Monday Music: Bob Dylan Covers (Also Watchmen)

[andraste]

I am back in Melbourne! With an enormous new television. Well, new to me, anyway.

(When my grandmother moved into the nursing home, she naturally took her TV with her. And since my parents were spending one or two nights a week in her house, dad declared that he could not cope without The 7:30 Report and my parents went out and bought a new one. Now that grandma will never need a TV again, they've brought hers back to the house until they've finished packing up all the stuff - so there was a spare widescreen HD TV just sitting there. Which I have now inherited.)

Almost the first thing I did with it was finally watch my Watchmen ultimate edition DVD. It is a better film at three and a half hours with The Black Freighter included - probably the best screen version that could be done without taking it to television.

I was reminded of how much I love the cover version of Desolation Row that plays over the credits, so: have some cover versions. Because I am a philistine and I almost always like covers of Bob Dylan songs better than the original.

Desolation Row by My Chemical Romance

I saw more than a few horrified YouTube comments on this back when it was first released, but I think it rocks.

I Dreamed I Saw St Augustine by Thea Gilmore

She's done a whole tribute album, but this is off Songs From the Gutter.

Tangled Up in Blue by Indigo Girls

Because clearly this song is better when its about lesbians.

The Times They Are a-Changin' by Eddie Vedder

The original is used on the genius Watchmen opening credits.

All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix

Another one used on the Watchmen soundtrack. Compulsory for a list like this, just in case there is someone out there in internet land who doesn't have this on their mp3 player already.

Other things rewatching Watchmen reminded me of: how sorry I am that they cut the sugar cubes. (Almost everything else that got cut, I see why they cut it. I just miss the sugar.) That they inevitably lost a lot of the background and nuance of the original, but I like the ending of the film version better. That Rorschach in prison will never not be hilarious. (I should probably feel bad about how much the scene in the cell makes me laugh. "Never disposed of sewage with toilet before. Obvious, really.") How amazing Jackie Earle Haley is. And how happy I am that he's credited as just 'Rorschach' when everyone else gets both their code name and their civilian name. It's attention to detail like that that makes it a good adaptation.

I know there are things in Watchmen that have nothing to do with Rorschach, but it's been a couple of years since I've seen this, and he'll always be my favourite part. (I think the thing I love most of all about the film adaptation is how, during the Hand Holding Scene, Dan gently prises Rorschach off. Dawwwww.)

Comments

[selenak]

I am a philistine as well re: Bob Dylan cover versions. :)

Does the Ultimate version have the Laurie and Jon scene on Mars longer and with Laurie, not John making the crucial "if my/your life is unique, than that is true for everyone!" statement? Because I recently rewatched the film, and that's to me what the sugar cubes are to you.

[andraste]

I am a philistine as well re: Bob Dylan cover versions. :)

Whenever someone calls him one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time, I think 'well, I agree with half of that statement ...'

Does the Ultimate version have the Laurie and Jon scene on Mars longer and with Laurie, not John making the crucial "if my/your life is unique, than that is true for everyone!" statement? Because I recently rewatched the film, and that's to me what the sugar cubes are to you.

Alas, that still gets left out. However there is a great, brand new scene for Laurie that doesn't correspond to anything in the comic. (After John teleports to Mars, his military handlers suggest that this might be Laurie's fault. She, er, disagrees.)

Another thing I wish they'd made clearer in the film is exactly how disgusted Laurie is by the Comedian - watching it this time, it occurred to me that her horror when she finally works it out isn't really set up well enough in this version. (An addition I do love, though, is Sally's explanation in the final scene: "I couldn't hate him because he gave me you.")

[selenak]

Yes, I remarked on the lacking film set up re: Laurie's feelings about the Comedian in my original review as well. I wish they'd left in the dialogue between her and Rorschach on the subject; do you think they cut it because he's a rape apologist therein and as this is early into the story, they were afraid the audience would take against him? (On the rationalization that Rorschach going on about whores in the abstract and breaking limbs of criminals on screen whom no one likes anyway is one thing, and Rorschach declaring the Comedian trying to rape Sally - whom the audience has met and likes - as a minor lapse another?

[andraste]

I wish they'd left in the dialogue between her and Rorschach on the subject; do you think they cut it because he's a rape apologist therein and as this is early into the story, they were afraid the audience would take against him?

It's certainly possible - interestingly, the Ultimate Cut adds back in a scene where Rorschach and Laurie have an argument on the roof the the prison, in which he basically calls her a whore. But that's a lot later in the film, and not quite the same as apologising for the Comedian's attempted rape.

Of course, I've always found the idea that Rorschach's opinions on anything should be sympathetic rather incomprehensible. (Well, OK, I agree with him completely about Adrian's plan being awful, but apart from that.)

[selenak]

Well, the film was made by, I quote the advertisments, "the director of 300", so...

[andraste]

Quite *g*.

I do wonder if Zac Snyder actually understood the source material in places, but it seems to have come out pretty well regardless.

[evilfuzzydoom]

I have the MCR cover of Desolation Row on my MP3 player. I now require the others!

Also will be great to have you back in Melbourne :D

[andraste]

I have the MCR cover of Desolation Row on my MP3 player.

I thought you might *g*.

Also will be great to have you back in Melbourne :D

It is nice to be back!

What level is your Republic Trooper now, btw?