Bad Commentary Tracks
Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 9:16 pm
I feel compelled to start a thread devoted to the subject of bad commentary tracks on movies in light of my last two attempts to try and listen to one that in both instances resulted in me shutting them off in disgust after a few minutes when I realized that someone totally unqualified to do a commentary track had been hired for the effort. I have heard flawed commentary tracks from people who get pretentious but are at least admittedly knowledgable (Redman and Kirgo), but these were two cases where a vetting process should have been required.
1-From the old Abbott and Costello DVD set, I tried to listen to a commentary for one of their better films, "Who Done It?" The commentator is Frank from MST3K and I'm already feeling a little uncertain though he introduces himself as a big A+C fan. But then right away I know I've got trouble when he won't identify the actors in a scene before the duo appear. The final straw was when he goes "I don't know the name of this guy" for an actor who plays a bellboy who keeps getting the best of Costello several times in the course of the film. Honestly, you'd think the guy could do some HOMEWORK before doing this? If you're going to do commentary for a film, there should be a familiarity of who the people are because I'm trusting you to be an "expert" on things but when you haven't done something that only requires reading an imdb entry before telling me I should rewatch the film listening to you, you're really proving inadequate to the task.
2-On the new Blu-Ray of "23 Paces To Baker Street" (an interesting blind buy with echoes of "Rear Window" and a climax that foreshadows "Wait Until Dark") there is a commentary track by a film historian who offers a reminder that if you're going to hire someone to talk for the length of a film, then HIRE SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO SPEAK COHERENTLY! Instead they hire a guy who talks in a sleepy monotone who also never seems sure of what to say because in ten minutes the things I heard most were "umm...." followed by a pause and "ummmm" and endless meandering and little about getting to the point of the production of the film. When you hear "ummm" and pauses over and over for ten minutes it will try anyone's patience.
1-From the old Abbott and Costello DVD set, I tried to listen to a commentary for one of their better films, "Who Done It?" The commentator is Frank from MST3K and I'm already feeling a little uncertain though he introduces himself as a big A+C fan. But then right away I know I've got trouble when he won't identify the actors in a scene before the duo appear. The final straw was when he goes "I don't know the name of this guy" for an actor who plays a bellboy who keeps getting the best of Costello several times in the course of the film. Honestly, you'd think the guy could do some HOMEWORK before doing this? If you're going to do commentary for a film, there should be a familiarity of who the people are because I'm trusting you to be an "expert" on things but when you haven't done something that only requires reading an imdb entry before telling me I should rewatch the film listening to you, you're really proving inadequate to the task.
2-On the new Blu-Ray of "23 Paces To Baker Street" (an interesting blind buy with echoes of "Rear Window" and a climax that foreshadows "Wait Until Dark") there is a commentary track by a film historian who offers a reminder that if you're going to hire someone to talk for the length of a film, then HIRE SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO SPEAK COHERENTLY! Instead they hire a guy who talks in a sleepy monotone who also never seems sure of what to say because in ten minutes the things I heard most were "umm...." followed by a pause and "ummmm" and endless meandering and little about getting to the point of the production of the film. When you hear "ummm" and pauses over and over for ten minutes it will try anyone's patience.