AMAZON.COM until January 24th, 2010 is having a 50%
sale on some DVD's
Amazon DVD Deals Event How to Find a DVD Commentary Resource List:
I don't review anything Blu-Ray, as of now it is too expensive and the quality of what a filmmaker is passing on through their commentary is either there or not there no matter what format they are delivered in. This Studio is about cheap self-training!
1)
Rate that Commentary List There used to be
a list entitled the DVD Commentary List, if I find where it went I will link to it here!
2)New Line Cinema's Platinum Edition DVD's (Criterion Collection) are full of Easter Eggs, Extras, and Multiple Commentaries. The
CRITERION, Collection itself is digitizing hundreds, as of Fall 2007 400+, classic films adding interviews, commentaries, and some contemporary criticism. Your local library may carry some or all of these.
3) The Sundance Channel's "Anatomy of a Scene" has been replayed on several DVD's including: Memento (Special Edition - 2 disk); The Deep End; The Cat's Meow; Anniversary Party; Requiem for a Dream (Director's Cut, also with commentary by the Director of Photography); Frailty; The Believer; & Sidewalks of N.Y. This Sundance series; has simple camera moves or "tricks of the trade" that are valuable to low budget productions (or any production).
Specialty Publications online; offline:American Cinematographer Magazine, for example, publishes a DVD review in their monthly magazine. It's a good idea to search various professional "social" or organizational (union) websites for what they have about DVD Commentaries by their own colleagues, like the Editor's Guild, or the Writer's Guild.
4) Script scanner or Script to Screen is an interesting feature. Although it's not a commentary, it does allow the viewer to read the script on a split screen in sync with the film itself. It illustrates the pace of the action, not forgetting I work in isolation, this is very interesting to see in action film or action TV. It's available on "Lost" the first season pilot; the Alias Pilot, Season One; Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl; and several other DVD's.
The Studios have started to release two editions of DVD's, one for rental and one with Extended tracks or extra DVD's that are for sale only. This list is limited by my own lack of access to many of the later.
COMMENTARY REVIEWS
There were so many bad commentaries that only the best are listed. It's a very paltry list.
Commentary for Aspiring Directors
As Speilberg described in an Interview with Larry King the job of a Director is to figure out Where to Put the CAMERA, first and foremost. Much of the Commentary by Directors is generated by their Ego and not a desire to share information with eager students of film. They also appear to be really good at describing other people's jobs, but are terribly deficient (DeVoiD) at describing their own jobs. Kudos to Frank Oz for being one out of many that does a good job in commentary.
I recommend, if you're interested in TV, listen to all the commentary you can by Heroe's Allan Arkush - it's practical and could be applied in any production environment.
RESIDENT EVIL:APOCALYPSE, Writer & Producer Commentary by Paul Anderson and Jeremy Bolt.This is the best of the 3 commentaries on the 2 disc set. This is good learning material primarily for their discussion of the relationship between a game franchise and film, and their respective roles as writer and producer. Going to war against my government is all the gaming I can handle. I don't generally understand gaming, but after a 2nd listen I realized they had valuable information. Plus, I wanted to write this review just to say, they were taken by the person who charged them $15.00 for the Impact logo. A good sock on the jaw would have more impact! Gag me with a spoon and send me to the valley for even bothering to listen to the actor's commentary.
PANIC ROOM, Special Edition 3 Disks with an overwhelming amount of information about Pre-Production, Post-Production and shooting. This was a one location film, that is a good reason to study it. But, the Writer's commentary is particularly motivational. The outside sleeve states it is by David Koepp and a "Special Guest". I don't know if William Goldman has a trademark on his name, but I'll tell you he's the very "Special Guest". The conversation between these two writers about their writing habits, their interpretation of materials, and just listening to how Goldman thinks as a writer is worth the price of the DVD. I've read parts of Goldman's books for the same reason. You'll pay more to purchase a Podcast by a screenwriter at Amazon than I paid to buy this at Best Buy, it has much more information on these 3 discs. David Fincher is known for putting out DVD's that graciously give huge amounts of information about the making of a film. Buy it! It's an entire jar of Nutella worth of fun!
BRAZIL, Criterion Ed. , with extensive commentary. If you have ever made a film that failed, particularly if you were attempting to make an art film, the Criterion edition of Brazil is a must see. Do not, and I mean it, go ask around to find out what other people think. Go straight to this DVD and the extended Edition of Blade Runner, reviewed below. Analyze your own problems and don't waste time with peoples opinions!
COLLATERAL, Disc 2 - Making of, Michael Mann Director. Other than a personal fascination with night shooting and possibly the only performance of Tom Cruise with an interesting character, I found the drama didn't rise to the level of tension it could have. I compare practically all dramas whose action is restricted to driving a vehicle to Wages of Fear, a film I saw once when I was young and could never forget. City of Night, Disc 2 This is an interesting documentary on shooting at night, on how cab scenes were shot, plus a few other items. I've some personal prejudices about how Michael Mann is being marketed by the press. Never ceases to amaze me, the stupidity of an industry that engages in marketing using electronic data, or should I say duh. Someday the study of 20th and 21st century history will include how etymology was skewed by technology, or at least a screenplay I write will include it. [Mann, Nordic; An island off the Irish Sea; Da, reference Danish Slang; or Da, an Irish dad] On the just plain weird side the Contest Rules for the Post-It Notes contest I just entered tell me even if I win, the contest can be cancelled in the event of Public Enemies. Instead of chocolate, I giving this a cross and string of garlic!
BLADE RUNNER, THE FINAL CUT 2 disc special edition. 2007 Disc 2, Dangerous Days, Making Blade Runner. Documentary of the making of Blade Runner, very specific and varied commentary with detail, worth a Toblerone Bar. There are many versions of this classic,
but the point is paying more...for blue ray of another version isn't going to improve the quality of the information being passed on by the filmmakers. Either they do or do not deliver informative info for other filmmakers.
BLADE RUNNER:
DISC 1 3 commentaries. 1) Ridley Scott, a commentary I abandoned as Mr. Scott continually excused and justified his actions in the making of the film. Although, I had read about problems on the set, until hearing this I could not imagine how bad they must have been. Apparently, all of his actions should be unquestionable, because he was the one being paid. Like Speilberg and other directors who knew what they were doing, the fact that he was the one paid to do the job justified any of his actions. That statement could use some finessing. I've turned down "payment" and jobs in the past made to me because of how I can creatively manipulate appearances, much like a director. Had I taken them I would have been the town whore, somewhat like Mister Scott.
"Superman never made any money For saving the world from Solomon Grundy And sometimes I despair the world will never see Another man like him." Lyrics, Crash Test Dummies (1991)
Not that I'm writing in support of Speilberg, because he has become the town whore as of late, but at very least he motivated much stronger storytelling with fewer resources in his first efforts.
2) The writer's commentary, snore. I would revisit this some other time.
3) The real reason for filmmakers to rent or buy this DVD: Commentary by Visual Futurist Syd Mead, Production Designer Lawrence G. Paull, Art Director David Snyder and Special Photographic Effects Supervisors Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich and David Dryer. As a film done with in camera effects this group of people offer invaluable information. Small details with comments on how and why certain in camera effects were used. There is also an attitude of mutual respect amongst this group of artists (that is certainly nothing I've ever heard amongst cameramen, where backstabbing is common).
INGMAR BERGMAN MAKES A MOVIE by Vilgot Sjoman. The link to the Criterion Collection further describes this documentary, a process I try not to duplicate here. It appears this was first only released in Sweden, English subtitles - slow going.
Highly recommended viewing for it's stimulating look at the artistic process, the one that happens in an artist's mind as opposed to a studio's backlot. Wild Strawberries was a snoozer. I received Ingmar Bergman Makes a Movie one week after viewing it, I almost skipped viewing this documentary. Surprisingly, it was interesting. Particularly since I write about negative effects of new technologies on an artist's ability to be creative, often demonstrating how that ability is crippled or handicapped.
Until now, I had only known Bergman for The Seventh Seal. I'm isolated, poor and don't have access to many foreign films where I live now, although I did when I was younger. In the 80's I traveled and researched in Sweden. I was homeless and hungry, not having an opportunity to see film there either. In fact, all I saw were a couple of filmmakers at the train station in Stockholm.
This documentary was a candid and dark look at an artist's frailty. Had it been done today, when the electronic press uses churches and special interest groups to control who and what gets seen, these groups or the press would have used Bergman's candid and "naked" exposure of his fears as an artist, to belittle and destroy his ability to obtain funding or work. Bergman had just finished writing and was shooting a film criticizing the church of Sweden.
Bergman in this documentary was interviewed by a writer whose past included theatrical studies and writing as a critic. It's an intimate and uncritical analysis of his creative process from script to screen.
Today, the anti-competitive and destructive nature of the electronic media in criticizing the lives, motives, and talents of artists through the public, turns many artists into Deceptacons. The definition of that is entitled to an entire book, but I will describe what I mean by the anti-competitive electronic press.
Many contemporary DVD commentaries on the creative process are bogus, so guarded or coached in faux terminology that the Director appears insincere or simply there to please their fans, financiers, actors or studio.
Joss Whedan, whose work I admire, told fans on the Serenity Director's Commentary that now was not the time to offer criticism. Just keep your mouth shut if you don't like it? A Director demanding an audience react or not react because their utterance can be manipulated and used to shut down future financing, SHINY Browncoats!
Bergman professes: I don't believe a play or a film is a play or a film until it meets the audience. He elaborates on his own process as one who writes about what he believes is necessary and what he believes other people believe is necessary. But then, about being confronted with the fear of being judged silly or judged for not having made it correctly.
He's arrogant in a way that is expected of this talent, deservingly.
William Goldman in one of his books wrote, today even before a writer can come to fruition as a talent - perfecting their craft, they have to endure high levels of criticism by the press and public. Humiliation often comes to these new writers before their plays or film has the opportunity to be "born", in Bergman's view meeting their audience. The crippling of financing being the primary goal but also resulting in the aborting of the creative talent.
If you look to this documentary as history, you realize it's not only the church that repeats the mistakes of their past, repeating rituals despite a lack of spiritual faith, so do young artists. But in the later, it's a ritual of self preservation. At one point Bergman turns the interview around, asking if as a critic he had ever given harsh criticism. His answer was vaguely that he didn't have that type of courage. Bergman asks him, were you ever jealous of those critics who did? The young writer answers, yes.
In this I found Bergman's short interview of the writer more dispositive of Bergman's artistic temperament than any other part of this documentary, because certainly he would not have ever made a decision that he would later regret so much as to make him jealous of another's work.
This Interview/Documentary doesn't draw conclusions for us about Bergman's talent, confidence or arrogance. The interviewer wasn't out to get him or make him reveal something that would make him embarrass himself. Although I can't say that for Bergman. It allows you to draw your own conclusions while exploring Bergman's art of writing and shooting a film.
Lastly, having just viewed Scorcese's documentary on the films that influenced him as a Director, this is nothing like that. I wanted to comment on the fact that not all Directors come to film through the same influences and no particular school of thought prepares one more than the other. I've personally been more influenced to make film by ideas, writers, books, painters and my technical love of a cameras and film less than any film I've every seen. I've just deliberately been denied the tools.
If you're an action filmmaker more influenced by images than ideas, you might not benefit from this documentary, which is slow and often tedious. Choose how to waste your time wisely ;<). It's what makes a man a man.
SEVEN SAMURI by Akira Kurosawa, the Criterion Collection. The interviews of Kurasowa, in Japanese, require some reading, but it beats the hell out of reading a book. At a time when I really thought trying to learn anything from just watching a film was hopeless, this film awakened in me a renewed interest in the camera. Outstanding commentary in English by 3 scholars.
IKIRU by Akira Kurosawa, the Criterion Collection. The Audio commentary by Stephen Prince, author of The Warrior's Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa is truly film school in a box material. Yes, you have to READ captions to understand the interviews but it's worth it!
MY VOYAGE TO ITALY, A Look at the Movies That Influenced a Filmmaker's Passion by Martin Scorcese, ISBN 0-7888-3626-9. This is the history of Italian film especially for people who don't appreciate film history class or old Italian filmmakers, that's me. Scorcese gives commentary through clips of his favorite Italian filmmakers, from his childhood.
THE SCORE: Director Frank Oz & his D.P. describe where they put the camera[s] and how that placement reflected his telling of the STORY. This is consistent throughout the DVD.
SPY KIDS II: Robert Rodriguez's commentary was very refreshing. I should point out that he reveals he's editing film on an Avid and Sound on Pro Tools system, not exactly indie budget items. Further, he learned part of what he knows from doing "time" somewhere at Lucas Arts. All I can say to that is, glad you did your time and you're free. I won't ask what you're offense was to get put there! What is refreshing is he speaks frankly about the sometimes silly things that are the subject of artistic inspiration. No matter how stupid write your ideas down when you have them and allow them to develop more fully later on. If you did not have the benefit of an artistic environment when you were growing up the vision to see that engaging in this exercise can lend to better ideas is often discouraged! In extreme situations unfortunately, it can be used against you in a commitment proceeding. Oh my God, if you don't think like other people we will have you put on drugs. Welcome to Florida!
In a very primitive way Rodriguez's commentary rings of more classical writings by Da Vinci or observations by Magritte. Observe what is around you, and see it in a way that it has not been seen before. Although, Rodriguez never approaches their level of observation, (the idea here is not to pass the psychological exam but to flunk it - because if you can just make "like a splinter is to wood" analogies you're too stupid to be an artist, try journalism) he makes a valuable contribution. He encourages all filmmakers sitting at home engaging in the digital filmmaking process to believe in themselves and their artistic observations, and to continue to explore their own ideas. From my perspective, this is always to be accompanied by the study of the classics. Here is where Rodriguez's own production hit the rocks.
This is not meant to be a review of Spy Kids II. It's sufficient to say that sometimes working with other artists, although the Director should have the final say, can provide badly needed critiques that are healthy to grow one's own artistic vision. The worst that can happen is you say I'm glad you helped me see that perspective but "were doing it my way" (a famous "tune" sung by Lucas and Scott in the very long past to get a great film made). Rodriguez claims creativity can overcome technical difficulty. This is somewhat true but pushed too far actually denies creativity it's full reign.
All this aside, the "Ten Minute" film school is a simple intro on how to do special effects on the cheap. His commentary during the actual film provided simple ways for anyone aspiring to make film to be a better filmmaker/creator. I haven't seen this done by anyone. Mostly I hear how working with the Studios is so hard and requires so much compromise anyone listening might want to just give up, because ONLY - I - ME - this great qualified director or writer that I am could do this. Most commentaries are so much bullshit!
INSOMNIA: Director Christopher Nolan's Commentary Track is delivered in the order of the "Shooting Script", by scene number. He tells you technical information about production breakdown, how and where scenes were shot, on stage or on location), it includes shooting and lighting information. This DVD also has short commentaries by the Production Designer, Director of Photography and by Hillary Swank but Nolan's
is the best.
Thelma and Louise, Special Edition: Ridley Scott's commentary gives some very useful detail on how the artistic details of several scenes were accomplished and some info on location shooting. Directors come from many different backgrounds, but as a matter of personal prejudice, those who come from a combination of the arts and commercials seem to have had the opportunity of working out problems on a schedule in other small artistic projects. This includes a storyboard/film comparison sequence that is also good. Here is where his expertise ended, Mr. Scott should have shut up about his motivations for wanting to direct this film. At one point he goes so far as to say or imply that he thinks women dream about living outlaw lives like these two women. Say What? Ridley, I was serious about starting that Annual Contest: The most effective way for Ridley Scott to Kill Himself Contest.
THE QUIET AMERICAN: Philip Noyce with his producers, actors and others join in this commentary together to give a nice short course on HOW TO produce an ADAPTION. Michael Caine is at his best and gives a short lecture on the difference between a "star" and an "actor". The DVD also included Sundance's "Anatomy of a Scene". They analyze the filming of a historically correct scene, a city bombing. A rant: I live in a small town, some Movie Rental stores chose not to get this in stock and others received as little as 5 copies. Although slow moving to start, this was a good film. As a character driven film, a love story entwined with issues of politics and the violence of war, it was more effective in both storytelling and in getting empathy for victims of war than "Tears of the Sun" which has dozens of copies on the rental shelves.
LORD OF THE RINGS, Special Extended DVD Editions for all three films: The Fellowship of the Ring; The Twin Towers; The Return of the King. These are already known as Film School in a Box material. This isn't a review of this material, but it is an affirmation that it has actual academic value. On the other hand, I stood in line at 4:30am to get a discount on the 3 disc version of Jackson's King Kong. That extended version was somewhat of a disappointment, although still packed with information of educational value.
Commentary By Writers
- Who the hell were they?
Whatever it is that leads Writers or Directors to think they should comment on whatever a viewer already Can See on the Screen, like describing the wardrobe or setting you're looking at, they should get over it. This is by far the worst form of Commentary, followed only by commentary that is Ass Kissing: Everybody was so wonderful to work with and so wonderful at their job. This is always annoying when it is a Producer or Director who appears desperate to work again with their Actor.
ED TV: It's rare that I ask, after listening to a writer's commentary, who were those writers (as in Who was that Asked man) Although Ron Howard's commentary track as Director was at least worth a listen, the writer's commentary was insightful. Despite an apparent irreverence at different times for everything and everyone, I vote them most likely to work again. They comment on what was cut from the script, what was rewritten, what was an ad lib by an actor, and how many family members Ron Howard used in the film.
PLEASANTVILLE: I've read essays at WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) in Geneva, Switzerland, that demonstrated that the words "Intellectual" and "Filmmaking" used together were an oxymoron. This writer rebuts that presumption. Because of the nature of the screenplay, everyone in Pleasantville undergoes some realization (change), the character development issues he discusses are worth a listen.
SPARTACUS: The Criterion Collection (2 Disc Set) This has a commentary on it by Dalton Trumbo that Kurt Douglas says should be required listening. I found it very interesting because despite his position in the industry, if you don't know frequent another website, he openly criticized this production and all additions or omissions to his script. I found his comments educational and not merely self-serving like many of the commentaries on most contemporary DVD's!
SPECIALTY COMMENTARY LISTS:
This is an list I have been looking for elsewhere but have not been able to find. This List is NOT a complete list. Notably two stand out, both contain commentary by college professors: SEVEN and the Director's Cut of BASIC INSTINCT. Neither of these are my favorite movies. The commentary in SEVEN is a must for any film student. A professor of film from Warwick, England interacts on the various commentary tracks with the technicians and artists keeping the discussions very professional and not banal. The explanation of "worldizing" is one example of how the Technician's soundtracks are designed for aspiring professionals or well educated movie fans. The Basic Instinct commentary tracks have some good information from the Director of Photography, with a second track by women's studies professor delineating the metaphors; myths (the whole men are afraid of getting sucked back into the womb debate-quite controversial) this film depends upon.
THE MUSIC TRACK ALONE :
BLADE RUNNER- NEW LINE CINEMA
FREQUENCY - NEW LINE CINEMA, with a great commentary by Composer Michael Kaman and the 5.1 Isolated Music Track.
SOUND EFFECTS ALONE:
MONSTERS INC.
SOUND EFFECTS COMMENTARY:
Commentary by composers is becoming more popular, for example "Frailty" had a Composer/Producer/Editor commentary, but commentary by a sound effects designers/editors are rare:
SEVEN - New Line Cinema. These multiple commentaries are hosted by a British Film Professor (good technical information)
CASTAWAY - Randy Thom with other technical commentaries
VISUAL
Cinematographer's/Directors of Photography
American Cinematographer's Magazine has a DVD Review that also will tell you when there is a Cinematographer's Commentary, or a Commentary about their work.
THE SUM OF ALL FEARS Cinematographer John Lindley and the Director. Good solely for an illustration and explanation of bleach by-pass processing.
Minimally useful for shot (steadicam use-in lieu of inserts) and lighting information but without details.
ARMAGEDDON, New Line Cinema Criterion Collection (Critique: Too many filmmaking so called "war stories" by Michael Bay and too little true technical information).
THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE, Interview with Roger Deakins (Although short, good technical detail)
PRODUCTION DESIGNERS
There are beginning to be quite a few tracks with Production Designers, they are all worth a listen. I seem to have left out the excellent commentary on "From Hell".
INSOMNIA - Commentary on selected tracks only.
THE CELL
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS This list would be by far the longest if I were to put a complete list here. Often the Director's commentary will be about Effects, the worst special and visual effects commentary is sometimes by the most highly competent Effects crews. For example the Effects commentary in "The Phantom Menace" in one word "sucks" and sounds like it was made by a bunch of "Valley Guys" (Read Cinefex or some other technical magazine if you're looking for accur 1ate information).
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