Opinion: The Best and Worst DVD Commentary You've Listened To? (1 Viewer)

[Patrick McCart]

Just recently got the Criterion version of Brazil. Terry Gilliam's commentary is terrific!

 

[Ryan L. Bisasky]

i can't stand that commentary because they spend the first 30 minutes of trying to see what they can and can't say. apparently the commentary on the theatrical release has a different more screen specific commentary.

 

[Dave Miller]

Recently the best commentary I've heard was Frank Darabont on the 10th Anniversary DVD of Shawshank Redemption. Fascinating guy to listen to.

On the other hand the worst commentary I've listened to was Jonathan Frakes on ST: First Contact SE. Oh my goodness was that a waste of time.

Peace,

DM

 

[David Galindo]

The problem with Anchorman was that the commentary really felt heavily scripted. Really, really scripted. Doesnt that ruin the whole point of commentaries in the first place?

I got the jokes, and I loved the movie, but I just cant dig that commentary.

 

[Scott Pierson]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the commentary on Blood Simple. Done tongue-in-cheek by a "film historian," it is a great satire on the whole commentary process. The guy is so deadpan when he makes such outrageous statements like the opening scene in the car being shot with the actors and sets upside down and then just inverting the film during editing, and the dog being completely animatronic. Very funny stuff.

 

[Mark Schmitt]

Speaking of Anchorman, I really like the commentary on the extra disc, Wake Up Ron Burgundy. It's with Will Ferrell and this other guy...won't give anything away, but I can say I've never heard a commentary quite like it.

 

[Brian PB]

It's easier for me to recall great commentaries, as opposed to terrible ones (which I tend to switch off after 15 minutes, anyway).

BEST:

1. Alexander Sesonske (read by Peter Bogdanovich) on The Rules of the Game (Renoir/Criterion)

2. Brian Stonehill on Children of Paradise, Disc 1 (Carné/Criterion) [also on The 400 Blows (Truffaut/Criterion, in the box set The Adventures of Antoine Doinel]

3. Stephen Prince on most anything, but especially, Straw Dogs (Peckinpah/Criterion) or Red Beard (Kurosawa/Criterion)

4. Annette Insdorf on Three Colors: Blue/White/Red (Kieslowski/Miramax)

5. David Desser on Tokyo Story (Ozu/Criterion)

6. Scott Eyman on Trouble in Paradise (Lubitsch/Criterion)

7. Peter Cowie on Fanny and Alexander (theatrical cut) (Bergman/Criterion), or Wild Strawberries (Bergman/Criterion)

8. Rudy Behlmer on most anything. In particular: Casablanca (Curtiz/Warner) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (Curtiz/Warner)

9. Tony Rayns on Veronika Voss (Fassbinder/Criterion box set: Fassbinder's BRD Trilogy)

10. Gideon Bachmann and Antonio Monda on 8½ (Fellini/Criterion)

11. John Bailey on Sunrise (Murnau/Fox)




WORST:

1. Peter Brunette on Blow-up (Antonioni/Warner)

2. Robert Altman and David Foster on McCabe and Mrs. Miller (Altman/Warner)

3. Marc Gervais on Persona (Bergman/MGM/UA)

4. Peter Cowie on Diary of a Country Priest (Bresson/Criterion)

 

[Kevin M]

Two tracks that many people overlook mainly because the film is generally not well regarded by fans of the original are the dual commentary tracks on The French Connection II, John Frankenheimer’s commentary is a very interesting recount of the French/US co-production with lots of behind the scenes stories, Gene Hackman and producer Robert Rosen's track is even better with equal BTS tales and in particular Hackman talking about his research into heroin addiction.

I've never understood the dislike some people have for this film, it may not be quite as groundbreaking as the original Connection but then again it wasn't really trying to be the same type of film and on it's own merits stands up pretty damn well IMO.

 

[Bill Parisho]

Kevin:
Good job! Not only does "French Connection 2" have excellent commentaries on the DVD, but the film itself is underrated.
When I first saw the film in 1975,like everyone else, I was disappointed because it didn't live up to the 1971 original. However, I believe the film improves with later viewings. Gene Hackman adds an additional dimension to the already memorable character he created in the first picture.
I think a lot of people are depriving themselves of an entertaining film if they simply brush this movie off as "an inferior follow-up".
Bill Parisho

 

[Joel C]

A bad commentary I've heard recently (though not as bad as the aforementioned Clone Wars cartoon) is Pedro Almodovar on Bad Education. It's basically a narration track, except because it's in Spanish, I have to read it. He barely talks about his thought process making the movie at all.

 

[Bob Turnbull]

I only listened to a few minutes of this and he just didn't seem to be able to convey anything of substance. I was going to revisit at some point, but maybe I'll drop it down the list a bit...

I completely agree on the Rules Of The Game, Straw Dogs, Three Colors, 8 1/2 and Sunrise commentaries. Continuously interesting throughout and they add a great deal to the films.

 

[Will_B]

Milla Jovovich absolutely pulled Resident Evil 2 out of the trash by providing a hysterical commentary to it. I mean the film itself is not hardly worth talking about*, but she and her co-star chime in with an irreverent commentary that managed to make the film almost watchable. Best part being the cigarette story.

Worst commentary I've heard would be ...shut out of my mind.



*I seem to have become one of those people who use double negatives to mean a single negative. Sigh.

 

[Charles H]

The best--and I've recommended this to many of my friends--is the Daryl Hickman commentary to LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (1945) going back a scant 60 years (my age). The worst on the same disc is Richard Schickel or Christopher Lee et al. on RAPUTIN: THE MAD MONK, but nonetheless essential!

 

[Scott Temple]

Some of my favorites:

Tobe Hooper, Daniel Pearl, and Gunnar Hansen on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)*

John Carpenter** on Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween (with Debra Hill and Jamie Lee Curtis), The Fog (with Debra Hill), Escape From New York (with Kurt Russell), The Thing (with Kurt Russell), Christine (with Keith Gordon), and Big Trouble in Little China (with Kurt Russell)

Debra Hill and Joe Alves on Escape From New York

Frank Henenlotter, Edgar Ievins, Beverly Bonner, and Scooter McCrae on Basket Case

*Can't wait to hear the new track with David Gregory, Marilyn Burns, Paul Partain, Bob Burns, and Allen Danziger!

**Why can't Region 1 get the Carpenter/Roddy Piper commentary for They Live? Escape From L.A. really needs a 16x9 transfer and a Carpenter/Russell commentary.

 

[Mike Wadkins]

DOH forgot the shaun of the dead commentaries they all have there moments

 

[Kevin M]

I've noticed a few votes for Memento being among the worst.....I just listened to it last night & I thought it was pretty damn good, the director never gave in to just describing on screen action, rather he gave very good insight into the production and the concept as well as the difficulty in keeping the narrative consistent in such a broken timeline.
I thought it was one of the more interesting & insightful commentaries I have heard.

(hell, I changed my signature because of it)

 

[guille verdun]

the Goodfellas dvd is great... but i dont like how the cut the movie with the comentarys...

 

[Barry A]

Best - Bruce Campbell playing Elvis in the Bubba Ho-tep "the King" commentary. Hilarious and a great idea.

 

[Adam Sexton]

Some favorites off the top of my head:
The Godfather and The Godfather Part II
Mallrats
Superman The Movie
True Romance (both commentaries by Quentin Tarantino and Tony Scott)
Conan The Barbarian
Donnie Darko (all commentaries on both versions)
Hellboy Director's Cut
Citizen Kane (both commentaries by Ebert and Bogdanovich)
Predator Special Edition
Last Temptation of Christ
Untitled: Almost Famous
Terry Gilliam commentaries on Brazil, Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas and 12 Monkeys
Trainspotting
Jerry Maguire (video commentary)
This is Spinal Tap (MGM special editon)
The Evil Dead (Campbell commentary)
Evil Dead II
Escape from New York
John Carpenter's The Thing
Big Trouble In Little China
Vertigo
Casablanca (Ebert commentary)
Multiple commentaries on Fight Club, Se7en and Panic Room
Any commentary by Ridley Scott
Robert Rodreguiez commentaries on El Mariachi, Once Upon A Time In Mexico and From Dusk Till Dawn (with Tarantino)

The worst:
Camille Pagilia's lecture on Basic Instict: SE
Marian Keane track on Notorious (Criterion)
Any track by Richard Schiekel (the man's a great writer but an absolute bore as a speaker, no matter the quality of his information)

 

[LaurenceGarvey]

Jimmy Stewart's commentary on WINCHESTER '73 is a treat. The commentary on THIS IS SPINAL TAP is very funny. And a friend told me, "Don't miss Tim Burton's commentary on PLANET OF THE APES. You've GOTTA hear it." So I heard it, and my friend was right: Burton comes across as somebody who would need help tying his shoes or going to the bathroom. How this guy made ED WOOD is a mystery.