Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1531774
The crew transformed two blocks in Jersey City to recreate Dylan's MacDougal Street haunts, complete with coffee shops, bars, liquor stores and art galleries. The task involved reproducing original signage and storefronts, but more importantly, capturing the atmosphere of the "jingle jangle morning" Dylan described in "Mr. Tambourine Man." Iconic spots like Caffe Reggio, Cafe Wha? and the Gaslight Cafe were all faithfully recreated, along with the neighboring jazz clubs and restaurants such as Minetta Tavern and the Kettle of Fish. (Admittedly a bit obsessed with the period details, I insisted on matching the paint colors of the still-operating Caffe Reggio in NYC.) In the heart of MacDougal Street, we also recreated the Folklore Center which was a shrine, of sorts, to all things folk. For Dylan's visit to his hero Woody Guthrie at Greystone Hospital, the gothic exterior of the empty Essex County Hospital felt ideal. The interior was filmed in a shuttered school near Newark, where we painted hallways and built Guthrie's room. Our scenic team expertly extended the location's glazed tile walls, blending seamlessly with our modifications to recreate the institutional feel of the original, which had been demolished years ago. Pete Seeger's modest hand-built cabin was discovered near the Pennsylvania border. Edward Norton (cast as Seeger) played a role in our research by visiting the real cabin and interviewing Seeger's daughter. His dedication to authenticity inspired me to include chinking between the logs and sourcing the same "Freedom Red" appliances the Seegers used. This bold use of red accents early in the shoot inspired me to incorporate what I dubbed "Kodachrome red" as a recurring accent color throughout the film. H. PETE SEEGER'S CABIN EXTERIOR. CONCEPT ILLUSTRATION BY KRISTIAN LLANA. I. PETE SEEGER'S CABIN, KITCHEN. SET PHOTO. J. PETE SEEGER'S CABIN, LIVING ROOM. SET PHOTO. F E G H J I