Mystery and Attraction

'What's your name?
Alias.
Alias what?
Alias anything you please...'

Last night I watched Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. I had never seen it before. I have to say that I did not like it all that much. It was too violent in some parts - without the violence being particularly relevant beyond convivcing us that they were desperate times where life was cheap. I did not particularly like any of the characters. I find Kris Kristofferson irritating with his smug grin and sparkly eyes. Like Tobey Maguire in Cider House Rules. Enough already. James Coburn was great, but I did not like the character of Pat Garrett. I couldn't connect with him as a human.

I really loved Bob Dylan in it though. I liked the character he played. The best scene was at the trading post where Alias and a couple of the boys bump into Garrett. Dylan shines in that scene. I was amazed that it was his first acting role as he stood up beside a great ensemble cast and even managed to outshine them.

But then I began to think - maybe Dylan has spent his whole life acting. He has always seemingly been a plethora of different people inhabiting one body. He keeps his personal life an enigma. In today's world of paparazzi and every minor celebrity's lives (and genetalia) exposed in the daily press, it is refreshing that Bob Dylan keeps himself so private even after all these years at the top.

This is obviously part of the attraction. People discuss his songs and his life looking for clues. They scrutinize and analyze looking for an answer - a glimpse of the real man. People are curious.

Maybe one of the great things about Dylan is this level of mystery. People of many backgrounds and opinions all believe he is singing to them - singing about their lives. He is personal enough to make listeners feel he is intimately addressing them; however, he is general and enigmatic enough not to alienate anyone.

Maybe, like Alias, he represents 'anything you please'.