Speaking of DVD Commentaries....

[darthrage]

Which one was your favorite commentary?

Its really hard to say because they are all very informative.

Although I do like Pearl Harbor, I would have to say that the commentary was my least favorite because I think that Michael Bay had to hold back on the things he wanted to say because he was commentating with the historian. It felt like he wasn't expressing his true colors.

I really wish BB2 had a commentary on it. The 2 Disc DVD set was so well packaged with all the featurettes and production diaries but it was just missing that one commentary track that would give it a perfect score.

I guess I would have to say the first Bad Boys had a really fun and entertaining commentary because it talks more about him as an underdog director and trying to get things done within the budget and within their limited shooting time. I like it when he talks about doing things that are different from conventional and common filming practices because it really shows that he proves everyone else wrong and proves the studios that whatever it is that he is trying to get caught on film is going to be worth it.

The Transformers commentary was also quite funny when he was talking about the rough sketches of Optimus Prime and him imitating that Japanese TF headgeek who freaked out after seeing OP's first concept art.

That was funny :)

[LadiesMan217]

I really dig group commentaries so I appreciate The Rock, Armageddon and Pearl more than the others. I actually think the Bay/Jeanine Basinger-commentary might be the best of them all. It makes you appreciate the film even more, and I don't think Michael held back at anything. If he were alone I honestly think he would go on about how the stupid critics didn't get it, say thing like cool explosion and say the f-word a lot, which doesn't really belong in a commentary to this type of film. It's obvious listening to that commentary that he cared much about making the film, and the event in itself.

I wish Bad Boys had a group commentary (Smith, Lawrence and Bruckheimer talking as well would be a lot of fun), and the same with The Island and Transformers. I wouldn't mind a commentary with Ewan and Scarlett on The Island. That would have been cool.

[darthrage]

I agree that any kind of production information including commentaries and behind-the-scenes footage and interviews to make you appreciate the film alot more because it really tells you what was involved in the making of the film.

And Michael Bay's commentaries are all very entertaining however I'd have to say I like The Rock and Armageddon commentaries the least because the way it was executed which was 4 different individuals who were commentating individually. I like group commentaries when they are actually "group" commentaries, like they were commentating on the DVD as a group.

It felt like the The Rock and Armageddon commentaries could have been a separate commentary track for each commentator. When you really think about it, actually alot of content in the commentaries have been cut out and spliced together. So actually Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis could've had their own commentary track on their own. Instead we got one single commentary track and they don't even interact with each other.

[sora]

The Transformers commentary was also quite funny when he was talking about the rough sketches of Optimus Prime and him imitating that Japanese TF headgeek who freaked out after seeing OP's first concept art.

That was funny :)

Just out of curiosity, does the term "headgeek" carry a pejorative connotation? :confused: (Sorry for getting off the track, I wanted to ask because it's not in my dictionary. :p)
As for a group commentary, I hope to hear a commentary with both actors and voice actors in TF2 DVD. :)

[Chemical Superfreak]

On a side note to special features in general, isn't it in the Rock Criterion disc that the Bruck says something along the lines of "I mean....no one pays attention to whos DIRECTING the thing, they just want the actors!!" or something like that? Friggin' coke head, i love Tony Scott and Bay, but DOWN WITH THE BRUCK!

[darthrage]

Just out of curiosity, does the term "headgeek" carry a pejorative connotation? :confused: (Sorry for getting off the track, I wanted to ask because it's not in my dictionary. :p)
As for a group commentary, I hope to hear a commentary with both actors and voice actors in TF2 DVD. :)


I'm actually not very sure where the term headgeek came from but the very first time I heard it was from the TF commentary by Michael Bay. I'm sure it just means a guy who knows Transformers in every physical way.

[LadiesMan217]

On a side note to special features in general, isn't it in the Rock Criterion disc that the Bruck says something along the lines of "I mean....no one pays attention to whos DIRECTING the thing, they just want the actors!!" or something like that? Friggin' coke head, i love Tony Scott and Bay, but DOWN WITH THE BRUCK!

I think he was talking about the box-office. I doubt many people went to see The Rock because it was the directed by the dude who made Bad Boys. Actors often matters more to the movie going public than who's directed it. It's a fact. It's kinda funny Bruckheimer having this mentality though because every movie he's ever made is marketed "From producer Jerry Bruckheimer...". He gets a little bit too much credit for his movies though. Yes, their share a similar style and has a formula where action and thrills matters more than characters and whatnot, but anyway, I saw a documentary where Trey Parker and Matt Stone was discussing the trouble of directing the Team America-puppets in action and said "This is where we get a new kind of respect for Jerry Bruckheimer. Although we dissed him a lot in the past... the dude can do some action" - Really?! He can?! :rolleyes:

[MitP]

I really like Michael's commentary for TRANSFORMERS. I don't think I've ever seen anyone adapt a previously existing franchise the way he did.

Michael wasn't rigidly faithful to the cartoon or the comic books (which would have been disastrous, when you get right down to it); nor was he completely contemptuous towards the material, i.e. director Pitof and CATWOMAN. I can't quite put my finger on it, but Michael is upfront about his feelings towards the project - before and after - in a way that I haven't heard on any other commentary track. I don't support or condemn Michael's approach to TRANSFORMERS; I just thought it was strange, even unique, and definitely different from how other directors have adapted "superhero" properties in the past.

I also appreciated the honourable mention of Frank Welker. There, I said it. :p

[Chemical Superfreak]

It's kinda funny Bruckheimer having this mentality though because every movie he's ever made is marketed "From producer Jerry Bruckheimer...". This is what kills me, everyone thinks HE is directing the movies. To my knowledge, Bruck has never directed anything, but, with everyone i seem to know anyways, there just like,Oh man Bruckheimer is a great action director!!! I then say, how do you know?? So frustrating.