Editing Audio commentary (section)

== DVD and Blu-ray audio commentaries ==
DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays have made audio commentary a key component of special features. They often include commentary from cinematographers, screenwriters, actors, producers, directors, film historians, film critics and subject matter experts.<ref name="pratt"/><ref name="cinjournal"/>
For example, American cinematographer [[Garrett Brown]], the inventor of the [[steadicam]], is featured throughout the audio commentary track for ''[[The Shining (film)|The Shining]]'', where he discusses his work with the ground-breaking technology.<ref name="indiewire"/><ref name="palmer"/> The DVD of the science-fiction movie ''[[Sunshine (2007 film)|Sunshine]]'', directed by [[Danny Boyle]], contains an audio track with English [[physicist]] and [[professor]] of [[particle physics]] [[Brian Cox (physicist)|Brian Cox]].<ref name="sunshine"/> In the cast commentary for ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]'', former F.B.I. [[Offender profiling|criminal profiler]] [[John E. Douglas|John Douglas]], an advisor to the filmmakers, offers his anecdotes about the film.<ref name="silenceoflambs"/>

The box set of ''[[The Ultimate Matrix Collection]]'', has two audio commentaries on each film, one by philosophers who loved it; Dr. [[Cornel West]] and [[Ken Wilber]], and one by critics who hated it; [[Todd McCarthy]], [[John Powers (journalist)|John Powers]] and [[David Thomson (film critic)|David Thomson]].<ref name="matrix"/> The DVD release of ''[[Ghostbusters]]'' contains a video commentary track with director [[Ivan Reitman]], [[Harold Ramis]], and [[Joe Medjuck]], with silhouettes of the trio added to imitate ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]''.<ref name="ghostbusters"/> The Blu-ray edition of the film ''[[Galaxy Quest]]'' includes a tongue-in-cheek trivia commentary called "Galactopedia", by American graphic designer [[Michael Okuda]], known for his work on ''[[Star Trek]]'', and [[Denise Okuda]], co-author of the ''[[Star Trek Encyclopedia]]''.<ref name="galaxy"/>

On the DVD release of ''[[Bowling for Columbine]]'', [[Michael Moore]] allowed his [[intern]]s, [[secretary]] and production assistants to record the audio commentary for his documentary.<ref name="bowling"/> In the commentary for ''[[True Romance]]'', [[Quentin Tarantino]], who wrote the film script, explains why he didn’t direct the movie himself, and the inspiration behind him writing the script.<ref name="tasteofcinema"/> For ''[[The Goonies]]'' audio track, many of the original cast members, [[Sean Astin]], [[Josh Brolin]], [[Corey Feldman]] and [[Martha Plimpton]], along with director [[Richard Donner]], reunited and watched the film together, offering their opinions on the classic comedy film.<ref name="tasteofcinema"/>

===Film directors commentary===
Film directors can also provide their perspective into how a film is made. In his commentary for the 1970 film ''[[M*A*S*H (film)|M*A*S*H]]'', director [[Robert Altman]] gives background information on production and on the way the script was used and misused. He also comments on problems he had with the studio in relation to the connection with the [[Vietnam War]].{{sfn|Barlow|2005|page=112}} Director [[Mel Brooks]] discusses in his audio commentary for ''[[Young Frankenstein]]'' how the movie was turned down by Columbia Pictures because its 2 million dollar budget was too high. He also points out the homages in his film, in relation to the history of Frankenstein movies.{{sfn|Barlow|2005|page=112}}

Director [[Oliver Stone]] in his audio commentary for ''[[Wall Street (1987 film)|Wall Street]]'', explains how his family influenced the making of the film, and speaks candidly about the actors, mildly criticizing them, particularly [[Charlie Sheen]].{{sfn|Barlow|2005|page=112}} In his commentary for the 2003 film ''[[Shattered Glass (film)|Shattered Glass]]'', director [[Billy Ray (screenwriter)|Billy Ray]] is joined by ''[[The New Republic|New Republic]]'' editor Chuck Long, who explains the differences between the film and the actual event. Ray, in his directorial debut, also admits his lack of experience, and how he relied on more experienced members of his production crew.{{sfn|Barlow|2005|page=113}}

Director [[Francis Ford Coppola]] in his audio commentary about his epic film ''[[The Godfather]]'', recounts how the original title of the film was supposed to be "[[Mario Puzo]]'s The Godfather", but that "no one remembers it that way",{{sfn|Barlow|2005|page=119}} and in the 2007 DVD release of ''[[Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse|Hearts of Darkness]]'', a [[documentary film|documentary]] about the production of ''[[Apocalypse Now]],'' Coppola explains why it's not a good idea to film a movie in the Amazon jungle. He also talks about a scene in the film where [[Martin Sheen]] was drunk and cut his hand, and relays how the opening shot with a huge explosion in the jungle was completely unintentional.<ref name="tasteofcinema"/>

=== Film historians and critics ===
[[History of film|Film historians]] are frequent contributors of audio commentary, including: [[Tim Lucas]] who has recorded numerous audio commentaries since his first, for [[Mario Bava]]'s ''[[Black Sunday (1960 film)|Black Sunday]]'';<ref name="lucas"/> [[Peter Cowie]] has provided commentaries for numerous DVDs of [[Ingmar Bergman]]'s films, including ''[[Wild Strawberries (film)|Wild Strawberries]]'', written and directed by Bergman;<ref name="pratt"/> [[Donald Richie]] has recorded commentary tracks for many [[Cinema of Japan|Japanese films]];<ref name="pratt"/> and respected historian [[Rudy Behlmer]], who is primarily known for his [[Rudy Behlmer#Audio commentaries|audio commentaries]] of American classic cinema, most notably ''[[Casablanca (film)|Casablanca]]'', ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'' and ''[[Frankenstein (1931 film)|Frankenstein]]''.<ref name="variety"/> [[John Fricke]] has recorded, or participated in, several audio commentaries for [[Judy Garland]]'s films, including ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'', ''[[Babes in Arms (film)|Babes in Arms]]'', ''[[Easter Parade (film)|Easter Parade]]'', ''[[For Me and My Gal (film)|For Me and My Gal]]'', ''[[Girl Crazy (1943 film)|Girl Crazy]]'', ''[[Meet Me in St. Louis]]'', and ''[[The Pirate (1948 film)|The Pirate]]''.

[[Film criticism|Film critics]] are also frequent contributors to commentaries like: American film critic [[Roger Ebert]] who recorded DVD audio commentary tracks for many classic films, including ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' and ''[[Casablanca (film)|Casablanca]]'',<ref name="techcrunch"/> and [[Richard Schickel]] who has [[Richard Schickel#DVD commentaries|provided commentary]] for ''[[Double Indemnity]]'', ''[[Strangers on a Train (film)|Strangers on a Train]]'', ''[[On the Waterfront]]'' and ''[[The Good, the Bad and the Ugly]]''.<ref name="soundvision"/> [[Leonard Maltin]] has also offered commentary on several films including, [[Marx Brothers]] ''[[A Night at the Opera (film)|A Night at the Opera]]'',{{sfn|Barlow|2005|pages=122-123}} and ''[[Harold Lloyd|The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection]]'' (volume 2).<ref name="bennett"/> 

[[Hong Kong action cinema]] expert Bey Logan is a frequent commenter for [[List of Asian films|Asian films]], including ''[[Fist of Fury]]'',<ref name="macnab"/> ''[[The Banquet (2006 film)|The Banquet]]'',<ref name="oleary"/> ''[[Iron Monkey (1993 film)|Iron Monkey]]'',<ref name="trinity"/> ''[[Musa (film)|Musa]]''<ref name="musa"/> and ''[[Bullet in the Head]]''.<ref name="bullet"/><ref name="chicago"/>

[[Animation]] historian [[Jerry Beck]] has recorded dozens of audio commentaries for animation productions,<ref name="animation"/> including ''[[Sinbad the Sailor (1935 film)|Sinbad the Sailor]]''<ref name="sinbad"/> and the ''[[Looney Tunes Golden Collection]]'' series,<ref name="looney"/> and historian [[Michael Barrier (historian)|Michael Barrier]] also regularly contributes commentary to selected shorts in DVD packages, including  the ''[[Popeye]] the Sailor'' DVD series, and for the first five ''[[Looney Tunes Golden Collection]]'' [[DVD]] box sets.<ref name="looney"/>