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-   -   Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary? (https://forum.dvdtalk.com/movie-talk/629268-favorite-comprehensive-movie-making-documentary.html)

DJariya 10-26-15 04:35 PM

Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
Yeah I know. Most of you have way too many Blu-Rays and DVDs and barely have time to watch the movies, let alone the making of documentaries and extras. But, just wanted to see for those who do try to make an effort to watch these, what is your favorite comprehensive making of documentary?

I'm not talking about 10-20 minute making of EPK's with fluff interviews.

Reason I bring this up, I just dug up my Star Wars DVD set from 2004 that has the "Empire of Dreams" making of film that originally aired on A&E and re-watched it today. I had not seen it since it originally aired 11 years ago, but it's probably one of the best produced, researched and comprehensive making of films I have ever seen. It's 2 1/2 hours long and not 1 second is boring or fluff. It went through pretty much every aspect of production, development and filming of the original Star Wars trilogy that I as a fan would want to know.

I know there's a lot more out there, but are there any others that you have seen that stand out?

I know unless you have a major interest in the movie, these documentaries can be extremely time consuming and some of you may feel better off watching a movie you haven't seen as opposed to watching this. But, I love learning about what went on with some of these movies.

I haven't seen them in a long time, but I know the Lord of the Rings appendices films were really good and extremely comprehensive.

DJariya 10-26-15 04:47 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
Oh another one I forgot, which is fantastic and exhausting is Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th.

7 hours long and that literally took me 2 or 3 sittings to get through. It would have been really hard to watch all 7 hours straight through.

stvn1974 10-26-15 04:50 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
Dangerous Days: Making Of Blade Runner is my favorite.

The Thing documentary that is on the DVD that Universal cut up for the commentary track on the BD would be my second favorite.

Each of the documentary films of the four Alien movies are excellent. The ones for three and four are better than the actual films.

Mondo Kane 10-26-15 05:19 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
Snowball Effect (Clerks) Far and away, my most favorite one ever.

Others that I love dearly:
The Dead Will Walk (Dawn of the Dead)
Under Pressure: Making 'The Abyss'
The Hamster Factor (12 Monkeys) It was interesting to see the decisions on the marketing of the film.
30 Days in Hell: The Making of the Devil's Rejects + Halloween (I love all the pre-production footage of Zombie's films)
Making 'Do the Right Thing'

There's a lot of other good ones that I like:
The Warriors
Superman The Movie
Deliverance
Top Gun

But those are all divided (On the discs) as individual segments that tell one big story.

And I don't really know what it is, but I love "Nightmares in Foam Rubber" (Creepshow 2) It's just such a treat to see the early days of the KNB crew. And I haven't seen both Nicotero and Berger so joyful in an interview before.

bluetoast 10-26-15 05:41 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
King Kong Production Diaries. Felt weird buying essentially a special feature for a movie that wasn't even out yet. But they're comprehensive as hell and entertaining.

OldBoy 10-26-15 05:44 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
Empire of Dreams is incredible as well as the one for Platoon. i think it is called something as well. also, Iron Man 1 had a lengthy docu that was amazing...

Trevor 10-26-15 06:43 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
Great thread. I really need to explore my disc special features more. Most of these have been in my 'must watch someday' list for years.

Perhaps a New Years Resolution to watch one a month.

JumpCutz 10-26-15 07:38 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
The Fear of God
My Best Fiend

Defiant1 10-26-15 10:54 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
The LOTR: EE have some incredible behind-the-scenes documentaries.

Groucho 10-26-15 11:02 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 

Originally Posted by Mondo Kane (Post 12628503)
The Hamster Factor (12 Monkeys) It was interesting to see the decisions on the marketing of the film.

I've only seen this once, many years ago, and I still crack up about "The future of the world is the hands of a man who has none."

Mountain Biker 10-26-15 11:02 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
Jaws docs (Making of and Shark is still Working) and the 3 part doc on the first 3 Indy films

Cardsfan111 10-26-15 11:06 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
There was a long (several hours) making of documentary on Rob Zombie's Halloween that I thought was really interesting when I watched it a few years back.

Mondo Kane 10-26-15 11:26 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 

Originally Posted by Cardsfan111 (Post 12628799)
There was a long (several hours) making of documentary on Rob Zombie's Halloween that I thought was really interesting when I watched it a few years back.

It's really too bad that Lords of Salem didn't have this. Would've loved to have seen that.....Even better, a House of 1,000 Corpses documentary could be more fascinating. I'm really surprised there hasn't been one for that movie yet. That could probably give "The Battle of Brazil" a run for it's money!

Ash Ketchum 10-27-15 03:44 AM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
Les Blank's BURDEN OF DREAMS about the making of Werner Herzog's FITZCARRALDO (both 1982) is probably better than the film it's about, although I couldn't say for sure since I still haven't seen FITZCARRALDO.

inri222 10-27-15 08:14 AM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
http://i.imgur.com/fSnK8.jpghttp://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/517P29PD39L.jpg

rocket1312 10-27-15 08:47 AM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
The making of The Phantom Menace is pretty essential and it goes without saying that it's better than the actual movie.


Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum (Post 12628950)
Les Blank's BURDEN OF DREAMS about the making of Werner Herzog's FITZCARRALDO (both 1982) is probably better than the film it's about, although I couldn't say for sure since I still haven't seen FITZCARRALDO.

Burden of Dreams is wonderful and probably is better than Fitzcarraldo. That's not a knock on Fitzcarraldo, which I love, but Burden of Dreams has the advantage of featuring Werner Herzog himself, who I find to be one of the most compelling personalities in any walk of life. I will say that the two films complement each other tremendously and make for the perfect double feature.

Sean O'Hara 10-27-15 08:54 AM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
I don't get the love for the LotR docus. Yes, the first one was really good, but the next two became repetitive. How many times can you listen to that one guy say, "Well you see we call them 'bigatures,' because they're like miniatures, only really big"?

De Lauzirika's documentaries for Blade Runner and the Alien films are far and the way the best. Everyone talks candidly about what went on, with none of that "Oh shit, I might have to work with this guy again, I better hold my tongue" that mars most making-of features. (Well, there's a bit of that with Resurrection, but it's Resurrection so who cares.)

JeremyM 10-27-15 09:21 AM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
I agree completely on the Star Wars one Empire of Dreams. As I recall, they weren't afraid to show a lot of the problems, so it wasn't a barrage of praise. The Phantom Menace one is also good.

I also agree with the Blade Runner doc. Great stuff.

I think the making of Jaws from the DVD set is incredible.

I enjoyed the Lord of the Rings ones, they are very thorough and well done, but there are an awful lot of clips of people saying so-and-so is a genius, and it gets a little old. I think Elijah Wood must have said "Weta are geniuses" 100 times between the 3 sets.

The Hobbit docs are a blast though--the dwarves, by and large, are all a bunch of characters and make it a fun time. I actually enjoyed those docs more than the LOTR ones. Most of the actors in The Hobbit were a lot less--political?--than those in The Lord of the Rings, I think. There was also some interesting stuff with Ian McKellan struggling with shooting his scenes in one room while the rest of the actors were in another room, because of the special effects. It was hard to watch in a way, but really gave some insight to how the film was made and how hard it can be for actors.

Quack 10-27-15 09:28 AM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 

Originally Posted by DJariya (Post 12628472)
Oh another one I forgot, which is fantastic and exhausting is Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th.

7 hours long and that literally took me 2 or 3 sittings to get through. It would have been really hard to watch all 7 hours straight through.

I'm wading through this right now, about 2.5 hours in so far and loving it. I just watched through the entire series beforehand and it's a fantastic compliment to it. I need to do the same with Nightmare's and then watch Never Sleep Again.

Giles 10-27-15 10:54 AM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
^ 'Leviathan' the making of Hellraiser I and II - I've read is pretty comprehensive (at over six hours). The doc will appear in edited down form for the Scarlet Box Edition coming out next month.

wishbone 10-27-15 11:08 AM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 

Originally Posted by Quack (Post 12629070)
I'm wading through this right now, about 2.5 hours in so far and loving it. I just watched through the entire series beforehand and it's a fantastic compliment to it. I need to do the same with Nightmare's and then watch Never Sleep Again.

I watched F13 and Nightmare movies followed by their respective docs for past horror movie challenges and it was a blast for both series. :up:

Mabuse 10-27-15 12:05 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
The Fly has a great long form documentary.
Also Spielberg's 1941.

Shannon Nutt 10-27-15 12:15 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
The uncut Jaws doc on the current Blu-ray is by far my favorite Making-Of.

Anything directed by Laurent Bouzereau usually turns out pretty good...but this is my favorite of his.

Solid Snake 10-27-15 12:16 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 

Originally Posted by Shannon Nutt (Post 12629240)
The uncut Jaws doc on the current Blu-ray is by far my favorite Making-Of.

Anything directed by Laurent Bouzereau usually turns out pretty good...but this is my favorite of his.

This is the real answer. That guy gets so much information.

GoldenJCJ 10-27-15 12:19 PM

Re: Favorite comprehensive movie making of documentary?
 
Full Tilt Boogie, while at times exhausting, is a pretty comprehensive documentary on the making of From Dusk Til Dawn.


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