SummaryDocumentary covering Bob Dylan's 1965 tour of England, which includes appearances by Joan Baez and Donovan.
Directed By:D.A. Pennebaker
Written By:D.A. Pennebaker
Bob Dylan: Dont Look Back
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
84
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.5
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Metascore
Universal Acclaim
93% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
7% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100
The film is one of the great portraits of the artist as impossibly gifted young snot. [31 Dec 1999]
100
The total effect of these sequences is the feeling of hanging out with Dylan and his entourage. This is perhaps Don’t Look Back‘s greatest trick – convincing its audience that the Dylan we see here is anything other than a column of air: elusive, shifting and perpetually enigmatic.
88
An intimate portrait of the Bringing It All Back Home Bob Dylan during his final acoustic tour through England, it hits with escalating emotional force as the decades go by, capturing a fleeting musical period as brilliantly as any movie ever has. [07 Jan 2000]
88
Easily one of the best documentaries on any subject ever made. It is also one of the most cinematically influential.
80
Wonderfully revealing and mythologistic.
75
The movie is like a low-rent version of the rock concert documentaries that would follow.
50
The abiding memories of Don't Look Back are lack of privacy, dull cliques, stumble-drunkenness, very insecure British artists (Price, Donovan), and Dylan's bored, amused sparring with anyone trying to point him in the direction of Damascus.
User score
Universal Acclaim
100% Positive
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Feb 16, 2025
9
Raw and unfiltered, what i truly loved about this observational documentary is how every scene and conversation feels engaging and significant, as someone eager to understand Bob Dylan beyond just his music, Don't Look Back serves as a fascinating portrait of the man behind the myth, D. A. Pennebaker captures Dylan at a pivotal moment in his career where his sharp wit, rebellious spirit, and undeniable genius shine through, but it's not just Dylan who captivates, the people surrounding him, his entourage, journalists, and fellow musicians add layers of intrigue, the way they interact with him, whether in admiration, frustration, or casual banter, provides a rare glimpse into the whirlwind of fame and artistry, for a 90 minute film, i was surprised at how engrossed i became, completely locked into its rhythm, when it ended, i wished for another 30 minutes of it, the atmosphere, the conversations, the charged moments, they all feel essential, it's a testament to Pennebaker's skill as a filmmaker that nothing feels excessive or out of place, overall, Don't Look Back is more than just a documentary, it's a time capsule of Dylan's early days as a cultural icon, an unfiltered look at his enigmatic persona, and a great work piece of cinema.
Production Company:
- Leacock-Pennebaker
Release Date:May 17, 1967
Duration:1 h 36 m
Awards
Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US
• 3 Wins & 3 Nominations
National Film Preservation Board, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination

































