The Dark Knight is getting closer and closer to its release date (you can see my review here) and already we hear some news about the DVD for the film. The folks over at IFMagazine give us the following:
“We know there won’t be any deleted scenes because there never are,” says Roven, noting director Nolan puts everything of importance in the actual movie. “There weren’t any on BATMAN BEGINS and there weren’t any on this one.”
That’s too bad in a way. Aside from the directors commentary, deleted scenes are my favorite features of a DVD. Not just because I get to see extra stuff… but rather I get to see and understand the mind of a director a little bit more when and why they decide certain things need to go and how those little decisions can alter the entire feel of a film.
In this case specifically the film could have used a little editing. My one and only complaint about Dark Knight is that it’s too long for the movie that it is. But that’s just me.
I think its a bit rich of Nolan to refuse a commentary or deleted scenes especially when the DVD version of TDK HAS had scenes cut from it that appeared in the cinematic version.
Just one that springs to mind… in the scene where the Joker plays chicken with Batman, causing him to crash the Batpod and knocking himself unconscious, the Joker takes a knife from his pocket and throws it from one hand to the other in the cinematic version. In the DVD, you only see him take it from his pocket. Minor scene to be deleted, but all the same, it makes Nolan self-indulgent in making his claim, in my book.
Cannot fault the film tho. I thought the film should have been nominated for an oscar, as well as HL’s performance.
Nah. I disagree. I watched the commentary for Tropic Thunder, and it was fucking histerical, best audrio com’ i’ve listened to on a DVD other then Clerks X. As for the Dark Knight not having any dlt’d scenes, that kind of irks me in a way, because I know there has to be some stuff from Heath’s performance that might have been cut.
There’s a scene from trailer #2 involving the tumbler that I can’t find in the movie. It struck me as odd and wondered why it got cut. I was under the assumption that Nolan used all most everything for this film.
Why do we buy a DVD? to watch the movie?
if that’s the only case, then we should have just stuck to VHS.
but since we have evolved in our entertainment values, i would agree that not having deleted scenes on a dvd is PRETTY lame. the fans have seen the movie, they are already fans of the movie. NOW we would simply like to see more. I won’t go into the del. scns. but as for commentary i hardly ever listen for sake, i’d rather just sit down with the director himself and give him a “Wassup?” the extras are the things that the Director WANTS the audience to see, as if they weren’t given enough in the theatre so they will get more on the dvd. Making of’s rock because how many times have you said “How did they do that?” well just like in “The Matrix” the extra features fuggin’ took you SOOOO in depth it was as if you were in the rabbit hole yourself. and that is what rocks about the extra features, deleted scenes, commentaries, making of’s, so and and so fourth, i think if anything that NOBODY ever cares about in DVD extras is the stupid trailer, it’s not the movie, it’s nothing we haven’t already seen 18,000 times before the movie came out…so why do dvd’s INSIST on having them, one thing i’ve kinda liked is the Cast and Crew Filmographies. And whatever happened to Easter Eggs on the DVD’s it’s like they don’t do it anymore. but as for The Dark Knight itself, I think that EVERYONE loved Heath’s job as the Joker so much that if Nolan doesn’t put ANY and EVERY shot of film, whether for the film, or just in between scenes, of heath then fans will be EXTREMELY disappointed that the man who pulled off a 9th Symphony before he died isn’t really in the dvd for interviews or anything. thus we chould all get along with this deleted scenes crap and get on with the fact that we just need more ledger. i wanna hear HIM talk about playing the joker.
mlar
latrix
WHAT!!??!!??!!!?? There has to be deleted scenes!!!!! Every scene in the “trailer” with the Joker was diffrent in the accual movie. compare the trailer to the scenes online now. You will see a lot of diffrence!!
An example: The mob meeting scene. in the trailer he was serious and firm. “It’s simple, We kill the batman.” But in the accual movie he was seemed as if he was think of what to say on the spot, less serious, “Uhh, It’s simple. We um kill the batman.” He rolls his eyes and flips his hair.
Ok the joker scene really kicked butt in the movie, but i wanna see the scene where he was more serious. Would be nice to see the diffrent attitudes the joker had!!!!
Bullsh*t .. There are always deleted scenes. Chris Nolan just doesn’t want them seen which is respectable but still bull !!!
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I was an extra in a scene involving Heath right after the joker van flipped. It took the better part of the night to shoot it and it was cut from the theatrical version. Of course I am pissed my scene was cut but to leave Heath’s work in the can never to see the light of day is a crime worthy of the joker. The deleted scenes are not rubbish. They were deleted so audiences didn’t have to sit through a 4 hour film. I am not buying a DVD without deleted/extended scenes.
I think it is so stupid that there are no deleted scenes, & I’m
really infuriated about this, because, I really want to know if Harvey dies at the very end of the movie
I think it is so stupid that there are no deleted scenes, & I’m
so infuriated about this, because, I really want to know if Harvey dies at the end of the movie!
Although not much of deleted scene is there not footage of the tumblar arriving and exiting the new bat cave in the trailer??
I’m confused. Wasn’t there a version where some scenes were deleted because of their violent nature for movie theaters? I was hoping that version would be released on DVD!
Robert Rodriguez is a great example of a Director who has really embraced the idea of “dvd extras”. I’m not the biggest fan of his movies, but when it comes to dvd extras, he really goes all out. He treats the audience with respect, and honestly after sitting through his commentaries and featurettes, you really begin to appreciate his work and the thought process behind the movie, and those “Ten minute cooking/film school” featurettes are pretty damn entertaining. Chris Nolan take note.
@ Jay
Haha. As I said, they can either make it fun and exciting or they can do it the hard way. I don’t care.
i hate deleted scenes- i want to see the whole thing.
sure spiderman 2.1 was exiting but spiderman 2 was also good so its okay.
but when you delete the scenes and make the theatrical version suck then it fucks it up (ironman)
also i think the trailers show too much- sometimes they show shit thats not even in the movie which tanks
@ nbakid2000 …”…I’d rather have a half-assed commentary than no commentary…”
Ha! Ha!…OK…here goes…
Director X:…Well, we did this scene because the action is big and the effects were going to be outrageous. The technology is there , we employed it.
Long Silence
Here, actor ‘a’, is very good at bringing out his emotions and then he tells her anyway about his affair….bla…bla..bla…
Love Kevin Smiths commetery tracks, so funny :)
John.. I’ve noticed a trend, your biggest complaint or rather most used complaint is that said film is *insert measurement of time* too long, you say it practically in all your reviews, don’t get me wrong, I love your reviews but its like you’re calling out wolf now.
I’d rather have a half-assed commentary than no commentary. They can make it fun and painless or they can do it painfully and half-assed. Either way, I want them in that chair when the time comes to record.
Yeah, Tarantino will guest-spot on other peoples’ tracks…I guess he really can’t stand to watch his own stuff that many times. Still, I expect him to record commentaries, and if that means recording it right after the movie’s finished so he doesn’t get tired of it, so be it.
Ugh. If the guy doesnt want to do a commentary, so what. His job is to make movies, all the other stuff is bells and whistles. If that is the main reason you buy a dvd, then I understand why you may be upset, but still I would rather have a guy just not do something than do it half assed because someone forced him or begged him to.
I rarely watch deleted scenes. They were deleted for a reason. Most of the time they are boring and not needed. I much prefer commentary and making-of. Which Nolan gave a lot of that stuff in Begins I believe. I hope we get a peak of the make-up used for Joker and perhaps Two-Face (if we see enough of him in the movie…I dunno of course).
Tarantino also did a commentary for True Romance and Hot Fuzz. He’ll usually do a commentary but for other people’s films.
I fully realize he never said it’s because he’s too busy. I know he just doesn’t like them. Maybe he SHOULD start to like them. Especially since I’m paying his salary.
Speilberg never said its because he is too busy. He just doesn’t like them. Its as simple as that. I saw him being interviewed around the time of the release of war of the Worlds and he said he doesn’t listen to them himself as he hates talking over a movie so he never does them.
and fair enough. theres no reason he HAS to do one.
Its completely up to the director and if they don;t want to then too bad.
Tarantino apparently always meant to record one for Pulp Fiction but he said he saw it so many times during festivals and whatnot he couldn’t sit through it again. But supposedly he’ll record it someday.
There is NO reason at all why a director can’t give a commentary. Letting the subject matter stand on its own is a bullshit excuse – all it comes down to is laziness and disrespect for the fans. It doesn’t take ANY effort to do a commentary, all you do is sit in front of a mike with the actors/producers and have a conversation. Not that hard. People like me enjoy it and since I’m basically paying their salary, I expect it.
There’s NO excuse why Spielberg can’t find time to do a commentary…the “he’s always busy” excuse doesn’t cut it. People do what they want to do. Obviously Spielberg has no interest in doing commentaries which I think is pathetic. Not so much in not being interested in them but by coming up with a bullshit excuse like “the movie speaks for itself”.
Hell, David Fincher has 4 tracks each on Se7en and Fight Club. Kevin Smith usually puts out 1 or 2 at least, sometimes more.
All it’s doing is ripping off people of a value of a DVD. They’re paying the same price for less.
And don’t even get me started on studios only putting commentaries on the 2 disc sets (*ahem* TRANSFORMERS).
Hey, I’m not going to tell the guy hiw to do his job…craft, etc. As long as its a great film I’m not gonna whine. Most commentaries are a waste..IMHO….The one on The Final Coflict was atrocious..you could tell the guy was just going thru the motions. 11 more days!!!!! Bring it on….
“Tarantino doesn’t do commentaries.”
Well, there was that pre-recorded, edited together deal on one of the SE of Reservoir Dogs.
****
As far as commentaries are concerned, if they are not informative or entertaining, and all they do is kiss the actor’s butts (“We we lucky to get so and so—so and so nailed it {i.e. the crappy dialog we give them}… I also find them pointless.
But I love those commentaries which actually discuss the filmmaking and/or storytelling process. Not just directing, but writing, FX, editing, what have you.
Also, if there’s enough supplementals, commentaries may not always be needed as they more or less repeat information that is covered by those other extras. For example, why get into a three minute discussion on the Tumbler aka The Batmobile in BB or TDK when there’s a whopping 30 minute doc on the subject? Or why should Dave Goyer mention in a commentary how he was brung on board when he already mentions it during a behind the scenes interview?
There are many commentaries that are stellar. But if they are there “just because” and don’t give insight into anything? Hell with them.
@ Nick
I have to say, I hate that reasoning. As if a secondary audio track with commentary somehow detracts from the subject matter. I can understand that logic when the subject of the movie is particularly tragic and emotional, like a Schindler’s List, but I mean, Batman? That’s rich. It’s funny though because Tarantino did at least one commentary, and Nolan did one for Memento so I think their reluctance now is more ego or money related than anything to do with art. Spielberg is the only one of the three that has never done one to my knowledge and I have to say that’s kind of expected considering how many projects he’s constantly got in various stages of development, either as a director or just a producer.
As for the deleted scenes, depending on how significant they are and how well they are done, I generally like them, but the lack of them is certainly not a deal breaker. Personally I like it when the director gives a little intro to deleted scenes as sometimes, just played by themselves with no context, deleted scenes can be rather meaningless.
deleted scenes are usually deleted for a reason. i applaud nolan for not throwing a bunch of half-finished footage on a disc just because it’s expected.
Right on, then I won’t feel bad renting it on pay-per-view instead of spending 19.99 for a DVD of a Movie I will have already saw several times in a theatre.
Spielberg doesn’t do commentaries. Tarantino doesn’t do commentaries.
I think commentaries can be nice but most of the time they’re dry and not worth listenign to. Besides, why not let the art stand on its own without having some guy talk over it?
The Sham-Hammer is the same way. Although, I suspect he may do one for The Happening, and try to explain things to us viewers that didn’t “get it” (as if there’s anything to get).
There probably won’t be an audio commentary either…like the last one didn’t.
Christopher Nolan bragged about that fact to IGN (I believe) about not putting a commentary on it. It really pissed me off, not just the fact that he was too lazy to do one, but the fact that he was gloating about it.
Nolan’s a jerk.