The Times They Aren't A-Changin' (As Much As You Might Think)

In the midst of all the industry focus on improving video image quality over time, through the entire processing chain from archive format to output display, it can be easy to forget that (as the well-known expression says) ‘content is king’. As George Lucas was perhaps reminded after the cool reception to Star Wars: Episode I and II (and III, for you hard-core purists), a special effects-rich presentation (usually) won’t surmount a deficient plot. Conversely, compelling content can circumvent a swarm of quality sins.

I was reminded of ‘content is king’ this evening, as I auditioned The Other Side Of The Mirror (here’s a preview), a DVD of Bob Dylan (often paired with Joan Baez) performing at the Newport Folk Festival from 1963 to 1965 (yes…prior to my birth in May of 1966!). The DVD is formatted in a 4:3 (i.e. 1.33:1) aspect ratio, befitting the film format it was captured in, which resulted in black vertical bars on either side of my widescreen display. Speaking of film, the image quality is atrocious by modern-day standards, with abundant grain and (often) marred by scratches and dust remnants. And I was bemused to find a ’surround sound’ audio track option on the disc, since judging from the microphone configurations in front of Dylan, he was (best-case) originally captured two-channel and (usually) mono.

With all that said…I was transfixed for the entire 83-minute run time. Not only was the young, skinny and savvy Dylan a mesmerizing presence both on- and off-stage, I also enjoyed observing the reactions of those around him in the often-intimate performance settings. Watching Dylan and Baez performing together, harmonizing so smoothly and completely, was absolutely magical. For those of you who have heard the stories of the hostile audience response to his ‘going electric’ (such as the famous ‘Judas’ cry from the crowd, and his ‘I don’t believe you…You’re a liar’ response, captured in a well-known bootleg recording), you can see his premier electric set at the 1965 festival and judge for yourself just how upset the audience was.

And anyway…in these troubled times, I daresay an audition of Dylan’s musical poetry, penned 45 years ago and preaching peace, tolerance and equality, would do us all some good. The times haven’t a-changed as much as you might wish since then, but that doesn’t mean they can’t. And it all begins with you.

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, and how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, and how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they’re forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.

How many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea?
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.