Out of the Blu
Slow news day today as I’m frantically trying to finish my first ever commentary track. Perhaps foolishly, I’m trying to reinvent the form, because, let’s face it, commentaries are not usually very interesting. I may have found a way to make them dazzling, or else irritating, we’ll see.
But, out of the blue, a care package from Masters of Cinema. Very excited about the Honda films, which I’ve never seen. Nervous about THE PAINTED BIRD (having read the book). And thrilled of course about WAXWORKS. Will try to write more about these next week, when I’ve finished commentarying.
shadowplay 
November 28, 2020 at 5:03 pm
David, Full credit to you since the DVD commentary tracks need developing and, quite frankly, only a few of you jave shown expertise in this area. I regret that in their wisdom Criterion did not ask you to do the commentary for OCAL HERO since you were the most qualified person they could have sought out. Good luck with this venture.
November 28, 2020 at 6:23 pm
I sometimes think that the commentary track is a bad idea altogether… but the film I’m doing now already has quite a good one, but it couldn’t be ported over to this edition for rights reasons.
Bill Forsyth does the commentary on Local Hero, and he’s definitely more qualified than me!
November 28, 2020 at 9:29 pm
I saw “The Painted Bird” last year at a preview screening It was pretty good, but not as engaging as its star UDo Kier, who was at the screening and I had a chnce to chat with about all and sundry for nearly an hour.Udo lives in Palm rigs in a building that used to be a bank.
November 29, 2020 at 1:33 am
Kosinski’s book kind of creeps me out, he’s exploring some of his nastier bdsm fantasies in the guise of a WWII story, and although the book sprang from his boyhood experiences in occupied Poland, and he seemed to suggest it was a faithful record of them, it later emerged that he’d substantially invented the action. The Poles who sheltered him weren’t too happy about his portrayal of them.
Still, it’s very powerful and distressing. I may need a bracer before attempting to watch the movie version.
November 29, 2020 at 3:39 am
Yes David C, but you are far more qualified than Mark Commode and should have accompanied Bill in a creatively acoustic Highland Reel!