DVDs and DVD Extras That Help Teach The Language of Film

Copyright 2010, by Frank W. Baker – Media Literacy Clearinghouse
This page is not intended to be an exhaustive, all-inclusive list, but rather a list of some DVDs that I am aware of and have watched that I think could be used in classes where “film literacy” and “film fluency” is being taught. There’s nothing like reading a book about film, but viewing, analyzing and deconstructing are best when you have access to films, and extras, that will help your students better understand the languages of film.  NOTE: many of these “extras” can now be founded streamed on YouTube.

General 

Looking At Movies Film, Form and Culture (CD Rom) How to Read A Film: Multimedia Edition
The Art of Watching Films (CD Rom) Making Movies Make Sense A Movie Lover’s Guide to Film Language
American Cinema: 100 Years of Filmmaking Moving Images Making Movies, Understanding Media Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood
Filmmakers on Film

Acting/Casting

Matching Identities: Casting Widescreen, The Bourne Supremacy
Building A Bad Actor (Title 2, Chapter 1) Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
A Collaboration of Spirits: Casting and Acting The Color Purple, Two Disc Special Edition

Animation

Peering Through The Veil Paranorman (Blu-ray DVD)
Miniatures in Motion: Bringing Frankenweenie to Life Frankenweenie (2 Disc Combo Pack, Blu-ray-DVD)
The Animators: The Breadth of Life Tim Burton’s The Corpse Bride, Blu-Ray Edition
Peering Through the Veil: Stop Motion Behind The Scenes Paranorman, Blu Ray Disc

Art Direction:  Set Design

Behind Hogwarts: Dumbledore’s Office- Build a Scene Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets (Widescreen Ed. 2 Disc)
Inside Elizabeth’s World Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Image Gallery:  Production Design Tristan + Isolde
Set Design/Exploring The Sets Gangs of New York (2 Disc Edition)
Designing Middle Earth The Lord of the Rings Extras, The Fellowship of the Ring

Art Direction: Storyboards

Storyboard Comparisons A Beautiful Mind, Two Disc Awards Ed.
Storyboards and Pre-viz: Making Words & Images The Lord of the Rings,  New Line Platinum Series
LOTR: Storyboard to Film Comparison The Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring
Storyboard Comparisons Story Of Movies, To Kill a Mockingbird
Introduction to Animatrics Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
State of the Art: Pre-visualization of Episode II Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
Storyboard Pitch Deleted Scenes Shrek
Previsualization War of the Worlds, Two Disc Limited Edition
Storyboard To Film Comparison West Side Story, Special Ed Collector’s Set

Audio (see also Score listed below)

Breaking Barriers: The Sound of Hitchcock Rear Window: Special Edition
Through the Ears of Forrest Gump: Sound Design Forrest Gump, Special Collector’s Edition
Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds From The Sound Up Wall E 3 Disc Special Edition
The Sound & Music of A.I. (Sound Design; Music) A.I. Artificial Intelligence Two Disc Special Edition
Third Trimester; Sound Design The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Criterion Collection
Voices from the Underworld; The Voices Behind the Voice Tim Burton’s The Corpse Bride, Blu-Ray Edition
Designing the Sounds of Middle Earth The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Full Screen, -Two Disc
The Science of Sound Spiderman 3, 2 Disc Special Edition

Cinematography
Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography

James Wong Howe: Cinematographer Sweet Smell of Success (Criterion Collection)

Costumes

The Look of a Geisha Memoirs of a Geisha, 2 Disc Full Screen Special Edition
The Costumes Are The Sets: The Design of Eiko Ishioka Bram Stoker’s Dracula   Collectors Edition, Blu Ray
Costumes featurette Gangs of New York (2 Disc Edition)
Costuming The Aviator: The Work of Sandy Powell The Aviator: 2-Disc Widescreen Edition
Second Trimester; Costume Design The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Criterion Collection
Costume Design The Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Rings

Directing

Century of Cinema: A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies
The Eastwood Factor         Spielberg on Spielberg         Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures   A Talk With Hitchcock (1964)
Directors: Life Behind The Cameras (pt 3 Hollywood’s Best Directors Choose Their Best Movies)

Design (The World is Watching Making The Hunger Games) 2 Disc DVD + Digital Copy  The Hunger Games
Chronicle of a Director The Chronicles of Narnia The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe- Special 2 Disc Collector’s Ed.
Making of The Godfather
The Godfather Supplements: Behind The Scenes
The Godfather – The Coppola Restoration
Noah Baumbach Interviews Brian De Palma Blow Out: The Criterion Collection
The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style North By Northwest, 50th Anniversary Edition, Disc 2
In The Master’s Shadow: Hitchcock’s Legacy Pyscho Special Edition: Universal Legacy Series

Editing

The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing included in Bullitt, the Two Disc Special Edition
The Magic of Editing Harry Potter And The Order of the Phoenix, Two Disc Special Edition
3 Scene Editing Workshops MIB, Men in Black, Limited Edition
Film Editing Demonstration Traffic  The Criterion Edition

 

Makeup  

Gringotts & Goblins Blue-Ray Disc, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Pt 2
Kate Winslet on The Art of Aging Hanna Schmitz Blue-Ray Disc, The Reader
The Magic of Makeup Forrest Gump, Special Collector’s Edition
The Age of Glamour: The Hair & Makeup of The Aviator The Aviator: 2-Disc Widescreen Edition

Marketing

Poster & Cover Art Mirror Mask

Music (see also Score)

Lights, Action, Music
(a documentary directed by Dan Lieberstein )
Introduction (via YouTube)

On Location

Spotlight on: Location (Title 4,Chapter 1 ) October Sky
Featurette: Setting The Scene The Water Horse Legend of The Deep. 2 Disc Sp Ed

Post Production

Putting It All Together: The Magic of Post Production Twilight, Disc 2, Three Disc Edition
Twilight, Disc 2, Two Disc Special Edition

Pre Production

The Partnership: A Look at Pre-Production Twilight, Disc 2, Three Disc Edition Twilight, Disc 2, Two Disc Special Edition
Charting the Return: A Preproduction Diary Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man’s Chest
Two Disc, Special Edition
Videomatics  (pre-production) Titanic, Three Disc, Special Collector’s Ed
Within a Minute: The Making of Episode III Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith(Widescreen Edition)

Production Elements

Anatomy of a Scene: The Explosive Bridge Chase Scene The Bourne Supremacy
The Making of Mirror Mask Day 16
Production  Flight of the Monkeybirds
Mirror Mask
Production Stories (Chapter 1, Title 3 :includes cinematography, locations, set design, props, wardrobe) The Untouchables, Special Collector’s Ed
Seeing Is Believing Forrest Gump, Special Collector’s Edition
Fx On The Universe Across the Universe, 2 Disc Deluxe Ed.
Capturing The Action: A Look at Production Twilight, Disc 2, Three Disc Edition
First Trimester; Tech Scouts The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Criterion Collection
Shadows of Suspense (Film Noir) Double Indemnity, Universal Legacy Series (2 Disc Ed)

Score (aka Soundtrack)

Scoring Wonderland Alice in Wonderland, Disc 2, Blu Ray
Scoring the Film: Interview, Hans Zimmer Gladiator, Signature Selection
Scoring the Film A Beautiful Mind: Two Disc Awards Edition
Scoring The Aviator: The Work of Howard Shore The Aviator: 2-Disc Widescreen Edition
Danny Elfman Interprets the Two Worlds Tim Burton’s The Corpse Bride, Blu-Ray Edition

Scriptwriting

From Script to Screen (entire screenplay) Pleasantville,  New Line Platinum Series
Script-to-Scene Back To The Future, The Complete Trilogy
Script to Screen Comparisons Crash, Two Disc Director’s Cut Edition
Inside A Scene: Location Scout Notes
Notes to Actors; Read the Script; View the Scene
The Insider
Reflections on Writing: Batman Begins Batman Begins, Blue-Ray DVD
Screenplay; Original Screenplay Notes Hellboy, 2 Disc Special Edition

Special Visual Effects

Visual Effects Flags of Our Fathers 2 Disc Special Ed, Blu Ray
Visual Effects (Blue Screen) The Others Collector’s Edition, 2 Disc DVD
Effects (The World is Watching Making The Hunger Games) 2 Disc DVD + Digital Copy  The Hunger Games
Effecting Wonderland Alice in Wonderland, Disc 2, Blu Ray
Special Effects: High Speed Compositing Reel Contact, Special Edition
Visual Effects (green screen and more) Titanic, Three Disc, Special Collector’s Ed
Pan and the Fairies (prosthetic & visual effects) Pan’s Labyrinth, 2 Disc Platinum Series 
ILM and Minority Report Minority Report Widescreen
Featurette: Water Work: Creating the Water Horse The Water Horse Legend of The Deep, 2 Disc Sp Ed
Visual Effects Die Hard With A Vengeance, Special Edition

Stuntwork

Double Dare various clips available via YouTube
Stunts of Wonderland (Alice In Wonderland)