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What is your favourite Blu-ray/DVD 007 audio commentary?

Major_BoothroydMajor_Boothroyd Republic of Isthmus
edited December 2012 in Merchandise Posts: 2,722
And why?

I listened to the DN and FRWL audio commentaries and was wondering if the later ones are more specific (i.e directors and actors sitting down watching the film commenting or like FRWL more cobbled together with historians and interview excerpts?)

I don't have the blu-ray box set (yet!) and only have DN, FRWL and CR on DVD (had all of them on VHS so glad I held off the DVDs til blu ray appeared)
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Comments

  • JamesCJamesC
    edited November 2020 Posts: 121
    1
  • Pierce2DanielPierce2Daniel
    Posts: 4,412
    Hey

    I was just wondering how good were the commentaries for the Brosnan Bond films? I was most interested in going over Apted's and Tamahori's.
  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    Even though i've had the DVDs with the commentaries for many, many years i haven't got down to listen on any of them yet. But for a couple of weeks ago i sat down and listened to Sam Mendes excellent commentary. He kept me entertained for all the way and there was surprisingly few pauses too. So last night i listened to the commentary for CR with Wilson and Campbell and that was also very good. It sounded like they had a good time during the time too.

    So tonight i am going to listen to Tamahori and Wilsons commentary and hope to get some revelations about some of the scenes in that film..
  • BondWillReturnBondWillReturn
    Posts: 816
    Mendes provided a great commentary track for SkyFall, the couple that Rog did (I believe he did them for TMWTGG, AVTAK and maybe one more) are just a hoot, you can just imagine him sitting at home in front of the Tv recording this (in one of the commentaries he states he's not in a studio or anything, just recording them at home), Brosnan's commentary for DAD is also pretty funny, I recall either an akward silence or a sarcastic remark (something like 'yeah that looks real') during the surfing the tsunami scene, but I might be making that up. The GF commentary with the director has someone interviewing him, and it's a bit more background information, and less scene specific. Anyway, I believe that's all the audio commentaries I've listened to on the Bond dvd's, hope it helps!
  • Pierce2DanielPierce2Daniel
    Posts: 4,412
    Cheers.

    Im more interested in the Brosnan/Craig films as I know those commentaries were provided by the actual crew specially sitting down and recording the track opposed to interview clips edited to the movie.

    I was so underwhlemed by Wilson's commentary on SF that I dread to think what he is like with Campbell, Spottiswoode, Apted and Tamahori.
  • X3MSonicXX3MSonicX https://www.behance.net/gallery/86760163/Fa-Posteres-de-007-No-Time-To-Die
    Posts: 2,635
    Mine is TWINE. I have the UE, it was great to see the reaction of the director Michael Apted about the film, specially when he speaks about the TND's pursuit and how did he refused to make a bigger one in TWINE.
  • LeChiffreLeChiffre
    Posts: 1,548
    Quantum of Solace. It's awesome!
  • Pierce2DanielPierce2Daniel
    Posts: 4,412
    What is the 'Picture in Picture commentary with director Martin Campbell producer Michael G. Wilson'?
  • dkem91dkem91
    Posts: 66
    I enjoy the Martin Campbell and Michael G. Wilson picture in picture commentary, pity it wasen't included in the 50th anniversary boxed set.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,356
    Pierce2Daniel wrote:
    Cheers.

    Im more interested in the Brosnan/Craig films as I know those commentaries were provided by the actual crew specially sitting down and recording the track opposed to interview clips edited to the movie.

    I was so underwhlemed by Wilson's commentary on SF that I dread to think what he is like with Campbell, Spottiswoode, Apted and Tamahori.

    With Tamahori, Wilson steers the talk in the right direction. He goes on about everything that is wrong about the film, whilst Wilson provides the information.
  • Pierce2DanielPierce2Daniel
    Posts: 4,412
    dkem91 wrote:
    I enjoy the Martin Campbell and Michael G. Wilson picture in picture commentary, pity it wasen't included in the 50th anniversary boxed set.

    what does picture-in-picture mean?

  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    The commentary for DAD was extremely boring. Tamahori talked, and talked and talked. Sure it's good when they talk, but he talked about his friends and whatsoever. Things that were not so important. Wilson provided some more substance, but he laughed or got interrupted most of the time.. Oh well, I hope TWINE and TND is better. Although I'm looking forward to the Goldeneye commentary with Campbell and Wilson again.
  • dkem91dkem91
    Posts: 66
    Pierce2Daniel wrote:
    dkem91 wrote:
    I enjoy the Martin Campbell and Michael G. Wilson picture in picture commentary, pity it wasen't included in the 50th anniversary boxed set.

    what does picture-in-picture mean?

    Picture in picture shows the commentators watching the film while they talk about it.
  • DarioOnatoppDarioOnatopp
    Posts: 40
    Mendes' commentary for Skyfall was very interesting. I enjoyed Campbell's Goldeneye Commentary as well, strange and frustrating that the blu-ray box set doesn't have a Campbell commentary for Casino Royale even though one exists...
  • Pierce2DanielPierce2Daniel
    Posts: 4,412
    dkem91 wrote:
    Pierce2Daniel wrote:
    dkem91 wrote:
    I enjoy the Martin Campbell and Michael G. Wilson picture in picture commentary, pity it wasen't included in the 50th anniversary boxed set.

    what does picture-in-picture mean?

    Picture in picture shows the commentators watching the film while they talk about it.

    that sounds great. Is it throughout the film or just at key segments.

  • CharlesDreyfusCharlesDreyfus
    edited March 2013 Posts: 55
    Aside from the Brosnan/Craig films, there are a few "real" commentaries on the earlier films. As has been noted, Sir Roger did commentary on all seven of his films. Additionally, the recently deceased Tom Mankiewicz did a solo commentary on LALD; MGW, Lewis Gilbert, Chris Wood & Ken Adam did TSWLM; and John Glen strangely did a solo track on OP. And then of course, there are the notorious banned "Criterion Collection" tracks for DN, FRWL and GF, which I've never heard, but sound like a ball. Those had Terence Young (Guy Hamilton on GF), Ken Adam, Richard Maibaum, and Peter Hunt.

    Out of all the Bond commentaries, the Roger Moore ones are probably the most enjoyable. His self-deprecating humor can get a little repetitive if you watch all of them too close together, and he tells a lot of the same stories you'll find in his autobiography and other places, but he's such a pleasant guy.

    I like Brosnan, and usually enjoy his candidness in interviews, but his DAD commentary is deadly boring.

    TSWLM track is pretty awful. It's basically a bunch of old guys sitting in silence watching the movie. MGW tries to direct the conversation, but he's far too lethargic. There's a 20-minute stretch of the movie where they stop commenting entirely, with an on-screen countdown to when the commentary will resume!
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,011
    I really enjoyed hearing MGW and Campbell together on the GE DVD commentary years back. It was also funny hearing them point out little goofs in the film, such as Bond absolutely demolishing one cop car with a tank - it's flattened, no way someone survived - and then a few shots later, you see them crawl out and run off.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,362
    Creasy47 wrote:
    I really enjoyed hearing MGW and Campbell together on the GE DVD commentary years back. It was also funny hearing them point out little goofs in the film, such as Bond absolutely demolishing one cop car with a tank - it's flattened, no way someone survived - and then a few shots later, you see them crawl out and run off.

    I like the part where the Stunt double thought of Beavis and Butthead before jumping off the Dam. :))

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Creasy47 wrote:
    I really enjoyed hearing MGW and Campbell together on the GE DVD commentary years back. It was also funny hearing them point out little goofs in the film, such as Bond absolutely demolishing one cop car with a tank - it's flattened, no way someone survived - and then a few shots later, you see them crawl out and run off.

    "In Mother Russia, policemen are built like tank!"
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,011
    @Murdock, oh yeah, that's great. Never in a million years would I have guessed that 'Beavis & Butthead' was the last thought in his head, haha. I also want to say the commentary was how I found out that the guy who did the bungee jump is one of the two pilots who is executed by Xenia on the frigate. The "I think I've gone to heaven." guy.
  • dkem91dkem91
    Posts: 66
    Pierce2Daniel wrote:
    dkem91 wrote:
    Pierce2Daniel wrote:
    dkem91 wrote:
    I enjoy the Martin Campbell and Michael G. Wilson picture in picture commentary, pity it wasen't included in the 50th anniversary boxed set.

    what does picture-in-picture mean?

    Picture in picture shows the commentators watching the film while they talk about it.

    that sounds great. Is it throughout the film or just at key segments.

    It's off and on throughout the film, some films like the recent Robert Downey Holmes films are more interactive with their picture in picture commentary.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,362
    Creasy47 wrote:
    @Murdock, oh yeah, that's great. Never in a million years would I have guessed that 'Beavis & Butthead' was the last thought in his head, haha. I also want to say the commentary was how I found out that the guy who did the bungee jump is one of the two pilots who is executed by Xenia on the frigate. The "I think I've gone to heaven." guy.

    That's right! I just remembered after watching the Behind the scenes feature on my GE DVD. :)

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    dkem91 wrote:
    Pierce2Daniel wrote:
    dkem91 wrote:
    Pierce2Daniel wrote:
    dkem91 wrote:
    I enjoy the Martin Campbell and Michael G. Wilson picture in picture commentary, pity it wasen't included in the 50th anniversary boxed set.

    what does picture-in-picture mean?

    Picture in picture shows the commentators watching the film while they talk about it.

    that sounds great. Is it throughout the film or just at key segments.

    It's off and on throughout the film, some films like the recent Robert Downey Holmes films are more interactive with their picture in picture commentary.

    I need to get around to watching Ritchie's commentary.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,011
    @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7, as do I. I just re-watched 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows' over the weekend, and what a film that is.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited March 2013 Posts: 28,694
    Creasy47 wrote:
    @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7, as do I. I just re-watched 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows' over the weekend, and what a film that is.

    If you thought that was good, wait until you watch Sherlock series 2! Your mind will be blown. Though I must warn you that our Sherlock BBC thread here has filled up recently with series 2 spoilers, so watch out if you go into that thread. I would hate for anything at all to be spoiled for you. In fact, I am at the moment dodging any and all news related to series 3, which is now shooting.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,011
    @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7, I re-watched a good bit of the S1E1 a few months ago, and for some reason, I stopped. I really need to just roll through and watch all six back to back. Now that I'm cracking into more of my unwatched blu-rays, perhaps my Netflix Instant Queue can keep me preoccupied, starting with those.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Creasy47 wrote:
    @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7, I re-watched a good bit of the S1E1 a few months ago, and for some reason, I stopped. I really need to just roll through and watch all six back to back. Now that I'm cracking into more of my unwatched blu-rays, perhaps my Netflix Instant Queue can keep me preoccupied, starting with those.

    Have you seen any of series 2?
  • timmertimmer
    edited March 2013 Posts: 4,622
    The recent batch of Roger Moore commentaries are quite entertaining but Mendes SF commentary is first rate. One of the best I've heard anywhere. Sam keeps things moving and always has something interesting to say. His dialogue never bogs down. Can't say the same for the second SF commentary. Babs and MGW spend way too much time gushing over how wonderful everyone was and blah blah blah. I only hung with it till the end out of Bond-duty, but it was torturous work. I never want to hear either Babs or MGW's voices again.
    Gassner does manage to sneak in a few insight here and there on production design, but he gets drawn into the gushfest too. But he really doesn't add much to Mendes' insights from the first commentary, as Mendes' sweeping dialogue was that thorough.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 41,011
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote:
    Creasy47 wrote:
    @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7, I re-watched a good bit of the S1E1 a few months ago, and for some reason, I stopped. I really need to just roll through and watch all six back to back. Now that I'm cracking into more of my unwatched blu-rays, perhaps my Netflix Instant Queue can keep me preoccupied, starting with those.

    Have you seen any of series 2?

    Unfortunately not. I wanted to rewatch Series 1 and have it all fresh in my mind.
  • Pierce2DanielPierce2Daniel
    edited March 2013 Posts: 4,412
    So not a lot of fans of the MGW commentaries then.

    I did some research on the banned commentaries
    Someone has uploaded them here: http://www.the007dossier.com/007dossier/post/2011/04/21/Banned-James-Bond-Commentaries.aspx
    If anyone wanted to listen or download them for themselves. I'm sure they make good listening
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