Happy to do one thing for you in 2017

A few years ago I needed to do a research project. It didn’t matter what the project was, so long as I had done adequate research to educate others.

I decided to choose the voice that few people hear — the director’s commentary track. Go to your DVD collection. I’ve got a feeling at least one movie you own has one.

So what is it, how did it happen and why does it matter?

The DVD commentary tracks didn’t begin with DVD, as my research found. It started on the laser disc, a format that was superior to VHS in every way except the price.

Studios tried to negate the price point by stuffing extra features onto the discs. Documentaries, deleted scenes, cast and crew interviews, you name it.

“King Kong” was chosen as a selection for the Criterion Collection, and a film historian came by the studio to record one of those extra features. He was hanging around the studio and talked about the movie while the sound guys were remastering the audio. The sound guys were so enthralled with what they heard they went to the production heads. This guy’s stories, they reported, were worth the price of the disc alone, and they belonged in the movie.

They suggested an additional audio track, which took up a rounding error worth of disc space, for whoever they could find to discuss the film.

Once DVD came around, it started adopting many laser disc features, and director commentary tracks were no exception.

It’s one of my favorite things about DVDs, and there’s such a great variety of interesting and ridiculous in my commentary collection:

• In the pool riff-off scene during “Pitch Perfect,” it’s revealed Cynthia sings Rihanna’s “S&M” because the actress who played her, Ester Dean, wrote the song for Rihanna. The directors didn’t know until Dean mentioned it during the filming.

• The first “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie ran on such a tight budget, the steel used to make the jail was melted down and sold back for scrap when filming was complete.

• Ben Affleck irritated Michael Bay to no end during “Armageddon” when he told Bay the movie’s plot hole was that training astronauts to drill would be easier than training drillers how to be astronauts.

Why does it matter? Depends on who you ask.

For the last few years of Roger Ebert’s life, it gave him his voice back. Ebert lost his voice due to complications from thyroid cancer. He got a box that could speak out what he typed, and soon discovered the box could have his voice because an archive of his voice was preserved through commentary tracks.

And here’s a reason it matters to me. A few years ago, the creators of “The Simpsons” decided to stop DVD seasons after the 17th season. Production costs were too high, and you could get episodes through their new online app.

The app didn’t have commentary tracks, and the fans were relentless. Sitting on my table is a copy of the 18th season on DVD, because the fans loved the commentary tracks and other features enough to never shut up.

Learning how they came to be gave me a greater appreciation for commentary tracks, and I already had a pretty good appreciation going in. If I could do one thing in 2017, I hope educating you on one of my favorite things sufficed.

If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a Simpsons marathon to begin.

Kevin Wilson is managing editor for the Eastern New Mexico News. Contact him at 575-763-3431, ext. 320, or at: [email protected]