What is your favorite commentary? (1 Viewer)

[sleroi]

I've been enjoying this thread, and so I started looking deep into my collection for stuff I haven't watched in a long while. And I came across Breech.

Wonderful film, but the commentary by the actual FBI agent from the true story is excellent. So many times in based on true stories you wonder what is real and what was embellished. This commentary expounds on this and amazingly some the more bizarre behaviors in the film were actually toned down some.

 

[Rob W]

I always look forward to John Waters' commentaries on his films.

 

[DavidJ]

I've been enjoying this thread, and so I started looking deep into my collection for stuff I haven't watched in a long while. And I came across Breech.

Wonderful film, but the commentary by the actual FBI agent from the true story is excellent. So many times in based on true stories you wonder what is real and what was embellished. This commentary expounds on this and amazingly some the more bizarre behaviors in the film were actually toned down some.

I’ve never listened to it, but now I want to. It sounds like it would be fascinating.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I've been enjoying this thread, and so I started looking deep into my collection for stuff I haven't watched in a long while. And I came across Breech.

Wonderful film, but the commentary by the actual FBI agent from the true story is excellent. So many times in based on true stories you wonder what is real and what was embellished. This commentary expounds on this and amazingly some the more bizarre behaviors in the film were actually toned down some.

Curse you. I had to go and buy the DVD because there’s no blu. BTW it’s “Breach”.

 

[sleroi]

Yeah, not sure I want to see a film called "breech."

Its a shame theres no blu. Thats why I haven't watched it in awhile.

 

[Moore Maxx]

The Disney film "Brother Bear" has a hilarious commentary by Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis. They are doing it in character as Ruk and Tuk, the moose they voiced in the film but it might as well be Bob and Doug Mckenzie from "Strange Brew" It's a great commentary.

 

[Rodney]

October Sky has a wonderful commentary track by Homer Hickam, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

The absolute best commentaries I've heard are for 'Charade' (Stanley Donen and scriptwriter Peter Stone) .... totally hilarious, and George Stevens for 'The Harvey Girls' .. packed with info and priceless nostalgia. The first is of course already on Blu ray .. and I'm hoping the second commentary gets ported across when Warners gets around to a Blu ray of that classic Judy Garland movie.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Curse you. I had to go and buy the DVD because there’s no blu. BTW it’s “Breach”.

Yeah, I have it on HD DVD as its one of the few discs from that format I still have in my collection.

 

[Race Bannon]

I am really at the point where I think twice about buying any disc without a commentary.

A commentary track has become my single most significant "trigger-puller." I tend to buy mostly movies that have commentary tracks, and tend shy away from ones without.

 

[Vic Pardo]

The absolute best commentaries I've heard are for 'Charade' (Stanley Donen and scriptwriter Peter Stone) .... totally hilarious, and George Stevens for 'The Harvey Girls' .. packed with info and priceless nostalgia. The first is of course already on Blu ray .. and I'm hoping the second commentary gets ported across when Warners gets around to a Blu ray of that classic Judy Garland movie.

I think you mean George Sidney.

 

[Gary Seven]

Admittedly, I have listened to a fraction of the commentaries I have on various discs but out of the ones I listened to, probably the Criterion LD James Bond (first three movies) are my favorite thus far. Lots of great info there and seeing how the expensive looking sets are really not so.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

And as a big fan of The Simpsons, the commentaries on every episode of that series are priceless. With about 400 commentaries, they make up what must be the most complete oral history of any TV show ever made. Plus, they're funny since they feature a bunch of comedy writers so even bad episodes play better with the commentary.

I think the "Simpsons" tracks started out pretty well but got less interesting as the series continued.

On the other hand, early "Futurama" commentaries weren't very good but they improved a lot as time progressed.

The "Futurama" tracks are way funnier and more fun - especially because that series' actors are much more extroverted. Dan Castellaneta and Yeardley Smith sound like fine book club members, whereas John DiMaggio and Billy West seem like guys who'd take you out for the wildest night of your life!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I love the commentary with Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez an the DVD/BD of From Dusk Till Dawn.

I need to listen to it again. When I heard it way back in 2000, I thought it was very good but Tarantino was so hyper that he could be extremely annoying!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I enjoy listening to Susan Sarandon's track on The Hunger but maybe that was a DVD? Probably carried over to Blu however.

It was - it's on the DVD and the BD.

And I agree Sarandon was a gem on that track - too bad she didn't talk more than she does!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

The Goonies!

Yeah, that one's good - especially because it becomes clear everyone else involved with the movie hates Feldman!

 

[TravisR]

I think the "Simpsons" tracks started out pretty well but got less interesting as the series continued.

I've been listening to them for so many years now, it's like getting back together with old friends when I hear a new round of tracks. What kind of amazingly crazy world do I live in where I know what Al Jean and Tom Gammill sound like?

On the other hand, early "Futurama" commentaries weren't very good but they improved a lot as time progressed.

The "Futurama" tracks are way funnier and more fun - especially because that series' actors are much more extroverted. Dan Castellaneta and Yeardley Smith sound like fine book club members, whereas John DiMaggio and Billy West seem like guys who'd take you out for the wildest night of your life!

Yeah, those Futurama tracks are a ton of fun.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Kurt Russell in Used Cars. Also Trey Parker and Matt Stone in Orgazmo. I believe they were completely drunk. If you are in a bad mood these two commentaries will change that in a hurry!

They did the same thing for "Cannibal" previously and it worked much better there. For "Orgazmo", it felt like they were trying to stage a re-enactment of the earlier track and it feels forced - the "Cannibal'' tracks is gloriously nuts.

The "Used Cars" track is very good!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I've been listening to them for so many years now, it's like getting back together with old friends when I hear a new round of tracks.

I admit that I suspect part of the reason - much of the reason? - I think the commentaries get worse over time is thhat the series gets worse over time. I'm not one of those guys who says "all 'Simpsons' sucks after 1999" (or whenever) but I can't deny the first 10 or so years easily beat almost everything since then.

Since the episodes interest me less, the commentaries interest me less - sort of. I do admit I've heard lots of great commentaries for movies I hated, so I can enjoy/appreciate a good commentary even if I don't like the event or product..

What kind of amazingly crazy world do I live in where I know what Al Jean and Tom Gammill sound like?

Few people exhibit a bigger difference between how they "sound like they'll look" and how they actually look than Jean. Based on his voice, I thought he'd be a short, chubby, nerdy bald guy - I was totally wrong!

On the other hand, Gammill looks exactly like his voice!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz on "Superman: The Movie". (They reunited to do a commentary on the Donner Cut of Superman II which is also worthwhile.)

Oh, I thought that one was a major disappointment! From my review:

"If this feels a lot like a conversation about making the first Superman and less about Superman II, I guess that makes sense since Donner shot both sides simultaneously.

Unfortunately, that’s not really what I want from a commentary about this version of SII. We hear a little about the conflicts connected to the movie, and we also get a few notes about issues related to the reconstruction of the Donner cut. I hoped to get a full accounting of what parts were shot by Richard Lester and learn more about that side of things, but not a lot of that occurs. Though occasionally Donner provides hints as to what Lester did, he doesn’t get into those topics in depth. The most detail comes during the climactic battle, but even then, there’s not a lot of specifics.

Donner just seems happy to see this version of the film, and that tone dominates. In addition to a fair amount of dead air, he and Mankiewicz offer lots of praise for the actors and other participants. They do gripe about some of the decisions made for the Lester edition; in particular, they’re unhappy – and perhaps rightly so – that Susannah York replaced Brando for the Lester version. Despite occasional useful nuggets of info, however, I can’t say I learned a whole lot from this chat."