Dylan music video could be a PSA for domestic violence
11:18 PM Tue, May 12, 2009 | Permalink
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Oh great. Serious domestic violence, man vs. woman in what might be a fight to the death, ending in a passionate kiss, Scorpio falling, Plutonic sex and death, emotional release. Dylan's song, the first track on his new album Together Through Life, is a soundtrack to a public service announcement. All that's missing is somebody cool saying, "That's so wrong" at the end. Former stuntman Nash Edgerton directed the music video of Beyond Here Lies Nothin', up till Thursday at IFC.com; it comes with a violence warning in the bookmarking sites distributing the link. Something is happening here and I know what it is. I'm a fly on the wall gently directing your attention to it. It's not how or how not to form a more perfect union. "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'." Chew on it, or blow it off. Nature is violent, but only incidentally. A Bob Dylan Timeline. Lots of photos, scroll down quickly through changing personas. Later: . "I'm not a playwright. The people in my songs are all me." In anticipation of the release of his 33rd album, Together Through Life, Bob Dylan sat down with rock critic and MTV producer Bill Flanagan for a rare and unusually candid conversation. The first three portions of their meeting can be read at bobdylan.com, and the fourth and fifth installment can be read here and here on the Huffington Post. (For a slide show of Dylan's favorite songwriters, as revealed in his conversations with Flanagan, click here.) Unintended consequence: When I searched "a more perfect union" in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution to quote it exactly, this bit of burbly travel writing ("Naturally Nepal," "Marvelous Maldives") at the Khaleej Times popped up: Tradition and modern... A heady mix! (Indian sub-continent) South Goa is more secluded, quiet and offers an option for all those looking for a more peaceful union with nature minus the hustle and bustle of the other beaches. Good ol' "make love, not war" Goa. 7 CommentsLeave a comment |
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That's a pretty stupid column.
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That said, the video is a bit of a head scratcher and is quite violent. Nash Edgerton, who is not just a stuntman but an "award winning" director certainly took it in a direction that HE wanted.
And all said, I'm not sure I like it. I understand the point that is made there but I'm not sure this works as a music video or goes well with that particular song (which I do like).
Nor do I think this will get heavy rotation.
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Dylan doesn't delegate his image. Never has.
Proman, starting off with an insult fits the theme here. You took the bait.
Btw, t I'm testing caching code and need to keep rebuilding to see if it works. This post is the guinea pig. Words may change. Dylan won't care.
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Bait? A poorly written column is still a poorly written column (whether premeditated or not). So, yeah, please feel free to change it.
By the way, that wasn't meant as an insult, but, rather, as a criticism.
And of course Dylan doesn't delegate his image. That's one of the reasons why I'm a huge fan.
However, I'm afraid that this won't stop certain people from making certain assumptions (after all, one would imagine that Dylan had to at least pre-approve the concept).
And if it wasn't clear, I don't dislike the video, I just don't think that it really works as such.
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Proman, this is not a column. It's a blog post.
Your "criticism" is poorly written, predictable and repetitive, setting you up as superior with no apparent basis for that.
It's just a "snarky comment."
I'm on vacation, going nonlinear on purpose. Delivering a link and more. You don't have to like it, or get it. I'm not doing it to please you.
By "Dylan does not delegate his image," I meant that Dylan would have fully approved using this video with that song. For his own reasons.
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Shelia, you are clearly missing the point.
I found this blog through google news (and it does appear under the "Projo Subterranean Homepage News" banner). When I made my first comment I was fully under the impression that it was a news column (possibly for a local newspaper). It's doesn't really matter because for all intents and purposes it is just that.
Besides, this "blog" is clearly public and I just happened to read it and respond.
You may not care just like I don't really care about your decision to go "non-linear". Unlike what you may be thinking I didn't call it "stupid" because of the style or content. I guess "weak" would have been a better word here.
Still it's funny how I you use the words "predictable" and "no apparent basis" in the same statement. Kind of makes me think of another adjective ;) ...
Also, repetitive? I would not be repetitive if I didn't have to clarify my intentions. I wasn't
even going too post anything until you occused me of insulting you.
"By "Dylan does not delegate his image," I meant that Dylan would have fully approved using this video with that song. For his own reasons"
That doesn't really contradict what I said above. I actually agree with this statement but I also think that like it often happens with Dylan a lot of people would draw very wrong conclusions.
In any case, let's just end this here (I won't bother checking back anyway). Your blog is brilliant, princess.
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I wish you'd said something interesting of your own between "stupid" and "princess," Proman.
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