The Best Bob Dylan Movies

Ranker Film
Updated August 1, 2023 767 votes 165 voters
Over 100 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Bob Dylan Movies
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List of the best Bob Dylan movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Bob Dylan's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Bob Dylan movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Bob Dylan movies will be at the top of the list. Bob Dylan has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Bob Dylan movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Bob Dylan films to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best Bob Dylan role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Bob Dylan performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.

This list below has everything from No Direction Home to Tales From a Golden Age: Bob Dylan 1941-1966.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Bob Dylan movies?" and "What are the greatest Bob Dylan roles of all time?"

Is Bob Dylan your favorite person to watch on the big screen? You might also want to vote on our best Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra films lists too.

Most divisive: Willie Nelson & Guests: Rock the Night Away
Ranked by
  • Dont Look Back
    1

    Dont Look Back

    Bob Dylan, Albert Grossman, Bob Neuwirth
    42 votes
    • Released: 1967
    • Directed by: D.A. Pennebaker
    In 1965, the iconic troubadour Bob Dylan toured the United Kingdom at the age of 23, and director D.A. Pennebaker was allowed behind the scenes to provide one of the most intimate glimpses of the private and frequently cantankerous songwriter. The film chronicles Dylan's concert appearances, hotel room conversations, and transportation downtime, pulling back the curtain on the folk messiah at the end of his relationship with Joan Baez and on the cusp of his creative shift toward rock music.

    Available On:

    subscription

  • No Direction Home
    2

    No Direction Home

    Bob Dylan, B.J. Rolfzen, Dick Kangas
    47 votes
    • Released: 2005
    • Directed by: Martin Scorsese
    This documentary film traces musician Bob Dylan's evolution from folk troubadour to iconic rock star. Live concert footage and press conferences from the 1960s and a new interview with Dylan are used to draw a portrait of the legendary singer-songwriter. Additionally, the film features interviews conducted with some of Dylan's closest friends and fellow artists, including poet Allen Ginsberg, former love interest and noted performer Joan Baez, and Dylan's early mentor, Pete Seeger.

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  • Bob Dylan: The Other Side of the Mirror: Live at the Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965
    3

    Bob Dylan: The Other Side of the Mirror: Live at the Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965

    26 votes
  • Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
    4

    Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid

    James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan
    46 votes
    • Released: 1973
    • Directed by: Sam Peckinpah
    Sheriff Pat Garrett (James Coburn) is ordered by Governor Wallace (Jason Robards) to go after the outlaw Billy the Kid (Kris Kristofferson) because the cattle businessmen want him caught. Although Garrett and Billy are old friends, the lawman must abide by his duty. However, Garrett and his deputies have great difficulty catching Billy, who is very cunning. Along the way, Billy also gains the assistance of Alias (Bob Dylan), a mysterious knife-wielding stranger.

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  • The Concert for Bangladesh
    5

    The Concert for Bangladesh

    Eric Clapton, Ravi Shankar, Billy Preston
    25 votes
    • Released: 1971
    • Directed by: Saul Swimmer
    The Concert for Bangladesh was the name for two benefit concerts organised by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, held at 2.30 and 8 pm on Sunday, 1 August 1971, playing to a total of 40,000 people at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The shows were organised to raise international awareness and fund relief efforts for refugees from East Pakistan, following the 1970 Bhola cyclone and the civil war-related Bangladesh atrocities. The concerts were followed by a bestselling live album, a boxed three-record set, and Apple Films' concert documentary, which opened in cinemas in the spring of 1972. The event was the first-ever benefit concert of such a magnitude and featured a supergroup of performers that included Harrison, fellow ex-Beatle Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Leon Russell and the band Badfinger. In addition, Shankar and another legend of Indian music, Ali Akbar Khan, performed a separate set. Decades later, Shankar would say of the overwhelming success of the event: "In one day, the whole world knew the name of Bangladesh. It was a fantastic occasion ..." The concerts raised close to US$250,000 for Bangladesh relief, which was administered by UNICEF. Although the project was subsequently marred by financial problems – a result of the pioneering nature of the venture – the Concert for Bangladesh is recognised as a highly successful and influential humanitarian aid project, generating both awareness and considerable funds as well as providing valuable lessons and inspiration for projects that followed, notably Live Aid. By 1985, through revenue raised from the Concert for Bangladesh live album and film, an estimated $12 million had been sent to Bangladesh in relief.
  • Masked and Anonymous
    6

    Masked and Anonymous

    Bob Dylan, Jeff Bridges, Penélope Cruz
    45 votes
    • Released: 2003
    • Directed by: Larry Charles
    A nation wracked with civil war and social unrest is looking forward to a giant charity concert, organized by deceptive concert promoter Uncle Sweetheart (John Goodman), who plans on raking in huge sums of money for himself from the event. Headlining is Jack Fate (Bob Dylan), a legendary musician serving time in prison, who is released with Sweetheart's help. Meanwhile, journalist Tom Friend (Jeff Bridges) investigates the corrupt concert and tries to unmask the truth to the public.

    Available On:

    free