C.R.A.Z.Y. Collector's Edition

It’s no surprise that the creators of the thoughtfully crafted C.R.A.Z.Y. have expended so much effort in creating the more than two hours of insightful special features. Based on the memoirs of François Boulay, this astounding cinematic bildungsroman is deeply affecting, leaving viewers emotionally spent by the tale of the second youngest of five Quebecois boys who struggles with his identity. As a series of special features demonstrate, heartening sentimentality and heavy despair were not confined to the plot alone. Three "making of” documentaries capture director Jean-Marc Vallée fighting a nervous breakdown in the early stages of C.R.A.Z.Y., where he struggles to balance his roles as the scriptwriter and director, and then the battles to become co-producer so he knows where the film’s cash is being spent. Producer Pierre Even discusses how smitten he became with the film’s vivid script and he compares Vallée’s uncompromising vision with that of Fellini or Kurosawa. He even discloses how heated his relationship with Vallée could become, recalling that he basically threatened the writer-director to make cuts to the script so that they could meet their six-and-a-half-million dollar budget. In the end, the two pulled an all-nighter together to trim the script a mere week before filming began, which explains Vallée’s sour mood during initial shots. Actor Marc-André Grondin talks of how thrilled he was to learn he got his part on Christmas Day (the birthday of his character, Zac) and, in a memorable sequence, he and Michel Côté are shown closely collaborating with Vallée on a pivotal scene. Early on, the cast and crew realised they were making history with C.R.A.Z.Y. and thankfully their creative process was extensively documented. Plus: Emile’s audition; visual effects; Filming in Morocco; deleted scenes.