The Criterion Collection

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

my knowledge of Bob Dylan's music is limited to the following:

I know that Jimi Hendrix's All Along The Watchtower is a Bob Dylan cover.
[snip]

Hendrix's cover of All Along the Watchtower is my choice of #1 rock'n'roll song of all time.

I also think that there isn't a single cover of a Dylan tune (that I've heard) that I don't think is better than his own version. I lump Dylan in with Bruce Springsteen and The Grateful Dead as artists who have astonishing songbooks that are better off performed by other people.

Does that make me a hipster or a snob?

[Page14]

Originally Posted by bwdowiak

Rolling Stone magazine is good for use as toilet paper and not much else.

Yeah, unfortunately they aren't what they once were.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Page14

Something more for the Dylan fans ... Last week Rolling Stone came out with another "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time" list, FWIW. Look who's Number 1.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/li...st-songwriters

These lists are always missing somebody who should be there or including somebody who shouldn't be there, but when I did a brief Google search of other similar lists, Dylan seems to be at the top more often than not. And if not, he's always high on the list.

"Dylan's vision of American popular music was transformative. No one set the bar higher, or had greater impact."

No one? Not even Woody Guthrie or Pete Seeger? Or, for goodness's sake, Stephen Foster?

[WonderWeasel]

Originally Posted by jayembee

Hendrix's cover of All Along the Watchtower is my choice of #1 rock'n'roll song of all time.

I also think that there isn't a single cover of a Dylan tune (that I've heard) that I don't think is better than his own version. I lump Dylan in with Bruce Springsteen and The Grateful Dead as artists who have astonishing songbooks that are better off performed by other people.

Does that make me a hipster or a snob?

If so, I'm one, too. I'm not a Lou Reed/Velvet Underground fan, but I love several covers of their songs, like The Black Crowes performing Oh! Sweet Nuthin' (oddly enough, with all of the Dylan talk, at Levon Helm's house), Beck's cover of Venus in Furs, and David Bowie's rendition of I'm Waiting for the Man. Joy Division also did an excellent live version of Sister Ray, and R.E.M.'s cover of Pale Blue Eyes has really grown on me over the years.

[bipbop13]

My probably odd choice for favorite Dylan album has to be "Infidels". It was also the first full length Bob album I purchased. Now that I'm an old fart, "Blood On The Tracks", and "John Wesley Harding" come close as well (plus Blonde on Blonde.......it's like picking your favorite child really.)

[popcorntreect]

I prefer a lot of Dylan's pre-electric works to his later ones - and pretty much gotten to the point where I can only listen to his acoustic works. I hope that doesn't make me a snob. I've listened to his 1963 Brandeis University concert album more than anything else and for studio albums, I love Freewheelin'. Bob Dylan the folk singer is far more interesting to me than Bob Dylan the rock star - but I really like Dont Look Back and I can't wait to revisit it in a few months.

[Ray Jackson]

Hipster fact #1: Like a Rolling Stone is the worst Bob Dylan song of all time.

[Ray Jackson]

Hipster fact #2: I stopped Listening to Bob Dylan after he went electric

[Ray Jackson]

Hipster fact #3: Who's Bob Dylan?

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by Page14

Something more for the Dylan fans ... Last week Rolling Stone came out with another "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time" list, FWIW. Look who's Number 1.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/li...st-songwriters

These lists are always missing somebody who should be there or including somebody who shouldn't be there, but when I did a brief Google search of other similar lists, Dylan seems to be at the top more often than not. And if not, he's always high on the list.

They put Taylor Swift on there and not Sia. o_o

[Page14]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

They put Taylor Swift on there and not Sia. o_o

Yeah I know ... lists. Whatcha gonna do? (I can think of personal favorites that aren't on there too). I'm already regretting that I posted that link.

EDIT: My focus was on Dylan when I posted the link. I didn't mean to offend others.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

They put Taylor Swift on there and not Sia. o_o

As much as Taylor annoys lots of people (not me: I'm a HUGE fan; listening to her right now, in fact), she actually is a pretty good songwriter. Well, rather, she's a fairly clever lyricist. Whether you actually like the music is a different story altogether, and I understand people who can't stand it. But as a lyricist, I think she's pretty talented.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

As much as Taylor annoys lots of people (not me: I'm a HUGE fan; listening to her right now, in fact), she actually is a pretty good songwriter. Well, rather, she's a fairly clever lyricist. Whether you actually like the music is a different story altogether, and I understand people who can't stand it. But as a lyricist, I think she's pretty talented.

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't she always sing about her failed relationships lol?

Well, that is how it comes across!

Also, Sia has some awesome music videos

-

Moving back to Bob Dylan, I don't really know his stuff but thanks to Watchmen (best superhero(?) film imo) I do love The Times Are Changing.

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't she always sing about her failed relationships lol?

Well, that is how it comes across!

Also, Sia has some awesome music videos

There's a lot more to her than the singles that are released. Songs like "Ronan" and "The Best Day" are among her best stuff and they're completely devoid of Max Martin who somehow made #41 on this list? Try telling someone with a straight face Martin is better songwriter than Tom Petty or Baby Face, for example. LOL

[ijustblumyself]

Criterion really need to release some Rohmer on blu-ray. He's one of the greats, yet the majority of his work remains quite under seen.
I own the Potemkin set, which is probably my favourite box-set that I own - I just hope more people can discover him.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't she always sing about her failed relationships lol?

Well, that is how it comes across!

I know that's the joke, but no. Now, don't get me wrong: She does write most of her songs about relationships or romance or love or what have you. But keep in mind that her first album, "Taylor Swift," was released when she was 16; and many of the songs were written much earlier than that. Heck, she's only 25 now. Basically, her entire career has taken place in her teens and early 20s. Not surprising then that love and relationships would be a big centerpiece of her process.

But yeah, you don't want to piss her off or get on her bad side, or she *will* write a song about it. Just ask Katy Perry ("Bad Blood") or Camilla Belle ("Better than Revenge") about that.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Page14

Something more for the Dylan fans ... Last week Rolling Stone came out with another "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time" list, FWIW. Look who's Number 1.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/li...st-songwriters

These lists are always missing somebody who should be there or including somebody who shouldn't be there, but when I did a brief Google search of other similar lists, Dylan seems to be at the top more often than not. And if not, he's always high on the list.

My first thought was, "David Bowie had better be on that list somewhere."

Bowie is #39, which is way too far back on the list, but at least he's there.

[Namuhana]

Originally Posted by AaronJ

As much as Taylor annoys lots of people (not me: I'm a HUGE fan; listening to her right now, in fact), she actually is a pretty good songwriter. Well, rather, she's a fairly clever lyricist. Whether you actually like the music is a different story altogether, and I understand people who can't stand it. But as a lyricist, I think she's pretty talented.

I find her lyrics to Shake It Off to be rather simple and repetitive. I wouldn't say her lyrics are really clever, but they suffice in what she's trying to get across. I don't really like her music (and I'm staying far away from everything she did in the country music world), but I do have to say that she's wonderfully generous with her fans, and that goes a long way.

Blank Space is my jam, though. I can listen to that all day.


To get back to Criterion: I'll be watching Day for Night tonight. It'll fun to revisit the film and dig through the bonus features.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by Namuhana

I find her lyrics to Shake It Off to be rather simple and repetitive. I wouldn't say her lyrics are really clever, but they suffice in what she's trying to get across. I don't really like her music (and I'm staying far away from everything she did in the country music world), but I do have to say that she's wonderfully generous with her fans, and that goes a long way.

Blank Space is my jam, though. I can listen to that all day.

"Blank Space" is a great song, no doubt.

"Shake It Off" is repetitive, for sure. And It took me a long time to come around to it. But I eventually have come to like it.

I wasn't saying that all her songs are clever, don't get me wrong. But I think a good number of them are. But of course, I listen to her all the time, so that may have effected my perception.

Anyways. No more about T-Swizzle. Promise.

[Banned User]

I know my movie tastes are always changing. When I was younger I liked a lot of popcorn flicks that now to this day I can't stand. I think it has to do some with maturity. A lot of younger people, especially today growing up with such fast paced movies, music videos and the Internets ability to offer instant gratification, would consider many films both past and present 'boring or slow'. Many don't notice subtle character development or emotions and feelings in the characters that aren't spelled out. I've grown to the point where I can't stand exhibition scenes or endings where everything is wrapped up easily.
I need something more complicated that requires some work to appreciate.

As you watch more and more films you realize how most 'popular' genre's from each decade not only copy each other, but do the same exact things to the point where they are highly predictable. Making them less enjoyable.

Also as far as favorite films from directors I see it kind of like music albums. You buy a album for a hit song or one you like and after listening to it a bunch your favorite songs end up being the obscure tracks. They are usually more complicated in their structure and as a result the melodies don't click as easily, but your appreciation and love grows the more you listen to them as you grow tired of the 'hits'. Many movies are like this where it takes effort to unwrap all the complexities and read the subtleties going on and learn to appreciate them more.

I don't think I've ever been a film snob when it comes to movies. For instance Spielberg is often a whipping boy for people. Really I feel there are two sides to the man. His popcorn flicks and his more serious films like Munich. His films may be mainstream, but only because his techniques and ability as a director was so successful that many of those same techniques have been copied by countless others to the point I grow tired seeing them. Its not fresh anymore, but I think to any level headed person there is no denying he is a great director.