User Reviews

I am an avid viewer of movies on DVD. I prefer this medium over theatrical screenings. Certainly the ability to have repeat viewings is part of the draw. Though my main interest in the DVD medium lies in the bonus features that accompany the film. I have viewed hundreds of behind-the-scenes featurettes on both low budget and studio films. Needless to say, most featurettes are marked by the stale format of sit-down interviews juxtaposed with footage from the film. In these cookie cutter pieces, the responses of the on-camera talent sound canned. They feel over-editorialized. One gets the sense that these soundbites are hand-picked by publicists sitting over an editor's shoulder; commentary is often self- congratulatory in nature and simply praises the work of an actor or crew member. In that event, there is no depth or reality to the commentary. Audiences rarely get an in-depth discussion of the highs and lows of a production, or the creative choices that went into the development of a film. "Stalking Delirious" is a documentary showcased on the DVD release of Tom DiCillo's "Delirious" that does not settle for the tired conventions that audiences have grown to accept on DVD bonus features. The Producers of "Stalking Delirious" have given audiences a chance to take a journey with Filmmaker Tom DiCillo and Actor Steve Buscemi through a natural walk-and-talk exchange on the streets of Manhattan (in particular, the Meat Packing District) where a fair share of DiCillo's feature film "Delirious" was shot. DiCillo and Buscemi come off as living, breathing, everyday guys who don't always agree with one another and enjoy a good verbal sparring. Though they clearly enjoy their friendship and collaboration. The duo are not over- editorialized nor do their responses feel rehearsed in "Stalking Delirious." Audiences get a chance to see how these two collaborators share ideas on and off the set. We're privy to their approaches to character and story development and the disagreements that shaped the narrative throughout the film-making process. We get to see the real DiCillo and Buscemi and learn about how they met and their mantra for collaboration as young unknowns in a much grittier 1980s New York City. The Producers of "Stalking Delirious" have taken a very clever approach by shooting the documentary from the point of view of a paparazzo. This aesthetic choice naturally ties into the story and themes of DiCillo's "Delirious." As the piece is shot on the streets of Manhattan, anything can happen, and audiences are treated to a fun exchange between Buscemi and a real-life paparazzo. Throughout the documentary, there are several paparazzi that hound DiCillo and Buscemi for photos. "Stalking Delirious" has the richness and texture of a piece shot for television, rather than for a DVD bonus feature. It feels sophisticatedly produced and editorial has been used to add stylistic flourish rather than to create PR friendly soundbites. There are several great interstitial segments throughout the documentary that tie the piece to the paparazzo narrative throughline of "Delirious." These segments are very cinematic. They are shot in a dank darkroom setting, in which a faceless paparazzo develops pictures of DiCillo and Buscemi (taken during their on-the-street conversation). We are to assume that the faceless figure in the darkroom is the photog behind the camera snapping the pics of DiCillo and Buscemi on the street. The Producers cleverly use this darkroom setting to perform some very cool transitional work to and from the walk-and-talk; imagine a still photograph developing in a chemical bath in a darkroom and as the image achieves full saturation it morphs into the exact image on the streets of Manhattan with DiCillo and Buscemi as live film/video. There are several cool transitions in this style that gives the piece a very thought-out, high-end, richly-produced feel. These moments are truly uncommon for a DVD featurette. The piece is also peppered with a few images from the film "Delirious" (as both still images in the darkroom interstitial and as full-up video clips). These images and video comment on the points that DiCillo and Buscemi discuss. There are some excellent behind-the-scenes on-set moments as well, including an outtake of Buscemi going berserk on a club bouncer. Speaking of outtakes, watch "Stalking Delirious" until the end of the closing credits. There is a very funny outtake with Buscemi and Actor Michael Pitt to close out the documentary. To sum up, "Stalking Delirious" breaks the DVD bonus feature mold in form and content. It is a great compliment to the feature film "Delirious" and a great celebration of the multi-film collaboration between DiCillo and Buscemi. DiCillo notes on the film's commentary track that "Delirious" did not have a large budget. "Stalking Delirious" is produced so richly that one would believe it is a supporting featurette for a large budget studio film. "Stalking Delirious" has raised the bar on the DVD bonus feature.