The VHS Extra Text!

I was just thinking about the DVD extra text. What Rebekah said was true- people do feel ripped off if their DVD doesn't include any special features. Special features are more personalised and when you get more "inside" look at how the film was created and what the actors and directors are like, you tend to appreciate the film more.

But I've just been browsing through my trusty VHS collection (the one I acquired before I was cool enough to get my own DVD player) and it does appear that DVDs aren't the only place to find extra text. At the end of many films on VHS, especially the ones made from the late 90's onwards, there is a usually a behind the scenes documentary. Some examples:

The Matrix (1999) VHS includes a "making-of" documentary at the end, featuring the creation of special effects and martial arts scenes. The lead actors take turns speaking about their roles and the whole documentary is filled with action scenes and loud music, giving the documentary the same feeling that the actual film has.

After Gladiator (2000), the VHS features a lengthy, behind the scenes documentary, but shows the extent that the director went to create a film that appeared to be set in a convincing ancient Rome, using CGI effects. The fighting scenes are also featured within the documentary.

The Moulin Rouge (2001) VHS also has a behind the scenes documentary, but focuses on the theatrical aspects of the film- the creation of the sets and costumes, the way music was used. There is even a brief history about the actual Moulin Rouge in Paris.

Stigmata (1999) on VHS not only included a "making-of" documentary but focused a lot on the historical documentation of stigmata itself, which I found answered several questions that the film posed regarding stigmata and religion.

Each documentary seemed to use dominate themes or aspects that are found within the actual film. Like the DVD, this allows us to appreciate the effort and detail that went into making the film and makes us want to watch the film all over again. The main difference between the VHS and DVD extra text is that the DVD provides more interaction by allowing us to be selective in which parts of the extra text we can view.