No Extras And Other Things

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Amethyst_Isle']The other worst offender is when a commentary is telling you exactly what is on the screen when you already know that because your watching it.

There's also 'Don't tell the viewers what's going to happen next". Because everyone watches a film for the first time with a commentary.

[Amethyst_Isle]

name='CaptainWaggett']There's also 'Don't tell the viewers what's going to happen next". Because everyone watches a film for the first time with a commentary.

Not forgetting the sudden silence in the Commentary (in some cases very very long pauses as if whoever is doing the Commentary has just gone for a drink or something else ) and you just wonder if your dvd player or tv is playing.

[MB]

Even though I am studying film, I haven't spent much time listening to commentary. I did start when it became available - but - as people have pointed out - I haven't found them incredibly useful in learning about how the film was made.



They do, largely, seem to be an off the cuff trip down memory lane for a bunch of giggling actors or directors 'look at that - that was when you had stomach cramps and you had the day off - do you remember..'.



The most inane I have come across was (and I would like to qualify this) - I was given the 'Love Actually' DVD whilst really ill and I couldn't bear to watch it again, so watched the commentary.



It really is hours of Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, the little boy and Richard Curtis making it seem as though they barely know each other or the film itself..Hugh Grant keeps saying 'who is this?' 'Who's she?' 'I don't remember that..' So, it was quite amusing - but only rarely informative.



The only interesting fact I gleaned was that the Portugese father is - like - the Laurence Olivier of Portugal and Richard Curtis treated him a bit like an extra (which he does admit) because he didn't know..even so, extras need to be treated decently too Richard..!



But, in a nutshell..if there could be a shake-up in how these commentaries are made - then I think it would be worthwhile every time.

[Steve Crook]

name='Amethyst_Isle']Probably the best extras I have come across is in the Alien Quadrilogy box set where everything is covered in detail with 3 hrs of Makings of for all 4 films (plus a whole lot more ) now to some that maybe boring to watch but to me is very informative.



Others I would recommend watching are Bladerunner (5 Disc Set) and Superman The Ultimate Collection (13 Discs).

I would add the Powell & Pressburger films from Criterion.



The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

+ Two audio commentaries: one featuring renowned directors Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese, and one with film and music historian Bruce Eder.

+ Optional English subtitles on the main film

+ Visual Effects, a documentary about the technical achievements of The Thief of Bagdad, featuring interviews with special-effects masters Ray Harryhausen, Dennis Muren, and Craig Barron

+ The Lion Has Wings (1939), Alexander Korda's propaganda film for the English war effort, created when The Thief of Bagdad went into production hiatus

+ Excerpts from codirector Michael Powell's audio dictations for his autobiography

+ Excerpts from a 1976 radio interview with composer Miklos Rózsa

+ Stills gallery featuring rare images of the film's production and photos shot in Dufaycolor Optional music and effects track

+ Theatrical trailer

+ PLUS: A booklet featuring new essays by film scholars Andrew Moor and Ian Christie



49th Parallel (1941)

+ Audio commentary by film and music historian Bruce Eder

+ The Volunteer, a 1943 Powell and Pressburger war-effort short starring Ralph Richardson

+ A Pretty British Affair, a BBC documentary on the careers of Powell and Pressburger, which considers their WWII-era collaborations and features rare footage of the filmmakers together

+ Excerpts from Michael Powell's audio dictations for his autobiography

+ Original theatrical trailer

+ Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

+ PLUS: A new essay by film scholar Charles Barr and Powell's 1941 premiere speech



The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)

+ Studio commentary featuring director Michael Powell with Martin Scorsese

+ Carlton International's 24-minute video profile

+ A collection of rare behind-the-scenes and production stills from the collection of Michael Powell

+ A collection of David Low's original Colonel Blimp cartoons



A Canterbury Tale (1944)

+ Audio commentary by film historian Ian Christie

+ Excerpts from the American Version, with Kim Hunter

+ New video interview with actress Sheila Sim

+ A Pilgrim's Return, a documentary about John Sweet, by Nick Burton and Eddie McMillan

+ A Canterbury Trail, a new documentary visiting the film locations, by David Thompson

+ Listen to Britain, 2001 video installation piece inspired by A Canterbury Tale, by artist Victor Burgin

+ Listen to Britain, a 1942 documentary by Humphrey Jennings

+ Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired

+ Plus: A booklet featuring essays by Graham Fuller, Peter von Bagh, and actor John Sweet



I Know Where I'm Going! (1945)

+ Beautiful digital transfer supervised by Erwin Hillier.

+ Audio essay by film historian Ian Christie.

+ Behind-the-scenes stills, narrated by Thelma Schoonmaker-Powell.

+ The 1994 documentary I Know Where I'm Going! Revisited, by Mark Cousins.

+ Excerpts from Michael Powell's 1937 feature The Edge of the World, with commentary, and the 1978 documentary Return to the Edge of the World.

+ Photo essay by I Know Where I'm Going! aficionado Nancy Franklin, who explores the locations used in the film.

+ Home movies from one of Michael Powell's Scottish expeditions, narrated by Thelma Schoonmaker-Powell.

+ English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired



Black Narcissus (1947)

+ Breathtaking new digital transfer, created with the participation of cinematographer Jack Cardiff

+ Audio commentary by late director Michael Powell and Martin Scorsese

+ A collection of rare behind-the-scenes production stills

+ Includes documentary Painting with Light about Jack Cardiff and BN

Part of the longer documentary about Jack by Craig McCall

+ Color, Closed-captioned



The Red Shoes (1948)

Probably the perfect DVD, it's got everything:

+ New digital transfer supervised by Oscar winning director of photography Jack Cardiff.

+ Audio commentary by film historian Ian Christie, featuring interviews with stars Marius Goring and Moira Shearer, cinematographer Jack Cardiff, composer Brian Easdale and Martin Scorsese.

+ Third audio track with Jeremy Irons reading from Powell and Pressburger's novelisation of The Red Shoes.

+ Martin Scorsese's collection of The Red Shoes memorabilia.

+ A collection of rare publicity of behind-the-scenes production stills.

+ The Red Shoes Sketches, an animated film of Hein Heckroth's painted stoyboards. These may be viewed by themselves or in split screen (alternate angle) with the ballet of "The Red Shoes" from the film.

+ The animated film may be viewed with the music from the ballet or with Jeremy Irons reading from the original Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale.

+ Theatrical Trailer.

+ A Powell and Pressburger filmography with film clips and stills.

+ English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.



The Small Back Room (1949)

+ New, restored high-definition digital transfer

+ Audio commentary featuring film scholar Charles Barr

+ New video interview with cinematographer Christopher Challis

+ Excerpts from Michael Powell's audio dictations for his autobiography

+ PLUS: A new essay by film critic Nick James

+ Subtitles



The Tales of Hoffmann (1951)

+ New, restored high-definition digital transfer

+ Audio commentary by director Martin Scorsese and film music historian Bruce Eder

+ New video interview with director George A. Romero

+ The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1956), a short musical film directed by Michael Powell, based on the Goethe story

+ Rare collection of production designer Hein Heckroth's design sketches and paintings

+ Gallery of archival production and publicity photographs

+ Original theatrical trailer

+ Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

+ Plus: a new essay by film historian Ian Christie



Peeping Tom (1960)

+ Audio essay by renowned film theorist Laura Mulvey.

+ Stills gallery of rare behind the scenes production photos.

+ A Very British Psycho, directed by Chris Rodley: The Channel 4 (UK) documentary about the life of screenwriter Leo Marks, interviews with him as well as the making and critical reception of Peeping Tom.

+ Original Theatrical Trailer.

+ English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired





Sometimes it's worth paying extra for a bit of quality



Although it's wonderful to hear Powell talking about his own films on the commentary track on some of them, he was getting old by the time those commentaries were made (for the laser disk editions) and they do sometimes suffer from some of the other faults mentioned here.



But the other commentary tracks are all properly researched, scripted and timed by the people doing them.



Steve

[CaptainWaggett]

Any commentary by Bruce Eder is always worth listening to - his one for the Criterion Lady Vanishes is excellent.

[HUGHJAMPTON]

I listened to the DVD commentary on Whistle Down The Wind earlier this morning. No problems hearing Hayley Mills, but do me a favour Robert Ross, speak up a little, please.

[didi-5]

There are some good commentaries around - on Singin' In The Rain, Jabberwocky, Whistle Down The Wind, Jesus Christ Superstar, My Fair Lady, amongst others.



The ones I dislike are those which are only on certain scenes - Ben Hur comes to mind.