The Dark Knight: Dec. 9th - Page 2

I find it hard to believe there are no deleted scenes.

Not meaning that the DVD doesn't have any deleted scenes, but that the movie itself didn't have any

They are saving those for the inevitable double and triple dips.

The goal was to get a Blu-Ray player before this came out. Mission accomplished: I bought a Sony BDP-S350 at Best Buy on Friday for $200. Picked up WALL-E and CASINO ROYALE with it, but I really can't wait to see how good THE DARK KNIGHT looks. (Apparently, it's breathtaking.)

Picked up a copy of the 2-disc today at a place near Times Square. Its the legit copy, not a bootleg. I will be putting it in tonight and will definitely check out all the special features.

With the Blu Ray, are the IMAX aspect ratio changes an option or mandatory?

Aspect changes are the only option. But it's not as distracting as it was when it was on the Imax screen. Still, it kinda sucks. So do the supplements. Big time.

Are they on the level of Batman Begins or worse?

There's a 45 minute doc on the tech of the film, and another 45 minute piece on the psychology of the characters. There's Anthony Michael Hall's TV show (runs around 30 I think), and then the 64 minutes of the PIP stuff, which is the best of it, but nothing too awesome.

While WB did double dip on Begins, the ultimate really special edition did not feature any new extras on Begins itself. I don't expect a double dip for TDK anytime in the near future. If Nolan does a third film, we may get a definitive trilogy collection with new extras and commentary, but I wouldn't expect that before 2015 or later.

I'm disappointed by the extras on TDK, though, because even though they weren't terribly in depth, the extras on the 2 disc edition of Begins were comprehensive on the production, and gave a great sense of all the work and thought that went into it. I would have rather had a 3 disc edition, with a film disc, featurettes, and the third disc holding a bunch of stuff relating to the incredible viral campaign.

They didn't want to talk about Heath, which cripped some of the more interesting aspects. I mean, there's no Behind the Scene footage of him that I noticed. Could be a legal thing, could be a respect thing.

Until I learn differently, I'll give Nolan and WB (frustrated) kudos for this Extremely rare for a studio to NOT cash in on a notorious death, though perhaps legality had something to do with it. While I wish there was more about Ledger's approach and more, in general, about how the film was conceived and put together, it's a courteous thing to give Ledger's memory some room.

The "tech of Batman" and "psychology of Batman" features are warmed-over Discovery channel leftovers. But there's an hour-long "making of" doc on this thing too, right?

While I didn't expect the special features to be worth anything. Shame nothing was mentioned of the marketing campaign.

I don't think mentioning Ledger would have been cashing in on his death. He was a large part of this film and his performance has plenty of Oscar buzz. Personally I was dying to see the make up tests.

So was... Heath...

What are some examples of a studio cashing in on a notorious death? Not arguing, I just can't think of specific ones at the moment.

Every biopic ever.

Naw, I was wondering more along the lines of what happened with Ledger dying not too long before the release of his final film (though it isn't Ledger's final film). Situations similar to that with the difference that the studio and filmmaker failed to handle it with tact. As if TDK trailers touted itself featuring "Heath Ledger's FINAL COMPLETE PERFORMANCE!!!"

Something like that. I should've been clearer.

Haha, I know what you meant. I was just kidding.

They usually don't go nuts like that until the person's been dead for a while, and by that point everyone's into remembering them and they don't think of it as exploitation.

I can't handle these mind games!!! Thanks for that!

Speaking of celebrity death exploitation, I was also looking through the umpteenth "So bad it's good" thread and watched the BruceLeexploitation that reggie-wanker linked to. Jesus.

The bigger the film, the less motivation to reveal it.

I've always found that weird. The Lord of the Rings extended editions box set is still probably the best DVD investment I ever made.

Isn't this just a case of certain filmmakers not being into laying all their cards on the table while some really relish it?

The LOTR extended editions were technically a double-dip, right?

Do you think we'll have to wait till a third Nolan Batman movie to get a TDK disc with more robust features?

I'd have to think that they're holding back all of that good stuff for the eventual double and triple dips. There's way too much money to be made off of this movie in future DVD and Blue Ray releases for them to shoot their wad now.

Yeah they were technically a double dip, but I was able to stay strong and I didn't purchase a single LOTR DVD until the box set came out.

I was just reading up on TDK's Blu-Ray features, and supposedly over that BR-Live thing over the next few months they're going to release more behind-the-scenes type stuff along with a few "guest" commentaries. So, if you're getting the Blu-Ray there will probably be no reason to double-dip as all of the special features will be available to you anyways.

Why? If Chris Nolan says "Okay, so I wanted to defend George W. Bush with this film" or "I looked at the state of the world, and the only way fighting terrorism with vigilantism made sense to me was in the context of a comic book." you are possibly alienating a large chunk of the public.

LOTR got into some dirt, but not really and the discs mostly excelled at highlighting the effects work, which seems awesome, but I doubt I'll put on the supplements from those films ever again. Ultimately the DVD business closed up shop on getting too honest about ten years ago when this started to go mainstream. People used to not worry about the legal ramifications, or in some cases, the feelings of other people who worked on the film.

That sounds pretty promising. I've checked out the BR-Live features on Transformers and the new Casino Royale discs. I can't say I was particularly impressed. But someone's gotta do something cool with it at some point, right?

If I implied that I care in any way about TDK not being special feature heavy, I came across wrong. I was trying to make a comparison based on huge films with different DVD release philosophies. I'm not really looking for any dirt when I watch a commentary or documentary, it's more about understanding the process of making a film for me, and that's why the LOTR special features were so great in my opinion. That's also why I'm super excited for the eventual Watchmen DVD release.

And honestly, any special features on any movie are fine to me as long as it's not a Tim Burton commentary track.

Ironically, you've just made me want to dig out the special features on the extended editions again. Hahaha.

I don't think Eric is necessarily asking Nolan to illuminate on ALL of his ideas behind TDK in a commentary track. The way I remember the extended LOTR features was that there was just so much love put into it (through some rose-colored glasses, I admit) that it gave some extra oomph to the whole experience of the trilogy. Nolan seems to have that kinda passion for his work and it's a little disappointing to hear that the features seem to come off a little obligatory. As if he wasn't all that involved with it. And that's fine, since I respect a filmmaker's desire not to expose all of his methods.

I remember when I started noticing that more and more DVDs would begin with disclaimers about its special features. This was in addition to the FBI warnings, the studio warnings, trailer after trailer, and the pointlessly animated menus. So annoying. And another reason I love love love The Criterion Collection.

I totally agree with this with the exception of his commentary on either Batman or Batman Returns. I was surprised that I could actually listen to him on those commentaries.

I don't consider the LotR flicks double dipping, as there is no repeated extra material between the theatrical and extended versions. And the films themselves are different, and New Line was very open about there being two versions released. I also have gone back and watched the extras on the EE more than once; I find them really interesting, as well as inspirational for some of my own creative work.

It doesn't surprise me, though, that there aren't deleted scenes on the Nolan discs. From what I've read, it's really more alternate takes than outright deleted scenes (though the shooting script for TDK reveals at least a couple of scenes or seconds that didn't make the final cut). At some point, I'd like a version of the Nolan films with a lot more extras as well as commentary, but I'll take what they're giving now.

My local Giant grocery store (Easton, PA) broke the street date for The Dark Knight. They are selling both WS and FS for $24.99. They almost never discount new DVD's, not that I buy from them anyway.

Sad and true. That is why we really don't see the amazing commentaries like we used to, say, five years ago.

I also think that for most of the creative talent on films -- directors and actors -- they found it new and exciting in the beginning, but now it's just become a source of promotion for films that we've already seen and subsequently purchased. The last DVD commentaries that entertained me were the ones off of the Spaced collection.

You're absolutely right about commentaries. I just never really gave it much thought, but I probably haven't really listened to any directors' commentaries in a long while. The ones of the new Spaced DVDs were probably also the last ones I really listened to. Oh, that and the one off the Armageddon Criterion (which is pretty old).

Those commentaries used to be my favorite aspect of DVD features. And now... not.

I don't have this one on my Xmas list nor do I have plans to pick it up next week. I guess I'm still tired of this movie's existence, and it feels good.

I've gone from inconveniencing myself for the Steelbook, to just deciding to get the single disc. Better art too.

I just want the movie at this point. It's nice to be getting out of the super collector mentality, even if it is just a bit. Extras have to be something pretty special to get me to plunk down nowadays(recent examples: Hellboy II and Wall-E).

Guillermo del Toro and Pixar's special editions... now THERE'S an example of love going into bonus features.

Same here. I enjoyed the film but my desire to pick up a copy is zilch.

I think watching one to many behind the scenes has hurt some of that movie magic for me. Everyone starts to think they're a movie maker cause they know how something was done on some other movie, and along with their useless opinions, they nitpick a movie that may not need the nit.

Hell what do I know, I visit a movie website to know about stuff before hand anyways. Maybe I can ween off?

Here I am... rolling on the floor laughing because of that last expression! Hahahaha.

Anyway, my friend just messaged me this about the BD-Live features on TDK:

Twice in this film characters say the phrase 'playing it pretty close to the chest'. Am I wrong, or isn't the phrase 'playing it pretty close to the vest'?

Just thought that was weird. It's late, feel free to ignore this.

I guess both are used. A quick google search tells me that 'vest' is more common. But personally, I thought 'chest' sounded more natural.

I've always heard it as close to the chest. But now I'm curious about this too...

"Close to the vest" is the correct way to say it, but I don't think there's anyone that really cares.

I care.

Close to the Chest is a British variant on the phrase, I've certainly never heard someone declare they were going to keep something close to their vest.

I think it's regional.

For instance, in Canada the phrase is "Playing it close to the flannel lumberjack coat"

How about close to their knickers?

Seen as the average British gent bursts into schoolboy laughter if he says knickers I'm doubting the validity of that statement.