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If.... (1968)


Commentaries on this disc:

Commentary 1: Actor Malcolm McDowell and film critic/historian David Robinson Rating:8.0/10 (5 votes) [graph]Login to vote or review
Reviewed by Gavin Millarrrrrrrrrr on July 13th, 2008:Find all reviews by Gavin Millarrrrrrrrrr
This track starts with Robinson introducing the film and giving the background to its making (later he also has the uneviable task of trying to explain the arcane workings of the English Public School system, presumably for the benefit of American listeners, although to be honest it's as much a mystery to many of us in England!), but as the track progresses it becomes clear that his section was actually recorded after McDowell's, allowing him to comment on/clarify various things the actor says. (Though they still seem to have different explanations as to why some scenes were shot in B&W.)
McDowell's chatty delivery provides a nice counter-point to Robinson's dry detail as he regales us with anecdotes about the shooting and various members of the cast, while all the time paying homage to the film's director, Lindsay Anderson, someone who evidently had a major and lasting influence on him.
McDowell clearly enjoys revisiting his English roots (and even corrects himself to use the English pronunciation of "garage" at one point!) and you'll enjoy joining him on the journey.
Reviewed by The Cubist on July 21st, 2008:Find all reviews by The Cubist
Robinson briefly sets the backstory for the production while McDowell tells the story of how he was cast, including his memorable audition with co-star Christine Noonan. Robinson tends to stick to the facts, providing a historical and cultural context and points out what details are factually correct and what Anderson changed for the film. McDowell speaks quite eloquently about his personal experiences and observations on this top notch track.
Reviewed by Buldrebisk on April 14th, 2009:Find all reviews by Buldrebisk
This was a little strange in the editing of the track, they commenting on each other although not being recorded at the same time. I mostly enjoyed McDowell’s part. He keeps things informative, but also personal and sometimes trivial. Very good. 7/10