Favorite DVD extra feature

[racquetman]

One of the big selling points of DVDs is supposed to be the extra features that add "value" to your purchase. I was just curious if most people take the time to watch (or listen to) these extra features, and if so what their favorite extras are.

I wonder what percentage of people only ever watch the movie and never watch any of the extras? I have a feeling it is higher than you think. Almost everyone I know falls into this category, except me.

Would you stop buying DVDs if these extras weren't offered?

I think my favorite feature is when deleted scenes are seamlessly reinserted back into the movie.

 

[supervij]

I tend to watch all the extra features once, and usually, once only. The especially funny stuff, such as bloopers, might be watched each time I watch the movie. There's an Easter egg on the first Charlie's Angels movie that features Sam Rockwell doing a flawless impersonation of Christopher Walker -- very funny stuff, I always watch that one. There's also a great mini-documentary on the DVD of the Deepa Mehta film Fire, in which she talks about the riots that occured in India when the film was released there. I always watch that one too. I rarely watch feature-length commentaries -- if I'm going to spend a couple of hours with a movie, I'd rather watch it than listen to the commentary. The exceptions to that, of course, are commentaries to movies by Kevin Smith -- almost as funny as the movie itself.

When I'm buying DVDs, I make sure to buy the edition of the film that has (a) the best audio/video, and then (b) the most extras, unless it's something like The Terminal, in which the only difference is the inclusion of the CD soundtrack. Then I really don't care.

My favourite feature: the blooper reel, without a doubt.

 

[hifiman]

I'm one of those weird people who makes a point of making a mental note of the features offered and at least partially judging my purchase decision on those extras, but I rarely ever watch the extras except for an occasional deleted scene. As for my favorite feature, I like the commentary tracks. I think the best one ever was the commentary on the first Austin Powers movie: it was funny and gave lots of insight into many aspects of the movie.

 

[Cygnus]

Anthem 1975 from Rush In Rio disc 2...geddy looks like a chick, but its an awesome vid, also the documentary on that same disc


Alex Lifeson: I think I have shrip cuaght in my teeth!
Geddy Lee: Whats a shrimp cuaght? something they sleep on when their takin' a little nap?

ROFL!

I also listen to the director/crew/actor commentary on DVD's alot. I think its cool to hear what they thought of the movie and all that.

 

[jmgillespie]

I'm not much on the extra features I look for the dvd's with best audio/video such as superbit and dts. I usually buy all movies except comedies right when they come out because they won't have dts when they get cheaper, comedies don't usually come in dts and I just wait till they are 2 for $15 at bestbuy or in the cheap bin at wally world.

Here's a few movies that I have watched extra's or found cool hidden stuff on.

Old School - One of the sections I think its Set Up that says "ask frank" on the bottom highlight that and watch it, its a funny little deleted scene that shouldn't have been deleted. Just so you know you found it, frank is drinking a beer and watching girls gone wild its probably only 2 3 minutes long but worth seeing.

Kill Bill volume 2 - The deleted scene where the Bride and Bill are walking through the town and Bill gets in a fight is good/funny scene and should have been added but I don't know where. The overdubbing of the voices in the scene is great.

Those are the two that come to mind maybe I should go through my dvd collection and watch all their extra features.

 

[algernon]

I don't usually watch the extra features unless I am really impressed with the movie. Then I'll take a look. What I like best depends on the movie. Things I look for:
- "making of" or other technical details. Ex: the Matrix has a great and detailed explanation of how they did their unique (at the time) rotating special effects (and it was not all CGI as I assumed) I am also an advanced amatuer photographer and like to gleam insights into cinematography when I am impressed, as many tactics can also be employeed in still photography.
- Some times I like to watch deleted scenes or alternate endings. Can't think of specifics now but in general I find that the deleted scenes don't add much to the movie, but that alternate endings are more to my liking than the one released. Makes sense as the original ending is what the writer/director wanted, and the redone scene is what Hollywood thought the public would like.

 

[brian32672]

On occasion, if it was a decent movie I will check out the features.
However I do watch alternate endings quite often. The most recent was Hide and Seek. A decent alter ending was Butterfly Effect.

 

[racquetman]

On occasion, if it was a decent movie I will check out the features.
However I do watch alternate endings quite often. The most recent was Hide and Seek. A decent alter ending was Butterfly Effect.

Ya, Butterfly Effect was an underrated dark movie. The alternate ending was obviously much better that the theatrical version, and was probably what the director had invisioned all along.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

These days I really only rent DVDs and most bonus features are located on disk 2. Very few DVD rental stores give you the second disk when you rent something. Thus, I rarely even get the chance to wtach bonus features if I want to.

But most features I don't even like:

*5 minute feature about the CG. That was a great feature for Terminator 2 in 1993, but the method of producing CG hasn't changed (some guy at a computer) even though the effect tends to look worse with every passing year. So you see one computer guy, you see em all.
*Trailers!
*The commentary track where everyone was wonderful

The following are the features I manage to actually like:

*Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within - Thriller music video
*Conan The Barbarian - commentary track. Unintentionally the funniest commentary ever recorded.
*Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring: Extended Edition - The Jack Black Mtv sketch

 

[claudermilk]

I have watched the extras on about every DVD I own. I like the "if it's a really good movie I will" comments--if I don't think it's a good movie to start with, I won't spend money for it to take up valuable shelf space. There's a few I've watched some/most of the extras multiple times (Kevin Smith commentaries, LoTR). I'd still buy the DVDs of movies I like well enough to want to watch again even without the extras since they are just that, extra goodies to go along with the movie.

 

[JimSt]

I don't pay much attention to the extras either. My favorite thus far has been the commentary track on the little retro cartoon on the Incredibles extra disc. Some of the funniest stuff ever.

 

[RhapsodyInBlack]

I'm with most everyone else on here so far,which is slightly shocking...but...yeah,i rarely watch the specialty discs and they certainly arent taken into play when i purchase a dvd. As most others have said so far,if its a truly remarkable movie,then i may be inclined to watch the special features. If its a ' classic ' movie from my childhood or younger years,then i may be a bit more inclined to watch it since the jaded and cynical side of me pauses and suspends for just a bit while im watching those familiar favorites...I will have to digress to the post regarding the RUSH easter eggs,and agree with you that it is probably the best ever....like finding an old tape of your favorite band that you never new existed.

 

[Lulu]

I really enjoyed the commentaries on the HBO DEADWOOD Season 1 box set. It was cool hearing the actors talk about the series, especially Ian McShane (what a goofball, and totally unlike his character Al Swearengen). Keith Carradine who played Wild Bill Hickok gives great commentary, and it was great hearing David Milch talk about his creation. I like to gain insight into how my favorite films or series are created. I would have loved a bloopers section, though.

 

[djoxygen]

Deleted Scenes/Outtakes: Occasionally
Commentary Tracks: Exactly twice
Behind-the-scenes/Documentaries: Very rarely

Seamless branching of addtional scenes is probably my favorite feature. I think that having both the Theatrical release and Director's Cut (or insert favorite marketing term here) on the same DVD has wonderful potential. But the people making the DVDs should *at least* encode the extra scenes the same way, even if the director didn't do the finishing/mastering on the add'l footage. (E.g.: X-Men 1.5, where the extra scenes aren't anamorphic, so I had to play aspect-ratio-jockey through the whole movie.)

 

[racquetman]

(E.g.: X-Men 1.5, where the extra scenes aren't anamorphic, so I had to play aspect-ratio-jockey through the whole movie.)

Ya, I hate that too!! Same thing when they force you to watch the previews at the beginning of the DVD and it's not anamorphic. Sucks!!

 

[Buckle-meister]

I really enjoyed the commentaries on the HBO DEADWOOD Season 1 box set. It was cool hearing the actors talk about the series, especially Ian McShane (what a goofball...

Have you seen the film 'Sexy Beast'? You should see him in that.

Evil. Pure evil.

Regards

 

[Lulu]

Have you seen the film 'Sexy Beast'? You should see him in that.

Evil. Pure evil.

Regards

Absolutely! Damn, he was scary in that one. I was struck with how he managed to inform who his character was just by how he moved his shoulders while walking down the street in one scene. Great acting by everybody in that movie. Sexy Beast is one of those movies you never have a clue what's coming up next - which is rare, these days.

 

[djoxygen]

Ya, I hate that too!! Same thing when they force you to watch the previews at the beginning of the DVD and it's not anamorphic. Sucks!!

OMG! Yes! If you're going to put that crap on there and expect me to have any interest in watching it, at least have the courtesy and pride in your work... grrr...