DVD Commentaries: Your Favourites

[zarius]

I've been on a Classic Who binge lately and have been watching the serials all with DVD commentary for the first real time. 

There was one for The Ice Warriors where the two animated recon episodes were dedicated to excerpts from old audio interviews with late members of production, and another entirely about Michael Troughton's relationship with his father.

Also enjoyed the commentaries for Invasion of the Dinosaurs, had no honest idea the same director did the Massacre. Liked her admitting she never wanted to work with Daleks or Aliens!

And Eric Saward's commentaries for Episodes one and Thirteen of Trial of a Time Lord are all quite informal, though very dry and void of any humourous anecdotes, this is a man who was clearly still hurt by the whole process of that season and the great man he lost during it in Bob Holmes.

[rushy]

I find I usually prefer the ones that have the actor playing the Doctor in them. Preferably Tom or Davison. Tom, because he's bonkers. And Davison, because he's the only one who engages with the story and provides some opinions rather than just waxing lyrical about the past.

Anything with Terrance and/or Barry Letts is also worth listening.

[Cherry Pepsi Maxil]

The ones that don't feature Janet Fielding.

[Deleted]

Mar 28, 2024 22:34:53 GMT Cherry Pepsi Maxil said:

The ones that don't feature Janet Fielding.

What's wrong with her

[Deleted]

On another note, which DVDs would you recommend with the commentaries on them? I've just bought a new Blu-ray player and would quite like to take it for a spin on some Classic Who.

[Cherry Pepsi Maxil]

Mar 28, 2024 22:45:31 GMT @theyakemperor said:

Mar 28, 2024 22:34:53 GMT Cherry Pepsi Maxil said:

The ones that don't feature Janet Fielding.

What's wrong with her

She's rarely informative. 

[Deleted]

Mar 28, 2024 22:53:58 GMT Cherry Pepsi Maxil said:

Mar 28, 2024 22:45:31 GMT @theyakemperor said:

What's wrong with her

She's rarely informative. 

Idk if that's necessarily a bad thing. I've watched plenty of commentaries where the narrators just babble about the good old days and shoot the shit and more often than not they prove to be much more entertaining than the ones you get with "film experts" who recite facts and loose anecdotes. 

[Cherry Pepsi Maxil]

The McCoy ones are the best. They're just so nice and warm. Delta is probably the one I've listened to the most. Chris Clough is a cracking bloke.

[rushy]

Sylv is a sweetheart, but he rarely has anything substantial to say. It's mostly just him catching up with old mates and telling that one anecdote about saving Aldred from the water tank. Mind you, he's still eons ahead of Paul McGann. From what I remember, McCoy had more to say about the TV movie than McGann did, which was just absolutely insane. McGann was barely present in that commentary.

Davison and Colin are my favourites for commentary, because they pay attention and have things to say about their era. That's the stuff that really engages me.

Janet Fielding usually takes the piss out of it, which I enjoy as well.