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-   -   Pro-conservative commentaries? (https://forum.dvdtalk.com/dvd-talk/480790-pro-conservative-commentaries.html)

MartinBlank 10-15-06 10:30 PM


Originally Posted by nodeerforamonth
Doy! Many of the South Park (mini) commentaries have a slight conservative slant.

That's the first and only one that popped into my head after reading the OP.

hal9000 10-16-06 04:34 AM


Originally Posted by nodeerforamonth
Many Troma films have radical left commentary. Lloyd tends to throw in his political stuff at the end during the credits. Usually stuff like how Bush is too stupid to be in the White House and he's just a "puppet" and Dick Cheney and Haliburton are really running the show.

Dune (miniseries) had a very interesting commentary that leaned heavily to the left politically. They started talking about Afghanistan (AFGHANISTAN!! Not Iraq!!) and one of the guys was saying "Just what the hell are we doing in that country!!!". The other guy (the director?) then said "Shhh... shhh... shhhh.... Let's not talk about that." and quickly changed the subject. Keep in mind the guy was being very pissed off over us going into Afghanistan!!! To go after the Taliban!!! Wow!!!

If I remember correctly they recorded this commentary just as we began to bomb the living shit out of Afghanistan right after 9/11 during the campaign to kill Bin Laden and destroy the Taliban.

nodeerforamonth 10-16-06 08:36 AM


Originally Posted by hal9000
If I remember correctly they recorded this commentary just as we began to bomb the living shit out of Afghanistan right after 9/11 during the campaign to kill Bin Laden and destroy the Taliban.

Exactly. I guess they thought it was wrong to go after Bin Laden and the Taliban?!?!

Lastdaysofrain 10-16-06 08:49 AM

I think most artists and filmmakers lean to the left. I think most people who have that creative and critical view point of the world, needed to make movies (and all art) tend to be progressive and more liberal with their beliefs.

Especially in genre films. You're generally not making things filled with sex and violence if you are conservative (and you're generally not doing anything interesting either)

rocket1312 10-16-06 09:30 AM


Originally Posted by Lastdaysofrain
...(and you're generally not doing anything interesting either)

Now really, is crap like this necesssary? I was an art student and would most definitely consider myself conservative. While I'll agree that a large percentage of the art community has liberal leanings, to say that "conservatives" (which is a pretty broad term don't you think?) don't do anything interesting is not only a direct insult to me, but is the same exact kind of close-minded ignorance that conservatives are often villified for. Throwing around these big labels like "conservative" and "liberal" is totally irresponsible anyway. I told you I consider myself conservative, so I could be someone who believes in a certain amount of personal fiscal freedom, or a hate mongering fascist, or anything in between. Whose to say. Well I guess it at least means I won't be "doing anything interesting."

Anyway, to get back on topic, I can't recall any blatantly conservative commentaries. However, for those who have never heard a commentary with a blatant any kind of political bent and would like to, I've got two words for you: OLIVER STONE. I love JFK, but the man's political paranoia is almost amusing at times.

Lastdaysofrain 10-16-06 10:10 AM

I can't resist a dig. But it's appropriate and not a crap, most of the interesting, challenging and just over all good art is by it's nature progressive and shocking and more "liberal"

I too find it irresponsible and moronic to split everything into only two camps because people with a brain don't work like that, things are shades of grey and not one thing or another.

Further, there's nothing wrong with politics in a commentary track if it's appropriate to the movie.

Sean O'Hara 10-16-06 10:44 AM


Actually, I agree with people who want to have no political commentary in the commentaries
Well that's silly. Do you really think if, say, Warren Beaty did a commentary for Reds or Bulworth, he shouldn't discuss the very thing those films are about? How about Battlestar Galactica, South Park, Futurama, or The Simpsons where many episodes are satires of current politics?

I'll admit it's annoying when you're listening to the director of some light comedy launch into a tangent about how America's become a scary place, and he feels like the peasant from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but that doesn't mean politics have no place in movie commentaries.

Egon's Ghost 10-16-06 11:43 AM


Originally Posted by GreenVulture
I think the closest thing I've heard like this was on the Aliens commentary, where James Cameron talks about Sigourney Weaver's intense dislike of guns, and her surprise at being asked to fire several weapons.

After talking about how much Weaver enjoyed the experience, Cameron laughs and says something along the lines of "Another liberal bites the dust." But that's the only remotely political comment he makes.

I've always thought Cameron was a dickhead. Great director and writer, but dickhead. Weaver's side of it didn't mention "enjoying" it.

Sean O'Hara 10-16-06 01:11 PM


I can't resist a dig. But it's appropriate and not a crap, most of the interesting, challenging and just over all good art is by it's nature progressive and shocking and more "liberal"
If we're talking about mainstream Hollywood films, they're only challenging if you're ten years old, and shocking only if you're still scandalized by dick'n'fart jokes. There's no reason you have to be liberal to make a good raunchy comedy -- as the creators of South Park prove -- or hardcore action film -- as Milius, Eastwood, and Cameron prove.

Lastdaysofrain 10-16-06 01:19 PM

I didn't say popcorn movies, I'm saying anything interesting or "art" in general. Not knocking dick and fart comedy or action flicks. Generally movies that are classics, that really shake things up, move you emotionally etc and aren't just a time killer (not that there's anything wrong with a time killer), something insightful.

Further, I don't think the creators of south part ARE conservative, I think they hate bullshit from BOTH sides, they like to call it as they see it and there's a lot of ridiculous stuff ripe for parody in both extremes. World Police was JUST as critical of the bomb everything, invade, it's all terrorists Conservatives as they are anything "liberal" look at how they slam the ridiculousness and hipocracy of religion. Look at "That's My Bush" (which was granted more a parody of sitcoms in general, but still, I wouldn't imagine someone "Conservative" would make that).

Gobear 10-16-06 02:09 PM

I'm not sure how politics enter into a DVD commentary:

"Check out this framing master shot where the camera pulls back to distance the viewer from the action, and BTW the Federal Reserve should return to a Reagan-era monetarist policy."

Does not compute.

It's also sad that political life in this country has degenerated to such an extent that so many people use terms like "liberal" and "conservative" as epithets with no regard to what those words actually mean. They've just become labels in a childish "us vs them" contest.

Yeti4623 10-16-06 02:19 PM

There's actually a lot of conservatives out there, who lean slightly liberal socially.

nodeerforamonth 10-16-06 02:20 PM


Originally Posted by Lastdaysofrain
I didn't say popcorn movies, I'm saying anything interesting or "art" in general. Not knocking dick and fart comedy or action flicks. Generally movies that are classics, that really shake things up, move you emotionally etc and aren't just a time killer (not that there's anything wrong with a time killer), something insightful.

Further, I don't think the creators of south part ARE conservative, I think they hate bullshit from BOTH sides, they like to call it as they see it and there's a lot of ridiculous stuff ripe for parody in both extremes. World Police was JUST as critical of the bomb everything, invade, it's all terrorists Conservatives as they are anything "liberal" look at how they slam the ridiculousness and hipocracy of religion. Look at "That's My Bush" (which was granted more a parody of sitcoms in general, but still, I wouldn't imagine someone "Conservative" would make that).

Well the South Park guys are more libertarian than anything, but that's more in line with the conservative way of thinking. Some people say that a libertarian is just a conservative who's afraid to admit it.

Trey & Matt had a show like "That's My Bush" designed from the get-go. Whoever won the 2000 election was going to get a sitcom based on them. Bush won, so "That's My Bush" was created. If Gore won, then the show was going to be about him.

Yeti4623 10-16-06 02:25 PM

When I asked about pro-conservative commentaries, I didn't exactly mean speakers who are raging conservative, just a certain comment or two, that illudes to the party they lean to. I've actually heard a lot of commentaries, where the speak/speakers makes a comment or two, and you can tell they are liberal/lean liberal.

Also, I'm a little surprised about the John Carpenter comment. For some reason, I thought he was fairly liberal. Maybe not. I've listened to his Halloween, The Thing, The Fog, and Christine commentaries. Maybe he sounds conservative on some of his other commentaries.

Lastdaysofrain 10-16-06 02:57 PM

I think he was kidding about Carpenter. He's a major Republican hating hippie.

They Live is specifically ABOUT Regan and the Reagan preseidency and culture of greed. Also if someone like Carpenter is doing a commentary about a movie that is VERY political is SHOULD be in the commentary (and it is). Commentaries aren't just about shots and lighting all the time, they are about what the movie is about, where the ideas come from, what it's making a statement about etc.

It's another issue/topic really, but most people like to slap an easy "us and them" label on things so they can have a team to route for. It's one of the many major problems with this country (and this world).

Filmmaker 10-16-06 03:17 PM


Originally Posted by Yeti4623
Also, I'm a little surprised about the John Carpenter comment. For some reason, I thought he was fairly liberal. Maybe not.

I was, indeed, joking--that's why I said (*ducks*). Sorry to throw you off.

domino harvey 10-16-06 04:31 PM

I don't remember which season it occurs in, but on at least one of the Simpsons commentaries, Matt Groening and the producers openly talk about how most of the staff is liberal, but some writers are conservative and about the pitches and feelings from the conservative writers about certain jokes. it was all very interesting and honest.

Josh-da-man 10-16-06 10:40 PM


Originally Posted by Yeti4623
Also, I'm a little surprised about the John Carpenter comment. For some reason, I thought he was fairly liberal. Maybe not. I've listened to his Halloween, The Thing, The Fog, and Christine commentaries. Maybe he sounds conservative on some of his other commentaries.

In one of the bts features on a Halloween DVD John Carpenter said he was a capitalist and likes to make money, so we can safely put him in the extreme right-wing camp. :)

Yeti4623 10-17-06 11:36 AM


Originally Posted by Josh-da-man
In one of the bts features on a Halloween DVD John Carpenter said he was a capitalist and likes to make money, so we can safely put him in the extreme right-wing camp. :)

Unless you're joking, I don't think that makes him right wing, certainly not extreme. Also, I remember thinking the way he said it, almost sounded bitter, Like "I'm bad, but can't help it", or something.

Josh Z 10-17-06 03:40 PM


Originally Posted by Yeti4623
Unless you're joking,

The smiley at the end of his sentence should make that perfectly clear.

Peep 10-17-06 04:02 PM


Originally Posted by Yeti4623
When I asked about pro-conservative commentaries, I didn't exactly mean speakers who are raging conservative, just a certain comment or two, that illudes to the party they lean to. I've actually heard a lot of commentaries, where the speak/speakers makes a comment or two, and you can tell they are liberal/lean liberal.

A certain comment or two? How would that even be interesting?

Jah-Wren Ryel 10-17-06 07:26 PM


Originally Posted by Lastdaysofrain
It's another issue/topic really, but most people like to slap an easy "us and them" label on things so they can have a team to route for. It's one of the many major problems with this country (and this world).

That's better than having a team to rout for. :)

Seriously though, the us vs them thing is just another manifestation of the same tribalism that keeps places like afghanistan in the dark ages.

Yeti4623 10-18-06 03:33 AM


Originally Posted by Peep
A certain comment or two? How would that even be interesting?

I find a lot of stuff interesting, for some reason.

Yeti4623 10-18-06 03:44 AM


Originally Posted by Josh Z
The smiley at the end of his sentence should make that perfectly clear.

With some people on the internet, you never can tell, lol.

PotVsKtl 10-18-06 01:59 PM

Who cares?


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