Wow. I just found out this: http://www.ratethatcommentary.com/top100.php
Have to admit that the Fight Club commentaries make Fight Club a better movie than it already is.
—PolarisDiB
I saw an article on IGN once about the worst commentaries. Apparently there was one DVD with a director/crew commentary, and the director left like halfway through.
For best, Ridley always does pretty insightful commentaries.
For unusal, there’s Memento. If you put in a code, the last 30 min has three different versions: one technical, one as if Teddy is telling the truth, and one as if Teddy is lying. It’s been a while, but I think that’s how it is.
John Carpenter and Kurt Russell – Big Trouble in Little China and Escape From New York.
Peter Cowie does an awesome job for bergam films.And Annete Insdorf for Kieslowski
Natural Born Killers
I’ve only listened to one commentary and it was one, or the one, of Tarkovsky’s Solyaris with two scholars. Very, very dry but they conveyed a lot of information and perspective. It was reminiscent of a lecture really but I appreciate the subject enough to have enjoyed it overall. Would recommend it to any one interested in the film that hasn’t done any independent study on it before. I don’t think they really cover any new ground.
Michael Powell & Martin Scorsese on “Black Narcissus”, Ridley Scott on “Alien”
Krzysztof Kieslowski’s trilogy (Blue, White, Red) has a nice track by Annette Insdorf. Some spoilers slip out, and I should have waited until watching all three films before listening to the commentary for early films in the trilogy.
Sullivan’s Travels features Noah Baumbach
Michael Mann talking about Heat
I actually found Mann’s Heat commentary dry and a bit boring.
Danny Boyle gives great commentary, i urge you all to watch the commentary for both 28 Days Later and Sunshine
My favorite is still PTA for Boogie Nights. He’s just an awesome guy.
I haven’t listened to a ton of commentaries but here are some that stand out:
3 Women – Robert Altman
Hard Eight – PT Anderson
Zodiac – David Fincher
Michael Clayton – Tony Gilroy
Here are some related threads (thanks to the underused Search feature…)
Commentary tracks (http://www.theauteurs.com/topics/3993)
Listened more than once… (http://www.theauteurs.com/topics/4525)
Best criterion commentaries (http://www.theauteurs.com/topics/2139)
@Neil’s cooler brother “I actually found Mann’s Heat commentary dry and a bit boring.”
I agree that Michael Mann sounds dry, but not necessarily boring. I think he comes off guarded. Like he’s wary about how people interpret what he says. But he really does seem to let out some interesting tidbits, about how his film to be seen. I don’t know that it always works out the way he wanted, but it’s nice to hear his side of things. Which is part of the fun of auteurism.
I don’t know about best, but by far the strangest was Abel Ferrara on King of New York.
Big Trouble in Little China… nothing can touch than commentary! Okay maybe…. Anchorman.
Jose605
I personally love good audio commentaries. Is there one that you particularly enjoyed?