Favorite Dream Theater Documentary

[Trav86]

I don't know if this has been done, but I'm bored, so here we go.  I think I included everything. I wasn't going to put the Making of TOT because it's only like 15 mins.  But what the hell.

[TheGreatPretender]

It's a tough choice for me. I really like the Chaos In Motion one, between the main feature and the bonus documentary, it was an exceptionally thorough glimpse of where the band was, at that point in time.
And the making of Systematic Chaos was a deep dive into their creative process at the time, again, absolutely stellar and very interesting through and through.

But Dream Theater really deserves a proper "history of the band" documentary, and as such, I had to vote for The Score So Far. If anyone wants to get to know where the band came from, it's the best they could do in such a short time bracket.

[pg1067]

I voted for the Live in Tokyo footage because it was released at the time I was falling in love with DT.  It also was recorded literally days after I met the band (except KM).  I attended the 11/12/92 show in Westminster, CA and the 11/23/92 show in San Diego, and the Live in Tokyo footage was shot in between those two dates (not that I was aware of it, of course, but I think it's cool nonetheless).  It's such fun footage that really showcased the personalities in the band.  The condom segment and KM's "translation" of an autograph-seeking fan's comments are particularly amusing.  I don't know if there are any Japanese speakers on these boards, but I'd love to know what she actually said.

"I Can Remember When" would probably be #2 for me because it so very much reminds me of some of the video footage I have of my band from around the same time period.  "The Score So Far" is also excellent.

The drummer audition stuff would be at the bottom of the list.  I didn't think much of the way they did that.

One question:  Where is the "Making of Train of Thought" footage?  Maybe I'm forgetting, but I don't think I've ever seen that.

Honorable mention to making of I&W and making of SFAM videos that are on YouTube in several parts.  I don't think they're "official" releases, but it's all from MP's video camera, so I assume it was all authorized to be released.

[Trav86]

The Making Of Train Of Thought was a file that was on the TOT CD. If you pitit in your computer it would pull up. It may not be on later pressings.

[pg1067]

The Making Of Train Of Thought was a file that was on the TOT CD. If you pitit in your computer it would pull up. It may not be on later pressings.

Hmmm...I'll have to check that out.   

[bosk1]

I know the drummer audition doc was edited in such a way as to be a bit misleading, and was done to push a certain narrative, but I really loved it and have a soft spot for it.  That's what I went with.

Not included in the poll, but I really love the audio commentaries for WDADRU and LSFNY as well.  The former would probably be my #1 and the latter would be my #2, pushing the drummer auditions to #3 if those had been included.

[pg1067]

Not included in the poll, but I really love the audio commentaries for WDADRU and LSFNY as well.  The former would probably be my #1 and the latter would be my #2, pushing the drummer auditions to #3 if those had been included.

I'd rank LSFNY over WDADRu, but both are really, really good.  Solving the mystery....of JP's chicken francese...was a definite moment in DT history!

[TheGreatPretender]

Not included in the poll, but I really love the audio commentaries for WDADRU and LSFNY as well.  The former would probably be my #1 and the latter would be my #2, pushing the drummer auditions to #3 if those had been included.

I'd rank LSFNY over WDADRu, but both are really, really good.  Solving the mystery....of JP's chicken francese...was a definite moment in DT history!

I actually think the Scenes From New York documentary and commentaries were quite weak. I mean, if you compare it to all the other commentaries that they did, I thought it was the least interesting. I mean, it was the first commentary they ever did, IIRC, so it makes sense that they found their stride and probably had time to contemplate more interesting stuff to talk about in the later commentaries that they did. But yeah, I enjoy listening to the commentaries on WDADRU, LIT, and 5YIALT a lot more than SFNY.

But with regards to this whole topic, I wouldn't consider commentaries to be "documentaries", so I wouldn't count them towards this whole thread.

[Cool Chris]

Live in Tokyo behind the scenes footage
- Ok but move of bunch of random home movie clips than a documentary

Five Years in a Livetime behind the scenes footage
- Ok but move of bunch of random home movie clips than a documentary

Riding the Train of Thought (from Budokan)
- Great video, well-produced, fun, focused, easily my top pick

The Score So Far...
- Pretty basic and dry, but I knew much about the band by this point so didn't find it very insightful

Making of Systematic Chaos
- Enjoyable watch, my #2

Behind the Chaos on the Road
- Don't recall ever seeing

I Can Remember When.. WDADU Documentary
- Alright

The Spirit Caries On (Drummer audition)
- Liked it at the time, but that was buoyed by my excitement that they weren't going to let MP's departure get in the way of them moving forward. The 'reality show' feel of it has soured on me though.
 
The Making of Train of Thought
- Never seen

[Mladen]

I went with the making of Systematic Chaos, that one is just too fun to handle. I also love Score, Chaos on tour and The Spirit carries on.

[TheGreatPretender]

I went with the making of Systematic Chaos, that one is just too fun to handle. I also love Score, Chaos on tour and The Spirit carries on.

Give yourself up to maaa-hay!

[Mladen]

I went with the making of Systematic Chaos, that one is just too fun to handle. I also love Score, Chaos on tour and The Spirit carries on.

Give yourself up to maaa-hay!

Everything was good except for the "give yourself" and the "me."

[TheGreatPretender]

Everything was good except for the "give yourself" and the "me."

Like a lot of people, when I first heard DT, I found James' voice to be quite jarring, and I was having a hard time digesting it. It was this documentary that first made me go, "This dude is pretty cool." And after that, I started listening to his singing a lot more favorably. And now, he's my favorite living singer.

[Herrick]

Which documentary has Petrucci playing Pull Me Under in a store and a dude says, "Is that Dream Theater?" then Petrucci immediately puts the guitar back and says, "Yes...yes it is."?

[TheGreatPretender]

Which documentary has Petrucci playing Pull Me Under in a store and a dude says, "Is that Dream Theater?" then Petrucci immediately puts the guitar back and says, "Yes...yes it is."?

The Budokan one. And yes, that was an excellent moment.

[Herrick]

Which documentary has Petrucci playing Pull Me Under in a store and a dude says, "Is that Dream Theater?" then Petrucci immediately puts the guitar back and says, "Yes...yes it is."?

The Budokan one. And yes, that was an excellent moment.

Damn. I've owned that DVD for many years but I didn't know there was a documentary on there too! I'll have to look for the DVD.

[The Walrus]

I've always liked the Score documentary more than the rest.

[Mladen]

Everything was good except for the "give yourself" and the "me."

Like a lot of people, when I first heard DT, I found James' voice to be quite jarring, and I was having a hard time digesting it. It was this documentary that first made me go, "This dude is pretty cool." And after that, I started listening to his singing a lot more favorably. And now, he's my favorite living singer.

I have to agree. When you hear his raw vocals while recording, isolated from the rest of the instrumentation, it hits you just how powerful his voice is.

[DT1138]

Making of SC for me, with the Tokyo backstage footage a close second.

JP (fails Forsaken solo)..."That sucked!".  Still makes me laugh 12 years later.   

[pg1067]

Not included in the poll, but I really love the audio commentaries for WDADRU and LSFNY as well.  The former would probably be my #1 and the latter would be my #2, pushing the drummer auditions to #3 if those had been included.

I'd rank LSFNY over WDADRu, but both are really, really good.  Solving the mystery....of JP's chicken francese...was a definite moment in DT history!

I actually think the Scenes From New York documentary and commentaries were quite weak. I mean, if you compare it to all the other commentaries that they did, I thought it was the least interesting. I mean, it was the first commentary they ever did, IIRC, so it makes sense that they found their stride and probably had time to contemplate more interesting stuff to talk about in the later commentaries that they did. But yeah, I enjoy listening to the commentaries on WDADRU, LIT, and 5YIALT a lot more than SFNY.

But with regards to this whole topic, I wouldn't consider commentaries to be "documentaries", so I wouldn't count them towards this whole thread.

When I first read this post last Friday, my first reaction was, "What are you talking about?  There are no commentaries on LIT and 5YIALT!"  Fortunately, my second reaction was, "Hmmm...are you sure about that?"

I bought LIT on VHS when it was released and then subsequently bought the 2-DVD package of LIT/5YIALT.  I've watched both discs a few time (probably the former more than the latter) and never once noticed the little blurb across the top of the DVD case that mentions the commentary tracks.  Nor had I ever clicked on the audio setup.

I put LIT on Saturday morning and clicked on "audio setup" and was practically giddy with excitement when I saw the audio commentary!  I watched LIT on Saturday and 5YIALT on Sunday.  The LIT commentary was pretty good; the 5YIALT commentary less so.  It seemed to start dragging about 2/3 of the way through.  It was a little awkward at times having JR comment on some of the KM and DS stuff.  At one point, they were almost bashing KM and DS, and it was interesting to hear MP's comment to the effect that, whereas JR "uses technology," KM and DS "let the technology use them."  All in all, pretty good stuff.

As far as commentaries, I'd still rank LSFNY at the top, followed by WDADRu, LIT and 5YIALT.  Is there a commentary track on Budokan?

[TheGreatPretender]

As far as commentaries, I'd still rank LSFNY at the top, followed by WDADRu, LIT and 5YIALT.  Is there a commentary track on Budokan?

They said on WDADRU that they'd be recording one, right? No, that never ended up happening, or, if they did record it, they never ended up putting it onto the release. Unfortunately.

[pg1067]

As far as commentaries, I'd still rank LSFNY at the top, followed by WDADRu, LIT and 5YIALT.  Is there a commentary track on Budokan?

They said on WDADRU that they'd be recording one, right? No, that never ended up happening, or, if they did record it, they never ended up putting it onto the release. Unfortunately.

The LIT and 5YIALT commentaries were recorded shortly before the Budokan show (I believe on 4/22 and 4/24/04), and they (MP) said during both of them that they'd be doing a commentary for the Budokan DVD.  Now that you've confirmed that they didn't, I seem to recall reading somewhere that they elected not to do so because they had put other "bonus" features on the DVD.  I think the WDADRu commentary was recorded later in the year (after the TOT tour was done in September 2004), and I can't remember if they mentioned anything about the Budokan DVD.

[TheGreatPretender]

The LIT and 5YIALT commentaries were recorded shortly before the Budokan show (I believe on 4/22 and 4/24/04), and they (MP) said during both of them that they'd be doing a commentary for the Budokan DVD.  Now that you've confirmed that they didn't, I seem to recall reading somewhere that they elected not to do so because they had put other "bonus" features on the DVD.  I think the WDADRu commentary was recorded later in the year (after the TOT tour was done in September 2004), and I can't remember if they mentioned anything about the Budokan DVD.

Right, okay. Yeah, I also remember hearing them say that, and then thoroughly perusing the Budokan DVD, desperately trying to find the commentary track. But yeah, it's not on there. Personally, I would've gladly given up the JP Guitar World, JR Keyboard World, and MP Drum Solo features for a commentary track. But since on the original DVD, those features were on the second disc, it's not like getting rid of them would've helped free up disc space in the main feature. And the entire Disc 1 of the main feature is over 7 gigabytes large, so it's a dual layer DVD, and one that's quite tightly packed, so yeah, seems like there was no real disc space to cram a commentary track, without sacrificing video quality.

[RandalGraves]

When I'm introducing people to Dream Theater (the band, as opposed to just the music), I usually throw on Riding the Train of Thought (from Budokan). It's fun, it's relatively short, and you get a good feel for the members of the band.

With that said, I'll usually throw on Mangini's drummer audition (just his parts) right after, just so they can get a taste of Mike.