By far, the best thing that came along with the technological jump from VHS tapes to Laserdisc and DVD discs has been the audio commentary. There’s nothing complicated about it, just an additional audio track that plays instead of the film’s intended sound track with commentary from someone affiliated with the film. Typically, the speaker is the film’s director but it can vary. With many older films the commentator will be a film critic, historian or author. You can also hear from actors, editors, cinematographers and writers. On the special edition DVD release of HIGH NOON there’s a commentary track from family members of the film’s composer, writer and director. Each track is unique and provides the viewer with a different perspective on the film they believe they’ve come to know.
Needless to say, there are good commentary tracks and bad ones. A good commentary track offers the listener insight into the production of the film, the genesis of it, and its influences. But to be honest, a particular commentary’s value will change from viewer to viewer, depending on what kind of experience they’re looking for. The tracks often get overlooked, at least it appears that way to me. And while an excellent commentary track won’t make a bad film good it can elevate your appreciation for a film profoundly. So if there’s a film you like and the DVD has an audio commentary track on it, give it a listen. It’s like having the filmmaker over to your house for a few hours to fill you in on all that you might have missed with your favorite film.
This list is loose and subject to change. Having said that, I’ve listened to more audio commentary tracks than anyone else I know so I feel my opinion has some weight.
The end mark of a classic shot from Citizen Kane
1. Roger Ebert on ‘Citizen Kane’
I really can’t say enough about this. I must have listened to it at least a dozen times by now and it continues to provide a wealth of information not just on the particular film or the circumstances surrounding its release but it’s also an excellent piece for anyone interested in learning how to watch a film. Pound for pound, this track is more informative than any book on film I’ve ever read. From the opening title sequence Ebert is off and running, almost struggling to get all that he has to say about the film in within the alotted amount of time he has. One gets the feeling that if the credits lasted an additional 4 hours he’d have no problem filling that time with insight, anecdotes, production details and other gems concerning ‘Citizen Kane.’ Perhaps you’ve seen the film and wondered what all the hype was about? Watch it with the Ebert track on and you’ll get a detailed look into the construction of the film, its influence and its importance in cinema history.
An aside: Ebert also provides a superb audio commentary track on the double-disc DVD release of ‘Casablanca.’ That track alone could sit at #3 on my list for many of the same reasons his ‘Citizen Kane’ track sits at #1. So while I don’t list it here, please be advised that it exists and I couldn’t possibly reccommend it enough.
2. Kenneth Loring on ‘Blood Simple’
I won’t spoil the fun for you but I will say this: always be aware of who you’re dealing with. In this case, it’s the Coens and if there’s one thing the Coens love to do it’s to flip genre on its head and play with convention. This is a brilliant use of the commentary and the first (and possibly only) use like it I’ve come across. The only example I can think of that doesn’t so much augment the film it accompanies but actually changes the entire tone and genre. I’ve actually gotten into rather heated debates about this commentary and if you’ve heard it then you know exactly what I’m talking about. I’ll leave it at that. Listen, and enjoy.
3. Francis Ford Coppola on ‘Apocalypse Now’
Coppola is probably the best among filmmakers at providing his fans with a rich and informative audio commentary track. While many filmmakers shy away from digging too deep into their own films and discussing context, Coppola just lets it all fly. His commentaries, and there are many great ones by him including The Godfather trilogy, The Conversation, The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, and Patton, are void of inhibition or agenda. He simply sits down and goes through each film with you without any regard for how much or what he’s “giving away.” I’ve listed ‘Apocalypse Now’ here at #3 because the film has one of the more fascinating productions in the history of film but all of his commentaries are outstanding.
#4 Michael Mann & James Caan on ‘Thief’
Perhaps my love for this film has skewed my viewpoint somewhat but even accounting for that this commentary track still stands as excellent example. This is Mann’s only audio commentary and that’s probably due to the fact that enough time had passed from the release of the film to the DVD issue that he felt comfortable enough discussing it. Mann is one of the more cerebral filmmakers working today and while much of the track is spent recounting production experience there are great moments when Mann opens up and discusses the intricasies of the story and the character of Frank that are outstanding. His films are literally constructed with enormous detail and this track provides an excellent opportunity for the viewer to get a glimpse of how that happens.
#5 Stephen Prince on ‘Red Beard’
The Criterion Collection is responsible for bringing forgotten or hard-to-find films to the forefront and giving them the DVD release they deserve. Frequently, they issue audio commentaries with their DVD releases and many of those consist of biographers for the particular filmmaker or actor prevalent in the film. While they’re almost always interesting they can sometimes fall into too much discussion about the particular man/woman and get away from the film itself. Luckily, that’s not the case with many of Kurosawa’s commentaries. Stephen Prince is a film scholar and does an outstanding job pointing out Kurosawa’s style and technique. From his use of multiple cameras, his composition, the lenses he used and why, as well as the indelible metaphors he used. One could get more out of all the Kurosawa commentaries than out of many film school classes and the authors of those commentaries deserve all of that credit.
* See also: Donald Richie on ‘Rashomon’ & David Desser; Joan Mellen; Stephen Prince; Tony Rayns; Donald Richie on ‘Seven Samurai’
#6 PT Anderson on ‘Sydney’
PT Anderson is a brilliant filmmaker who emersed himself in audio commentary tracks from laserdiscs. In his ‘Sydney’ (aka ‘Hard Eight’) commentary (accompanied by Phillip Baker Hall) he unleashes a fury of discussion about his film, the process of writing it, the Sundance Lab, his struggles with financiers and the influences on the genesis of the story. It’s done by someone who loves audio commentaries and, therefore, knows exactly what makes a good one. He provides two more tracks on the DVD release of his second film, ‘Boogie Nights’, both of which are also excellent for different reasons, but that would appear to be where it ends. Luckily, he’s given us great examples of an audio commentary on his first two films.
#7 Rudy Behlmer on ‘Notorious’
All great filmmakers deserve at least one great audio commentary and Behlmer provides it for Hitchcock. While the Criterion Collection DVD of the film is now out of print you can still find a used copy by searching sites like amazon and ebay. It’s a great commentary on Hitchcock’s technique as well as some excellent anecdotes about the man, the film and Hollywood at the time. A must for any Hitchcock fan.
#8 Sam Mendes, Alan Ball & Conrad Hall on ‘American Beauty’
Mendes provides a great running commentary on his film but the highlights of it all are the discussions on and by Conrad Hall and his work. The commentary is a virtual Cinematography 101 and does an excellent job of outlining Hall’s genious. Conrad Hall also contributes on a great audio commentary track on the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid DVD.
#9 Martin Scorsese on ‘Mean Streets’
One can’t help but be enamored by listening to Scorsese talk about his films and he provides great insight into films of his that he provides and audio track for. The only thing that keeps them from being higher on the list is that his tracks are almost always intercut with those of another speaker, typically his great editor Thelma Schoonmaker.
#10 Anton Kaes & Eric Rentschler on ‘M’
A brilliant and timeless film gets the royal treatment from Criterion along with a great audio commentary by these two film scholars. Fantastic insight into the film, Fritz Lang and German cinema. Another commentary well worth the price of the DVD.
Racking Focus 
The 10 Best DVD Audio Commentaries
with 8 comments
By far, the best thing that came along with the technological jump from VHS tapes to Laserdisc and DVD discs has been the audio commentary. There’s nothing complicated about it, just an additional audio track that plays instead of the film’s intended sound track with commentary from someone affiliated with the film. Typically, the speaker is the film’s director but it can vary. With many older films the commentator will be a film critic, historian or author. You can also hear from actors, editors, cinematographers and writers. On the special edition DVD release of HIGH NOON there’s a commentary track from family members of the film’s composer, writer and director. Each track is unique and provides the viewer with a different perspective on the film they believe they’ve come to know.
Needless to say, there are good commentary tracks and bad ones. A good commentary track offers the listener insight into the production of the film, the genesis of it, and its influences. But to be honest, a particular commentary’s value will change from viewer to viewer, depending on what kind of experience they’re looking for. The tracks often get overlooked, at least it appears that way to me. And while an excellent commentary track won’t make a bad film good it can elevate your appreciation for a film profoundly. So if there’s a film you like and the DVD has an audio commentary track on it, give it a listen. It’s like having the filmmaker over to your house for a few hours to fill you in on all that you might have missed with your favorite film.
This list is loose and subject to change. Having said that, I’ve listened to more audio commentary tracks than anyone else I know so I feel my opinion has some weight.
The end mark of a classic shot from Citizen Kane
1. Roger Ebert on ‘Citizen Kane’
I really can’t say enough about this. I must have listened to it at least a dozen times by now and it continues to provide a wealth of information not just on the particular film or the circumstances surrounding its release but it’s also an excellent piece for anyone interested in learning how to watch a film. Pound for pound, this track is more informative than any book on film I’ve ever read. From the opening title sequence Ebert is off and running, almost struggling to get all that he has to say about the film in within the alotted amount of time he has. One gets the feeling that if the credits lasted an additional 4 hours he’d have no problem filling that time with insight, anecdotes, production details and other gems concerning ‘Citizen Kane.’ Perhaps you’ve seen the film and wondered what all the hype was about? Watch it with the Ebert track on and you’ll get a detailed look into the construction of the film, its influence and its importance in cinema history.
An aside: Ebert also provides a superb audio commentary track on the double-disc DVD release of ‘Casablanca.’ That track alone could sit at #3 on my list for many of the same reasons his ‘Citizen Kane’ track sits at #1. So while I don’t list it here, please be advised that it exists and I couldn’t possibly reccommend it enough.
2. Kenneth Loring on ‘Blood Simple’
I won’t spoil the fun for you but I will say this: always be aware of who you’re dealing with. In this case, it’s the Coens and if there’s one thing the Coens love to do it’s to flip genre on its head and play with convention. This is a brilliant use of the commentary and the first (and possibly only) use like it I’ve come across. The only example I can think of that doesn’t so much augment the film it accompanies but actually changes the entire tone and genre. I’ve actually gotten into rather heated debates about this commentary and if you’ve heard it then you know exactly what I’m talking about. I’ll leave it at that. Listen, and enjoy.
3. Francis Ford Coppola on ‘Apocalypse Now’
Coppola is probably the best among filmmakers at providing his fans with a rich and informative audio commentary track. While many filmmakers shy away from digging too deep into their own films and discussing context, Coppola just lets it all fly. His commentaries, and there are many great ones by him including The Godfather trilogy, The Conversation, The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, and Patton, are void of inhibition or agenda. He simply sits down and goes through each film with you without any regard for how much or what he’s “giving away.” I’ve listed ‘Apocalypse Now’ here at #3 because the film has one of the more fascinating productions in the history of film but all of his commentaries are outstanding.
#4 Michael Mann & James Caan on ‘Thief’
Perhaps my love for this film has skewed my viewpoint somewhat but even accounting for that this commentary track still stands as excellent example. This is Mann’s only audio commentary and that’s probably due to the fact that enough time had passed from the release of the film to the DVD issue that he felt comfortable enough discussing it. Mann is one of the more cerebral filmmakers working today and while much of the track is spent recounting production experience there are great moments when Mann opens up and discusses the intricasies of the story and the character of Frank that are outstanding. His films are literally constructed with enormous detail and this track provides an excellent opportunity for the viewer to get a glimpse of how that happens.
#5 Stephen Prince on ‘Red Beard’
The Criterion Collection is responsible for bringing forgotten or hard-to-find films to the forefront and giving them the DVD release they deserve. Frequently, they issue audio commentaries with their DVD releases and many of those consist of biographers for the particular filmmaker or actor prevalent in the film. While they’re almost always interesting they can sometimes fall into too much discussion about the particular man/woman and get away from the film itself. Luckily, that’s not the case with many of Kurosawa’s commentaries. Stephen Prince is a film scholar and does an outstanding job pointing out Kurosawa’s style and technique. From his use of multiple cameras, his composition, the lenses he used and why, as well as the indelible metaphors he used. One could get more out of all the Kurosawa commentaries than out of many film school classes and the authors of those commentaries deserve all of that credit.
* See also: Donald Richie on ‘Rashomon’ & David Desser; Joan Mellen; Stephen Prince; Tony Rayns; Donald Richie on ‘Seven Samurai’
#6 PT Anderson on ‘Sydney’
PT Anderson is a brilliant filmmaker who emersed himself in audio commentary tracks from laserdiscs. In his ‘Sydney’ (aka ‘Hard Eight’) commentary (accompanied by Phillip Baker Hall) he unleashes a fury of discussion about his film, the process of writing it, the Sundance Lab, his struggles with financiers and the influences on the genesis of the story. It’s done by someone who loves audio commentaries and, therefore, knows exactly what makes a good one. He provides two more tracks on the DVD release of his second film, ‘Boogie Nights’, both of which are also excellent for different reasons, but that would appear to be where it ends. Luckily, he’s given us great examples of an audio commentary on his first two films.
#7 Rudy Behlmer on ‘Notorious’
All great filmmakers deserve at least one great audio commentary and Behlmer provides it for Hitchcock. While the Criterion Collection DVD of the film is now out of print you can still find a used copy by searching sites like amazon and ebay. It’s a great commentary on Hitchcock’s technique as well as some excellent anecdotes about the man, the film and Hollywood at the time. A must for any Hitchcock fan.
#8 Sam Mendes, Alan Ball & Conrad Hall on ‘American Beauty’
Mendes provides a great running commentary on his film but the highlights of it all are the discussions on and by Conrad Hall and his work. The commentary is a virtual Cinematography 101 and does an excellent job of outlining Hall’s genious. Conrad Hall also contributes on a great audio commentary track on the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid DVD.
#9 Martin Scorsese on ‘Mean Streets’
One can’t help but be enamored by listening to Scorsese talk about his films and he provides great insight into films of his that he provides and audio track for. The only thing that keeps them from being higher on the list is that his tracks are almost always intercut with those of another speaker, typically his great editor Thelma Schoonmaker.
#10 Anton Kaes & Eric Rentschler on ‘M’
A brilliant and timeless film gets the royal treatment from Criterion along with a great audio commentary by these two film scholars. Fantastic insight into the film, Fritz Lang and German cinema. Another commentary well worth the price of the DVD.
Written by Harry Lime
November 24, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Posted in Movies
Tagged with audio commentary, cinema, criterion collection, directors, DVD, film, filmmakers, hollywood, laser disc, Movies