Learning from the masters

[SoulJacker]

Ratner isn't a "director".

He's that gimp stood by the monitor trying to look serious...

[sbcerebus]

The reigon 1 DVD of 'Following', Christopher Nolan's (Memento, Insomnia) feature length debut has a comentry that explains how he made the film for just $3,000 (still $3,000 more than i've got). A reigon 2 DVD should be out within a few weeks.

As for the cost of DVDs. The trick is patience. Shop around different countries, australia, america and especially asia using the internet, and be prepared to wait for the price to drop. It always does, and usually in less than 12 months.

[Paul Mack]

Anyone and I mean anyone that can control Chris Tucker and have him come back to do another movie is a director. A lack of effort or standing by a monitor doesn't mean that a person isn't a director, in fact I could name one man who fit that description...Alfred Hitchcock.

Wether or not Ratner is skilled when he is not with Chris Tucker is debatable. [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img]

I also reccomend you read part of Russell Simmon's biography, he is the president of Def Jam and is the man that handed Ratner his career. Good reading, especially the chapter or so he devotes to Ratner.

As far as him being a gimp, I've never met or seen the guy in person, so I'll leave that judgment to you. [img]graemlins/shhh.gif[/img]

Later,
Paul

[untamed_aggression]

I just bought Spy Kids 2, and again, Rodriguez is awesome on it.

A few of the features are aimed at kids, with it being a kids movie (duh), but the 10 minute film school and Rob's commentary are brilliant.

[redlum]

These are all v.good.

~The making of the Shining
~Full Tilt Boogie for From Dusk till dawn
~That Moment for Magnolia
~Behind your mother too for Y tu Mama Tambien
~Anything on the Extended fellowship, (particularly the digital grading doc)
~Making of Rushmore on the Criterion Collection
~Making of Taxi Driver
~Making of's for Close Encounters and Jaws.
~Three Kings making of

...but Brett Ratners diary for Red Dragon? That was terrible and pretty sick. "You know that shoot you did for the front page of variety, of Paul Thomas Anderson? Make me look like that."

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ July 27, 2003 07:07 PM: Message edited by: redlum ]</font>

[seekaee]

Check out the Requiem for a Dream DVD, both Aronofsky and his DP Matthew Libatique have their own seperate commentaries. Libatique's is my favortie of the two as he talks quite a bit about how he shot the film.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ July 28, 2003 04:58 PM: Message edited by: seekaee ]</font>

[bully_the_kid]

you know, redlum, you're **** right!

I'm a huge fan of Doc Lecter, so probably i was still under the effect of Anthony Hopkins performance.

I rewatched it and it seems like it's just an half-hour video about the people he knows (Michael Jackson and that Rap group) and how many girls he brings to the premieres.

Also i suggest you to listen to Bob Zemeckis' commantaries (expecially BK2F and Forrest Gump).
He tend to balance the technical side with the creative process of moviemaking (and on that side also Contact commentary is usefull)

[bully_the_kid]

also i heartly reccomend you to watch the Francis Ford Coppola's Diary on the Godfather Trilogy DVD.

Coppola is a really k?ck ?ss director!

[k_wor.mytree]

Frankly I prefer to watch the extras on DVD than the actual films in alot of cases. DVDs I buy are films I want to watch again and again, and I rent DVDs that I missed at the the cinema. The knowledge you can gleem from the extras is good but not very relivent to our situation. I would love to see a documetry by a DOP on how to light a set up, or an editor on how to edit effectively. Ridly Scotts voice over comentries are great BTW.

[mr.steve]

The most intructive DVD's in my humble opinion are...

The PT Anderson commentary ( not the cast one ) on the R1 Boogie Nights. Also, the Video Diary on Magnolia.

The Soderbergh commentary tracks are always informative, especially on Out Of Sight and SOLARIS.

Sam Raimi does a fairly informative commentary on Evil Dead, and the Making Of on Evil Dead 2 is kind of informative from an FX pov.

Other notable commentries are TEXAS CHAINSAW, SNATCH, PI and DONNIE DARKO. Stay clear of the boring and uninformative likes of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE or THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR...

The extra's on X MEN are good for showing a director in complete control of a film, through actors and technical.

Thats just the ones off the top off my head. As already mentioned, The Hamster Factor ( 12 Monkeys ) and Full Tilt Boogie ( Dusk Till Dawn ) are both great, as is The Making of The Shining.

Have fun.