A much better, much-abbreviated version of this documentary appears as "The Song of the Mockingbird" on the "special 35th Anniversary commemorative edition" VHS tape I have. Interestingly, this appears on the tape AFTER the movie itself, which, before the advent of DVDs, was an idea I liked.
I have to agree with other "complainers" that the full-treatment documentary on the DVD, "Fearful Symmetry," is just too long and rambling, and really doesn't "capture" anything about the making of TKAM that wasn't captured in the VHS version. One thing of note I learned from the DVD version (SPOILER ALERT!!!): Philip Alford and Mary Badham evidently did not get along during filming, and so -- sure, just what you'd expect from a 13-year-old boy -- Phillip tried to kill 9-year-old Mary in the rolling-tire scene.
But my chief complaint, not mentioned in the other comments: The female narrator, evidently attempting the Kim Stanley style of TKAM's narration, is pretty darn annoying. The shorter VHS documentary doesn't include this bit of pretentiousness.
All in all, however, what can we do? Since the abbreviated "Song of the Mockingbird" from the VHS is not going to be available, we have to settle for "Fearful Symmetry" (questionable title). I'm just glad I can forego purchasing the two-disk special-edition DVD (where the commentary track has its problems as well), being happy with the VHS.
I have to agree with other "complainers" that the full-treatment documentary on the DVD, "Fearful Symmetry," is just too long and rambling, and really doesn't "capture" anything about the making of TKAM that wasn't captured in the VHS version. One thing of note I learned from the DVD version (SPOILER ALERT!!!): Philip Alford and Mary Badham evidently did not get along during filming, and so -- sure, just what you'd expect from a 13-year-old boy -- Phillip tried to kill 9-year-old Mary in the rolling-tire scene.
But my chief complaint, not mentioned in the other comments: The female narrator, evidently attempting the Kim Stanley style of TKAM's narration, is pretty darn annoying. The shorter VHS documentary doesn't include this bit of pretentiousness.
All in all, however, what can we do? Since the abbreviated "Song of the Mockingbird" from the VHS is not going to be available, we have to settle for "Fearful Symmetry" (questionable title). I'm just glad I can forego purchasing the two-disk special-edition DVD (where the commentary track has its problems as well), being happy with the VHS.