Directors Commentaries

wither2000

Established Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2003
Messages
151
Reaction score
4
Points
74
Age
54
Location
Bristol
I've recently expanded my DVD collection from around 20 films which I watched, then I watched the extras, then the commentaries by the driectors and crew etc. I now have around 100 films and have spent much more time just watching and enjoying the films, and have hardly watched any extras. Spending a couple of hours watching a commentary can be great - I enjoyed the Sam Mendes commentary on American Beauty almost as much as I enjoyed the film - which I love:clap:

Other films with commentary which I have enjoyed have been things like Donnie Darko where the film has alternate meanings to different people and its good to hear the directors take on things.

So are there any commentaries you really enjoyed or found enhanced your understanding of the film that you'd recommend sitting through? :smashin:
Alternatively - who are the directors that add nothing to their work on celluloid by talking over it?:boring:

Ian.
 
Commentary by cast/crew on Evil Dead 2 is good, The Thing and Escape From New York (Russell/Carpenter on both), the original release of Alien had a good solo one by Ridley Scott, the Tom Savini commentary on the UK release of Dawn of the Dead's another good one. David Fincher always does some good ones mixing techie stuff with stories although his group commentaries have the edge (Se7en, Fight Club) on his solo ones (Panic Room).
Solaris (remake) had a very good one with Soderberg and James Cameron. Terry Giliam's always good value too (Time Bandits and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas spring to mind).

Thos are some standout ones I can think of anyway.

Avoid Tim Burton though, he's a cure for insomnia if ever I've heard one
 
Paul Verhoeven's commentary on Starship Troopers is hilarious - he's proper mental :)
 
Kevin Smith is usually great (Mallrats in particular), but he really "phoned it in" on the Clerks DVD, IMO.
 
Originally posted by Azrikam
Kevin Smith is usually great (Mallrats in particular), but he really "phoned it in" on the Clerks DVD, IMO.

was the clerks one where they were doing it during a break in filming Mallrats, with Jason Mewes comatose on the floor for half the track?
iirc it sounded like they were all crowded into one of those chemical toilets
 
I always find Ridley Scott commentaries entertaining.

Bruce Campbell's commentary on The Evil Dead is very good :)

I also like any John Carpenter/Kurt Russell commentary track as those guys together are so funny and informative and i agree about Verhoeven he does pretty good one's.
 
By far the funniest/oddest commentary i've listened to is for Blood Simple.

Worth buying the DVD for the commentary alone! The movie itself is an astounding 1st effort from the Coen bros.
 
The commentary track on Dark City (R1) by film critic Roger Ebert is interesting to listen to as is the track on Fight Club SE (R1) from writer Chuck Palahniuk. On more cerebral movies i'm more interested in how the story came about rather than how they made the special effects. Donnie Darko is another one with great commentary.
 
The Red Dwarf ones are superb IMHO.
 
I like the commentary on 'Solaris', it's really good.
 
Guy Ritchie's and Matthew Vaughan's commentary on Snatch is appalling. Easily the worst I've heard.

There is even a bit where the recording is stopped and they are told to say something interesting or relevant, which Guy then mentions when the recording is started again.
 
Hi
I really like the commentary on R1 Memento se,
When it gets to the last 15 minutes or so the disc branches in to one of 3 different commentaries!
Really enjoyed that.
Rob
 
I liked the commentary tack on Momento, but now I can't remember it.
 
Originally posted by Rambo John J
was the clerks one where they were doing it during a break in filming Mallrats, with Jason Mewes comatose on the floor for half the track?
iirc it sounded like they were all crowded into one of those chemical toilets

Yeah, Smith imparts some decent information, but he just seems ready to fall asleep.

The Red Dwarf commentaries are interesting just to realise how little the actors know about the show. :laugh:
 
Thought I'd bring this thread back to include some of my favourite commentaries and why

John McTiernan - Die Hard, Predator & HFRO - informative stories about making the film and cast.

Jim Cameron - Terminator 2 EE - The weird dual channel stero commentary with someone else - informative over and above what you already know about the film

John Carpenter - Halloween, The Thing, Escape from New York, Big Touble in Little China - often not alone but funny and informative

Paul Verhoeven & Co - Robocop DC - crazy commentary with the three trying to talk over each another, sounds crazy but works

Henry Hill and former FBI Agent Edward mcDonald - Goodfellas SE - not a director but informative

Thats just a small selection, I could go on at length erm maybe I'll post up more of my faves but for now I'll say that I found the following boring!

Roger Donaldson - any commentary by this Aussie, sleep inducing.

Russel Crowe and Ridley Scott on Gladiator, hmmmm just didn't grab me.

Liam
 
Like the commentary by Martin Campbell on Goldeneye.

John Carpenter/Kurt Russell on The Think is a classic:D

Ridley Scott is usually good value. Alien one is very good.

Apollo 13 as well.

Enjoyed the commentaries on The Omen and Superman too (Richard Donner).
 
I can't listen to commentaries in the normal way. I prefer to rip them to a mp3 player and listen to them in the car.

My favourite was Freddy v Jason with Robert Englund and the Director Ronny Yu.
 
I enjoyed the LOTR EE and the Bubba Ho Tep commentries, even the one by 'The King' himself........
 
Yeah, The Evil Dead commentary is good. I haven't listened to many.

One Foot In The Grave... The Beast In The Cage.. is a good commentary.
 
Best audio commentaries in the world are from John Waters. Hilarious - both on his own movies and on other people's films, where he's been roped in on several occasions to deliver a commentary where the original director is dead.
 
The Red Dwarf ones are superb IMHO.

definitely :D

altho i found the first series to be the best for this.....
Black Books is another good TV series commentary to listen to...


filmwise, i'd say its a toss up between Oceans 11 and Fight Club as my favourites...with the actors doing it that is.....directors commentaries dont interest me so much usually.....not unless its a very directorial type film as opposed to a generic hollywood blockbuster......

cant remember which others i've listened to now....got so many films...lol....a lot i wouldnt bother with the commentaries tho.....watch the other extras however....
 
I enjoyed the '7even' commentary (on the SE).
It has 4 commentaries, but the one with David Fincher, Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman is brilliant. :thumbsup:
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom