Way Of The Morris

This DVD is a great example of what can be achieved on a low budget, with modest little features that nonetheless add a great deal to the experience of viewing the film.

The filmmakers' commentary is fascinating, full of anecdotes and explanations that there wasn't room to fit into the film itself, and one can easily find oneself watching the whole thing over again right away in order to listen to it. The Morris men's commentary isn't quite as professional (someone really should have been standing over them with a pig's bladder to silence that background chatter) so parts of it can be hard to follow, but it still has its moments and its inclusion ensures that this group is able to speak for itself rather than just being talked about by others.

Billy Bragg, who gives a handful of brief interviews in the film, pops up here with his theory of where the Morris originated, uncharacteristically unsure of himself. There's a Guardian featurette with director Tim Plester talking about the film at a festival where he's indulging his love of all things American and his childhood desire to become a cowboy. Two very different trailers feature some of the best photography in the film, and then there's an entertaining advert called A Clockwork Morris (and designed as you'd expect), made for an exhibition on Morris dancing whose creator ended up contributing to the film. All short but sweet, nicely complementing the film itself.