I don't like "special features"

[Nerdius Maximus]

Depends on what it is, really. Something like the Dark Knight, I love the movie but I'm not interested in the features, because I've seen so much about the making of the film on tv and online since its inception. Indiana Jones, however, now there's some special features I couldn't wait to dig into. All that never-before-scene footage and behind the scenes stuff...

I also enjoy certain commentaries. Not all of them, not the boring ones, but Spinal Tap, for example, the commentary is like watching a whole new movie. The cast does it in character, all improvised, and it's hilarious. I like Conan Obrien's commentary on the Simpons episodes he wrote, as well. "Ah yes, another old person, wasting a young person's valuable time."

 

[melancholymecha]

it depends- if its animation I like looking at concept art & line drawings(Disney dvds are usually good with that.) If its an fx heavy live action film, I like seeing how the effects are made. I also like make-up features. I was disappointed there's no make up feature for Dark Knight SE dvd- I really wanted to see how they did Two-Face.

Deleted scenes can be hit or miss... I dont care for commentaries much.

 

[RandyS]

I like special features most of the time. There are exceptions though. Take the DS9 sets for example. While I enjoyed hearing the writers discuss how they came up with their ideas, I hated the featurettes on the different props. My best friend (and fellow DS9 fan), had the exact opposite reaction.

I like commentaries too. Often I play those in the background while working at my computer in lieu of the radio. I wouldn't want to have them on while watching the show in question though. When I watch the show, I want to watch the show itself.

 

[Holdfast]

Most special features are mediocre shite. I watch them once and never again.

Occasionally a film has a smashing commentary or other feature though, that I love rewatching. LOTR has great ones, as does Star Wars and a few others I could mention.

 

[Rowan Sjet]

I love special features. I watched the special features on the LOTR EE DVDs probably a dozen times.

I have to say, the LOTR EE appendices have totally spoiled me on special features . . .

Both true for me. Particularly anything with the cast, like the commentaries and behind the scenes videos.

But yeah, special features are usually rubbish.

 

[Top41]

I love special features, but more for TV shows than movies. I've never listened to a commentary for an entire movie--I'd really have to love the movie or be really interested in the people doing the commentary to do that.

I do listen to commentaries for TV shows, and watch those special features often. I tend to be more invested in a TV show because it runs longer and I've built up more of an interest in the characters, storylines, etc.

That said, given the choice between a one-disc movie and a two-disc, I almost always go with the latter, just in case I want to watch those special features. And I'm always sad if there aren't any on the disc, even if chances are I wouldn't get around to them. I'm goofy that way.

 

[Crusher Disciple]

I want as many features as I can get. And no, I don't consider including the trailer and nothing else as "features." That annoys me to no end.

 

[ITL]

I do like a good commentary track. There are some (especially Simon Pegg ones) that I can listen to again and again. And sometimes a mediocre movie can be improved with a good commentary - Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy being a case in point. Mediocre movie, but the commentary with the director, the producer, Martin Freeman and Bill Nighy is very funny. Funnier than the movie, actually....

 

[Ptrope]

Special features are often the key reason I buy a DVD package; I can get my hands on most films and TV shows that I want to watch, so the money that I spend I want to feel it was well spent, and a good set of commentaries and extras can do that. Of course, I buy all of Pixar's movies on the best DVD package they have, although I have to say I don't think they have the best extras, by far. I'm very interested in how things were done, or how they were conceived - I like the insight into the creator's mind; by this gauge, A Knight's Tale and Disney's Atlantis are among my favorite DVDs for their extras - in fact, my appreciation of AKT rose dramatically after listening to the very humourous and extremely insightful commentaries of the director and Paul Bettany, one of the film's stars. I also rate very highly the extras, esp. the commentaries, on the box set of Firefly - nearly every episode has a commentary from 2 or more of the stars or creators, and most of them are great, making the set even more of a bargain.

If a movie is one that I really want in good quality, I'll buy it even without the extras, but for many films and series, the extras either make or break the set on their own.

 

[Holdfast]

... I like the insight into the creator's mind; by this gauge, A Knight's Tale ... among my favorite DVDs for their extras - in fact, my appreciation of AKT rose dramatically after listening to the very humourous and extremely insightful commentaries of the director and Paul Bettany, one of the film's stars.

Totally agreed on this. The commentary on A Knight's Tale is superb and really elevates the material. This was one of the other movies with great commentaries that I hinted at in my earlier post in this thread.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I don't watch em either.

 

[Dar70]

I used to watch them but no longer. They have gotten boring.

 

[Trekker4747]

I want as many features as I can get. And no, I don't consider including the trailer and nothing else as "features." That annoys me to no end.

Interactive menus!

Scene selection!

English subtitles!

 

[Smiley]

^ To be fair, those are all attributes that DVD has that VHS doesn't, and there are some DVDs (TV shows usually) that don't have chapter stops or subtitles. For 1997-1999 published DVDs, I give the studios a break on that bit of advertising. Putting them on a DVD case now is rather silly.

 

[Orac Zen]

I'm the opposite. I feel slightly ripped off when the R4 DVDs for some shows, like JAG, come out and they have no special features while the R1 have extra scenes and commentary. I don't really get why that is...

Although I don't much care about most special features I admit this sort of thing irritates me, too. The R4 Farscape DVDs are absolutely pathetic so far as special features go - a few commentaries, some dumb games and that's it. They don't even have subtitles.

Generally, though, I rarely bother with "special features".

 

[miraclefan]

If there GOOD, and something I want to see then YES!

 

[The Evil Dead]

I used to love special features but after awhile they all felt kind of the same...The only ones I watch now are the exceptionally well put together documentaries (For example, the Blade Runner DVD or a David Fincher movie) or commentaries with particularly interesting (and hopefully modest) people involved.

 

[Trekker4747]

^ To be fair, those are all attributes that DVD has that VHS doesn't, and there are some DVDs (TV shows usually) that don't have chapter stops or subtitles. For 1997-1999 published DVDs, I give the studios a break on that bit of advertising. Putting them on a DVD case now is rather silly.

To be fair, on VHS tapes they didn't say:

"Fairly compact storage medium! Play at any time! Search out your favorite scene! Stop and come play from where yo left off at any time!"

I might give you "scene selection" but "interactive menus" is like putting on the box, "round shape!"

Because what else would the menus be BUT interactive?!

 

[Starbreaker]

I love to watch behind the scenes stuff, as long it's not 5 minutes of interviews among 30 minutes of movie clips like most are nowadays. I just watched the movie! I don't need to be reminded!

 

[Middle Earther]

I can only take behind the scenes stuff on movies I really, really like. Some of the "featurettes" can be quite repetitive if you watch them all in one go. They recycle clips from the same interview and keep showing the same scenes over and over again. I haven't gotten into commentaries too much - I usually would rather watch the movie again. The few I've listened to I enjoyed. Now that I hear about Spinal Tap's commentary - I will definitely have to check that out!