DVD Commentaries - any recommendations?

[MrMockle]

All,

 

I buy a good number of DVDs and like to get my money out of them buy watching all of the added material, deleted scenes, "making-of" documentaries and interviews. But a particular pleasure is watching the feature with a commentary track, usually by a combination of the actors, directors, producers and others involved in the production.

 

This got me thinking - can any of you recommend any DVDs featuring good commentary tracks? The film or tv shows themselves don't have to be especially good but just the commentary from those involved. Also, have any of you listened to commentary tracks that you found awful - either dull or adding little to the viewer.

 

A quick list of some titles I would recommend for their commentary tracks are:

 

- Big Train (starts slowly with just the writers but is very lively when the actors join in)

- Evil Dead (Bruce Campbell's is good; I've still to listen to Sam Raimi's)

- The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (the actor's commentary has some great anecdotes)

- The Mighty Boosh (a bit rambling but enjoyable)

- Phoenix Nights (tremendous commentary by Peter Kay and friends - argueably as funny as the show itself)

- Shaun of the Dead (four commentaries and the one from the five leading actors is particularly good)

- Star Wars Episodes IV to VI (good range of paticpants but would have been nice to have featured more of the cast)

- That Peter Kay Thing (as for Phoenix Nights; Peter Kay and friends on top form)

 

I just picked up Doctor Who - Genesis of the Daleks on DVD and am gearing up for a long afternoon watching it with commentary by Tom Baker and Elizabeth Sladen. Tom has a wonderful autobiography (Who on Earth) and is a fantastic raconteur; I remember one great radio interview where his first line was "I remember the first time I was knocked out by a priest." Should be a belter.

 

Any other recommendations are welcome.

 

Regards,

Mr Mockle

[Guest]

try Greg the Bunny, the fox series that only aired one season from a few years back. the shows are great but the commentary is quite entertaining as well.

 

oh, and as my avatar will direct you to it... do i have to mention the Family Guy movie Stewie Griffin the Untold Story... always good comments by Seth and the other voice actors. make sure you select the unedited english version in laguage selection as well.

[bob23]

I've only ever turned on the commentary once: that was for The Goonies. It was one of my favourite films growing up, and when they released the DVD a couple of years ago they got all the child cast back for the commentary (along with director Richard Donner). Chunk isn't so chunky any more

 

I'm curious as to what point you turn on the commentary. If I didn't know a film extremely well, I can't imagine doing it; I think it would just confuse things for me.

[Guest]

try Escape from New York with Kurt Russlell & John Carpenter.

They crack jokes and its just great with the commentary.

[MrMockle]

Bob,

 

I usually try the commentaries on the second or third viewing as they do generally add to the experience and background of the feature - but of course it has to be at least a reasonably good watch to get to a second viewing. This added experience helps with films that we all know - surely we all know Star Wars IV to VI to a fair degree but the commentary (albeit a little disjointed) does add to the replay value. Some films then add multiple commentary tracks; Shaun Of The Dead offers four commentaries and I've only listened to two of those so far.

 

With some comedy shows it's good to be very familiar with the story and jokes first - certainly this was the case with Peter Kay's series and Trigger Happy TV. I'll have to upgrade my copy of I'm Alan Partridge from VHS to DVD as that contains a commentary from Alan himself - sounds promising!

 

Regards,

Mr Mockle

[bob23]

Thanks Mr M. I shall give them a go. I enjoyed the Star Wars documentary that shipped with the Episode IV-VI box set, so the commentaries could be right up my street.

 

Looking through my DVD collection I have a few with commentaries: I'll let you know how they fare when I've viewed them.