I’m a huge fan of special features and generally go through a disc cover to cover as it were to watch/listen to everything available.
**Commentaries ** can be extremely interesting. Only rarely have I shut one off becasue it was too vapid. Most contribute something. Director, actor, production design, music, etc.–it’s all part of the moviemaking process and I enjoy peeking through the window and seeing what people were thinking during different parts of the creative process.
**Alternate scenes ** and **endings ** are interesting, especially with commentaries. Most of the time there was a reason they were left out. But it just reinforces how the director is trying to feel his way through as he is making the film. Before DVDs, I just assumed the director knew all along exactly what he wanted to do. Now, I see how many tough decisions have to be made and how a good idea on paper may not translate to the screen.
Real **documentaries ** are good. Not promo clips.
**Trailers ** are good. Fun to see what was expected to sell a movie when it first came out. Many seem pretty lame, but that just adds to the interest. Reflection of a changing society and all that.
Cast **biographies ** can be good if they include some personal tidbits. Some are almost like history dissertations (which is a good thing). Love some of these on the Hong Kong Legends DVDs.
In fact, the HKL documentaries, commentaries, behind-the-scenes, biographies, etc. are some of the best out there.
I don’t ever watch **music videos ** on TV; I generally have no interest in watching them on a DVD. But based on my compulsive nature I usually sit through them.
I like **bloopers ** and **outtakes ** as long as they are things caught spontaneously. These days many look staged or hammed up because people know it makes good DVD filler. :rolleyes:
**DVD-ROM ** content? – useless.
Likewise image galleries. I mean, I just sat there and watched the movie, which is full of images. Moving images at that! And now for my viewing pleasure I can look at those same images in still frame. Why would I want to do that? If I really wanted to, I could use the pause button and stare at the screen at any point in the film I wanted. My own image gallery! Yes, at times there are behind the scenes stills and maybe some of the alternate poster images are cool. But just stills form the movie?–what a waste.