Anyone else miss "filmographies" on DVDs? (1 Viewer)

[RAF]

This falls into the category of minor annoyances.
One of the features on DVDs that I used to use much more than I realized was the "filmography" (and the associated biographical information) that is, or should I say was found on most DVDs. Many is the time when this aging mind is curious about other films by a particular actor or actress. ("Didn't I see him in ...???)"
True, I can always go to the Internet Movie Database for answers, but having this information at your fingertips when a movie is queued up is very convenient (especially when I can then start "movie-hopping" thanks to my collection).
I wonder why this information has become scarcer as of late. A case in point is the excellent Moulin Rogue DVD release. Yes, there are an amazing number of extras, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but what about the filmographies?
The only reason that I can think of for no longer including filmographies is because it dates the disc a bit. When the filmography for someone like Elijah Wood stops with "1998 - Deep Impact" you know that this DVD didn't come out yesterday.

Other than that downside, I don't understand why this information has recently become the exception rather than the rule. It surely can't be a lack of bandwidth on the disc(s). In fact, one nice feature that used to pop up from time to time was the inclusion of related trailers for other films involving some of the main participants. If anything, this would sell, rather than date, more DVDs. And another nice feature was the inclusion of future works by the actor in the filmography (Elijah Woods, for example, would list all three Lord of the Rings movies in the olden days.)
Information is power.
Anyone else feel this way?
Comments?

 

[Sam Graves]

I apreciate the inclusion of filmographies on DVD. However, they are sometimes incomplete or only list the films that an actor has done for the studio releasing the DVD. My favorite filmography listing: Dan Ackroyd's filmography on The Blues Brothers Collector's Edition. I didn't know that Ghostbusters 3 came out in 1999?

 

[Brook K]

You should check out Kino's excellent The Blue Angel DVD where cameramen and actors with maybe 2 min. of screentime get entries. There are 6 bio/filmography screens!!
I haven't bought or even seen many new releases lately but isn't this a studio thing? Fox never really has filmographies on their disc. Universal usually has excellent bios. New Line's are taken directly from IMDB. Columbia does 1 screen of bio info and then the filmography. Paramount and MGM don't usually have any. I only have 1 Disney DVD so I don't know what they're policies are.
Anchor Bay usually has very extensive bio info, but usually only for a handful of cast. Artisan's are very extensive, even including producers. Criterion doesn't do them. Fox/Lorber usually has a filmography but no bio info.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Like many kinds of extras, filmographies tend to be fairly studio specific. Columbia-Tristar and Universal almost always include them, as do New Line and DreamWorks releases. WB is pretty consistent as well.

Anyway, they're still out there on a frequent basis. Personally, I could live without them, though when done well, they can be very interesting. DreamWorks doesn't offer great detail to the biographies, but they DO pack in a ton of them. Anchor Bay's offered some excellent biographies, though...

I didn't know that Ghostbusters 3 came out in 1999?

You didn't? Boy, did you miss out - it RULED!

 

[SteveGon]

I enjoy filmographies and biographies when they are well done. As Robert stated, they are a good tool for seeking out other works by a particular actor, director, etc. I wish these features, along with trailers, were standard extras on all dvd releases.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I could really care less about cast/crew filmographys and bios. It's a nice addition, but I can find the same information on the web.

 

[Steve Enemark]

My thoughts exactly. I can find accurate, up-to-date info of this kind on the IMDb.

 

[David Lambert]

I'm with Patrick and Steve on this one. It's the IMDB for me.
OTOH, I'll point out that the recent release of Mixed Nuts which I just got through viewing (excellent, I might add; as good as I remembered it to be!), had a filmography section on it.
Now I'm off to the IMDB to look up a character who wasn't on the filmography...

 

[MaxY]

These are about my favorite extra.

Sure the IMDB does a good job but when I am done watching a movie I really like to look up and see where I know an actor from without getting off my ass and going into the office and connecting to the net.

Max

 

[RAF]

Exactly, Max!

This thread is moving a bit away from my original concept. I acknowledged that the IMDB is a great place to go to do research on actors, roles, etc. My point was that I enjoy having this information at my fingertips after watching a movie. Filmographies on the disc afford me this opportunity. Granted, not all studios are (or were) into this to the same extent, but I really don't see the problem with adding this information, with the possible exception of what I mentioned (dating the DVD production).

One of the nice features of a large movie collection is the serendipitous nature of watching movies. An actor in one film makes me recall another performance and I'm often led to the second movie (or additional films) off of a reference in the first. It's an endless cycle, and quite enjoyable to the film buff. And having access to quite a few of the films mentioned makes it even more fun. (See the reference to "Why So Many Movies" on my HT site for further details).

In a related matter, I find the DIRECTORS series of discs interesting in similar fashion. If, for example, I watch one of these titles (complete with bits and pieces of the director's best works) I often find myself going back to the original movies to watch them again.

And the beat goes on....

 

[Sergio Martorelli]

Filmographies on DVDs can save you some time and the trouble of turning on the computer and loggin on, when all you want is a quick recall of "hey, I saw whatsisname on what movie?".

But for a more complete and updated info, there´s no other way than the IMDB.

 

[Martin Jeeves]

Filmographies and biographies on the 'principal' actors are a MUST on DVD's in my opinion.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

IMHO, all DVDs should contain the trailer, production notes, and cast and crew biographies. I usually do check out the cast and crew biographies to see where I recognize a person from.
Also, the Series 7 DVD contains a new alternative on how to do filmographies on DVD.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I like filmographies on discs, though they are a bit annoying when they get outdated- I don't think I have one that shows a 'cast bio' for an actor who's died yet.

 

[Sanjay Gupta]

The cast/crew filmographies and bios is one section I almost always visited after I finished watching a movie. It is a shame that it is a feature that has not been used to potential and in fact is becomiong rarer and rarer.

If it were upto me I would include it on every single DVD but I would make sure it was accurate and complete till date.

Sanjay

Member since 1997