Have you read Lynda Obst’s Sleepless in Hollywood?

Tags

3D, dvd extras, Hollywood, Linda Obst, movie making, movies, theaters

Well, obviously this is not a DVD Extras review. However, it is of significance. This book is from one of THE insiders in the Hollywood movie industry and her insights are most enlightening. If you are in the industry or have ever been curious about the how and why movies are made and what is the driving force behind the executive level decisions, you should check it out. It was just published in June, 2013.

Reading this book got me thinking about what is the one movie I want to have available if I were stranded on a “desert island.” My answer is Contact with Jodie Foster. I’ve seen this movie a hundred times and I’ll see it a hundred times more. Such a movie could not be made today. It would not even any further than the concept stage. Why, because it would not fit neatly into the demographics for the International market. The international market is the driving force behind movies today. And as you probably guessed it is financially biased. It is so bizarre to me to realize that a movie stands little chance of being made if it does not fit into a neat little box with a giant “R.O.I.” (return on investment) stamped on it. I can’t even imagine how frustrating it is for film makers to come up against this reality.

Do you like 3D movies? Really. Do you?

Ever wonder why every blockbuster is released in 3D? And do you ever wonder why theaters are not packed week in and week out for these very movies? The US movie going public has a distaste for 3D movies – probably because of those glasses. And perhaps it is because of the lousy quality of 3D conversions (taking originally 2D movies and processing them to look 3D). But, the Asian market loves 3D. And that is what drives the creation of 3D movies. The problem is that you don’t have an internationally viable movie unless you front the enormous costs involved in making it 3D.

So what other factors drive 3D. Construction companies have found a revenue generator in the design, building, and maintenance of 3D theaters in China and other countries. In China, they love 3D so much they are building 10 new theaters a day!

Another interesting fact is the sequel formula. And it has to do with something they call “Preawareness.” Metrics show that a sequel is viable only if it meets certain criteria. Like a star that is familiar to the non USA target market (usually Asia – China to be more specific), or a concept based on a very familiar story. Sequels are fine, in my opinion, but they will only be made if they are bankable. The concept script won’t even make out of the printer tray if it can’t meet Preawareness.

But, there are good stories too. Linda tells it like it is, like it was, and like it will be. Quick read even at 300 pages.

This is timely and important book for anyone involved in the industry. It should be a text book at Universities and Colleges.

Sleepless in Hollywood by Linda Obst at Amazon hardcover and Kindle

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Elizabeth (1998)

Tags

commentary, dvd extras, extras, movie making, Samuel Jackson, The Red Violin

Elizabeth (1998) Amazon
Director: Shekhar Kapur

The movie that should have given Cate Blanchett the Oscar. It did, however, win one Oscar for Best Makeup by Jenny Shicore.  Shekhar Kapur did well with this outstanding movie. And what a cast! Cate, Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes, Vincent Cassel, Richard Attenborough, John Gielgud, Kathy Burke, … on and on. Wow.

Extras:

• Running Commentary by Director Shekhar Kapur
• The Making of Elizabeth
• Elizabeth Featurette
• Cast and Filmmakers Biographies
• Photo Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer and Teaser Trailer

The running commentary by Shekhar Kapur is awesome. You really get an understanding of the movie making process from a director’s point of view. A rare commentary IMO. Listening to him talk about his work with such incredible detail and passion and reverence for the art of movie making is a real treat. He is so clear about directing — it is a joy to listen to.

In the last bit of his running commentary he speak about something which I found profound:

“It take a long time for a director to come to terms with his or her film. It’s taken me a long time for me to come to terms with Elizabeth because every time I look at the film I only see is what I should have done or what I did wrong. But, when you finally come to terms with it as a director, you try to understand what you actually did because making a film is such a collaborative art that a director is merely, I think, the glue of many many other parts that come together in the film. So, at the end of, say, Elizabeth all I can say is that i kept asking myself a million questions. And I encouraged my art director to ask those questions, I encourage my cinematographer to ask those questions, I encourage my actors to ask those questions. I never actually went onto the sets of this film and said “This IS the shot”, unless I was in a real hurry. But most of the time I would talk to everybody about the philosophy and I would say “What is this scene really about? Why do we want to shoot it this way? Which way do you think it should go?” And I think that collectively as we kept asking these questions, we collated a film together that in the end probably asks more questions than answers. And I think that has become more important.”

Oddly, while listening to the commentary you do not have the option of displaying English Subtitles. Only Spanish or French subtitles.

The Making of Elizabeth is a 25 minute in-depth video with great on-set interviews with the stars and of course the director Shekhar. All the interviews are great, but I especially like Geoffrey Rush’s words about the motivations to do the part and his understanding of the character he plays. Hmmm, Joseph Fiennes is very different when he’s not in character. I do wish they had interviewed Kathy Burke. Her performance was absolutely sublime. The writer Michael Hirst and producer Alison Owen give wonderful interviews as well.

Elizabeth Featurette is a 6 minute overview of the film with interview clippets and voice overs. A very condensed “making of” piece.

The Trailers are . . . well, trailers. I guess people like these extra features. Do you watch these?

Cast and Crew Biographies Just a bit of text reading. I find these rather boring.

Photo Gallery look like dressed up screen grabs. Disappointing.

You have to check out the extras on this DVD. Especially if you are into directing. The running commentary is worth it all. Three thumbs up for Kapur!

I give it ★★★★★

Victor

The Red Violin (Remastered) (Meridian Collection) (2008)

Tags

commentary, dvd extras, extras, movie making, Samuel Jackson, The Red Violin

The Red Violin (Remastered) (Meridian Collection) (2008) Amazon
Director: François Girard

Another of my all-time favorite movies. I must have seen it 40 times! The story about Red Mendelssohn in this movie although fictional is really fascinating. The production value is superb. I really like the cinematography and lighting in this film. Samuel L. Jackson is perfection as Charles Morrtiz, the late Ireneusz Bogajewicz as Mr. Ruselsky is a real treat (sadly we lost Ireneusz last year) and Sylvia Chang as Xiang Pei is totally believable. And all of the cast gave the performances of their lives.

I love the violin. I have one myself!

• Audio Commentary by Director/Co-Writer François Girard and Co-Writer/Actor
  Don McKellar
• The Auction Block Featurette
• The Oscar Winning Chaconne
• Theatrical Trailer

The running commentary by François Girard and Don McKellar is quite good. Thankfully they allow subtitles during the commentary. Both men are together in the same screening room as they talk about the film (which is nice as many commentators are recorded separately and mixed in post).

They talk about the child playing the role of Kaspar Weiss is Christoph Koncz (and what a choice did they make). No special effects were used for his performances. He really did play the violin. It was difficult to find a child actor who could play the violin at the level required. I think they lucked out.

Not only do they talk about the performances, characters, and character motivations  but they explain the ins and outs of the effects too. One of the many very interesting effects in this move was the violin performances with Jason Flemyng as Fredrick Pope. To show him playing they had two virtuoso violinists on either side of Jason each using one arm and hand (tied to Jason’s arms) standing out of camera view. Think about it. One with the bow, one fingering the strings, and Jason in the middle! Joshua Bell not only was one of these violinists (fingering) but he also played the violin in the sound tracks. His role was instrumental in the making of this movie.

The Auction Block features Kerry Keane (Head of Musical Instruments for Christie’s N.Y.)  and Elizabeth Pitcairn (Current owner of the “Red Mendelssohn” Stradivarius violin) in this fascinating 18 minute extra. She talks about her musical history and how she came to become the latest owner of this instrument. She, BTW, is a SoCal girl! So, I hope I get to hear her play the Red Mendelssohn in person someday. She describes what defines a Stradivarius: “Beauty of sound, tremendous power, and ease of execution.” Kerry talks about the history of the Red Mendelssohn and of Stradivarius. Did you know that Stradivarius made over 1100 instruments in the 1700’s. And that some 600 of his violins still exist today!

The Oscar Winning Chaconne is a 15 minute piece featuring John Corigliano who did the film score. Very nice piece where you really get a sense of the working life of a film composer. So much thought went into the music for the film. Remember that this story covers over 300 years in time and 5 different sub stories and 4 different countries. How does one provide the musical “glue” to bind them all together?

John talks about that glue:

“The on-camera etudes either came from the chordal progression or Anna’s melody so they were all related to the same set of chords. In that way you can go through all 300 years and yet when the music comes back at the end you realize you heard it many different ways which gave the film a sense of oneness.”

The theatrical trailer is . . . well, a trailer.

So, I’d say you have to check out the extras on this DVD. It has something for everyone, directors, composers, and production designers should get something valuable from this DVD and anyone who loves the violin.

I give it ★★★★☆

Victor

Pleasantville (1998)

Tags

commentary, dvd extras, extras, fantasy, gary ross, movie making, pleasantville, randy newman, reese witherspoon, tobey maguire

Pleasantville (1998) Amazon
Director: Gary Ross

I knew this was a very interesting movie. And after hearing Gary Ross (who not only directed, but also wrote and produced this film) talk about the making of Pleasantville, I now know this is an incredible movie. A very drama-based premise in a comedic based scenario. While Tobey Maguire is great in this film, Reese Witherspoon takes it to a whole new level – well, IMHO anyways. This film was nominated for 3 Oscars in Costume, Music, and Art Direction.

• Audio Commentary by Gary Ross
• The “Making of” Featurette
• Isolated Score with running commentary by Randy Newman
• Music Video
• Cast and Crew (text based)
• Color Television Setup (still images for you to adjust your set)
• Theatrical Trailer

The running audio commentary by Gary Ross is a real treat. A very articulate speaker with a nice easy style. You get a real sense of Gary’s immense skill as a director. The decisions he made to further the goals of the movie, his understanding of the actors, his personal history and how it affected his work – really cool stuff. Gary talks about specific scenes and references to other movies. For example: Reference Citizen Cane and the scene where the Chamber of Commerce pin is given to William H. Macy by the late J.T. Walsh. And Gary talks about the first painting we see from the art book (shown to Jeff Daniels) The World of Art—Masaccio’s Expulsion from the Garden of Eden and it’s significance to the heart of the movie. He talks about how transitions should be subtle and not an obvious moving from Act to Act. Throughout the commentary he gives a really eye opening reveal of the social commentary aspect of this film. There is a lot going on in this movie and I certainly did not realize when I first watched it.

The Art of Pleasantville is a 30 minute piece on the special effects. They start off with the scene where Tobey covers Joan Allen’s skin to hide the color. They talk in detail about the difficulties and processes used to achieve a believable transition for her. In fact all the skin effects were especially difficult as the movie was shot in color and post processed to appear black and white AND transition to color throughout the film. You even get to see the scene where Jeff Daniels removes her makeup IN COLOR before it is processed into black and white.

John Lindley talks about the technical aspects of his job as cinematographer as it relates to the difficulties and processes of making Pleasantville. I thought it was really cool to see the enormous storyboard “bound book” as he thumbs through it.

We get to visit Frank Romero in his studio (he did the brick wall mural in the movie). A pivotal piece in the movie. He talks in detail about the mural, life, Jeff Daniel’s character, and the serious underlying nature of the film.  

The Isolated Score with running commentary by Randy Newman is fascinating. Not many isolated scores have a commentary and Randy has a lot to say. He talks about the art of scoring such a film, motivations, historical perspectives, and all with his unique sense of humor. A very nice piece of extra feature.

The Music Video extra is pretty good (Across the Universe Lennon–McCartney sung by Fiona Apple). I generally don’t like music videos but, this was done in a very stylish cinematic way. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

You have to check out the extras on this DVD. It has something for everyone. The fan, the actor, the director, the music, the producer.

I give it ★★★★★

Victor

Solaris (2002)

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commentary, DVD, dvd extras, extras, George Clooney, Jeremy Davies, love story, movie making, Natascha Mc Elhone, sci-fi, Viola Davis

Solaris (2002) Amazon
Director: Steven Soderbergh

This production of Solaris is not based on the Andrey Tarkovskiy Russian film Solyaris of 1972, but rather a new interpretation of the original Stanislaw Lem novel Solaris. This movie is really more of a love story between the two main characters rather than a science fiction drama. The production value on this production is second to none. The look created by Steven Soderbergh and production designer Philip Messina is absolutely wonderful. BTW, Steven was not only the director, but also the Cinematographer/Lighting Designer and Editor of the film.

• Running Commentary with Steven Soderbergh (director and screenplay) and James Cameron (producer)
• HBO Special: Inside Solaris
• Solaris: Behind the Planet
• Trailers
• Screenplay

The running commentary with Soderbergh and Cameron is very interesting. They discuss the film on an intimate level, a more personal level, as opposed to a technical analysis of the film. Man, I never had the opportunity to work with Cameron (back when I was in the industry) but, after listening to him on this commentary . . . well, IMO, this guy has one big ego. But, may be that’s what it takes to be one of the greatest directors in history. Anyway, they discuss just about everything about the film. I think, writers, producers, and directors will find the commentary interesting and informative.

HBO Special: Inside Solaris is a 13 minute piece. I did not know that George Clooney lobbied for the role and was, in fact, not the first and obvious choice for the part. He talks about the difficulty in taking on such a role. Jeremy Davies, Viola Davis, Natascha Mc Elhone, and Ulrich Tukur are also interviewed about their roles. They all give such good insight into their characterizations. This extra feature is also a visual treat.

Solaris: Behind the Planet is an 18 minute piece which is not only about the planet, but really about the entire film. Lots of behind the scenes footage, interviews, outtakes, production video, etc… A nice piece as you get a bit of everything. Including really cool screen tests from a few of the actors. The most famous is the legendary Ulrich Tukur (Dr. Gibarian) video tape where he does his monologue while the camera is pointed at his dog—the entire video! The last part of this extra goes into detail about the planet itself. Beautiful imagery and footage. Did you know they went to 4K resolution for the planet scenes? Man, remember, this is 2002! You also get to learn about some of the very cool set designs.

The trailers include two for Solaris and two for other movies.

The screenplay is text based and you need to forward through it. But, it appears to be complete. I do wish it were available as a pdf or rtf file so one could read it full screen or print it out. As it is, you can only read a few paragraphs at a time.

So, I’d say you still have to check out the extras on this DVD.

I give it ★★★☆☆

Victor

Enter the Dragon (1973)

Tags

Bruce Lee, commentary, dvd extras, Enter the Dragon, extras, John Saxon, Michael Allin, movie making, Paul Heller, Robert Clouse

Enter the Dragon (Two-Disc Special Edition) (1973) Amazon
Director: Robert Clouse

In this two disc special edition learn all about the film, all about Bruce Lee; his life, his work, the real story behind the legend. I’ll tell you, truthfully, I completely forgot this was an American film. I’ve always associated it with Golden Harvest Films. The image and sound quality are terrific on this film. There are hours of extras on the two disc set. Fans of his films and fans of the martial arts will love this. Directors and producers will find the insights valuable.

• All-new digital transfer
• Commentary by producer Paul M. Heller and writer Michael Allin
• 30th anniversary documentary making “Blood and Steel”
• “Bruce Lee: In His Own Words” documentary
• “Bruce Lee: A Warrior’s Journey” documentary (includes reconstruction and analysis of Lee’s intended cut of The Game of Death
• “Bruce Lee: The Curse of the Dragon” documentary
• Original 1973 making-of featurette
• Linda Lee Caldwell – Interview gallery
• “Backyard Workout with Bruce Lee” home movie footage
• Trailers
• TV Spots

The running commentary is by Paul Heller with Michael Allin (writer via the telephone). It’s interesting to hear their comments after 30 years of living through the legacy that is Bruce Lee. You will get to hear the incredible backstory of the development and production of the film. There is so much we thought we knew about the making of Enter the Dragon, the origins of the story, the actors, Bruce himself, but, I think you will be very surprised at the truth. The first part of the commentary has Paul and Michael focusing on Bruce Lee’s personal history in regards to the movie industry and this film in particular. But, as the movie plays, they also describe the backstory.  Be sure to have the sub titles on.

Incredible to hear of all the problems they ran into in the Far East during production. The cultural differences caused no end of headaches for them. But, they were very resourceful and flexible. Speaking of resourcefulness . . . they were amazed at the ability of the Chinese crew to build beautiful and detailed sets and set pieces from the most basic of materials in record time. Pretty cool.

They really embraced the sound effects (Foley work) that are unique to the Chinese martial arts films. I never really liked that style of “exaggerated sounds” but, nowadays I have found a new appreciation for it.

“Blood and Steel” is the name of the original script. It starts off with one of Bruce’s first students . . . the late James Coburn as he remembers the early Bruce Lee. You’ll hear from a great many involved in the film along with cuts from Enter The Dragon. This 30 minute piece is filled with anecdotes related to the film itself, the actors, and the production. John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Robert Wall, Peter Archer, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, and even Ahna Capri are interviewed for this piece. Just super!

“Bruce Lee: In His Own Words” is a revealing 20 minute documentary made up of various interviews with Bruce himself. Primarily he talks about his philosophy of martial arts. It is something you have to view many times and really absorb his words. Near the end of this piece you get to see film of Bruce the family man with pics of Linda Lee Caldwell, his son the late Brandon Lee, and daughter Shannon Lee. Shannon by the way recently announced (Feb 2013) the final realization of the Bruce Lee Action Museum in Seattle.

The Linda Lee Caldwell Interview gallery features 15 minutes of interviews with Linda on many topics related to her late husband. Her interviews are candid and yet loving and respectful. Nice special feature.

In Lair of the Dragon, you’ll find an original 7 minute 1973 Featurette. Sort of a “making of” piece that was probably shown in theaters along with trailers.

Backyard workout with Bruce is a short 2 minute film showing him practicing at his home.

In the fairly long (at 1.5 hours) “Bruce Lee: The Curse of the Dragon” documentary  George Takei narrates the tragic side of his life. It starts out with film of the funeral and continues with speculation of a family curse. But, it is not all doom and gloom, they remember him with fondness and respect. We see many interviews by Paul Heller, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Chuck Norris, James Coburn, et al. They talk about his early life in a family of acting. Bruce’s younger brother Robert Lee talks about their father who was a famous comedy actor Li Hoi Chen and the formative years for Bruce.

Did you know that Bruce was sent to the States (Seattle, WA) to live with a relative because his father thought it would be a way to keep Bruce out of the trouble he routinely got into by street fighting? Such antics would have brought shame to the family name.

With Hollywood and “stereotype casting” his career was not moving forward. So, he went overseas to make movies, hone his acting talent, become a big star and only then would he return to America to make it big. And he made it! The film The Big Boss did not begin with Bruce as its star but, as filming began it was clear Bruce was a star and the film was rewritten to put Bruce in the lead role. Fist of Fury was an incredible success overseas. Way of the Dragon (Return of the Dragon) was his first real creative effort. He had nearly total creative control over the production.

“The candle that burns twice as bright, burns twice as fast.” They talk about the shock of his untimely and devastating death. The latter part of this extra feature focuses on the many theories as to the actual cause of his death. The very last part discusses the everlasting effect of his life and career in movies.

“A Warrior’s Journey” at nearly 2 hours long is broken into chapters: The Beginning, The Journey, The Struggle, and The Footage. It is probably the most significant extra feature of the 2 disc set. There is too much to describe in detail here. But, you will gain an in-depth knowledge of the martial artist and the man. The good and the bad. They have also reconstructed (as best they could) the remaining original footage with the real Bruce Lee of The Game of Death. And even though it was pieced together with mostly outtakes—what a difference! And Kareem’s performance was a real treat!

“Theatrical Trailers” is a compilation of promotional trailers made for theaters.

“TV Spots” is a compilation of promotional trailers made for TV.

I have visited, meditated and even talked to him when I would make my monthly visits to his grave site in Seattle. It might seem strange to some, but for me, it was a privilege to do so. I was also excited to meet Linda Lee in Los Angeles many years ago by way of my own martial arts teacher.

You have to check out the extras on this DVD. It has something for everyone. The fan, the actor, the director, the producer.

I give it ★★★★★

Victor

Contact (1997)

Tags

Carl Sagen, commentary, dvd extras, extras, Jodie Foster, Matther McConaughey, movie making, Robert Zemeckis, sci-fi, Tom Skerritt

Contact (Snap Case) (1997) Amazon
Director: Robert Zemeckis

One of my all time favorite movies. I must have watched this DVD a hundred times. The special effects are truly wonderful. A special place in my heart as I was once a 3D computer graphics and animation specialist working for big studios and small companies.

It stars Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, and Tom Skerritt. And is based on the book by the eminent astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, and author Carl Sagan.

There are a numerous extras on this disc.

• Cast and Crew (text based feature)
• From Novel to Screen (text based feature)
• Creating a Fantastic Event (text based feature)
• The Message (text based feature)
• Constructing the Pod (text based feature)
• Alien Encounters
  • Audio Commentaries
    • Jodie Foster
    • Robert Zemecks (director) and Steve Starkey (producer)
    • Ken Ralston (Senior Visual Effects Supervisor) and Stephen Rosenbaum (Visual Effects Supervision)
  • The Special Effects (all videos)
    • The Making of the Opening Shot
    • The Making of the NASA Machine Destruction
    • The Making of the Harrier Landing
    • High Speed Compositing Reel
  • Computer Animated Concepts (short videos)
    • The Machine Fly-By
    • Hadden’s Plane
    • NASA Control Room
  • Theatrical Trailers
  • Special Edition Credits

The Jodie Foster running commentary is a great piece for the student of acting. Her comments are thoughtful and concise. She talks about the art of acting, a bit of reminiscing, thoughts on the production, motivations, etc . . . She describes the talent and skill of Zemecks, the amazing talents in the SF/X crew, and her cast members. It was great to hear her talk about her experiences (be sure to have subtitles on so you can follow the story as Jodie talks). During the scenes of her in the shaking pod, she describes how sick it made her and she even got vertigo because of it (she did multiple full days of being shaken in those chairs).

The Robert Zemecks and Steve Starkey running commentary is mostly reminiscing but there are a few gems in there too. What I did like was the bits of analysis describing the motivations of the actors in their portrayals. But, IMO, it was uninspiring as these two show no enthusiasm for their craft. They sounded like a director and a producer who had done a few too many films. May be it’s just me . . .

The running commentary by Ken Ralston and Stephen Rosenbaum was the best extra on the disc. They describe in detail the processes for all of those absolutely incredible special effects in this ground breaking film. The opening sequence (completely CG BTW) was purely theoretical as we don’t really know what’s actually out there! But, relying on their own research and the artistry of John Lomberg (who was Carl Sagan’s primary illustrator for his books and the series), they did an astounding job. So much of what they did to make this film the best they possibly could is truly amazing. I really liked the fact that these guys are passionate about their craft.

Under Alien Encounters subhead: The Special Effects, Ken and Stephen talk about the opening scene in detail. This is a 20 minute extra feature. It took 6 to 8 weeks to choreograph the fly-through sequence alone. It’s a 3 minute long SF/X sequence. 4,710 frames, 117,384.16 hours of CPU time, 98 layers in the composite! You also get to see some of the source material used in their research. There is a cool wireframe animatic which was used for the timing, rhythm and transition choreography and they walk us through it in great detail. The remaining three features under “The Special Effects” are equally impressive.

Under Alien Encounters subhead: Computer Animated Concepts, Tim Wilcox talks about and shows a fly-through animation of “The Machine” which he worked on. He also takes us through the development of Hadden’s plane interior. In the NASA Control Room feature he gives a very brief description of the work done here.

Aside from the director & producer commentary, I loved it. The SF/X artist, the student producer, and even the actor will appreciate the many features on this disc.

So, I’d say you have to check out the extras on this DVD.

I give it ★★★★★

Victor

Hard Candy (2006)

Tags

Brian Nelson, commentary, David Slade, dvd extras, Ellen Page, movie making, Patrick Wilson, Sandra Oh

Hard Candy (2006) Amazon
Director: David Slade

The controversial movie of the year. And Ellen Page’s masterful acting role. So, I saw this movie in a good sized Seattle theater and sadly I was the one of two people in the audience. It won 5 awards and 9 nominations but, looks like it only broke even. No matter—onto the extras.

One of the best extra feature sets I’ve seen. Thanks to the detailed commentary by a very articulate director David Slade.

Special Features

• Commentary by director David Slade and writer Brian Nelson
• Commentary by actors Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page
• “Creating Hard Candy” featurette
• “Controversial Confection” mini-featurette
• Deleted and extended scenes
• DVD-ROM: Production notebook (PC only)
• Theatrical trailer

The best extra on this DVD is hearing David Slade talk about the twists and turns of making a quality movie on a low budget. Really fascinating stuff. 18 days for production and a one million dollar budget. He goes into all aspects of the craft that is film making. Two of my favorite cool things talked about is the fact that the film was made on Super 35 (which is basically 35mm sized stock using lenses made for 35mm film, but the image is cropped FROM the 35mm format) and the genius work of Jean-Clement Soret the colorist on the film. Love it when film makers push and pull technology to create art.

The running commentary by Patrick and Ellen is pretty much reminiscing about their time on the set. They do talk about the performances and the production of the movie. If you are big fans of these two actors, it is a nice extra feature.

The running commentary by David Slade and Brian Nelson is totally awesome, IMO. David does not miss a single aspect of movie making. And he goes into great detail with many of them. The cinematography, the production design, the scripting, the acting, and so much more. Really one of the best commentaries I’ve seen.

Too bad the Production Notes on the DVD-ROM is not supported by MAC OSX. BUT, it is accessible on a PC. And it is the best presentation of production notes ever. You get the entire 149 pages of the script on the right and on the left all the director’s notations and they are synchronized so as you flip to the next page of the script you get to see the corresponding director notes on the left. Very nice stuff.

The “Creating Hard Candy” featurette is presented by David Higgins Producer, Brian Nelson, David Slade, and the actors. A real treat – you’ll love it. And it is broken down into the following chapters:

• Introduction
• An independent idea
• Casting
• A Director’s visual style
• Produciton
• Post Production
• Marketing and Release

The “Controversial Confection: The Soul of Hard Candy” mini-featurette is a nice 8-1/2 minute piece. David Slade, David Higgins, and Patrick talk about the controversial nature of the film’s wild plot. I especially liked Patrick’s view on his character.

After seeing the extras on this DVD you have got to give props to Patrick’s skill and dedication as an actor, David Slade’s incredible directing talent, the amazing writing skill of Brian Wilson, the heart and dedication of David Higgins as a producer, and the supreme acting talent of Ellen Page.

So, I’d say you have to check out the extras on this DVD.

I give it ★★★★★

Victor

The Matrix (1999)

Tags

Carrie-Anne Moss, commentary, dvd extras, Hugo Weaving, Keeanu Reeves, movie making, sci-fi, The Matrix

The Matrix (1999) Amazon
Director: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

The classic movie. The first and original—and the best in my opinion. You know the main characters: Neo (Keeanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), Cypher (Joe Pantoliano) and Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving). Although this is an ancient movie (technologically speaking), 1999 after all, the most interesting extras on this DVD are in the effects stories. You have to remember that most of the effects are primarily “practical effects”, unlike today, where they are mostly CG. What they were able to accomplish is truly astounding.

• HBO: Making The Matrix
• Running Commentary
• Cast and Crew
• Music Only Track
• Follow the White Rabbit
• Take the Red Pill
  • “What is The Concept?”
  • “What is Bullet-Time?”
• DVD ROM PC
  • “Are You the One?”
  • Screenplay and Storyboards
  • 7 Special Essays and Articles
  • “Do you know Kung-Fu?
  • Trailers
  • Website

Under Cast and Crew, several of the main characters are highlighted in text notation. Career, public life, movie listings, etc… these tidbits are referred to as the “Data Files.” Pretty boring IMO. 

“The Dream World” is your access point into the extras. It features a running commentary by Carrie-Anne Moss, John Gaeta (visual effects supervisor), and Zach Staenberg (film editor) and a featurette called “Making the Matrix.” I don’t quite know how to categorize this commentary. It had a mix of stories about the production, remembrances of influences used to develop the movie. Not too much into the technical realm, but enough to keep me interested. Carrie-Anne chimed in on occasion. Mostly it was John and Zach doing the talking.

By clicking on the red pill you will be taken to the first of two features: “What is Bullet-Time?” a special effects video examination of the technique, setup, equipment, etc… You’ll see the entire process with “behind the scene” footage and you also hear about the problems and limitations encountered while developing the techniques. In particular you get an in depth view of the revolutionary camera rig setup and compositing technique. Very cool stuff.

The second feature is “What is The Concept?” Click here for Google Links. It features an 11 minute piece with “storyboards to film” analysis. You’ll see many of the models, CG effects, and stories behind the “Concept.” You get a very good sense of the process that takes the film maker from concept sketches, to animatics, from pre-visuals to wireframes, to fully rendered footage. It does not have any narration (sadly missing, IMO).

Now, in “Making the Matrix” you have a 30 minute video commentary featuring the directors, producers, actors, and production personnel talking about the movie. It is really cool. You get a lot of great “behind the scenes” video, a sense of what it was like on the set, and some of the excellent story boarding. It was very important to have the actors do as much as was possible in their stunts, including the fight scenes — no CG. You get to see Woo-ping Yuen in action training Keeanu.

There is a Music-Only track with commentary by music composer Don Davis. He talks about the process he goes through and why he composed in a certain way and what effect he was going for. Be sure to turn on the subtitles while you view this extra feature (there are a lot of blank areas in his commentary—as it probably should be, I guess).

Follow the White Rabbit is a feature that shows a pop of a white rabbit icon where ever there is “secret” footage related to the scene.

The  DVD-ROM features (file:///E:/WHV/INDEX.HTML) features:

• Launch to the Matrix Events (defunct links to Special DVD Web Events)
• The One (Are you really the one?)
• Alternate Realities (Essays Inspired by the Matrix)
• Programmed Realities (Screenplay and Storyboards, Do You Know Kung-Fu)
• Original Theatrical Website (defunct link)

Of the 5 chapters in the DVD-ROM; only Essays Inspired by the Matrix (found in Alternate Realities) and Screenplay and Storyboards (found in Programmed Realities) are of any real value – mainly because of expired links.

In Alternate Realities, you have 7 chapters to explorer— essays all in text.

1. Essays on Martial Arts found in Everybody Loves Kung-Fu Fighting,
2. Comic Books in the Cinema found in From Script to Screen,
3. Science Fiction Films found in Infinity and Beyond, an article by Herbert Muschamp for the NY Times called If the City is Only a Dream (the link does not work so click here for the article),
4. An article by Edward Rothstein for the NY Times called A Hacker’s haunting Vision of a Reality Within Illusion (the link does not work so click here for the article), 
5. Maximizing the Matrix by N’Gai Croal for Newsweek, Popular Metaphysics by Richard Corliss for Time

Screenplay and Storyboards gives you the script on the right side, and storyboard sequences to flip through. At the bottom are thumbnails of the 38 storyboards you get to interact with. Most of the functionality is still there with  the exception of the non working video clips.

On the left navigation panel there are links to several Warner Bros. sites but they are not accessible from this menu. There is one interesting one called the Matrix Code. It plays a loop of the screen showing those green characters flowing down the screens in the movie. Does it say something? I don’t know if there is a secret hidden message in them – you may need to know how to read the matrix!

So, I’d still say you have to check out the extras on this DVD. It has something for everyone. I’m giving it 4 of 5 stars only because technology has move forwards quite a bit nowadays and the running commentary while enjoyable it is not “educational.”

I give it ★★★★☆

Victor

Sunshine (2007)

Tags

Cliff Curtis, commentary, Danny Boyle, dvd extras, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michelle Yeoh, movie making, sci-fi, Sunshine

Sunshine (2007) Amazon Director: Danny Boyle I love this movie. The imagery is fantastic, the storyline is fascinating, the acting is incredible, the directing is spot on, the production is perfection. The casting is great. It stars: Cillian Murphy as Capa, Chris Evans as Mace, Michelle Yeoh as Corazon, Hiroyuki Sanada as Kaneda, Cliff Curtis as Serle as more. Anything Danny Boyle directs is way up there for me. This movie did not do well at all at the box office. Too bad. I think it was just not marketed correctly.

• Deleted Scenes with Danny Boyle
• Alternate Ending
• Web Production Diaries
• Two Short Films with Intro by Danny Boyle
• Audio Commentary by Danny Boyle (Director)
• Audio Commentary by Dr. Brian Cox (University of Manchester)

Man, Danny Boyle LOVES movies. This guy is really enthusiastic . . . or may be just a few too many espressos. But, seriously, the running commentary by Danny is rich with insight into the craft of directing.

The deleted scenes are terrific. There are several scenes shown and discussed. Danny narrates each scene with details about the making of the scene, how it was to fit into the movie, and why it was eventually cut. Including an alternate ending. You also have the option of turning off the commentary for these deleted scenes.

As much as I liked the running commentary with Danny Boyle, the second running commentary with Dr. Brian Cox is even more fascinating. Did you know that the Sun burns 600 million tons of fuel per second!?!? For me this extra feature is worth the price. Separating science fiction from science fact gives you a whole new appreciation for this movie and every other science fiction movie you’ll ever see.

The two short independent films are introduced by Danny and he explains having them on the extra features of the DVD allows such films to be distributed where they would not see any sort of distribution at all. A really nice concept.

Now. The best extra feature is the Web Production Diaries. Here you get to watch interviews from several of the cast and crew. Some are funny, revealing, educational, all are very interesting. Danny introduces this extra feature and it includes, amongst others, Hiroyuki, Cillian, a piece about Pre Visualization techniques, the Science of the Sun with Brian, Zero Gravity Flight, etc…

This DVD has something for everyone. From students of directing, production and actors, it is a must have DVD.

So, I’d say you have to check out the extras on this DVD.

I give it ★★★★★

Victor