CNET:
To encourage repeat viewings of his latest flick, writer-director Rian Johnson released an audio commentary track that you can listen to on your iPod.
The director of the sci-fi action movie “Looper” wants you to bring an iPod into the theater to listen to details of how each scene was filmed.
In a Tumblr post, Johnson, who also directed the AMC TV show “Breaking Bad,” provides a downloadable MP3 file to be played during the movie.
This is a really interesting idea and I wonder if it will catch on. I’m a huge fan of commentary tracks on DVDs.
Kevin Smith did this years ago with Clerks 2 didn’t he?
He recorded one in 2006, but never released it publicly after pressure from theatre owners who didn’t like the idea (why would they like people to pay them to see a movie a second time!!).
A year later one recorded by John August and Ryan Reynolds was released for the movie The Nines, but apparently the film only played in five theatres.
When I read this article I was going to comment that no, it wont take off, because they have existed for years and gone nowhere, but according to my quick research these are the only two films that had them recorded, and five theatres is hardly a way to test popularity!
I’m a huge fan of good commentary on DVDs. It takes smarts and awareness for a director or writer to keep from sinking into his own navel while I throw things at the screen.
Some of the best commentary I’ve ever heard was from Nicholas Meyer on the Star Trek movies he wrote or directed. Great stories about how scenes were done, and great stories about how fucked up Hollywood can be.
I have no interest in listening to the commentary in the theatre, as the reason I am watching it in the theatre is to be in the moment and get caught up in the story. I will watch/listen the Hell out of good bonus features and audio commentary at home, after a first showing, but no way do I want my first showing to be a live technical analysis of the movie into which I’m trying to escape. And I suspect many people would feel as I do.
And anyone who disagrees will get fed to the Lexx anyway.
“no way do I want my first showing to be a live technical analysis of the movie into which I’m trying to escape.”
From the story:
“(The director) reminds audiences not to listen to the commentary on the first viewing or before seeing the movie.”
You should pay closer attention, His Shadow. 🙂
The majority of films are not viewed multiple times in the theatre, they are viewed a second time or repeatedly in the comfort of one’s home. Where standard commentary tracks would be used. Provided I see Looper soon, it will be in the theatre, once, making the director’s reminder basically a caution to not use the feature at all.
😛 🙂