Your favorite movie commentaries?

[Laspector]

Usually, when I'm working on project or whatever I enjoy "background noise". If it is not music, I enjoy listening to movie commentaries--just as a background thing--I don't think I've ever sat down and actually watched a movie with a commentary. Usually if I'm listening to one, I already know what is going on in the movie. It's just sound to occupy my time while I'm working. During those times, I can't concentrate on the movie anyway, I'm involved in my work. But, I do love them.

What are some of your favorite movie commentaries?

However, I would like if you wouldn't mind categorizing the types of commentaries you like. I pretty much break them down to three types: Bland, Technical, and Fun.

Some commentaries are just crap, those are the bland ones, but sometimes they help to fill time. Nothing wrong with that.

Technical: I like these. Stuff like the Star Wars OT commentaries. George, Dennis Muren, Ben Burtt, etc. Those are nice because they provide behind-the scenes audio of the process of the movie making and Special effects secrets. I love that stuff! Lord of the Rings Peter Jackson stuff is great.

Fun stuff: These are usually my favorite, especially if I'm having some drinks, working on a model, enjoying myself, stuff like that. Some of my favorite stuff is Kevin Smith and Marc doing Batman movies (these are mostly just on Youtube, not the actual dvds). Those commentaries are absolutely hilarious! Other stuff I like are John Carpenter and Kurt Russell. Those guys seem to be really having a good time as they talk about the movie. Boogie Nights has a good one. Jack Black on School of Rock is great. This category would include the Lord of the Rings ones with the actors. Why did they never get Mark Hammil to do Star Wars commentaries? He is a great story teller. I really like it when the people talking are enjoying themselves.

What are some of your favorites? I'm sure I'm not the only one who puts them on in the background. But, put them in their proper category, if you don't mind. I've probably got at least a thousand dvds and blu-rays and I've only listened to the commentaries on maybe half of them.

Need your input....

 

[OzReturner]

Fun- not movies, but for tv I really enjoy the Futurama commentaries. And episode 1 of Brisco County Jr., which is the only episode they recorded for I believe.

 

[Birdie]

I'd add another category - dishing the dirt!

Aliens - Lance Henriksen on what an A-hole Paul Reiser is.
Dog Soldiers - The British cast and crew joke around a lot and seriously rip into the US producers who have their own separate commentry.
Blair Witch 2 - Hilariously bitter director commentary on how he hates the movie as much as everyone else and blames the producers (again) for ruining his movie.

I haven't heard it, but I believe Ben Affleck really lets rip on the Armageddon commentary on how much he hates the movie.

 

[Apollo]

Off the cuff?

Anything with Kurt Russell, Used Cars, and any of his collaborations with John Carpenter

 

[Sundowner]

Honestly RDJ on Tropic Thunder. His character in the movie states “I don’t drop character until I’ve done the DVD commentary”. He holds true with the actual commentary as Lincoln Osiris

 

[CB2001]

Bruce Campbell as Elvis in the auto commentary for Bubba Ho-Tep. Lemme get some more popcorn. XD

 

[Laspector]

This is Spinal Tap might be the funniest one I've ever heard as the guys also do it in character.

 

[agent5]

Goodfellas. The real Henry Hill does commentary throughout the entire film. Some great stories to be sure.

 

[dascoyne]

Robert Rodriguez's early films (e.g. El Mariachi) have great commentaries that are basically crash courses on filmmaking and chock full of advice on making cheap films look expensive, budgeting (how to always come under budget) and getting studios to release your film. The DVDs also feature his "10 Minute Film School" series. Great stuff from a guy who loves to make movies.

Anything with John Carpenter and Kurt Russell. It is just two buddies watching their movies. Half the time they end up digressing into something else entirely and it is hilarious.

The commentary to Conan the Barbarian with Schwarzenegger and Milius had an interesting bit where Arnold remarked that he forgot what a great movie it was, then said they ought to do a sequel. Just like Arnold I would rather forget there were other films.

Fight Club had multiple commentary tracks and they ALL are great - I don't know where to begin.

 

[dascoyne]

Not exactly commentary but also worth mentioning.

Galaxy Quest had a Thermian audio track where they dubbed the whole film in this alien language. I skipped to the middle of the film and the track was still going on. I think they dubbed the whole movie!

Sin City - one of the Blu Ray editions had a track that was a recording of the audience from the premiere of the movie in Austin, Texas. I keep forgetting to watch it in my brother's home theater. I hope it was well miked for the authentic experience.

 

[Nth]

I'd add another category - dishing the dirt!

Aliens - Lance Henriksen on what an A-hole Paul Reiser is.

The Aliens one is great. The one I saw had commentary with James Cameron and Gale Hurd talking about all the technical aspects of the film even mentioning that the alien queen was mostly made out of garbage bags and having all the Colonial Marine actors intentionally throw themselves around to intentionally try and break their armor, Carrie Henn and her brother talking about their cut scenes and Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Bill Paxton, Micheal Biehn talking about filming.

Bill Paxton was hilarious lamenting he ended up playing the coward character and Michael Biehn asking him if he ever receives any royalties from the "Game over man, game over" line being used so much in other media and pop culture in general.
Lance Henriksen also commenting on how gruesome he looks in the scene where Bishop has to crawl through the pipe and he has the camera close up in his face.

I'll also add any Blade Runner commentary I've heard from various editions has been absolutely enthralling.

 

[p51]

I don't own many blu-rays, but I'm gonna have to look a few mentioned here on my DVDs to see if they have these tracks. I really wanna listen to the Aliens one!
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone, as I don't think I've ever listened to one of these except a couple of Kevin Smith ones...

 

[Captain Dunsel]

I wish I could help you.

My wife would tell you that my personal commentaries—that I freely offer while we are watching her favorite movies—are the absolute worst.

So if you are looking for terrible commentaries that will rob you of the the richest of viewing experiences while watching such “classics” as Love Actually, Ghost, Dirty Dancing, Fried Green Tomatoes, Pretty Woman, Titanic, The Family Stone, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Sweet Home Alabama, etc. hit me up.

 

[RedheadKevin]

The cast commentaries on the LotR Extended Editions are fascinating insights into those movies.
The Conan the Barbarian commentary is Arnold and John Milius, and it's another great one.
The Sum of All Fears commentary is Tom Clancy going "that scene's ********, " and the director going "We really could have done this scene better."