DVD Special Features
I was going to just make this an all out random post (in the spirit of brain spewing to which I aspire) about receiving my quarterly/holiday edition "package" from Jeff (j_mac179) and delighting in rewatching "Superman Returns" (since I loved it so much the first time around). The real news wasn't enjoying the movie again though, that was expected, what I wanted to talk about was the 3 hour feature: "Requiem for Krypton: Making Superman Returns" - which was beyond awesome.
So here I am all ready for the random as I stare at the mounds of work on my desk and I'm thinking to myself 'Cindy, you know what you really want to do is talk about your favorite DVD features from your collection. Come on. You know you want to babble and think and babble some more for these good people since you are feeling so inspired".
*sigh*
I can be down right impossible at times.
*Note: Providing links to each movie at Amazon.com, since I was there anyway getting my facts straight.*
"Superman Returns" 2 Disk Special Edition (also included in the Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition DVD): As I stated above, the "making of" documentary, "Requiem for Krypton: Making Superman Returns", was what inspired this whole post. THIS is what "making of" docs should be. It is broken into 5 parts and is a whopping 3 hours long complete. Now, as much as I love extra features, sometimes even the 30 minute documentaries are boring in places because the quality is lacking and the content can border on the technical side too much. Not this feature. It was funny, informative, interesting, you name it! It really did tell the complete story and followed the process in a way that wasn't boring at all. Even if you aren't a huge Superman fanatic - I would recommend you check this feature out if you have the time because it really gets behind the making of a huge epic in a way most miss the boat. Most frakkin' excellent. As a bonus you get much footage of our new Superman Brandon Routh in various stages of undress and sweating and harnesses and just *GUH* - he is so perfect for this role. I was wrong to EVER doubt it.
"The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - Platinum Series Special Extended Edition": Honestly, it's been a while since I have watched these - but some memories from these fantastics features can never be forgotten. In all 3 of the Extended Editions the features are beyond top knotch, like the movies themselves they are revolutionary. They really set a gold standard for me in which I judge just about all DVD features now. That is a pretty big order. Some of the technical stuff can get a little taxing at times (fast forward is always my friend), but since I am a huge fan of Tolkiens in general I got a kick out of just about all of it. Seeing how this monumental 'event' of a final product took shape over years of hard work and probably hundred of thousands (if not more) man hours is extrodinary to see. I highly recommend everyone make the time at least once to marathon these features - I promise you will not be disappointed in the end. Heck, it might even inspire you to reread the book (or The Silmarillion or The Hobbit - you get the picture).
"Star Wars - Episode III - Revenge of the Sith": Not fantastic, but still pretty darn good. Better than the features on any of the other SW franchise IMO. Because this one really goes behind not only this movie but the whole 6 picture odyessy. The weakest point of the whole thing is probably the ever presence of Lucas' attempts at personality, which, like his writting most of the time, comes away flat. But if you grew up on this franchise the way I did the 'journey' aspect of these features are a definite enjoyment.
"Slither": First, I feel like I must say how much I enjoyed this movie. I probably never would have watched it hadn't been for my blind devotion to Nathan Fillion but in missing the boat I would have missed out on a deliciously campy treat to say the least. This horror/comedy is guarenteed to become a cult favorite and everyone involved seems to know it. Imagine my complete suprise when I clicked on the usually sparse (at least on single disk editions - and especially on small budget movies) 'Special Features' and see at least a DOZEN features for the taking. They are glorious to say the very least. Almost all funny. Tons of Nathan just being Nathan (which is better than any characterization could ever be). The list goes on and on. Hours worth of goodies that are sure to make both fans of the actors or the genre more than happy. Plus - Nathan does a commentary with James Gunn - simply hilarious.
"Old School": For the feature commentary with Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell alone these features make my list. The rest are predictible and funny as well - but this commentary is something I will put on and listen to when I'm wrapping presents (OMG - I completely forgot about that - must do it again this year) or something and just LMAO over and over again.
"Serenity": Honestly the only reason this makes it on this list is because it is "Serenity" and Joss and our crew. The features are less then they could have been and I'm still plenty pissed bitter that they didn't include some of the deleted scenes I know they shot (courtesy of the Serenity: Official Visual Companion - which is a MUST OWN for ANY fan of the franchise), but on the whole the sentimental value to a true fan are more than worth the effort. Our cast is love.
And there you have it. I might come back someday and do a TV DVD listing of my favorite features - but for now this will have to do. Enjoy!
P.S. Any recommendations of features for other movies are more than welcome. I meant it when I said that I sometimes enjoy them as much as the movies themselves. ;)
So here I am all ready for the random as I stare at the mounds of work on my desk and I'm thinking to myself 'Cindy, you know what you really want to do is talk about your favorite DVD features from your collection. Come on. You know you want to babble and think and babble some more for these good people since you are feeling so inspired".
*sigh*
I can be down right impossible at times.
*Note: Providing links to each movie at Amazon.com, since I was there anyway getting my facts straight.*
"Superman Returns" 2 Disk Special Edition (also included in the Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition DVD): As I stated above, the "making of" documentary, "Requiem for Krypton: Making Superman Returns", was what inspired this whole post. THIS is what "making of" docs should be. It is broken into 5 parts and is a whopping 3 hours long complete. Now, as much as I love extra features, sometimes even the 30 minute documentaries are boring in places because the quality is lacking and the content can border on the technical side too much. Not this feature. It was funny, informative, interesting, you name it! It really did tell the complete story and followed the process in a way that wasn't boring at all. Even if you aren't a huge Superman fanatic - I would recommend you check this feature out if you have the time because it really gets behind the making of a huge epic in a way most miss the boat. Most frakkin' excellent. As a bonus you get much footage of our new Superman Brandon Routh in various stages of undress and sweating and harnesses and just *GUH* - he is so perfect for this role. I was wrong to EVER doubt it.
"The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - Platinum Series Special Extended Edition": Honestly, it's been a while since I have watched these - but some memories from these fantastics features can never be forgotten. In all 3 of the Extended Editions the features are beyond top knotch, like the movies themselves they are revolutionary. They really set a gold standard for me in which I judge just about all DVD features now. That is a pretty big order. Some of the technical stuff can get a little taxing at times (fast forward is always my friend), but since I am a huge fan of Tolkiens in general I got a kick out of just about all of it. Seeing how this monumental 'event' of a final product took shape over years of hard work and probably hundred of thousands (if not more) man hours is extrodinary to see. I highly recommend everyone make the time at least once to marathon these features - I promise you will not be disappointed in the end. Heck, it might even inspire you to reread the book (or The Silmarillion or The Hobbit - you get the picture).
"Star Wars - Episode III - Revenge of the Sith": Not fantastic, but still pretty darn good. Better than the features on any of the other SW franchise IMO. Because this one really goes behind not only this movie but the whole 6 picture odyessy. The weakest point of the whole thing is probably the ever presence of Lucas' attempts at personality, which, like his writting most of the time, comes away flat. But if you grew up on this franchise the way I did the 'journey' aspect of these features are a definite enjoyment.
"Slither": First, I feel like I must say how much I enjoyed this movie. I probably never would have watched it hadn't been for my blind devotion to Nathan Fillion but in missing the boat I would have missed out on a deliciously campy treat to say the least. This horror/comedy is guarenteed to become a cult favorite and everyone involved seems to know it. Imagine my complete suprise when I clicked on the usually sparse (at least on single disk editions - and especially on small budget movies) 'Special Features' and see at least a DOZEN features for the taking. They are glorious to say the very least. Almost all funny. Tons of Nathan just being Nathan (which is better than any characterization could ever be). The list goes on and on. Hours worth of goodies that are sure to make both fans of the actors or the genre more than happy. Plus - Nathan does a commentary with James Gunn - simply hilarious.
"Old School": For the feature commentary with Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell alone these features make my list. The rest are predictible and funny as well - but this commentary is something I will put on and listen to when I'm wrapping presents (OMG - I completely forgot about that - must do it again this year) or something and just LMAO over and over again.
"Serenity": Honestly the only reason this makes it on this list is because it is "Serenity" and Joss and our crew. The features are less then they could have been and I'm still plenty pissed bitter that they didn't include some of the deleted scenes I know they shot (courtesy of the Serenity: Official Visual Companion - which is a MUST OWN for ANY fan of the franchise), but on the whole the sentimental value to a true fan are more than worth the effort. Our cast is love.
And there you have it. I might come back someday and do a TV DVD listing of my favorite features - but for now this will have to do. Enjoy!
P.S. Any recommendations of features for other movies are more than welcome. I meant it when I said that I sometimes enjoy them as much as the movies themselves. ;)