Has a Commentary Ever Changed Your Mind? (1 Viewer)

[StevenJ]

Occasionally when I buy a movie I've never seen or have seen but didn't like at first the commentary can change my mind.
When I bought The Last House on the Left I had seen it and didn't like it, but I'm a Wes Craven fan, so I watched it with the commentary and liked it that time.

 

[Damin J Toell]

Yes - Francis Ford Coppola on Bram Stoker's Dracula (available on the Criterion LD). Coppola's discussion of the intended style used during filming (i.e., doing effects practically to emulate early filmmakers) made me change the way in which I view the film. I actually find it to be a more enjoyable movie to watch now.
DJ

 

[Andrew Chong]

When I watched the Fight Club DVD for the first time (which was also my first time viewing the movie), I didn't get it or particularly enjoy it.

Watching it with commentary by the main actors and the director, I got it. Ever since, with or without commentary, I have enjoyed watching it again and again.

 

[Josh Lowe]

Yes, the Dark City commentary really opened my eyes to that film.

 

[Jon Robertson]

The commentary track on George Washington really gave me a new appreciation for the film (I wasn't that hot on it the first time I saw it), and I enjoy it far more nowadays as a result.

 

[TedT]

Frailty did it for me. I saw the movie as pretty predictable (well, most of the movie). The writer's commentary cleared up a couple questions I had and made me think of the movie in a different way.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Many commentaries have expanded my views and allowed me to see more or differently than I had previously.

 

[Zane Charron]

This is amusing. Kinda like the director trying to talk you into liking the film.

"No, really, this scene coming up that everyone hates, it's really a homage to the obscure 1929 German classic 'Der Nussknackers Mutter'."

 

[BobG]

I hated Reservior Dogs when i first rented the non-anamorphic version. Then i bought the 2 disc set and listened to the mini commentaries by the film critics and it changed the way i looked at the film.

 

[Eric_R_C]

Josh, I liked the Dark City comm. also, but Ebert made a few comments (can't recall exactly) that made it seem like he hadn't seen the movie (or at least forgot some important parts.)
Donnie Darko-I had several completely different ideas about the movie. It really showed me how widely you could interpret the material.
Seven-loved the details, especially making props (books)

Memento is the only one I haven't finished. I hate scene play-by-plays ("In this scene, the character does this." Duh, I can see it.)

 

[Jeff Arredondo]

For me, it was the commentary on the Criterion Collection DVD of Brazil that opened my eyes. Terry Gilliam shines we he does audio commentaries!


This one really enhanced the movie for me.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

This happens pretty often with me, but the most dramatic turnabout was on Dante's Peak. I initially dismissed it as a junky potboiler, but the director's commentary--he had been both a vulcanologist and a special effects guy--really gave me a completely new appreciation for what went into the production.

 

[Ted Todorov]

It has certainly happened to me after post film director/cast Q&A sessions.

This is amusing. Kinda like the director trying to talk you into liking the film.

If that's all it was it would be silly, but sometimes your appreciation of the film increases through greater understanding.

Spelling everything out on screen can be counterproductive and different audience members come with different sets of cultural reference through which they view a movie. What may be obvious to someone else, isn't to you, through no fault of the director. You can take the "I don't get it, therefore it SUCKS" attitude, or if it seems like it might be worth the trouble you can try and understand the things you didn't on a first viewing.

Ted

 

[Zane Charron]

I hope the tone of my comments above was taken as sarcastic, since I do love good commentaries, though I scarcely have time to listen to them anymore. They can definately open your eyes to a lot that the director was intending or trying to accomplish. Things you may not have noticed before.

Everyone rants about Spielberg not wanting to do commentaries, saying that he doesn't want to help "destroy" the "magic" of the film. Fans retaliate by asking why then does he allow the documentaries and supplemental features made at all? But I think what he is getting at is that he doesn't want people watching a commentary track WHILE the film is playing. And I can understand that. If I directed a film I wouldn't want people listening to me jabbing over the film, I'd want them to WATCH the film, even if they had seen it 10x. If directors want to do commentaries and give more insight into their movies, more power to them. But for those that prefer to let the playing of the film speak for itself, that's fine too, in my book.

OK, rant ended.

 

[Andre F]

I hate to say but I don't really watch too many movies with the commentary turned on...