This is an interesting subject, although I have to agree with Catalin and
register my suspicion about how much 'independent' information that can be
gleaned from a DVD extra - especially regarding 're-viewings' of films as
somehow more worthy. In recent work I've done I've used DVD extras *because*
a modicum of decent research in either American Cinematographer, Cinefex, or
similar journal demonstrates what utter tosh DVD extras are as sources.
Quite often directors or actors who might otherwise be taken as intelligent
reveal themselves also to be eminently capable of an astonishingly naïve and
contradictory point of view even of their own work. What's more, they
clearly believe their own hype, whilst the routine director's interview or
commentary can surely do little to dissuade them from thinking that they're
'great' directors simply because some studio fluffer interviews them in soft
focus.
So, in short, I'd agree that DVD extras shouldn't be used as prima facie
'evidence' or research. However they are useful as an extension of the
film-text itself, especially if one is researching ideology and industry.
NB 1. American Cinematographer can, of course, be good at printing naïve and
contradictory comments from directors, designers, and cinematographers, but
at least there's a good chance it will have been through a peer review
process and will provide some sound factual information.
NB 2. A fabulous example of how directors are aware that the DVD commentary
is, in fact, a feature that has its own unique value is given on the DVD
release of Orphans. Peter Mullan opens the commentary with the words
"Welcome, you sad bastards."
Damian
--
Damian Peter Sutton, PhD
Lecturer
Department of Historical and Critical Studies
Glasgow School of Art
167 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
G3 6RQ
Tel: 0141 353 4560
Fax: 0141 353 4557
Email: [log in to unmask]
***********************************************
DISCLAIMER: Unless otherwise explicitly stated, any opinions expressed in
this message are my own, and do not represent the opinions of Glasgow School
of Art as an institution.
on 12/14/02 1:37 PM, Hans Heydebreck at [log in to unmask] wrote:
>> I just wondered what people here thought about DVD
>> commentaries.
>> Is it felt they add anything to the meaning of some
>> films? Have people developed a different opinion on
> a film because of a directors commentary?
>
> Yes!
> It?s the commentary of "The Cell"-DVD I have in mind,
> which is entertaining and gives quite a lot of
> insight, although not in terms of subtexts, meaning,
> allusions etc, but the director?s intentions.
> I?m convinced that many who have seen this film (and
> possibly even more who have only heard of it), would
> classify it as 'yet-another-slasher-film', misogyny in
> MTV-style fashion and so on. It?s really refreshing to
> witness that the director is such a gentle,
> intelligent and very funny person who knows exactly
> what he wanted to achieve and where he failed, plus he
> gives credit where credit is due and recommends really
> "good" films being 100% aware that "The Cell" by these
> standards isn?t one of them.
>
>
>
>
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