Director James Mangold’s Oscar-nominated filmA Complete Unknownpresents a sweeping account of legendary singer Bob Dylan’s rise to fame.Timothée Chalamet gives one of his best performancesinA Complete Unknown, but one of the movie’s biggest accomplishments was recreating Dylan’s world in the 1960s. The film shows Dylan’s humble beginnings after traveling to New York City, up until he went electric at his controversial concert at the Newport Folk Festival.
To recreate Dylan’s life story, Mangold sought the help of production designer François Audouy. Together, they shot most of2024’sA Complete Unknownin New Jersey, turning the Garden State into several other locations from Dylan’s past. From scenes set in the city to countryside getaways,James Mangold’sA Complete Unknownfeatures many breathtaking and realistic 1960s locations that have made it a beloved musical biopic.
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City Was Turned Into Greenwich Village For A Complete Unknown
The majority ofA Complete Unknownis set in Bob Dylan’s stomping ground in New York City. However, Jersey City stood in for several locations in New York across the Hudson River.The production team had reportedly set up shop on Jersey Avenuenear Van Vorst Park, turning it into 1960s Greenwich Village (viaX).
Other New York City landmarks were supposedly recreated in downtown Jersey City, including MacDougal Street, Minetta Tavern, the Gaslight Cage, Café Wha?, and Café Borgia (viaELLE Decor). Many of these locations are where Dylan made a name for himself as a folk singer.
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken Was Also Used To Film New York Scenes
Along with Jersey City, Hoboken was used by the production team to recreate New York City in the 1960s. For instance, the film shows Chalamet wandering a street reportedly near Church Square Park (viaHoboken Girl). Moran’s Pub at 501 Garden Street stood in for the New York City bar, McAnn’s.
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A scene featuring Joan Baez, who wasplayed by Monica Barbaro, walking in front of Gerde’s Folk City in Greenwich Village was supposedly filmed on the corner of 8th and Washington Street, near the Elysian Café (viaTAPInto). Likewise, the outside of Bob Dylan’s Greenwich apartment is said to have been filmed on location in Hoboken (viaELLE Decor).
Newark, New Jersey
Woody Guthrie’s Hospital Stay Was Filmed In Newark
Dylan first travels to Graystone Hospital to meet his hero, iconic folk singer Woody Guthrie, who had been living with Huntington’s disease that had left him unable to perform like he used to. There, Dylan also meets his friend/mentor, Pete Seeger, played by Edward Norton, andrepeatedly returns to visit Guthrie throughout the film, particularly in the film’s tearjerking finale.
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The production team forA Complete Unknownis said to have shot interior scenes for Graystone Hospital in Newark (viaELLE Decor). While the hospital’s exterior shots were done at the Essex County Hospital Center, the interior shots were done inside a high school four miles south in Newark.
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson Is The Site Of Much Excitement In A Complete Unknown
When Dylan and Sylvie start dating inA Complete Unknown, she introduces the former to social activism by taking him to a protest rally for the Civil Rights movement on the streets of New York. This scene was reported to have been shot in front of the Paterson Mayor’s Office building (viaOn the Set of New York).
This wasn’t the only scene shot in Paterson. At one point in the film, Dylan walks out of a building surrounded by his many adoring fans before fleeing into a car. This scene was shot in front of the First National Bank in Paterson.
Kearny, New Jersey
Bob Dylan’s Apartment Was Really A New Jersey Soundstage
Naturally,A Complete Unknownspends a lot of time with Dylan in his New York City apartment. While its exterior of Dylan’s Greenwich Village home was shot in Hoboken,the interior was shot at Palisades Stages in Kearny, New Jersey. The use of a soundstage allowed the filmmakers greater control of what appeared on camera. Thus, set decorator Regina Graves was able to use archival visuals to accurately recreate Dylan’s home for the big screen.
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Similarly, the Palisades Stages were usedto film scenes set in Columbia Records Studio A. This recording studio is where Dylan and his band made some of their most beloved songs. It is also where Dylan is first shown experimenting with electric instruments in the film.
Pete Seeger’s Home Was Far Away From The City
Actor Edward Norton as Pete Seeger in A Complete Unknown.
WhileA Complete Unknown spent a lot of time following Dylan in the big city, it did travel with him to the countryside at some points in the story. Most notably,Dylan travels with Pete Seeger to the latter’s woodside cabin, where he meets his family early in the story.
The Seegers let Dylan stay with them until he found a place to stay in New York City, first welcoming him into their lives and beginning their longtime relationship.The Seeger’s mid-century wooden cabin was allegedly found in Blairstown, located near the border of Pennsylvania and the Garden State (viaELLE Decor).
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May Was Transformed Into The Newport Folk Festival
Some ofA Complete Unknown’s most pivotal events took place at the Newport Folk Festival,where Bob Dylan gave some of his most famous and infamous performances as a folk singer. As its name implies, this iconic music event is located in Newport, Rhode Island. However, scenes taking place at the Newport Folk Festival were actually shot in the seaside community of Cape May in New Jersey.
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The Newport hotel that Bob Dylan stayed inwas reportedly filmed in Cape May’s Victorian Motel(viaELLE Decor). However, the Newport festival grounds were created in Echo Lake Park in Mountainside, New Jersey. The latter is whereTimothée Chalamet sang songslike “The Times They Are-A Changin'” and broke out his electric guitar in Dylan’s most controversial concert ever.
New York City, New York
A Complete Unknown Filmed In Real New York
Though cities like Jersey City and Hoboken stood in for New York City for most scenes,AComplete Unknown’s production team actually shot in the Big Apple at one point. Specifically, when Bob Dylan is wandering the streets of New York long after his breakup with Sylvie, he ends up at the iconic Chelsea Hotel, where he spends the night with Joan Baez.
It was reported that this scene was actually shot in front of the iconic Chelsea Hotel (viaCN Traveller). In addition, the scene where Pete Seeger is in a courthouse and starts performing for people on the front steps is said to have been filmed in the New York County Supreme Courthouse in Manhattan (viaOn the Set of New York).
A Complete Unknown
Cast
A Complete Unknown is a biographical movie that follows a young Bob Dylan as he integrates with New York and catches the eye of the folk singers in the area, eventually propelling him into stardom.
