Darabont films on DVD... Thoughts... (1 Viewer)

[Brian_L_Kleis]

I will freely and purposely admit to being a huge fan of Frank Darabont. The Green Mile, The Majestic, and possibly my favorite film of all time (if pressed to pick just one), The Shawshank Redemption.
Now, all of these movies are in (boo, hiss) snapper cases which is extremely frustrating. Plus they all offer very few, if any, extra features. The new Majestic disc has a few things, but not too much. Now with three major films under his belt and a known reputation for quality...
Is there any talk/rumor/interest/demand for either just special editions of these films or a box set of SE's (like the Red Curtain box, or the Wolfgang Petersen set)... Personally, I don't like double-dipping and will only do it in VERY few cases (Usual Suspects and soon Res. Dogs are two of these)... But I'd dump all my current disks in a heartbeat for background footage, documentaries, commentaries, gag reel/outtakes with Hanks, Carrey, Freeman (you know, they've got to exist somewhere...)
To me, this seems like a prime opportunity for creating a great FULL set of good SEs on quality films that no one is thinking about or requesting... Anybody else feel the same way...?

 

[Joel C]

Darabont supposedly doesn't believe in extra features. It's rumored that a Morgan Freeman commentary was recorded for Shawshank, but Darabont wanted the film to speak for itself.

 

[Erwin]

I would rather have a good movie than extra features. But both is nice.

 

[Aurel Savin]

It's rumored that a Morgan Freeman commentary was recorded for Shawshank, but Darabont wanted the film to speak for itself.

Thanks God for that ...smart move.

This is one of my favorite movies and I don't need it explained to me ...

Commentaries sometimes ruin a movie for me. They take so much away from the magic.

 

[Eric Peterson]

Thanks God for that ...smart move. This is one of my favorite movies and I don't need it explained to me ...
Commentaries sometimes ruin a movie for me. They take so much away from the magic.

That's why you have the option of not listening to it!! I would love to have a commentary track for this movie and would gladly pay to upgrade my current featureless disc.

As for Darabont's other movies, I don't own either of them, but if proper SE discs were put out, I would most likely buy them.

 

[Brian_L_Kleis]

I can understand the "magic" of a movie - I've experienced it multiple times with Shawshank itself... No commentary track could take that away from me. It's just a matter of wanting to know more, background stories, shooting difficulties, etc. - Trying to get FD's viewpoint on what he liked and disliked about what he achieved with the film. Maybe it didn't come out exactly as he wanted it to, and I'd be facinated to hear what his other ideas were and what limitations he had when making the film. This is just an example...

Can most of you tell me that if our dear old departed master Alfred could come back from the dead and record his commentaries/thoughts on Vertigo/Strangers on a Train/Psycho/Rear Window/etc. , you wouldn't be interested? Those were "magic" films to me, and because he can't come back, we'll not hear from ol' Hitch on them. That's why there are SO MANY books on the subject of Hitch and the making of his films. If the director can lend insight to the process (while he's around), why not?

 

[streeter]

Good point, Brian... and I bet if Hitch were alive today, he would be much like an Altman or a Carpenter and be more than eager to record commentaries for all of his films.

 

[LukeB]

NY Times had an article on Darabont over a year ago that talked about how he wasn't a big fan of commentaries, but that he was recording them for upcoming special editions of The Green Mile and Shawshank. I've been waiting for these to come, but nothing...