Commentary for DVD Release


The Commentary for the DVD is the most fact-filled and detailed I've ever heard. It's wall-to-wall, non-stop narrative of all sorts of information. We get detailed bios on all the actors, director, key crew, as well as history of the work. After 45 minutes of this, I was rather breathless, being deluged with so much info. Still, it's the fullest, best researched film commentary I've ever heard. ###

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It's unBEARable! I had to turn it off. I don't CARE about all that! Just talk about the film...how this or that was shot, etc. I can't stand commentary that becomes so anal it blots out the particular film and deluges us with the entire history of sound pictures, etc.!!!

This film is enTIRELY too silly (to quote the Pythons). There's FAR too much Nelson Eddy and his buddy, Edgar Barrier...and far too LITTLE Claude Rains!

Good thing about digital is I can skip directly to Rains...all 1:33 of him!

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i have to agree. i love when scott macqueen does a comentary track. he also did bride of frankenstein and the 1925 milestone edition commentary of POTO. i actually found his commentary in the 1943 dvd to be more interesting than the film itself.

Its's alive! It's alive!

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i found the commentary the best part of the film along with the documentary in the dvd, talking about the history of stage 28, and the chaney phantom. i found the 1943 film boring.

Its's alive! It's alive!

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Excellent commentary only enhances my enjoyment of the film when I utilize it. Tom Weaver's commentary on CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON was also engaging and informative - he packs a lot of info into 79 minutes!

"In my case, self-absorption is completely justified."

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I believe they included the same commentary on the 2012 blu ray (apart of the "Essential Classic Univeral Mosnter" set. Or whatever it's called. McQueen also hosts/narrates an accompanying documentary which is also interesting as it spans the history of all the 'Phantom' movies. It looks like both were done in the late 1990s for a DVD release - so at least up to that point.

The commentary is different than most modern commentaries because MacQueen essentially reads off a script. It's not informal or spontaneous - and admittedly that makes the commentary less conversational, less personal, and perhaps less entertaining. But the guy clearly did a ton of research and has a wealth of knowledge and must have watched the film a few times while preparing the script so you really have to admire his passion and dedication. And it's obviously very informal to the viewer so I say big thumbs up.

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