An astonishing number of days have passed since we last posted anything about Todd Haynes’ Bob Dylan-inspired film I’m Not There, but fear not, today we came across this video about the movie. I’m Not There was awarded the Special Jury Prize (alongside La Graine et le Mulet, a French film by Abdellatif Kechiche) at this year’s Venice Film Festival earlier this month, and this report, which features interviews with director Haynes and one of the film’s six Dylans (Heath Ledger), provides welcome insight into Haynes’ vision. Check it out, then enjoy a tour through our past coverage of the film including our I’m Not There photo gallery, on-set report, and sneak-peak preview of the film.

First things first: click above to watch the trailer for the film Rock Daily is clearly fascinated with, Todd Haynes’ Bob Dylan-inspired I’m Not There.

Plus, in an interview in today’s New York Times, indie-film bigwig Harvey Weinstein, whose Weinstein Company will distrbute I’m Not There, explains how fans will be able to get to see the movie — slowly, over time. On November 21st, it will open on four screens in New York and Los Angeles (Film Forum and Lincoln Plaza in New York; Westside Pavilion and ArcLight Cinemas in LA) before eventually hitting one hundred American cities. “With a movie like this you have to build it,” said Weinstein. “I like the movie; I think it’s adventurous. The audience is going to have to work — work in a good way.”

And Weinstein thinks one of the film’s Dylans should be preparing an Oscar acceptance speech: “I may be jumping the gun,” Weinstein said, “But if Cate Blanchett doesn’t get nominated, I’ll shoot myself.” As Rock Daily can attest, Blanchett delivers a pretty extraordinary performance.

We’ve been following the evolution of Todd Haynes’ Bob Dylan-inspired film I’m Not There since the first images of Cate Blanchett as Dylan emerged. Since then we’ve visited the set and posted everything from our impressions after seeing the film to photos of the film’s actors in various stages of Dylan channeling. Today, as images of all the major characters in the film have leaked online via the Playlist blog, we’ve updated our I’m Not There photo gallery. Check out new images of Christian Bale, Heath Ledger and the Dylans you haven’t seen before right here.

If it’s not already apparent from the collection of I’m Not There-related posts already on our site, Rolling Stone is very intrigued by the forthcoming Todd Haynes-directed, Bob Dylan-inspired film. We’ve shown you images from the shoot as they’ve emerged online, but now we’ve compiled all the coolest shots into one handy photo gallery. Check it out here.

Craigslist is a great place to find a used bookshelf or someone with a foot fetish, but who would have guessed Bob Dylan’s camp would use it to cast his new music video? According to this posting on the New York list, they’re looking for Bob Dylan fans in their twenties to forties who “embody the style of the 1960s, 70s or 80s.” Seems like they’re casting a rather wide net there. The video directors are also looking for “Bob Dylan look-a-likes at any stage of his life between 5′7″ - 5′9″ in height.” There’s no indication of what the video is for, but presumably it’s related to the soundtrack to the Todd Haynes biopic I’m Not There. E-mail BobDylanVideo@gmail.com if you want to be in the clip (or have any of the “vintage” props they’re seeking). The shoot is somewhere in New York next Tuesday.

Photo: Micelotta / Getty

As you may have noticed, Rock Daily is following the progress of Todd Haynes’ Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There pretty closely. Last summer our collective minds were blown by eerily spot-on photos of Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan. We visited the film’s Montreal set, then checked out the first clip to leak from the film, which features Blanchett’s Dylan conversing with Allen Ginsberg, played by David Cross. Most recently, we were treated to a special screening of I’m Not There, where we learned about performances by My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and Sonic Youth. And now we’ve stumbled upon two more photos from the set, of Heath Ledger and Richard Gere in character as Dylan.

Sometimes, life is good: Last night Rolling Stone got an exclusive screening of the new Todd Haynes film I’m Not There in which six actors portray Bob Dylan. We’re pretty much sworn to secrecy, but can’t resist giving you a few highlights:

• Cate Blanchett as Dylan, meeting Brian Jones at a party and calling the Rolling Stones a “groovy covers band,” then screaming “play your old stuff” at a statue of Jesus Christ alongside David Cross as Allen Ginsberg.

• Christian Bale as the late-’70s born-again Dylan, sermonizing about Christ and delivering the hidden Dylan gospel classic “Pressing On,” from Saved, sung by John Doe.

• My Morning Jacket’s Jim James’ heartbreaking rendition of the basement tapes chestnut “Goin’ to Acapulco” in full Rolling Thunder Review white face.

• Sonic Youth’s brilliant version of the unreleased Dylan classic “I’m Not There” from the basement tapes session that plays during the closing credits.

Photo: Persson/Redferns/Retna

The first clip from the highly anticipated Todd Haynes-directed Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There has surfaced on YouTube. The black-and-white footage depicts the first meeting between a young Dylan (portrayed here by actress Cate Blanchett) and beat poet Allen Ginsberg (played by comedian David Cross). As we reported last fall, Blanchett is just one of six actors who will channel their inner Bob Dylans to tell the singer/songwriter’s story — Richard Gere, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Marcus Carl Franklin and Ben Whishaw will also play the role. In the leaked scene, Blanchett’s Dylan-esque hair, sunglasses and gruff voice help make her convincing, but there’s no hiding those feminine cheekbones. I’m Not There is slated to hit theaters September 21.

• What seems to be the poster for hotly anticipated Bob Dylan inspired film I’m Not There has appeared online. We recognize Cate Blanchett from earlier photos, so the other Bobs shown must be Christian Bale or Richard Gere or Heath Ledger or one of the other actors (six in total) playing incarnations of Dylan in the Todd Haynes-directed flick.
• The Game is in potentially serious trouble after formal charges of making a criminal threat and possessing a firearm in a school area have been filed. The charges stem from the rapper’s arrest on May 11th when his house was searched by police. He could face as many as five years in jail.
• Never one for the avoidance of melodrama, Lily Allen has said that life on tour and all the drinking that comes with it, may kill her if she keeps at it. “I’m an alcoholic now. It’s not good and that’s why I want to get back into the studio,” the pop star lamented. “I’ve actually pulled myself aside and said it will kill me if I keep it up. I’ve got to stop abusing myself because as far as I’m concerned every loon hates me now.”
• 50 Cent says he has two albums in the hopper, Curtis, which is now coming out in September, and Before I Self Destruct, which he’s close to finishing. After those two records, though, we may not hear from the guy for a while. “For me, right now, I feel like I love music, so [fans] should expect me to make music afterwards,” 50 said. “But I’ll make it organically, like [Dr.] Dre makes a record. It may take five or seven years. … They’ll be looking for my record, like, ‘Yo, come on, when you making a record?’”
• Ryan Adams plans to release what promises to be a rather awesome boxset. The collection will include unreleased albums 48 Hours, The Suicide Handbook, and Bedhead, as well as songs from the Easy Tiger sessions, and live tracks. No word yet on an exact release date for the collection.

Last week we managed to get onto the Montreal set of Todd Haynes’ Bob Dylan movie, “I’m Not There.” The biggest news? Cate Blanchett is going to blow you away with her breathtakingly accurate take on mid-Sixties Dylan (in case you hadn’t heard: yes, she plays him as a dude). The film’s soundtrack, which features rockers covering Bob, is also looking intriguing: (more…)