The DVD commentaries thread

[Famous Mortimer]

I'm just watching series 1 of Red Dwarf with the cast commentary...they've not got tons of insight into the show, and spend a bit too much time laughing at stuff that isn't in the episode, but it's nice to watch along with them. There's the occasional story, and they're pretty honest about stuff that doesn't work too.

[Dark Sky]

I love the Red Dwarf commentaries!  Though it would annoy me as to how the stories they pieced together in the commentaries they would then reiterate, now practised, in the accompanying documentaries about each episode.

My three favourite film commentaries are:

The Blair Witch Project - simply because how they made the film is as interesting as the film itself.  (Meaning if you hate the film you probably won't want to listen to it.)  It's still, as far as I know, the only time a film has been broadcast on TV with the commentary...one of the Channel 4 digital channels broadcast it about seven years ago.

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events - the commentary with the director and Daniel Handler in character as author Lemony Snicket is hilarious.  The fictional logic of it doesn't sustain but to hear "Snicket" make fun of the adaptation of his book, yell in horror at close up's of Jim Carey's eyes, and occasionally start playing an accordion during bits of the film he doesn't like, is wonderful.

Bruno - I don't think I've ever - EVER - heard Sacha Baron Cohen talk not in character before, and yet for this he and Larry Charles chat excitingly and enthusiastically about every detail as to how they made the film, which in itself is fascinating, with so many bits I presumed were completely fictional turning out to be real.  The most unique thing is that during some bits where they have more to say about a scene than they really have time for, they pause the film and carry on talking about it, often with explanatory photos appearing as well over the top of the picture.  It's amazing!

[Famous Mortimer]

I don't think I've ever - EVER - heard Sacha Baron Cohen talk not in character before

I was the same, until he appeared on David Letterman's show about 6 months ago, and chatted amiably about his films completely out of character. It was really quite surprising. Or was it one of the other late-night hosts? I forget.

[El Unicornio, mang]

He also was out of character on Howard Stern

[El Unicornio, mang]

Bruno - I don't think I've ever - EVER - heard Sacha Baron Cohen talk not in character before, and yet for this he and Larry Charles chat excitingly and enthusiastically about every detail as to how they made the film, which in itself is fascinating, with so many bits I presumed were completely fictional turning out to be real.  The most unique thing is that during some bits where they have more to say about a scene than they really have time for, they pause the film and carry on talking about it, often with explanatory photos appearing as well over the top of the picture.  It's amazing!

There's anothere DVD commentary where they do that pausing thing. I think it's The Descent.

[Nik Drou]

The Simpsons Movie did it.

[Tiny Poster]

Sure that's been around for ages, it's just not that common.

[Dark Sky]

There's anothere DVD commentary where they do that pausing thing. I think it's The Descent.

The Simpsons Movie did it.

Sure that's been around for ages, it's just not that common.

Interesting stuff!  Surprised I didn't realise there's a commentary for the Simpsons Movie. 

The Bruno commentary is very good anyway despite the unique feature which turns out not to be unique at all, so I refuse to remove it from my list.  I REFUSE.

[ElTopo]

I'm looking forward to watching Flash Gordon with Brian Blessed's commentary at some point over the holidays. Has anyone else heard it? I'm hoping it's entertaining rather than exhausting (with all the shouting and that).

I never find the time for DVD commentaries, though. I've always got a massive pile of DVDs to get through and films recorded off TV (which inevitably get deleted after being there unwatched for 18 months...) that I feel I should watch first. It's an eternal battle.

[uncle_rico]

I'm looking forward to watching Flash Gordon with Brian Blessed's commentary at some point over the holidays. Has anyone else heard it? I'm hoping it's entertaining rather than exhausting (with all the shouting and that).

That commentary is a delight!  Yeah, he's OTT at times, but that's part of the charm.  I love his reasons for why Tom Cruise would make a rubbish Flash (I'm pretty certain his comments were recorded pre-couch-jumping meltdown, so there's even something prophetic about his words).

It's an epic swizz that the commentary isn't included on the Blu-Ray, though :-P

[Eis Nein]

The Once Upon A Time In America Special Edition features a commentary by someone announced as the Time movie critic. He immediately announces he will be hammering home the precognitive dream theory and spends the entire crucial shipment flotation scene, where Max plays dead to the consternation of Noodles (quite fucking important) drivelling about nothing, oblivious. He also informs us that 'Yesterday' is a John Lennon song.

Noodles to say, I had the last laugh. I switched the tit off.

[Famous Mortimer]

I'm glad this thread was bumped, I'm up to season 3 with the Red Dwarf commentaries now and it's a little sad to hear Hattie Hayridge and not Norman Lovett, but there were times when he and John-Jules seemed to be getting a bit annoyed with each other so there's less of that.

Next up with commentary will either be a rewatch of Fight Club, as soon as I get the blu-ray of it, or Zodiac, after I watched the film and all the lengthy special features on it the other weekend.

[NoSleep]

The Once Upon A Time In America Special Edition features a commentary by someone announced as the Time movie critic. He immediately announces he will be hammering home the precognitive dream theory and spends the entire crucial shipment flotation scene, where Max plays dead to the consternation of Noodles (quite fucking important) drivelling about nothing, oblivious. He also informs us that 'Yesterday' is a John Lennon song.

Noodles to say, I had the last laugh. I switched the tit off.

Fortunately that's one film that doesn't really need a commentary, being a perfect work of art.

[another Mr. Lizard]

Missed this thread originally but now it's been revived I'll mention the following:

BLOOD SIMPLE  - Coen Brothers-scripted parody of the form, with an executive from video company 'Forever Young' commenting on events on-and-off-screen. Some lovely gags and offbeat tangents/trains of thought here. Loved the Rosemary Clooney/Fred Astaire bits.

BUBBA HO-TEP  - Broooooce C once again, this time doing an in-character job as 'Elvis'. As good as the Spinal Tap one.

My region one copy of FRAILTY (one of my favourite horror films of recent years) carries three separate commentary tracks and made me realise that my own interpretation of the film is very, very different from both that of director Bill Paxton and of the scriptwriter.

William Friedkin often does a decent commentary track, on his own films and others  - his analysis of THE LEOPARD MAN is well worth hearing.

[Noodle Lizard]

Amazingly enough, the director's commentary on The Butterfly Effect (i.e. Donnie Darko for MTV-watchers) is pretty good.  I don't even have the DVD so I can't remember under what circumstances I wound up listening to it, but I remember hating the film less as a result.

Robert Rodriguez's commentary on El Mariachi is great as a guide for how to make a super-low budget film.

Matt & Trey's commentaries on South Park episodes are usually great, although they're only about 3 or 4 minutes long.  Best to look them up on YouTube for episodes you're interested in.

Hunter S. Thompson's commentary track on Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas is just as entertaining as the film itself - especially when he tries to prank call Benicio Del Toro and Terry Gilliam.  Unfortunately, the Region 2 DVD has absolutely fuckall in the way of extras, so you'll have to download the sound file and watch it along with the film.  Or if you know the film well enough, just listen to the commentary on its own.  Or buy the Region 1 DVD, I suppose.

More to come.

[Noodle Lizard]

The Once Upon A Time In America Special Edition features a commentary by someone announced as the Time movie critic. He immediately announces he will be hammering home the precognitive dream theory and spends the entire crucial shipment flotation scene, where Max plays dead to the consternation of Noodles (quite fucking important) drivelling about nothing, oblivious. He also informs us that 'Yesterday' is a John Lennon song.

Noodles to say, I had the last laugh. I switched the tit off.

Being one of my favourite, if not absolute favourite, films, luckily I haven't listened to that.

I'm always very wary when movie critics who had nothing whatsoever to do with the making of the film throw a commentary on it, since it may as well just be any guy who's watched the film once or twice and read a bit about it on IMDb, and this sounds like no exception.

Fortunately that's one film that doesn't really need a commentary, being a perfect work of art.

Agreed.  Although a greedy little part of me wishes Sergio Leone would resurrect himself and answer a few little questions once and for all.

The fucking garbage truck for one.

[phantom_power]

My region one copy of FRAILTY (one of my favourite horror films of recent years) carries three separate commentary tracks and made me realise that my own interpretation of the film is very, very different from both that of director Bill Paxton and of the scriptwriter.

What is their interpretation? I love that film and can't really see there being any other way of looking at it

[another Mr. Lizard]

What is their interpretation? I love that film and can't really see there being any other way of looking at it

Don't wanna take this thread off-topic (maybe Frailty deserves its own discussion), but what's your reading of it, pp? The writer seems most insistent that God exists (in the film's universe at least) and that the 'message from God' is real. I think that's bollocks and I'm also not sure whether the flashback matricide really happened or if it is the convenient figment of another character's imagination. We're supposed to accept it, but I think the film is far richer if we don't. Ambiguity and doubt is what makes this a great film for me, and as I recall, the dvd commentaries do their best to remove both.

[Jemble Fred]

The most exciting DVD moment of all time for me was pressing Play on the Ultimate Blackadder DVDs and hearing "Hello, I'm Rowan Atkinson..." – after decades of hating self-analysis and not wanting to talk about his work, hearing him and Lloyd watching episodes – even if it is only a couple of them – felt like a real honour.

[dr_christian_troy]

Cannibal! The Music has a very enjoyable commentary because it has Matt Stone and Trey Parker with the cast - essentially their old college buddies - all watching the film whilst becoming increasingly drunk, which culminates in nonsensical hysteria, including a somewhat contagious laugh.

I too am also rather fond of the commentary with Hunter S. Thompson on the Criterion DVD of Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas.

Appropriately enough, I'm yet to be disappointed by a commentary featuring Rob Brydon, thinking specifically of Marion & Geoff with Hugo Blick, and Human Remains with Julia Davis. Both entertaining, anecdotal, and interesting, especially about the writing/improvisation process.

[Noodle Lizard]

Cannibal! The Music has a very enjoyable commentary because it has Matt Stone and Trey Parker with the cast - essentially their old college buddies - all watching the film whilst becoming increasingly drunk, which culminates in nonsensical hysteria, including a somewhat contagious laugh.

Yes.

Did they do commentary track on Orgazmo or Team America, do you know?

[Famous Mortimer]

There is one on "Orgazmo", but definitely not the region 2 version. The region 2 special features are pretty amazing, though (they're listed below in full):

Trailer

[Old Nehamkin]

Don't forget interactive menus and scene selection!

[Noodle Lizard]

Don't forget interactive menus and scene selection!

Hah!  Post-1999, you know you're stuck with a rubbish DVD when that's listed among the Special Features.

That being said, the Mulholland Drive DVD didn't even have scene selection (at Mr Lynch's request).

[ThickAndCreamy]

Cannibal! The Music has a very enjoyable commentary because it has Matt Stone and Trey Parker with the cast - essentially their old college buddies - all watching the film whilst becoming increasingly drunk, which culminates in nonsensical hysteria, including a somewhat contagious laugh.

I've just listened to this, and it's incredible. Far more entertaining than the movie alone, and made me infatuated with Matt and Trey all over again. Just hearing Trey talk about his old girlfriend and how the film was made for her in a silly sincere voice made me laugh wildly. Sublime stuff, I had a smile the whole way through.

[Noodle Lizard]

Fudge, Packer?

[phantom_power]

Don't wanna take this thread off-topic (maybe Frailty deserves its own discussion), but what's your reading of it, pp? The writer seems most insistent that God exists (in the film's universe at least) and that the 'message from God' is real. I think that's bollocks and I'm also not sure whether the flashback matricide really happened or if it is the convenient figment of another character's imagination. We're supposed to accept it, but I think the film is far richer if we don't. Ambiguity and doubt is what makes this a great film for me, and as I recall, the dvd commentaries do their best to remove both.

SPOILERS, OBV.
For me I thought through the whole film you are supposed to think they are typically deluded serial killers but at the end the twist is that they really did see demons and that god was guiding them. I thought it was interesting that the film was willing to be so absolute about it so am surprised anyone could see ambiguity.

[thenoise]

Some of my favourite commentaries are those on the eccentric American label Something Weird Video - especially those by David Friedman and HG Lewis.  Amazing how much they remember from so long ago and, on ropey titles like 'Blood Feast', 'Goldilocks and the Three Bares', 'Gore Gore Girls' etc. the making of, promotion and distribution anecdotes are just as entertaining as the films.

As for the stinkers - actor commentaries don't tend to interest me so much as they can be a bit luvvie.  Tagger already mentioned Abel Fererra, who's bizarre rambling over Driller Killer was just as frustratnig an experience as watching it proper.  My worst overall though is Umberto Lenzi's commentary for 'Nightmare City', where inbetween lengthy silences you hear a loud click as a dictaphone is switched on and Lenzi's muffled terrible English saying something like "Ello boys, She eez going to be maimed! Orrible! Orrible!" and then go silent again - and if you still can't get to sleep, there is an hour long interview on the disc where you can hear him ramble on about how brilliant and unappreciated his film was/is.

[Epic Bisto]

Blasphemer! You know damn well that Nightmare City influenced Philadelphia. Lenzi said it so it must be true.

[dr_christian_troy]

Some of my favourite commentaries are those on the eccentric American label Something Weird Video - especially those by David Friedman and HG Lewis.  Amazing how much they remember from so long ago and, on ropey titles like 'Blood Feast', 'Goldilocks and the Three Bares', 'Gore Gore Girls' etc. the making of, promotion and distribution anecdotes are just as entertaining as the films.

Thanks for the tip! I bought a Something Weird DVD the other day too. I've been wanting to delve into their library for a while, not sure where to start though?