DVD Extras

keefg

Anyone watch the extras on DVD's or disc 2 with all the features?

I used to like them and try to get a 2 disc edition of any films I bought (when I switched from buying VHS to DVD way back when) but I just think the studios have gotten a bit lazy and just put any old crap onto the 2nd disc just to fill it up - maybe the novelty of special editions has just worn off?

Even though I was interested in the "making of" sections I have ruined it for myself because no matter how good the special effects are I just think "Oh, seen this on another "making of" they just do it all on a computer". It's a bit like finding out how a magician does his tricks.

And as for "deleted scenes".....purleeeese. A 30 second clip of someone getting into a car filmed with bad lighting, is not my idea of a "special feature".

Pigman II

Nah, can't be bothered any more. Life's too short.

Basq

I will always watch special features on DVD's but there's certain extras i wouldn't be bothered with:

'Making Of' when it's simply interviews with castmembers and no real insight into the filming process. Rodriguez's 'Making Of's' are essential).

Deleted Scenes are always pointless.. they were cut for a reason!

Out-takes can be good, but most of the time are just flubbed lines.

The only real DVD extra i will always watch is commentaries. Always excellent unless you give them to a bore of a director (Joel Silver etc.).

Simon Pegg / Edgar Wright / Nick Frost films have been the best in recent times for DVD extras. 'Both Hot Fuzz' and 'Shaun Of The Dead' had a wealth of great extras - with i think 3 - 4 commentary tracks on each. And exclusive content for the DVD. Other directors / studios could learn from them!

The Bollox

I'll watch the film with the commentary most of the time and maybe the making of, but that'd be it, and even then I don't bother as much anymore and go for single disc dvd's instead of the double disc ones

mewso

I remember the documentary on the Phantom Menace DVD being better than the film itself. Sometimes you do get value

Wacker

I rarely listen to commentaries - I find them distracting and they take ages. The best commentary I've ever heard is on the This Is Spinal Tap DVD - it is done by the three lads, in character. It brings a whole new level of comedic genius to the film.

I prefer a good documentary. The best DVD documentary I've seen is on casting the Usual Suspects. They incorporate bits of the voice-over regarding each of the guys e.g. "Keaton needed convincing" followed by Gabrielle Byrne talking about how he really didn't want to make the film and had really very stringent conditions. It also features some classic b*tching between Stephen Baldwin and Kevin Pollack. It is always amusing watching one of the lesser Baldwins (ie not Alec) getting verbally (or otherwise) abused.

Deleted scenes usually suck, but there are exceptions. I'd very much recommend the deleted scenes on the Godfather DVDs. Really, really good, but the films are long enough already, so something had to give.

humanji

Yeah, it's really hit and miss at times. The Spinal Tap DVD is fantastic. Even the commentary for the menus is brilliant.

The two other commentaries I would recommend are the skit commentary on Dodgeball where Vince Vaughn is drunk and the director walks out halfway through, so they replace it with the actual commentary for Something About Mary. It's genius. The other recommendation is The Thing. I think it's John Carpenter and Kurt Russell and the really go into detail and have loads of little anecdotes about the shoot. It's really entertaining.

One that I hated was the one for Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It had commentary by all of them (except Graham Chapman, oddly enough), but none of them were together. So you missed that dynamic of them all being together

As I said, it's hit and miss. And sadly, you only really know after you see them.

Basq

humanji wrote: »

The two other commentaries I would recommend are the skit commentary on Dodgeball where Vince Vaughn is drunk and the director walks out halfway through, so they replace it with the actual commentary for Something About Mary. It's genius.

Oh yeah.. completely forgot about that.

Hilarious!

Otis Driftwood

Best extras are the ones on the devils rejects 2 disc edition.
The 30 days of hell making of is unreal and it really showed Zombies passion for the genre.
An honourable mantion must go to the re-animator millenium edition extras.
They are pretty damn sweet.
Also the dawn of the dead ultimate edition and day of the dead divimax edition have some really good stuff on em too.

I know its not a film, so probably doesn't count as such here, but the best commentaries I have ever come across have to be the Family Guy ones.

They're so insightful, impossibly funny, and really interesting. They always go into detail about each part and the greatest one they have done is the one for Road to Rhode Island where Stewie and Brian do the commentary in character.

Gillie

Couldn't be arsed in most cases.

Except maybe Fight Club. Thought the Extras in that were pretty good.

Pigman II

Deleted User wrote: »

They're so insightful, impossibly funny, and really interesting.

So they're the precise opposite of the show itself? That's novel.

Pigman II

Pigman II wrote: »

So they're the precise opposite of the show itself? That's novel.

Its interesting when they discuss getting canceled and how much they had to fight to be able to say and do the things they had on the show.

Like the first time that we meet Herman, the only way they were allowed it is because Chris called him weird.

Gingervitis

humanji wrote: »

One that I hated was the one for Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It had commentary by all of them (except Graham Chapman, oddly enough), but none of them were together. So you missed that dynamic of them all being together :(quote]

Probably because Graham Chapman has been dead for the past 18 years or so...

johnny_ultimate

As time has progressed, I have watched extras less and less. Some do standout as superb packages though:

1. Holy Grail - just hilariously pointless extra features, in particular the terrific Lego Knights of the Round Table. If one was reading it hard enough, one could say it was an insightful commentary on the often useless nature of DVD extras. Me, I was too amused to notice.

2. Donnie Darko - the original release was chock a block with Easter Eggs and very worthwhile (commentary and all) deleted scenes (later questionably re-inserted in the director's cut).

The deleted 'Donnie impaled on an airplance' EE is arguably the most bizarre extra ever

Oddly the trailers always end up as my most watched extra. Especially on the likes of Tartan Asia extreme, they can uncover worthwhile releases that may otherwise slip under the radar.

mneylon

A lot depends on the DVD. Some of the documentaries on special effects etc., can be really fascinating to watch. Other times they're a total waste of time.

Do I really want to sit through all the cast telling us how much they loved working with each other?

lostexpectation

love em love em, the superman dvd boxset was mazing 50's cartoons and everything,

btw has anyone got the the original star trek with the redone graphics?

MikeHoncho

The only extras I ever remember bringing me anything worth while from watching them were the LOTR special editions. They are just so in depth and give you a new appreciation for what a magnificant achievment making those films was.