lisadoris

I did a search on commentary and none of the threads answered the questions I'm looking for. I'm doing a research paper on DVD commentaries (really just an excuse to write off my collection as an education expense) and I have a couple questions, if you guys could help me out, that would be great. Previous threads asked why people listen to commentaries so I won't rehash that discussion:

1. Does listening to commentaries change the way you think about or watch movies? For example, does knowing that Winona Ryder backed out of Godfather 3 at the last minute help you to cut Coppola a little slack for his daughter's performance?

2. Do you create or listen to home-made commentaries? If so, why?

3. We all know there are some directors who seem allergic to commentaries, does this resistance bother you? If so, why?

4. Lastly, can you provide your gender and age.

Thanks for the info...

steebo777

1. Listening to commentaries just gives me more insight to a movie. Depending on the film, I want to know everything about a movie (i.e. Godfather 3 info).

2. No, I never even thought of it.

3. This does not bother me, because as I said in question 1, there are some films I do want to know everything about and some films I don't want to everything about. An example would be Mulholland Drive. Beautiful film that can be preceived multiple ways, so I do not want what the director is getting out of it, but what I get out of it.

4. Male, 24, a DVD addict

DarthVong

Agrees with steebo on all counts except, I'm 32

otmetrud

1. In a small degree, yes. Since I began listening to DVD commentaries, I will sometimes notice more subtle technical things that would get past me before. Things like lighting choices and set designs, etc. Those are the kinds of things I always took for granted and never paid any attention to, but now I'm aware of some of the thought processes that go into such things. And when I notice something that I don't like or I don't think works in a movie now, I sometimes will try to analyze what went wrong instead of just having a thoughtless "That sucks" reaction.

2. Have never even thought about doing that.

3. It doesn't bother me. That's the director's choice. My feeling is that if a director doesn't want or like to do commentaries but is forced to do one by the bean counters or whatever, it's not going to be any good and a waste of my time. The good commentaries are the ones where the director/the producer/an actor/whomever obviously enjoy doing it and are enthusiastic about discussing the film. The bad commentaries are the ones where the commentator is obviously bored and/or doesn't really want to be there.

4. 49, male

Pants

1. Yes, but not in the way you describe

2. No

3. Yes, but if they make up for it w/ a doc or interview that's okay

4. 24, Male, DVDTalker

harosa

1) All commnetaries do is illuminate more of the movie making process to me. If i hated the movie, i wouldnt even bother listening to the commentary. A great commentary on how much directors put into a movie is the commentary for From Hell, you really feel the Hughe's bros. pain in that the movie did not do as well as it couldve and that it was dismissed so quickly after involving 2 years of their lives and was gone in a few weeks. It really puts a human face on what goes on behind the scenes.
2) NO
3) Only when I really have a question about some scenes is it bad if there isnt a commentary, worse is when there is a commentary and the scene you want discussed is instead being talked about something else.
4) 29/M

letterbox

1. Yes, if it's a good commentary. That's what a commentary is supposed to do. If it's just a bunch of actors laughing at themselves, then no, it does nothing for me.

2. No. If I had time, it would be cool.

3. I agree 100% with otmetrud's answer. And furthermore, I'd like to know how it became the law that only directors, or even only people directly involved with the movie, can do the commentary. Many people often cite Ebert's commentaries (on Dark City and Citizen Kane) as among the best. I'd also like to see more writers be invited to commentaries.

4. Male, 28.

gutwrencher

1. No-but it may enhance the experience of watching the film itself the next time I viddy it.

2.No-it would make me feel like I was back in the corporate radio game again. I no longer wish to hear my own voice. I scribble notes on occasion.

3.No-people in hell want icewater, but they get hot tea. in otherwords, we cant get want we want all the time....so why bitch?

4. all-american male/39...and growing older. thats cool to see the ages though. I like to know how many young punks are out there.

cultshock

1. I love a good commentary with interesting background info on the making of the film. There have been some films that I've looked at differently after hearing the commentary but I can't think of a good example off the top of my head.

2. I'm always tempted to try a "home made" commentary myself, but I really don't think I know enough about any movie to talk about it for an hour and a half or more (I wouldn't want to resort to "play by play" -eg "say, that's a well composed shot. Oh, here comes the bad guy").

3. I don't hold it against a director if he doesn't do commentaries. I'm sure many find it to be a pain in the ass, while others love doing them (I always imagined I'd be in the latter catagory in the unlikely event that I magically became a director).

4. Male, 35

Feathers McGraw

This one bothers me a bit. Yes, I understand the feeling of not wanting to "explain" the movie, why a shot is set up one way vs another etc.

So don't do *that* kind of commentary. Get together with an actor and reminisce about things that happened on the set etc. I find those kinds of commentaries much more enjoyable anyways.

harpo787

1. After typing yes and no, I'd have to say yes when it comes to commentaries changing the way I view or think about a movie. For example, I see a movie w/ commentary thats very informative, and mentions various ways scenes were shot, techniques etc, then I may notice those things in other movies. In addition, if I hear an actor and they're being themselves during the commentary, then I may view their movies a bit differently (but only a wee bit, unless the person is a egotistical pompous ass). So, even when a commentary is not informative, but is still entertaining, I enjoy them, and still learn something from it. For example, Kevin Smith commentaries. He (and cast) tend not to cover the "how to" of stuff, and thats ok. After hearing 5 commentaries by he and various cast/crew/friends, I feel like I know them.

2. No, I do not create nor do I listen to home-made commentaries. Someone posted a link to a site here once that I've bookmarked that's got people's home-made commentaries. If I had DSL and didn't take hours to download, I might be inclined to listen to some of them. Especially humorous ones. Would I like to do them? I guess....though it would probably be just like what Carrot Top did for Rules of Attraction. (When will he do Rules of Engagement commentary?)

3. It doesn't bother me if a director refuses to do commentaries for whatever their reason, but I do get slightly disappointed by it. I'm always curious to learn what they're thinking, why such and such may have been cut from the movie and/or book etc. When I love a film, I want to hear ALL about it, from every aspect. SUPER-ULTRA-MEGA thumbs up to Peter Jackson and everyone for the Lord of the Rings: FOTR 4 disc set. Told me all I ever wanted to know (and then some).

4. I'm a 30 year old male with no social life who loves dvds. Wait, I have a social life, I come on here...that counts.....right?

Avid

I have yet to find a commentary that has changed my thinking about a film, I find documentaries can make me appreciate a film more. I like commentaries that are either very technical (but not about effects) or hanging out and telling stories. I don't like listening to screen specific commentaries ("that extras is my dentist" -- who cares?) or ones that duplicate information from the other extras.

Commentaries on movies that are not huge blockbusters or older titles can be real gems. You can hear the enthusiasm and it is like the filmmaker wants to share his experience with people that appreciate the film. The really good ones make it seem like he is talking directly to you. Those enhance the movie and make the DVD more special.

I have had a commentary make me decide to keep a DVD. I hadn't seen Big Trouble In Little China since it came out in the theaters. I had meant to rent it, but when I heard it was going OOP, I grabbed a copy. The film didn't hold up very well for me and I was going to eBay it. The commentary is a lot of fun, and after listening to that I decided to keep the DVD (at least until I run out of space).

(I knew Winona pulled out of Godfather 3 when it came out and always felt both Coppolas should be cut some slack.)

I have not been interested in listening to any of those. I do agree with letterbox's comment about having commentaries made from people not directly making the film. The Lovell's commentary on Apollo 13 is one of the best extras on that disk.

When I got my player I rented some films that reviews said had great commentaries and I fell in love with them. At first I thought of only buying DVDs that had commentaries on them. Now that I have sat through some boring ones that don't give information about the film and are not entertaining, I don't mind if a director passes. Commentaries are hard to do and if a director doesn't think he can do one well, or just doesn't want to, I would prefer not having one over a really boring one. Life is too short to listen to bad commentaries.

That said, I really would like to have commentaries included on titles that don't have many extras, if any at all. Often times I don't think the filmmakers are even asked to do one, I think it is a matter of the studio not wanting to spend the money. I really like having commentaries on The Brothers McMullen, Fresh, Dead Again and The Limey. Most of the DVDs I buy are of movies I really like, so I am disappointed if there is not either a commentary or documentary on them.

Vidocq

1. A few commentaries have changed the way I look at a film. It helps me catch a few artistic merits and quick information pertaining to the certain scene. And if everyone involved (It being a group commentary) is having a good time then it makes for a very enjoyable and interesting session.

2. Yes, I have made dozens of home-made commentaries. The entire Rocky series of films commentary with my best friend are a few of the ones I listen to on a regular basis. We discussed everything Stallone/Boxing/Rocky related and just had a great time talking about the films from the viewers standpoint. The first commentaries I ever made myself were to Legend and Legend: Directors Cut. I felt like having to get it straight to myself how I felt about these two films. I talked specifically about Goldsmith's wonderful score against Tangerine Dreams hack, differences in the editing as well as the pros and cons and between the two versions.

3. There are a few directors who I would enjoy a commentary from. Specifically Speilberg who seems to steer clear of commentaries.

4. Male, 22.