Simple thread here, really--it's as the topic states: does anyone actually put on the alternate audio channels when playing a DVD and listen to the commentary?

I love to use it; I almost always learn something cool or gain an appreciation for why they did what they did. The best commentaries, I think, are from the really behind-the-scenes people: directors, animators, writers, and often producers. The ones with the actors involved I've found to be quite a mixed bag.

I was watching The Incredibles last night and the commentary with all the animators was simply fantastic. I learned a *ton* of info about computer animation--and I'm a guy who's lucky to draw a decent stick figure, lol.

So, anyone else put these tracks on?

Airwave   

I listened to the one on Airplane! and Austin Powers: Goldmember.

I listen to them a lot. The one Jack Lemmon did for Mister Roberts is a virtual tour through old Hollywood.

Edit: My favorite alternate track, though, is one on Monsters, Inc. It's simply the surround sound effects. No dialogue or anything. Just effects. It's ginchy.

[Edited 2006-05-23 23:56:26]

Depends on the DVD . . . watching something with my daughter, like Madagascar, I'm not likely, nor is she, to wanna hear that . . . other things, yes. And always watch the deleted scenes.

Quoting AeroWesty (Reply 2): Monsters, Inc

     Brilliant.

As are the closing credits of the movie . . .

That movie is a classic already, I keep it handy at work when I want something light hearted . . . if you have any small imagination, you can "see" the voice characters - Goodman et al - doing the roles as Humans . . .

Brilliant movie . . .

"I loved you the first time I laid Eye on you".   

YES. Definitely. They make the cost of the DVD worthwhile when you all have the extra stuff to listen to.

Except some of the "Seinfeld" commentaries really suck. There are a couple episodes where all you hear is Jerry laughing at the episode as if he's watching it for the first time. Really rude to the audience to do that. He should take the time to watch the stupid thing before trying to comment on it.

And I recently bought a new copy of "All the President's Men" to get the Robert Redford commentary that was added. The original release of the DVD had no special features, so I ended up buying it a second time when they added special features. Yes, I'm a sucker!

[Edited 2006-05-24 00:13:06]

I did once before when watching The Pianist. I was writing an assignment on the adaptation of the book, and found the commentary to be extremely helpful. It made me consider factors that would otherwise not have been noticed.

Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 1): I listened to the one on Airplane!

That's a good one!

Quoting AeroWesty (Reply 2): My favorite alternate track, though, is one on Monsters, Inc. It's simply the surround sound effects. No dialogue or anything. Just effects. It's ginchy.

Whaaa...? I have that movie but I've never seen or tried that track. Guess I know what I'm popping into the DVD-ROM tray tonight! 

Quoting ANCFlyer (Reply 3): And always watch the deleted scenes.

  

Quoting ANCFlyer (Reply 3): Brilliant. As are the closing credits of the movie

   I give Pixar huge credit for doing "bloopers" because they add such a fun little twist to everything. My favorite are from A Bug's Life, when you see the bugs holding boom mikes and operating cameras--so great!

Airwave   

Quoting ANCFlyer (Reply 3): "I loved you the first time I laid Eye on you".

::wave hanky:: Aww, you shouldn't have.   

Quoting Airwave (Reply 6): Guess I know what I'm popping into the DVD-ROM tray tonight!

GAH! Now I'm gonna have to put it in after American Idol tonight. Been too long!

Some are brilliant, most are pretty boring, unless you are really into the details of filmmaking.

A few truely great commentary tracks off the top of my head:

1) Apollo 13: Jim Lovell and his wife (the real ones) made a wonderful track.

2) Das Boot

3) Alien: For that matter, almost any commentary by Ridley Scott is brilliant.

4) The Mummy: Brendan Fraser does a great commentary track. I'm not much of a fan of his, but at least he can laugh at himself.

Quoting Bobster2 (Reply 4): The original release of the DVD had no special features, so I ended up buying it a second time when they added special features. Yes, I'm a sucker!

Haha, don't worry, you're not the only one. I have the bare-bones edition of Black Hawk Down and I'm quite tempted to pick up the newer, fuller edition.

The only time I won't buy up for commentaries is with older movies, since the people connected with them have been off the set for decades and don't seem to contribute much. I remember Ken Annakin's director commentary on Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines--never again! Lol.

Quoting Cfalk (Reply 8): Apollo 13: Jim Lovell and his wife (the real ones) made a wonderful track.

I love that movie, but for some reason I haven't yet listened to any of the commentary tracks. Might have to do that soon...

Quoting Cfalk (Reply 8): almost any commentary by Ridley Scott is brilliant.

I love his Gladiator commentary. I'm almost tempted to rent Kingdom of Heaven to see what he has to say on that one...

Airwave   

Quoting Airwave (Reply 9): The only time I won't buy up for commentaries is with older movies

The "Twilight Zone" (season 1 definitive edition) has a commentary track with Rod Serling on one episode. He died in 1975. They found a recording of a lecture that Serling gave and it fits perfectly with the episode, so they made it a commentary track. It's spooky, almost like he's still alive, but nothing is a surprise in the "Twilight Zone".  

Roger Ebert's commentary on Dark City was quite nice as it appears he likesthe film nearly as much as I do.


Wim Wenders's commentary for Wings of Desire is superb as well and the Peter Falk commentary as a nice bonus



IHAP

I listen to them, though usually not until Ive seen the movie with its normal soundtrack playing a few times...

Greg

Nope, not really. Except for the "Best of Have I got news for you" DVD box. As Paul merton and Ian Hislop comment their own program, it provides some entertainment.

Thom@s

Quoting Cfalk (Reply 8): 2) Das Boot

I copy that one !
Especially those comments about famous actor "Otto Sander" playing a drunken U-boat commander in the restaurant/bar in La Rochelle at the beginning of the film ("movie" to U.S.-people) are just great !
Plus the technical info about shooting the film is very interesting.

That re-mastered version of Das Boot "Directors Cut") is just great.

Some others movies were (okay, those are not everybodies favourites):
- Pretty woman.
- Runaway Bride.

OTOH I didn´t like some others, as they were spoiling the illusion that I had built up during watching the movie ...
-HT

Ive learnt much about The Simpsons this way, and also King Of The Hill.

Commentaries are great, but only if the commentator has a sense of humour I find.

Kev.

The Thing.

Kurt Russell is hilarious.