The first pictures from one of my most anticipated films have shown up on the web – pictures from Todd Haynes’ ambitious and strange Bob Dylan biopic, I’m Not There. Seven different actors play Dylan in the film, an interesting take on the genius’ chameleonic ways. The pictures that have surfaced have Cate Blanchett playing The Bob, circa 65, and she looks the part. I wasn’t sure if Haynes would make the actors disappear under a Bob Dylan make-over, but it happily seems that he has.
The project was originally going to have a bunch of unknowns as the Dylans, but it looks like a bunch of well known actors – including, obviously, Blanchett – have become attached, including Richard Gere, David Cross, Heath Ledger, Julianne Moore and Christian Bale. It’s unclear if any of these other actors are playing one of the seven Dylans.
This isn’t Haynes’ first stab at a curious music biopic. His first film was Superstar, a movie about anorexic singer Karen Carpenter – made with Barbie Dolls. You’ll probably never see that film, as it uses Carpenters songs without license, and Richard Carpenter is unhappy with the whole thing. Bootlegs do exist, though. I haven’t seen one yet – and if you’re reading this and you have one, drop me an email.