film idea -- has this been done?

[Matthew_S]

I've never made a film, written a script, etc... But I did have this small idea for a film.  I have no idea if it has ever been done.

It plays off of the idea of a DVD commentary track.

The gist is that there would be a 'visual'/original film.  But the audio would mainly be the actual (or recording of the) DVD commentary track for the film being shown/viewed.  That's the whole idea.

Not that that is even a fully fleshed out idea, but beyond that details are even sketchier.

For example:
The original film could be a romantic comedy.  And the commentary track could be between the director and lead actress upon whom the original film's script was based and it ends happily but post-script, they have broken up and now must sit in a studio together uncomfortably to record this commentary.

OR, the original film could be a cheap-ish thriller/action movie that was hot on the festival circuit but never went anywhere (and the commentary could discuss the making and ultimate financial failure of the project) or was picked up and made no money (commentary from  Original Director and Big Time, but disappointed Producer)

Whatever.

I'm curious -- has anyone seen this done?  It kinda feels more suited for an online short or something of that ilk....

[cavorting with nudists]

Dunno whether there's been a film like that, but it would be in the honorable lineage of Nabokov's Pale Fire.

[Sarah]

Or Mystery Science Theater 3000.

[fish]

Sarah nailed it. I was going to say it sounds like MST3K minus jokes.  The only other thing I can think of that sounds similar would be the narration over A Christmas Story (or to a lesser extent The Wonder Years or earlier episodes of How I Met Your Mother), but that's self-referential as being a story, not a movie.  It's more like "when I was that age..." versus "when we filmed this scene..."

[Chris L]

You probably would need someone like Nabokov to do this idea justice, and he hasn't exactly come out with anything lately.

I think it's more likely someone would pull a "What's Up, Tiger Lilly?" and graft a fake commentary on an existing film.  Seems like that must have been done by now (not like Rifftrax).  There was that really funny fake Harry Potter audiobook that that guy edited over the first of those movies.

[buffcoat]

Dunno whether there's been a film like that, but it would be in the honorable lineage of Nabokov's Pale Fire.

My Book of the Year 2010!

[Bryan]

I've heard of something like this being done. Bruce McDonald made a movie called "Picture Claire" a few years ago that wound up being awful, so he recut, and added a commentary track to it discussing the troubled production, re-titled "Claire's Hat." I don't think either version of the film is widely available (and I think they're both pretty bad.)

[Paul DeLouisiana]

Joaquin Phoenix would have to be involved.

It would be interesting to have an actor and director who hate each other doing the commentary.

[Matthew_S]

I guess it is kinda sorta Mystery Science-y, though that is essentially a joke machine and narrative-less.

Somewhere between that and Pale Fire perhaps.


That Bruce MacDonald sounds interesting , though there he is more repurposing his own work (like D.Lynch making the failed Mulholland Drive tv pilot into the Mulholland Drive feature film...)

Reading over this thread reminded me that this idea's first version in my head was to have a ~40 min. film, then have it end and show the same film again with a commentary track that was its own narrative but caused a re-assessment of the original film as well.  Then I thought, why not try to do both at the same time....

[Matthew_S]

You probably would need someone like Nabokov to do this idea justice, and he hasn't exactly come out with anything lately.

I think it's more likely someone would pull a "What's Up, Tiger Lilly?" and graft a fake commentary on an existing film.  Seems like that must have been done by now (not like Rifftrax).  There was that really funny fake Harry Potter audiobook that that guy edited over the first of those movies.

Chris L, Nabokov released a new novel this year (or was it last), did he not?  Perhaps he is still available for new projects.

[Christina]

I've got an idea too and thought I'd run it by you guys - it's called I'm Still Not There, and it's a biopic of Joaquin Phoenix told in episodes. Each episode has a different actor playing Phoenix - so far I have John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover, Tony Clifton, Natalie Portman (she's got the Joaquin mannerisms down pat!) and Jeff Bridges in a futuristic sequence imagining Joaquin in his 60s.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

You probably would need someone like Nabokov to do this idea justice, and he hasn't exactly come out with anything lately.

I think it's more likely someone would pull a "What's Up, Tiger Lilly?" and graft a fake commentary on an existing film.  Seems like that must have been done by now (not like Rifftrax).  There was that really funny fake Harry Potter audiobook that that guy edited over the first of those movies.

Chris L, Nabokov released a new novel this year (or was it last), did he not?  Perhaps he is still available for new projects.

He also did an uncredited rewrite on No Strings Attached.

[JonFromMaplewood]

Since we're putting ideas out there, I've got two words for you: FREAKY SABBATH

Who's in?

[Stupornaut]

Since we're putting ideas out there, I've got two words for you: FREAKY SABBATH

Who's in?

Is this about Ozzy swapping bodies with Ronnie James Dio? I would watch that.

[fish]

Since we're putting ideas out there, I've got two words for you: FREAKY SABBATH

Who's in?

whatever this is, it's got potential.