1978 film by Bob Dylan
| Renaldo and Clara |
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 Theatrical release poster |
| Directed by | Bob Dylan |
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| Written by | Bob Dylan |
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| Produced by | Mel Howard |
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| Starring | Bob Dylan
Sara Dylan
Joan Baez |
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| Cinematography | Howard Alk
David Meyers
Paul Goldsmith |
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| Edited by | Bob Dylan
Howard Alk |
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| Music by | Various artists |
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| Distributed by | Circuit Films |
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Release date |
- January 25, 1978 (1978-01-25)
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Running time | 232 minutes |
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| Country | United States |
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| Language | English |
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Renaldo and Clara is a 1978 American film directed by Bob Dylan and starring Bob Dylan, Sara Dylan and Joan Baez. Written by Dylan and Sam Shepard, the film incorporates three distinct film genres: concert footage, documentary interviews, and dramatic fictional vignettes reflective of Dylan's song lyrics and life.[1]
Filmed in the fall of 1975 prior to and during Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour, the film features appearances and performances by Phil Ochs, Ronee Blakley, T-Bone Burnett, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Allen Ginsberg, Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Hawkins, Roger McGuinn, Joni Mitchell, Mick Ronson, Arlen Roth, Sam Shepard, and Harry Dean Stanton. Renaldo and Clara was released in its original four-hour form on January 25, 1978 in the United States. Its limited release in theaters in New York City, Los Angeles, and other cities was discontinued after a few weeks following widespread negative reviews.[2]
Production
Renaldo and Clara was influenced by the French film Les Enfants du Paradis, and was written by Dylan.[3] Most of the performers are musicians or members of Dylan's inner circle; the only professional actors in the cast are Sam Shepard, Harry Dean Stanton, Helena Kallianiotes, and Ronee Blakley.
Many of the artists performing with the Rolling Thunder Revue are featured in the film, which also includes clips of concert performances and footage of Rubin Carter, the subject of Dylan's song "Hurricane". The film also features an appearance from the musician, David Blue, who gives some insight into the 1960s New York City folk music scene while playing a game of pinball. The machine was a Big Valley, built by Bally in 1970. The film also contains the last known footage of Phil Ochs, who is shown preparing to take the stage at Folk City in October 1975; he committed suicide six months later.
Reception
Upon its theatrical release in 1978, Renaldo and Clara received poor reviews, and, after opening in New York City and Los Angeles, its initial limited theatrical run was discontinued after a few weeks. The film was also shown in a film theatre in Hampstead, London, in a film theatre in Rialto, Dublin and in the Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in May 1979.[4]
Later in 1978, Dylan allowed a two-hour edit of the film to be distributed. The shortened version focused more on the concert footage and omitted many of the dramatic scenes.
After a small number of showings of the original version on European television, Dylan withdrew the film from distribution. It was shown in two parts 7–8 July 1980 on German television ZDF; on Finnish television 28 August 1982; 26 December 1983 (Boxing Day) on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. The 4-hour version was also shown 29 May 2011 at the Glasgow Film Theatre.
Legacy
Copies, made from recordings of the television broadcast, circulate among collectors. The only parts of the project to be released widely since its withdrawal are the excerpts found on the bonus DVD accompanying the initial release of Dylan's The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue and in footage that was repurposed for the 2019 pseudo-documentary Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese. Footage from the film also appeared in the music video of Dylan's 1991 song "Series of Dreams". As of 2021, the film has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 38% based on eight critic reviews, with an average rating of 4.5/10.[5]
