Director's opinions

[RobertScorpio]

At my local theatre, when Iron Man 2 comes out, my friend, who is in the media, and I will get to go to the media screening the night before it opens. The interesting part of this is that we will have the option of wearing a special headset that will pick up a wireless broadcast of the "director's views" that will be released when ever the DVD is released. We are a 'beta' test to see if people would like this option when watching a movie...

I don't think it will go over. But then again, I did see TREK XI over a dozen times last year, and it would have been cool to have had that option towards the end of XI's run.

Would you pay an extra 1$ for this? Because that's the beta price.


Rob

 

[T'Baio]

Director's commentary is always an added value with a DVD, one that I really enjoy experiencing. But at the theatre? Fuck no.

 

[Owain Taggart]

In a word, no. I go to watch movies to relax and I think something like that misses the point of why moviegoers go to a movie. A voice commentary would just take me out of the movie.

 

[Mike Farley]

In like commentary tracks on DVD/Blu-Ray, but I usually listen to them while I'm also doing other things. I couldn't imagine paying in a theater to listen to a commentary track exclusively. Especially considering how bad many of them are.

 

[Mistral]

What they ^ all said. Dang, agreed with T'Baio twice in one day.

I better go lie down.

 

[Dayton Ward]

Yo, director: I've paid my ticket price. I'm here, already. Leave me the fuck alone for two hours and let me form MY OWN opinion. You'll have your chance to tell your side of the story if and when I decide your movie doesn't suck so badly that I'm actually encouraged to buy the DVD.

By the way, if they ever let Tim Burton anywhere near this sort of thing, I'll burn down the theater. I'm still trying to figure out what the hell he was trying to say on the commentary track for the 2001 Planet of the Apes remake.

 

[Mistral]

Yo, director: I've paid my ticket price. I'm here, already. Leave me the fuck alone for two hours and let me form MY OWN opinion. You'll have your chance to tell your side of the story if and when I decide your movie doesn't suck so badly that I'm actually encouraged to buy the DVD.

By the way, if they ever let Tim Burton anywhere near this sort of thing, I'll burn down the theater. I'm still trying to figure out what the hell he was trying to say on the commentary track for the 2001 Planet of the Apes remake.

I heard him distinctly. He said,

"Mrrble,cllumph, breeble dloo." What, you didn't get that?

 

[Captaindemotion]

I don't really like Commentaries even on DVDs; the only ones I've ever listened to were those on the S5 Angel boxed set and the Firefly and Serenity ones (because Whedon and his crews tend to be able to string a sentence or two together). For the most part, they don't appeal to me and I think it's interesting that arguably the world's greatest director, Spielberg, doesn't care for doing them.

So, listen to one in the cinema? No way.

Pay extra to listen to one? Are you on crack?!

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

In like commentary tracks on DVD/Blu-Ray, but I usually listen to them while I'm also doing other things. I couldn't imagine paying in a theater to listen to a commentary track exclusively. Especially considering how bad many of them are.

Agreed. I like some commentaries but a lot of them hugely suck. I can't imagine listening to one if I don't also have the option of fast-forwarding through it if it gets too boring.

BTW, why isn't Warner Bros. doing commentary tracks anymore? Where's the commentaries for Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Superman Returns, Terminator Salvation, V for Vendetta, etc.?

 

[Dayton Ward]

The best DVD commentary I've listened to so far is the one from First Blood, which features author David Morrell, who wrote the original novel on which the film was based. Very insightful, even considering I'd read the novel a couple of times over the years before watching the DVD with the commentary track enabled.

By and large, though, most commentaries tend to be "eh," though I do enjoy the ones with Kevin Smith and various members from his merry band.

 

[StarshipDefiant]

Up to you, but I wouldn't do it, I rarely (if ever) actually, listen to a commentary track, I find them annoying to do when trying t watch the actual movie. The insight is nice and all, but I want to enjoy the episode or film in question so I need what they are saying in character. A commentary would simply distract me from this.

 

[RobertScorpio]

Up to you, but I wouldn't do it, I rarely (if ever) actually, listen to a commentary track, I find them annoying to do when trying t watch the actual movie. The insight is nice and all, but I want to enjoy the episode or film in question so I need what they are saying in character. A commentary would simply distract me from this.

No one would do this for the first time they saw a movie..the question is, if you saw a movie, say a STAR TREK movie, five times at theatre, then you pretty much know the movie in and out. Dont you think on the fifth showing you'd want to hear some of the behind the scenes stuff the directors talk about..I actually think it would be cool...

Rob

 

[T'Baio]

For not only another price of admission, but an extra dollar? Fuck...no. I don't need to be in a theater for a director's commentary. I'll enjoy that at home on the DVD.

 

[Mistral]

The only commentaries worth listening to are on Kevin Smith movies.

 

[StarshipDefiant]

Up to you, but I wouldn't do it, I rarely (if ever) actually, listen to a commentary track, I find them annoying to do when trying t watch the actual movie. The insight is nice and all, but I want to enjoy the episode or film in question so I need what they are saying in character. A commentary would simply distract me from this.

No one would do this for the first time they saw a movie..the question is, if you saw a movie, say a STAR TREK movie, five times at theatre, then you pretty much know the movie in and out. Dont you think on the fifth showing you'd want to hear some of the behind the scenes stuff the directors talk about..I actually think it would be cool...

Rob

Not in the theaters, though even if I had managed to see it four times previously, I simply wouldn't do it, especially if it costs extra to do it. With a DVD, you have the option and you've paid a general price for the DVD itself.

 

[Smiley]

Besides the cost issue, the theater speakers are already pumping the soundtrack at a loud volume. That might make it hard to hear the commentary. Just offer a day-and-date BD copy if you want to get your feature-length thoughts to the public that quickly.