"Don't Take Our Word For It!" Your Favorite Commentary Tracks (That's Not from the Usual Gang)

I also thoroughly enjoyed Mel Brooks’ commentary on “Young Frankenstein.” He’s just overflowing with affection for the cast, many of whom had died by the time the commentary was recorded.

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These are all some excellent commentary tracks. I’m gonna attempt to track a lot of these down somehow, someway. Thank you all very much!

I’m gonna cheat a bit and mention a commentary track by some of the usual gang and it’s not included on the disc: Jonah Ray hosts a podcast called “Let Me Watch That Movie With You” that serves as a sync-able commentary track for the movie watching, and the episode published for January 8, 2021 is for Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie with Trace Beaulieu and Kevin Murphy. It’s definitely a fantastic track to listen to with or without the movie that gives you a bit more of a peak behind the curtain in making this film, and it’s a neat way of hearing almost everyone’s favorite Crow & Servo speak on a film not in their usual commentary characters!

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Along similar lines are the “Subtitles for People Who Don’t Like the Film” from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

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Many Joss Whedon commentary tracks come off as a bit creepy these days after the allegations by actors and writers, but I have always found his track to Firefly’s “Objects in Space” to be fascinating. He partially restrains himself from telling jokes to focus on teaching a master class on how to add depth and mood to a TV program through quality direction, cinematography, and writing.

Transcript: Joss Whedon Commentary for Firefly "Objects in Space"

Sadly, the A&E DVD releases of the original 70’s British kids series “The Tomorrow People” left off most of the commentaries that were on the UK DVD releases. The ones that I did hear on the handful of stories I imported were hilarious. Actor Nicholas Young just could not help but constantly rip apart nearly everything about the production (including his own acting).

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If you’re looking for laughs instead of scholarly analysis, you have to go with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s commentary tracks for Conan the Barbarian and Total Recall.

He’s joined by the films’ respective directors, John Milius and Paul Verhoeven, but the entertainment here is found in Arnold being a doofy goofball (“OH THIS IS ME ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER AND THIS IS ME ON THE SCREEN HERE RUNNING TOWARDS THE CAMERA” says Arnold as the TriStar Pictures pegasus enters the frame for Total Recall) and over-obviously just pointing out what’s happening on-screen.

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Criterion Collection tracks which I’ve listened to substantially my whole life are hugely informative, thoroughly comprehensive on the subject, and might be a little dry to some people. The equivalent of a college lecture ongoing for two hours. It isn’t for everyone. I enjoy them as do you albeit I’d be negligent not to warn those new to Criterion commentaries to not expect being entertained by personality and further a number of these historians are reading off a sheet at times which contributes to the college lecture quality. Outstanding saturations of information whereas not for everyone. IMO.

Nick Redman and Julie Kirgo former runners of Twilight Time DVD Label hosted a number of commentary tracks on their titles even inviting guests in to sit with them on many of them. These are far more spontaneous, conversational, and involving whilst disseminating huge amounts of history and context in a personable fashion. I rely on Criterion, Twilight Time, Kino, and numerous other labels though for my money Redman and Kirgo are the apex of comprehension and engaging analysis.

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I never found them dry, but…

I like tracks that act as a kind of film study, but also (as someone who’s always lived in the USA), offers insights into the culture of the films I’m watching.

Like the commentary on “Giants and Toys”, from Japan, there’s a brief scene with 3 men, beggars on the street, one is blind, etc. I always wondered why they were in there. The track points out that after the war Japan was planning to help its veterans, to give aid to those were we disabled, but American leaders wouldn’t allow it, so a lot of these men wound up on the streets, begging, living in poverty, some to the end of their lives.

That was the director’s quick commentary on that sad fact and was something I wasn’t aware of, or understood by just watching the movie on its own.

That’s even happened with our next-door neighbors, Cananda. The political/social undercurrent in movies like Between Sweet and Salt Water that was brought to light in commentaries.

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It depends on who you are. To Bruce Pullen and Jake Gittes, it isn’t. They dispense historical, personal, and theoretical info in a dispassionate, scholarly, and direct way. If you are as dedicated as you and I, it won’t really matter. But for those wanting to learn and better themselves, the concentrated, workmanlike, and reading off a script tendency depending on who it is feels like higher education and may lack the personal spark.

Roger Ebert personified having terrific working knowledge and a method of connecting to listeners that isn’t always so with some of these experts accustomed to the classroom over a microphone. It wasn’t until I commenced buying Twilight Times and exposing myself to their tracks where I realized not every speaker is made equal and conversing on a subject might be preferable to repeating an academic article back to you in audio. To repeat, one’s personal preference and I devour all of it. But I must say where I’m standing if you’re not 100 percent into it Criterion tracks vary hugely by who is talking. Merely an observation to those on the fence and not as committed as me.

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Most people know what Criterions about, and an art film receiving a scholarly commentary track, isn’t going to surprise anyone, even those newer fans.

“Wait, my copy of Sansho the Bailiff doesn’t include an amusing Jim Carrey commentary track? The hell?” :wink:

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Ditto. No company possesses a finer catalog of inexhaustible research, intellectual examination, and a company of resident specialists in their field of cinema expressing their findings and assessments than the Criterion Collection. They are the bar and their commentaries embody the most bang for buck dissection of a film or a career you will find and typically it’s one individual talking to you. One on one. Those wanting film study straight up absent any ice in the glass can’t top the Collection.

Listening to a couple back to back, they blur together and the deficiency of a personal dynamic to the speaking robs it of any memorable quality removed of the facts. Roger Ebert, Peter Bogdanovich, Nick Redman, Lem Dobbs, Paul Seydor, David Del Valle, they employ supreme insight and excavate their perspective into the equation. Perhaps what I’m suggesting is a discussion versus a speech is further illustrative of the meaning of a work to others against someone’s notes read aloud. The two are essential and to run into both a multitude of resources exist that may provide it.

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I’m a fan of Criterion Collections and have been waiting for them to release a new edition of 2001: A Space Odyssey, as it’s one of my favorite films and I saw the LaserDisc version existed, so I figured it would eventually come back with updated extras or something, though apparently the currently Blu-Ray is about as good as we’ll get.

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That’s NOT what I’m saying Jake. Most folks may know what Criterion is about but that doesn’t mean they are 100 percent into what it is. That’s a separate thing. There is something in-between. There are collectors and there are fans and every person doesn’t desire the same treatment. This question on commentary tracks and favorites presented here revolves on info, who’s speaking, what’s said, how it’s said, whether it’s interesting, and whether you’ll go back and listen to it again.

Given attributes weigh greater to some over others. I LOVE the Criterion Collection regardless I have friends that aren’t as into the films they select or what they don’t select and how it caters its product and commentaries to a particular clientele not necessarily everyone. Where I agree with them is the guests who author Criterion’s commentaries sometimes speak at you not to you. I’m not arguing on comedians recording commentaries. This IS NOT a binary choice. There are options. One of them is to vary the format not duplicate the same recipe ad nauseam devoid of variation. Or shop around on what suits you best. My view is as a fellow who has been around I thought it wise to share my observations to my friends reading this. Thanks.

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sorry, but quoting me and adding a warning struck my funny bone, like having to warn people that apple pie has apples in it. Really, you think?

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The first film commentary I remember listening to was Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. This was a highly anticipated movie based on the popular Batman Beyond series, promising to reveal the real Joker’s whereabouts in the future. However, because of the violence in the film and the tragic events of Columbine High School in April 1999, the film was delayed for edits and changes. This was excruciating for fans, both because of the film being pushed out and knowing that the eventual product would be compromised. Despite this, I requested the DVD for Christmas, believing that the “deleted scenes” would be included, but sadly it was a relatively barebones DVD set (interactive menus were the highlight of the features…ah, early DVDs…). I decided to listen to the commentary track, hoping to hear perhaps descriptions of the alternate scenes from the creators, but again I was denied that, and in fact the commentary almost implied that there were no changes, though I could have misunderstood. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the interactivity between the producers, how well they played off each other and even some of the jokes were really kinda funny. I actually enjoyed listening to them talk about the film instead of the film itself, so I practically wore the disc out. Two years later, after following websites and forums verifying a true uncut version, I had my first double dip purchase, which also had a new commentary track. I ended up keeping both versions of the films, as the commentary for the original release was still entertaining, arguably more entertaining than the uncut track. So that’s where my love for commentary tracks came from.

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More worthy commentaries.

Critic Richard Schickel’s parsing the backstory, genesis, production, and legacy of Don Siegel’s Dirty Harry (1971). It certainly captures the moment and the personalities.

Director William Friedkin confiding on the production, inspiration, and aftermath of The French Connection (1971). And not forgetting his cracker jack remembrance of The Exorcist (1973).

John Milius on Ted Post’s Magnum Force (1973). The mentality he wrote into the script, working with Clint Eastwood, and his creative differences on the project persuasively argued by a most interesting man.

Nicholas Meyer participated in two Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) commentaries. One by himself which is an absolute must. A virtual film class imbibed with humor, his personal life story, colorful examples, and his worldview on cinema and why it matters to him. A second alongside Manny Coto hones in on The Wrath of Khan itself. Meyer then recalls Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) conversing next to his co-writer Denny Martin Flinn on another stellar commentary relating to the sociopolitical origins and a spirited embarking of their memories and feelings on it.

Critic Richard Schickel discussing Clint Eastwood’s Sudden Impact (1983). Where Eastwood was at the time, Schickel’s read on Eastwood’s career and trajectory, and Sudden Impact’s import on how Clint subsequently evolved as a director insightfully broached and extrapolated.

Critics Commentary on The Matrix (1999) by Todd McCarthy, John Powers, and David Thomson. A threesome of mutual admiration and critical digestion of The Matrix and its resulting phenomenon.

Sylvester Stallone confessing his journey of making Rocky Balboa (2006). Adrian’s death, why he went back to Rocky, and plenty of compelling confessions in this.

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I’m a passive person Jake. It might not seem like it. Though I am. I react to what I read most frequently and replying on this forum is what I gravitated towards. Were you to look I reply in a majority of instances. It’s nothing personal sir. I wasn’t targeting you exactly. Your words chanced to be the exact opposite of my stance and I quoted them so not to be taken out of context. Additionally quoting is quite fashionable on here and following a few months I began doing it too. The quote was the diving board and my comment the water. Beyond that I see no irony just your perspective which is yours to have. I respectfully diverge with you on this and further your analogy way too simplifies the equation I’m laying out. “We agree to disagree is all…” Thanks.

You’re turning an amused reply into a melodrama… relax, it’s not as serious as all that.

@JakeGittes It’s not melodrama. You assumed something and I corrected the assumption. Back to the actual topic, we symbolize a divergence that’s a perfect demonstration of what I’m saying. Not everyone likes everything and that’s what I attempted to suggest preceding our discussion. No hard feelings Jake. We just disagree. Thanks on your passion. I hope I match it.

Seconded. Satire in peak form.

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Ben Affleck’s Armageddon commentary springs to mind, as does the “hidden” commentary on Cannibal The Musical.

Just get them drunk and let them speak!

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