The Criterion Collection commentaries are usually especially good, often by film scholars. Some of the LORD OF THE RINGS comments are useful (the actors much less so than the other available comments from the director and crew on the extended DVDs). If you're interested in TV shows, the comments (intermittent on some episodes) by creator/director/writer Joss Whedon on the DVDs for BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER can be quite good. Aside from comments on the episode and subject matter, he talks about different stylistic choices that went into specific scenes and shots, particularly in such tour-de-force episodes as "Hush," "The Body" and "Once More, with Feeling." Don Larsson -------------------------------------------- "Only connect." --EM Forster Donald F. Larsson English Department Armstrong Hall 230 Minnesota State University Mankato, MN [log in to unmask] Phone: 507-389-5501 -----Original Message----- From: Film and TV Studies Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Henry S Breitrose Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 12:47 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [SCREEN-L] DVD Special Editions After some initial experiences with shallow or just plain silly commentaries on DVD "Special Editions," I wonder whether anyone has positive recommendations regarding DVD releases that have additional materials which in some way illuminate the film, the process of film making, or the art of cinema. Recommendations, please? Thanks, Henry Breitrose Department of Communication Stanford ---- For past messages, visit the Screen-L Archives: http://bama.ua.edu/archives/screen-l.html ---- Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the University of Alabama: http://www.tcf.ua.edu