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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. > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. > http://mailplus.yahoo.com