Having learned that my guitar style needed to be pretty simple if I were to be able to remember the 22 verses of Matty Groves in the right order, I was transfixed by Timothee Chalamet’s guitar-playing.  Apparently this is an accurate representation of Dylan’s unique and complex style – and Chalamet also plays the harmonica and sings [and speaks] with Dylan’s accent and intonation, all of which are instantly recognisable.  ‘Amazing’ doesn’t do the actor justice – he’s simply phenomenal!

The narrative is not particularly accurate in its details, but the film does a brilliant job of portraying life in the mid-60s.  The growth of the folk movement, protesting the way things were and calling for change; the astonishingly rapid rise to the very heights of this completely unknown young man who was only nineteen when he met Pete Seeger; the very casual nature of life and relationships within the youth of the day; the contrast and conflict between the ‘old guard’ folk purists and those who wanted the music to move into the 20th century; the pressure on Dylan of the demands of both the public and the record companies and financial backers; the incredible self-absorption and self-belief which drove Dylan continually to move forward and change his style as he sought to express what he wanted to say; and above all the sheer genius of his song-writing; all these come over so clearly and make for a marvellous evening out.

All this joy – and then a short walk home instead of a long walk, a long wait, and a long bus journey back out of town: what’s not to love about ‘the Brunton cinema’ in Musselburgh?!

Film: A Complete Unknown, The Brunton at Loretto Theatre, Musselburgh, Run Ended