How Many Times Does a Movie Need Watching?
Dec 4, 2006
We're still in Florida, weary by evening, watching my beloved mother-in-law grow more and more frail. To restore us, the hotel has a pool. And we buy newspapers. And we're reading good books. And then there are the movies, about 40 of them, that we can watch on our hotel TV.
Doing some Internet research on "Little Miss Sunshine," before we dropped the $7.99 for it, I found this quote from online film critic Eric D. Snider: "It's good for some laughs, but I don't see it holding up to multiple viewings."
Huh? I only want to watch it once, maybe tonight. I'm one of those oddballs who can't think of more than a handful of movies I've ever seen that are worth "multiple viewings." Here's my mini list:
"Peter Pan," the original with Mary Martin
"Wizard of Oz"
"A Thousand Clowns"
"The Big Chill"
"Raiders of the Lost Ark"
And I don't watch any of these several times a year. My longing kicks in maybe once every five years. Which is why I'm bewildered by people who buy movie after movie after movie, multiple movies for multiple viewings.
I'd rather forget most of the movie and be surprised and delighted to be reminded again how much I love it. And I'd just as soon get it from Netflix than actually own it.
Clearly, however, the DVD industry -- and didn't I just read DVDs are heading for oblivion? -- is built on the conviction that most people want to own their favorites and watch them over and over and over on a whim. Which is why it's good for the US economy that not everybody is like me.
Comment by JGolden | Dec 4, 2006 9:56:38 AM
Okay, I'll admit it - I've seen The Sound of Music 67 times. My daughter finally bought me a copy, because she couldn't stand going to the video store with me any more to rent it.
My dear husband and I can recite lines verbatim from The American President, Men in Black, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, Waiting for Guffman and maybe half a dozen other movies we watch over and over again. That's part of the fun for us is seeing how close we can get to the actual dialogue.
A good movie is like chocolate - no matter how often I eat it, I'm always left wanting more.
Comment by Denise | Dec 4, 2006 10:23:36 AM
I can only watch certain movies more than once. A classic that I watch whenever it is on TV (and it is on A LOT) is the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Most of the other movies are too embarrassing to mention! However, every year around Christmas I must watch National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. I am sure many people have holiday movies they watch every year...
Comment by doug s | Dec 4, 2006 10:47:41 AM
i to love to watch certain movies many times. i believe it falls under the same catagory as music. most of us have countless songs we want to hear over and over. certain movies give me that, feel good, feeling that music does. the same theory that makes hoaky christmas music enjoyable once a year. (only the week or two before christmas though)
Comment by Jodee | Dec 4, 2006 11:56:26 AM
I don't understand buying a movie either although I own one, "The Sound of Music." (It was a gift.) And it somehow lost some magic when it was right here for me, instead of me having to wait for it to be on TV once/year.
My son (age 14) always puts movies on his Christmas list (although, come to think of it, I didn't see any on this year's list) but he doesn't even watch them that many times.
Sometimes, I'll watch a movie again because I want someone else to see it, but last time that happened, it wasn't what I imagined at all. I wanted my son to see "Bull Durham," because I'm always hollering out lines from it while we're at baseball games. (The one from the pitcher's mound meeting where they're deciding on a wedding present comes in handy a lot.) But when we Tivo'd it, the TV version didn't have that line in it! (Crash's dreamy "I believe ..." speech was still intact, thank God.)
Comment by John | Dec 4, 2006 11:57:23 AM
I am eager to watch many movies again, to see what I've missed. Plus, I'd MUCH rather have a pause button on something I can watch when I want, rather than just sit back and catch something on TV.
Might be another way to subdivide the population, I've called it 'active' versus 'passive' viewing.
For years, I've been reminding people that every milli-second on-screen is worth paying attention to...simply because SO much ends up on the cutting room floor in order to fit that short duration most film critics seem to comfortably sit.
Yeah, I know, the general population too, but it just makes me crazy to read a review and have someone harp on how long it ran instead of whether the director could convey a compelling story or not.
My contention is that MOST of the population misses MOST of the subtleties of EVERY good movie they watch. That is a shame, too, given how most of Hollywood pursues their craft.
So, yeah, I'd say a reviewing of at least the movies that intrigue you is recommended!!
How many BOOKS do you re-read?!
Comment by Phil | Dec 4, 2006 12:36:51 PM
I'm with John on this one. Not many people realize the blood sweat and tears that go into making a movie. Little things in the background, the color of a costume or set, lighting, etc. change your perception of a character and the movie without you realizing it. Maybe I go too far sometimes, but a good movie is worth watching many times simply to catch what you may have missed the first time. I did see "Little Miss Sunshine" twice, and saw alot that I missed the first time around - and, I will probably buy the DVD when it goes on sale a month after it is released.
That is the beauty of a DVD to own, you can watch all the extras, comments, deleted scenes, etc.
The other type of film I like to see again is the ones I am dissappointed in (not the ones I hate). Sometimes I'll watch a movie with certain expectations and on a second viewing I'll like it much better.
Comment by Rox | Dec 4, 2006 1:25:43 PM
I do like to watch some movies over and over again--movies like The Princess Bride, The Sound of Music, Bull Durham, Chocolat, The Whales of August, Driving Miss Daisy, Finding Forrester, to name a few. It is like re-reading a favorite book (which I do quite often or at least re-read favorite passages). I always notice something different or enjoy hearing favorite lines again when I re-watch a favorite movie. Granted, there many movies made now that do not even merit a single viewing, let alone several. So when I find a gem of a movie, it's fun to see it again. (Play it again, Sam)
Comment by Ann | Dec 4, 2006 3:55:28 PM
I'm sorry - I am guilty of the pleasure of multiple viewing - However I'm with Jodee - owning any movie takes away the magic. My multiple viewing movie pleasures are:
Wizard of Oz (You can have Margaret Hamilton and the whole I'll get you my pretty - those flying monkeys still give me the heebee jeebees)
Grease!
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Christmas Vacation - but none of the other vacation movies
Christmas Story
Tommy Boy
Gone With the Wind (but it's a long one so I haven't seen it too often)
-
Comment by Roseq | Dec 4, 2006 5:57:59 PM
Add "Willow," "Princess Bride," and the "Back the Future" series to your abbreviated list, and you will have mine (LOL).
Owning certain movies can be worthwhile. My older kids had never seen a black-and-white movie in their lives until I made them sit down and watch "It's A Wonderful Life," which I'd received on VHS as a gift. At first, neither could fathom enjoying a movie that wasn't in color, but they were soon enthralled by the story. That happened well over a decade ago, and watching this classic around Christmastime has since become their tradition.
Otherwise, we don't think about watching the movies in our collection until one is being shown on commercial TV, and then it's like, "why are we putting up with shoddy editing and interminable ads when we have this on tape/disc?!" We don't subcribe to movie channels, so when in the mood to watch TV, we are stuck with whatever is on basic cable. What drives us crazy are the stations that show the same film half-a-dozen times over a weekend or two. Who in their right mind needs to see "Chamber of Secrets" or "A Few Good Men" that many times in one human lifespan, much less in a 36-hour period?!
Comment by Karen | Dec 4, 2006 6:13:46 PM
What?! No, "It's A Wonderful Life" at Christmastime? I love it!
For the rest of the year:
To Kill A Mockingbird, While You Were Sleeping, The Wizard of Oz, Steel Magnolias, Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade (Not Temple of Doom-Yuck!), Ghostbusters (first only), Fried Green Tomatoes, Young Frankenstein (and "Old" Frankenstein for that matter),The Shawshank Redemption, The Big Chill (and the music to go with it!), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Dances With Wolves, Funny Girl, Bringing Up Baby,When Harry Met Sally, The Bishop's Wife, and I also admit to Pirates of the Carribbean and
The Pink Panther movies with Peter Sellers. There are so many more. All too often the old movies are better than the new ones.
Enjoy the warm weather, Susan. It's cold and snowy here! Take care coming home to Michigan.
Comment by Pat Johnson | Dec 4, 2006 10:38:24 PM
There is only one movie anyone needs to see more than once. It will answer ALL of life's questions. Leave the Gun, take the canolli...Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday.. .go to the matresses. If you don't know these lines, you are NOT a movie buff. MAYBE Jaws would be a movie worth seeing more than once for it's entertainment value. But the "Godfather" is BOSS!!!
Comment by Frank | Dec 4, 2006 11:52:18 PM
OK...I will admit it...I love the movie ICE CASTLES from 1977...also ABOUT LAST NIGHT FROM 1985....Rob Lowe and Demi Moore..
My wife and I had the theme song from Ice Castles as our wedding song...
THROUGH THE EYES OF LOVE
Please don't let this feeling end
It's everything I am
And I want to rememeber it
Through the eyes of love...
Not very macho I know....
Frank
Comment by Diane | Dec 5, 2006 12:08:15 AM
We just watched "It's a Wonderful Life" which we watch every Christmas season along with Christmas Carol. my daughters and I enjoy watching 'While you were Sleeping' at least once a yeat together. My husband and I have watch 'Father of the Bride '1 and 2 many times and my husband is a big fan of the Godfather movies.When my daughters were younger they watched "Princess Bride" so many times that they had all the words memorized. Some movies you need to see at least twice and some movies aren't worth watching the first time around.
Comment by Susan H | Dec 5, 2006 7:35:53 AM
When we vacation up north in Harrisville, MI, we get movies from the Alcona Library. You can take out four at a time, free of charge. This way, the whole family can watch the great oldies and the wonderful new ones, too. I just love the old Danny Kaye and Shirley Temple movies. I also love catching up on the new movies that I've not had time to see.
I hope your mother-in-law feels better now that you and your husband are with her.
Comment by Marie S | Dec 5, 2006 8:02:24 AM
I buy DVD's. Not necessarily for multiple viewing, although there are some I watch more than once. My husband and I do not subscribe to cable tv. We don't have the time or the energy to watch enough of it to pay the outrageous price. We also don't go out to the movies. I think I have seen 3 in the theatre in the last 15 years. But, we do enjoy a good movie. So we wait for it to come out on DVD and pick it up at Costco or Target. If you wait long enough; they are $9.99 on the endcaps at Target. Even a first run movie is usually only $22.99 at Costco. That's almost cheaper than the theatre, and definitely is if you add the popcorn. Once we've purchased it we can watch half, then get the other half another night. We can loan it out to family or watch it again.
What would I watch again....
Pretty Woman, Independence Day, Air Force One, Sound of Music, Wizard of Oz, Toy Story, Sneakers, (Almost anything with Robert Redford, sigh), Gone with the Wind, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, I guess there are quite a few!
Comment by E. Oliver | Dec 5, 2006 8:55:21 AM
I rarely watch movies, but below is a list of some I have seen multiple times:
Pretty Woman
Witness
The Longest Day
The Big Country
White Christmas
Comment by tk | Dec 5, 2006 9:55:17 AM
Sometimes you have to watch movies more than one time to really understand them. It took me 3 times to watch Groundhog's Day before I even liked it, now I have seen it over 20 times. Coming to America is another movie which I will watch every time I am flipping through the channels and see it is on. Christmas Vacation, Caddyshack, Blazing Saddles, Pretty Woman, Tombstone, Gladiator, Runaway Jury, The Matrix, Ray, Rocky (1-5),Wedding Crashers, Old School, are all movies I will continue to watch whenever they are on. Television give you the option of scipping in between scenes of movies to see only the "good" scenes. I have easily been watching three movies on television at the same time, all of which I had scene before. Granted, this is not something I do in the middle of the day, but on cold days or just comfortable ones, I tend to sit in front of the telivision for three hours and watch three movies.
Comment by DeeBone Dawg | Dec 5, 2006 11:29:12 AM
Are you kidding? It's all about watching a favorite movie multiple times. I have too many to list, but I can tell you everytime I begin to think you can't fight city hall, I rewatch "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."
I agree with the idea that you will listen to music multiple times or re-read a book...so a movie is all that different?
Comment by Mike | Dec 5, 2006 11:51:22 AM
I can't believe nobody's mentioned the most obvious of the movies that beg to be watched multiple times: the "Star Wars" series! I've seen each of the original 3 at least 20 times (although not in a year or so), and of the new trilogy, I saw each of those twice IN THE THEATRE, and a couple more times each on DVD.
I have a large DVD collection (over 150 at last count), and I will admit that there is no "need" for me to own most of them, as I will see a title and say "Oh, that's a great movie, I need to own it!!", and then I'll watch it once when I buy it, and then probably never again (not for a while anyways). But, somehow, it makes me feel good to know that anytime I get the urge, I have the ability to pop any of those movies in and get my fix. And really, at 5-10 bucks each, on average, I don't feel like it's money that's wasted. I'll always have something to watch!!
Comment by chris hamm | Dec 5, 2006 11:55:26 AM
I own hundreds of movies. Some I've watched dozens of times and some I've never watched. But when you have out-of-town visiters and nothing to do, you can always say,"What's your favorite movie?" and pull it out and watch it. It's kind of hard for netflix to get you the movie that night...
Comment by Ann | Dec 5, 2006 12:49:18 PM
Frank ya old softy!
And I cannot believe I forgot McLintock! with John Wayne.
Comment by Jan | Dec 5, 2006 2:28:06 PM
Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
I just love the scene when Ferris' sister runs up the stairs when she spots the principal in her house! That whole part is great. What's not to like?
I like to watch that once a year, even though I am 16 years past high school now.
Comment by Marie S | Dec 5, 2006 3:27:04 PM
I have been thinking about re-watching a movie. Or watching a movie many times over. I think part of it is that you know what to expect. You know you enjoyed it the first time and that it made you feel a certain way.
I also like to be entertained and/or laugh a little/cry a little when I watch a movie. So those are the types of movies I gravitate to. That does cut me off from several genre of movies.
So I rewatch the ones I really like. And a lot of you are right. I see things I missed the first time. What does the Speak and Spell say on toy story? I completely missed that the first time. How about the scene in the cave, with the coins on Pirates of the Caribbean? I had to rewatch that one to understand the sequence and what it meant.
My free time is very precious and I will sometimes rewatch a favorite movie knowing what I am going to get; rather than take a chance on an unknown one!
Comment by EX-TROLL | Dec 5, 2006 4:03:41 PM
It's usually years between viewings but these are a few I'd watch again:
One flew over the couckcoo's's nest
Monty Pythons Holy Grail and Life of Brian
Pink Floyds The Wall (most others with music)
Pride of the Yankees Brian's Song
Slapshot (most sports movies) Caddyshack
Strangebrew (most movies about drinking beer)
I guess any movie that left some good memories or emotions would be worth a rewatch.
Comment by Frank | Dec 5, 2006 10:14:45 PM
Hey Jan,
Did you know the principal in Ferris Buellers Day Off turned out to be a child sexual predator? He was arrested about 2 years ago.
Still a great movie......1986 I believe.
Frank
Comment by Kathy W. | Dec 5, 2006 10:15:30 PM
I once tried to make a list of ten movies I'd have if I was stranded on an island, but it ended up more like 13:
Musicals - the classics - My Fair Lady, King & I, Sound of Music, Music Man, oh, and Saturday Night Fever.
And one of my favorites - Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. I'd watch it just to see Charles Durning sing and dance the Sidestep.
The Birdcage
Throw Momma From the Train
Toy Story
Back to the Future
Big Fish (I once recommended it to a friend and she said she couldn't even watch it all the way through. For some reason, I loved the fantasy, the metaphor of coming of age, and the storytelling).
And my top three would probably be:
A Christmas Story - the only movie that I can recite lines from
Man From Snowy River - horses, cowboys, great music and breathtaking scenery - what more could you ask for?
And No. 1: The King of Hearts (1966) with Alan Bates and Genevieve Bujold. Sort of a cult classic of early 70's. I make all my friends watch it. Forty years later, it again holds special meaning about war.
Comment by Frank | Dec 5, 2006 10:20:39 PM
P.S.
HOOSIERS FROM 1986.
GENE HACKMAN AT HIS BEST AS COACH OF HICKORY HIGH
Frank
Comment by barb d | Dec 5, 2006 10:37:38 PM
The only movie I have seen more than once is "Gone with the Wind". Perhaps 3 or 4 times in my lifetime. The same with the novel--I probably read it every 15 years or so. There is something comforting about the repetition, but there are always new things to experience--so many books (movies), so little time.
Comment by E. Oliver | Dec 5, 2006 11:14:03 PM
A movie I forgot to list earlier, and which I just watched again - Anatomy of a Murder
Comment by John | Dec 6, 2006 11:02:01 AM
We could do a psychiatric analysis, sort of a celluloid rorschach test, of those who view one certain movie ad nauseum.
I'm a wee concerned with our Godfather lover...I'd put them close with the Matrix devotees...if only so then I could be FAR from them. Heh.
Time to go watch Pay It Forward for the thousandth time...
Comment by John | Dec 6, 2006 11:07:15 AM
OK...cellulo-digital...
Comment by Mary | Dec 6, 2006 12:01:42 PM
Tremors, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Burb's, Tender Mercies, just to add to the mix.
Comment by Ellen | Dec 6, 2006 3:44:01 PM
Been off-line for a few days and boy! did I ever miss it. Have to comment on this topic.
A few of my favorite movies are The American President and When Harry Met Sally, both of which have been mentioned. Another favorite is Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. But the first time ever saw that was at The Barn Thester in Augusta and as I remember it, it seemed as good as the movie. I totally agree with Kathy W. about Charles Durning doing the Sidestep
Probably my most favorite - I can't even think of the title at the moment. It is the Kevin Costner, Sean Young, Gene Hackman movie about the Russian spy in the U.S. Navy. Had to watch it about three times to "get" it. But every time it's on TV I watch it still!
And, would you believe, I am one of the possibly 100 people in the world who have never seen any of the Star Wars movies - or Indiana Jones either. Just not my prefrence as far a genre.
Comment by Jeff W | Dec 6, 2006 5:00:13 PM
Another Christmas time movie of recent vintage that is worthy of multiple viewings:
Love Actually
Comment by Jan | Dec 6, 2006 7:51:53 PM
Ellen:
I don't know what it is about the pecan pie in When Harry Met Sally, but when Sally was walking with Harry at some point, they took turns saying "Pecan Pie". I have no idea why. But my mom and I will occasionally break out into "peeecann Piieee..." interpretations of their lines. I don't know why that stuck with us. But it's funny!
Comment by a Mom | Dec 8, 2006 9:33:44 AM
I don't watch many movies over but to add to the list: Dirty Dancing - I love the music and the dancing. Makes me wish I was younger and once again living in the time when summer seemed to go on forever.
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