ABSTRACT
2003’s Masked and Anonymous represents Bob Dylan’s last major foray into narrative filmmaking. Co-written with director Larry Charles, the film follows the travails of Jack Fate (Bob Dylan), released from prison to perform a benefit concert in a decaying, war-torn America. The chapter examines the extent of Dylan’s influence on the film, contending that his script and close collaboration with Charles yielded a film rich with connections to Dylan’s music but also to his prior films. Character archetypes and thematic concerns return from previous cinematic ventures. Of particular note is Dylan and Charles’s approach to filming musical performances, which were purposely designed to evoke pre-MTV shooting styles. Additionally, the chapter delves into the Masked and Anonymous director’s cut found in the Bob Dylan Archive. This longer cut arguably gives us a more complete representation of Dylan’s vision for the film, featuring as it does several additional and extended scenes found in his and Charles’s screenplay.
