criterionforum.org

is anyone else pouring over the soundtrack? It's wonderful! Charlotte Gainsbourg's cover of "Just Like a Woman" is particularly striking.

I'm mildly disappointed in the soundtrack but I would also say I am rather picky when it comes to Dylan. To me Charlotte Gainsbourg seems to be a whispering Mary Poppins in her version which is cute but the song should be anything but that. Eddie Vedder's opener is embarrassingly awful then Antony's Heaven's Door as a closer really spoils things too, can't stand him.

I think some of the best tracks would be Iron & Wine's Dark Eyes which is nice to hear differently, Willie Nelson's Senor and Cat Power's Stuck Inside of Mobile. It would almost be nice to hear all of Empire Burlesque reworked without Dylan's 80's synth & more coming out. I think a good album is buried somewhere in those 80's pop trends.

i think Antony's Knockin' On Heaven's Door is the best cover in the film.

mild spoiler about the closing credits of the film:

Spoiler

when it played during the closing credits of the film, every single person in the theatre who'd been annoyingly talking throughout the credits shut up and sat quietly for the rest of the credits. It was a nice moment.

Sonic Youth nabbed the title track which is nice. I'm also excited to hear the two Yo La Tengo songs. What's the good word on those?

They're both nice. It's altogether a very interesting and eclectic collection of Dylan covers -- not put forth in the sense of being "definitive" or "ultimate" in any way.

Having ordered the soundtrack today, I hope that Antony's cover can blow away that Guns 'N Roses cover. The Cat Power one is good. I'm really looking forward to Yo La Tango. I just hope that no-one showboats and obscures the songs. I really want to use this as a Dylan primer.

... Why... not... use The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Another Side of Bob Dylan, The Times They Are-a-Changin', Bringing it all Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde, John Wesley Harding, Nashville Skyline, New Morning, Planet Waves, Blood on the Tracks, The Basement Tapes, Desire, Street Legal, Oh Mercy, Good As I Been to You, World Gone Wrong, Bootleg Series Vol. 1-7, MTV Unplugged: Bob Dylan, Time Out Of Mind, "Love & Theft" or Modern Times as Bob Dylan primers?

Planet Waves?

Thanks for the suggestions! But I wanted something that reaches across the years and isn't limited to just one record. With varied performers, there are varied nuances so one song by one person may take me in another direction than hearing the same song by Dylan himself. I hope that makes sense. In any case, I love Blood On The Tracks!

tavernier wrote:Planet Waves?

What's wrong with Planet Waves? Underrated Dylan. Better than Blood on the Tracks, but not as good as the sublime Street Legal, if we're assessing his 70s output (which I am).

I'll stick with Blood on the Tracks, by far the best of the 3 you mention: Planet Waves is almost as big a dud as Self-Portrait.

tavernier wrote:Self-Portrait.

Another unfairly maligned record. But I'll stop now, because we're swerving....

Self-Portrait is certainly interesting. More so than the majority of his post Slow Train Coming, pre Oh Mercy output. I'm always amazed at how often it finds its way into my player... Permit me to swerve into a wall. I consider Planet Waves to be essential in understanding his "domestic bliss" period, of which New Morning is the first part. It's low-key to be sure, but its damn good low key... Also, if I'm not mistaken, it IS Dylan's only studio album with The Band. Always valuable. Anyway, this is shaping up to be the movie of my dreams...

I have to give it to The Basement Tapes. The original You ain't goin' nowhere (as opposed to the Byrd's version off of Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, which I can't recommend enough), Open the door, Homer, Tears of Rage. It's a rock block!

I am hoping to see Levon, Garth, Rick, Robbie, and Richard in this.

GoldenPilgrim wrote:I have to give it to The Basement Tapes. The original You ain't goin' nowhere (as opposed to the Byrd's version off of Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, which I can't recommend enough), Open the door, Homer, Tears of Rage. It's a rock block!

I am hoping to see Levon, Garth, Rick, Robbie, and Richard in this.

Considering Rick Danko and Richard Manuel are long dead I would doubt it. Levon Helm recently released a very viable album recently called Dirt Farmer which I heartily recommend though.

planetjake wrote: Anyway, this is shaping up to be the movie of my dreams...

It is.

"I am hoping to see Levon, Garth, Rick, Robbie, and Richard in this."

They're not. Neither is Joan Baez.

I'm Not There IS NOT A BIOPIC.

First off, I didn't mean that I was hoping to see the ACTUAL Levon Helm or Garth Hudson, just hoping to see a nod to the Band. Secondly, I understand this isn't exactly a biopic, but that didn't stop a character named, Allen Ginsberg or one named Woody Guthrie to pop up.

Is there any reference at all to Joni Mitchell in the movie?

Lino wrote:Is there any reference at all to Joni Mitchell in the movie?

In an interview before the filming but after she read the script Julianne Moore said her character was a mix of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell but in the film she seems to be mostly Baez. People more familiar with Mitchell may get some references I missed.

GoldenPilgrim wrote:First off, I didn't mean that I was hoping to see the ACTUAL Levon Helm or Garth Hudson, just hoping to see a nod to the Band. Secondly, I understand this isn't exactly a biopic, but that didn't stop a character named, Allen Ginsberg or one named Woody Guthrie to pop up.

The Playlist has been doing a thorough job on the soundtrack info. This post from August is about the Royal Mountain Band who play The Band in the film.

Allen Ginsberg is shown being introduced to Jude (Cate Blanchette) as he sits in the sidecar of a motorcycle passing by his(her) limo. This does not duplicate the first meeting between the actual Allen Ginsberg and the actual Bob Dylan in any way.

David Ehrenstein wrote:Allen Ginsberg is shown being introduced to Jude (Cate Blanchette) as he sits in the sidecar of a motorcycle passing by his(her) limo.

He's actually in a golf cart which is a humble contrast to the limo.

L.S. Pan wrote:The Playlist has been doing a thorough job on the soundtrack info. This post from August is about the Royal Mountain Band who play The Band in the film.

Thats interesting, Thanks L.S. Pan, I keep getting more and more excited about this. I plan on somehow getting into the screening with Todd Haynes Q and A when it comes to Santa Barbara.