Good commentaries entertain and leave you feeling a little more knowledgable about the craft of filmmaking. Great ones reveal the true artist at work. This commentary is from the Laserdisc back in 1995 (there are off-hand references to his "new" picture with Eddie Murphy, "Vampire in Brooklyn.")
During 'New Nightmare,' Wes reveals some of his own fears, such as abandonment and insecurity, while informing the listener on how this movie-within-a-movie was created. The occurrence of the real Northridge earthquake mirrored the plot only by coincidence, and many of the actors were worried about playing themselves in "New Nightmare." I've always been fascinated with Mr. Craven's penchant for distorting reality, and here he displays some filmmaking tricks to do just that. What must be the most "Meta" moment in the commentary, is when Wes comments while watching himself act as a director, in this film where he plays some "Bizzaro"-version of Wes Craven. Surreal, indeed. Finally, when you hear why Johnny Depp does not appear in the Cemetery scene, you will exclaim: "Oh, Wes..(sigh)"
9.5/10