Re-watching one of your favorite films - does it ever seem like a whole new movie?
08-29-03, 04:57 PM
#1
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 3,818
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re-watching one of your favorite films - does it ever seem like a whole new movie?
I've seen The Fellowship of the Ring many times. I saw it three times in the theater, about three more times after buying the theatrical cut last August, and at least five more times since I got the EE. I've always loved the movie very much, but it never seemed like a great movie. However, I watched it again today and something clicked. I can't really put my finger on it, but something felt different. I found myself deeply moved where I hadn't been in the past. Boromir's parting words almost made me cry, as did Gandolf's death. These parts have never had that effect on me. Similarly, many other scenes, such as Lothlorian and Rivendell, seemed much more poignant and meaningful than they ever have. I found myself empathizing with the thoughts and fears of the characters more than ever; the scene where Boromir tries to take the ring actually felt disturbing. Overall, the movie just seemed like a totally different experience, and now I love it even more.
So what's different? Has it just taken me this long to see how great this movie really is? Or maybe I'm just overly emotional today, I don't know.
So what's different? Has it just taken me this long to see how great this movie really is? Or maybe I'm just overly emotional today, I don't know.
08-29-03, 05:30 PM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
I enjoyed FOTR much better the second time I watched it as well. I dont know maybe just sitting so long in the theatre got to me, or whatever. I am hoping the same thing happens with TTT, because I really didnt enjoy it that much, but I also watched it at a midnight showing so I think the same may happen again.
08-30-03, 12:29 AM
#3
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 5,919
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think there are many aspects of dvd that can make a familiar movie seem like something totally new.
My first experience with this was probably when Blue Velvet was first released on dvd. Blue Velvet was a film I had seen about 50 times on vhs. I visually knew the movie very well. I had never seen it in widescreen before (I had only seen it on my vhs). When the first dvd was released and I saw it in widescreen for the first time, it was like I didn't know this movie at all and was seeing it for the first time. Just a great example of how important Lynch's compositions are.
Also, one of my favorite ways of re-experiencing a familiar movie as something fresh is isolated music tracks. I wish more dvds had this as an option. It can turn a movie you know by heart into something totally new.
My first experience with this was probably when Blue Velvet was first released on dvd. Blue Velvet was a film I had seen about 50 times on vhs. I visually knew the movie very well. I had never seen it in widescreen before (I had only seen it on my vhs). When the first dvd was released and I saw it in widescreen for the first time, it was like I didn't know this movie at all and was seeing it for the first time. Just a great example of how important Lynch's compositions are.
Also, one of my favorite ways of re-experiencing a familiar movie as something fresh is isolated music tracks. I wish more dvds had this as an option. It can turn a movie you know by heart into something totally new.
08-30-03, 12:54 AM
#4
New Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Unfortunately, yes. I was obsessed with American History X for a long time. I would watch it on Starz all the time. A few years passed without watching it, in which time I developed better taste. Then I bought it on DVD, watched it, and realized that it's not actually a great film.
08-30-03, 01:09 AM
#5
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Weird New Jersey
Posts: 8,493
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think that once you see a movie many times you get to know it.
I compare it to being in the driver's seat of a car driving somewhere. Being the driver is like seeing the movie a few times and paying attention to the storyline/roads.
Once you're familiar with the movie you become the passenger and don't have to keep your eyes on the road and you start noticing other things.
Once you become so familiar with the story you are able to focus on other aspects and maybe see things you overlooked on past viewings because your attention was drawn elsewhere.
I'm stoopid.
I compare it to being in the driver's seat of a car driving somewhere. Being the driver is like seeing the movie a few times and paying attention to the storyline/roads.
Once you're familiar with the movie you become the passenger and don't have to keep your eyes on the road and you start noticing other things.
Once you become so familiar with the story you are able to focus on other aspects and maybe see things you overlooked on past viewings because your attention was drawn elsewhere.
I'm stoopid.
08-30-03, 04:13 AM
#7
Senior Member
Re: Re-watching one of your favorite films - does it ever seem like a whole new movie?
Originally posted by caiman However, I watched it again today and something clicked. I can't really put my finger on it, but something felt different. I found myself deeply moved where I hadn't been in the past. Boromir's parting words almost made me cry, as did Gandolf's death. These parts have never had that effect on me. Similarly, many other scenes, such as Lothlorian and Rivendell, seemed much more poignant and meaningful than they ever have. I found myself empathizing with the thoughts and fears of the characters more than ever; the scene where Boromir tries to take the ring actually felt disturbing. Overall, the movie just seemed like a totally different experience
I'm kidding, I'm kidding. This happened to me with the The Matrix. I saw it twice and really enjoyed the action, fighting, etc. The third time I saw it everything in the story clicked. All of the subtle clues and foreshadowing suddenly stood out. I've loved the movie ever since.
BTW, love you're signature.
08-30-03, 01:06 PM
#8
Originally posted by Samuel
I think that once you see a movie many times you get to know it.
I compare it to being in the driver's seat of a car driving somewhere. Being the driver is like seeing the movie a few times and paying attention to the storyline/roads.
Once you're familiar with the movie you become the passenger and don't have to keep your eyes on the road and you start noticing other things.
Once you become so familiar with the story you are able to focus on other aspects and maybe see things you overlooked on past viewings because your attention was drawn elsewhere.
I'm stoopid.
I think that once you see a movie many times you get to know it.
I compare it to being in the driver's seat of a car driving somewhere. Being the driver is like seeing the movie a few times and paying attention to the storyline/roads.
Once you're familiar with the movie you become the passenger and don't have to keep your eyes on the road and you start noticing other things.
Once you become so familiar with the story you are able to focus on other aspects and maybe see things you overlooked on past viewings because your attention was drawn elsewhere.
I'm stoopid.
Yeah, that's not stupid, that makes complete sense. I know I have movies I've seen several times and I notice the small details that I always over looked in the past. You start to pay attention to things other than the main action in the center of the screen and you notice a lot of stuff. One such movie for me is Ghost World. There is quite a bit of detail the director put in there to reward a repeat viewer. And I think that's the way it is with many movies we watch again, and that's one reason there is a rewatch value in them, because they are so layered and detailed.
Once in a while I will watch a movie that moves me in a particular way that it didn't the first time I saw it. Spider Man is a recent example. Maybe it's because I was paying more attention to the details and such, but things like Uncle Ben's death and some of the finer moments of the movie touched me in a way that never touched me before when I saw it.
08-31-03, 08:56 AM
#9
Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fantastic, I highly recommend you give TTT a second shot, because what you described (hoping a second time makes you like it more) is the exact same thing that happened to me today when I watched the film for a second time.
On the initial viewing of TTT in theaters, I liked the film, but felt a certain sense of disappointment with it. My hopes had been ridiculously high for it after seeing what in my eyes may be one of the greatest trailers of all time (its on the dvd, and the footage along with the Requiem music almost brings me to tears for some reason). With those high expectations, I was pissed off at some things...I was hoping they would use the Requiem music during the Helm's Deep battle, which they did not. I was upset about the music (felt it needed to be more dramatic, when the composer felt it needed to be more subtle), I felt that some of the characters just popped out of nowhere (Faromir), and I started to squirm in the theater. I was also seated in the second row, which sucks.
But then I watched the film today, and it was so completely different, fulfilling. I actually sat back and tried to let the film wash over me if that makes any sense. Just looking at the beauty of the images, and knowing what to expect in terms of score and storyline, I was able to digest it more. The battle of helm's deep, which I had not been overwhelmed by previously because of my stupid music gripe, became very powerful to me. When Gandalf rides his white horse into the battle...I almost lost it, it was so good.
The second time also, it is easy to follow the characters. The first time, Faromir and the banished nephew of the King seemed quite similar to me for some reason. Now, I could separate them. I assume that the extended version will bring even further development to these characters.
Even the Tree Ents portions of the movie, which I had despised the first time, entertained.
Just a complete turnaround. It made me feel.
On the initial viewing of TTT in theaters, I liked the film, but felt a certain sense of disappointment with it. My hopes had been ridiculously high for it after seeing what in my eyes may be one of the greatest trailers of all time (its on the dvd, and the footage along with the Requiem music almost brings me to tears for some reason). With those high expectations, I was pissed off at some things...I was hoping they would use the Requiem music during the Helm's Deep battle, which they did not. I was upset about the music (felt it needed to be more dramatic, when the composer felt it needed to be more subtle), I felt that some of the characters just popped out of nowhere (Faromir), and I started to squirm in the theater. I was also seated in the second row, which sucks.
But then I watched the film today, and it was so completely different, fulfilling. I actually sat back and tried to let the film wash over me if that makes any sense. Just looking at the beauty of the images, and knowing what to expect in terms of score and storyline, I was able to digest it more. The battle of helm's deep, which I had not been overwhelmed by previously because of my stupid music gripe, became very powerful to me. When Gandalf rides his white horse into the battle...I almost lost it, it was so good.
The second time also, it is easy to follow the characters. The first time, Faromir and the banished nephew of the King seemed quite similar to me for some reason. Now, I could separate them. I assume that the extended version will bring even further development to these characters.
Even the Tree Ents portions of the movie, which I had despised the first time, entertained.
Just a complete turnaround. It made me feel.
08-31-03, 03:22 PM
#10
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 3,818
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by SteveyP93
Fantastic, I highly recommend you give TTT a second shot, because what you described (hoping a second time makes you like it more) is the exact same thing that happened to me today when I watched the film for a second time.
On the initial viewing of TTT in theaters, I liked the film, but felt a certain sense of disappointment with it. My hopes had been ridiculously high for it after seeing what in my eyes may be one of the greatest trailers of all time (its on the dvd, and the footage along with the Requiem music almost brings me to tears for some reason). With those high expectations, I was pissed off at some things...I was hoping they would use the Requiem music during the Helm's Deep battle, which they did not. I was upset about the music (felt it needed to be more dramatic, when the composer felt it needed to be more subtle), I felt that some of the characters just popped out of nowhere (Faromir), and I started to squirm in the theater. I was also seated in the second row, which sucks.
But then I watched the film today, and it was so completely different, fulfilling. I actually sat back and tried to let the film wash over me if that makes any sense. Just looking at the beauty of the images, and knowing what to expect in terms of score and storyline, I was able to digest it more. The battle of helm's deep, which I had not been overwhelmed by previously because of my stupid music gripe, became very powerful to me. When Gandalf rides his white horse into the battle...I almost lost it, it was so good.
The second time also, it is easy to follow the characters. The first time, Faromir and the banished nephew of the King seemed quite similar to me for some reason. Now, I could separate them. I assume that the extended version will bring even further development to these characters.
Even the Tree Ents portions of the movie, which I had despised the first time, entertained.
Just a complete turnaround. It made me feel.
Fantastic, I highly recommend you give TTT a second shot, because what you described (hoping a second time makes you like it more) is the exact same thing that happened to me today when I watched the film for a second time.
On the initial viewing of TTT in theaters, I liked the film, but felt a certain sense of disappointment with it. My hopes had been ridiculously high for it after seeing what in my eyes may be one of the greatest trailers of all time (its on the dvd, and the footage along with the Requiem music almost brings me to tears for some reason). With those high expectations, I was pissed off at some things...I was hoping they would use the Requiem music during the Helm's Deep battle, which they did not. I was upset about the music (felt it needed to be more dramatic, when the composer felt it needed to be more subtle), I felt that some of the characters just popped out of nowhere (Faromir), and I started to squirm in the theater. I was also seated in the second row, which sucks.
But then I watched the film today, and it was so completely different, fulfilling. I actually sat back and tried to let the film wash over me if that makes any sense. Just looking at the beauty of the images, and knowing what to expect in terms of score and storyline, I was able to digest it more. The battle of helm's deep, which I had not been overwhelmed by previously because of my stupid music gripe, became very powerful to me. When Gandalf rides his white horse into the battle...I almost lost it, it was so good.
The second time also, it is easy to follow the characters. The first time, Faromir and the banished nephew of the King seemed quite similar to me for some reason. Now, I could separate them. I assume that the extended version will bring even further development to these characters.
Even the Tree Ents portions of the movie, which I had despised the first time, entertained.
Just a complete turnaround. It made me feel.
These movies are absolutely brilliant.
08-31-03, 07:13 PM
#11
DVD Talk Legend
Well I am going to give it another shot, because I really enjoyed the FOTR. I think what got me with TTT was the fact I saw it so late after a long day and well the fact that seeing a movie in the theatres now a days can ruin anyones mood.
09-01-03, 08:01 PM
#12
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: The Living Room on the Couch
Posts: 4,935
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Samuel
I think that once you see a movie many times you get to know it.
I compare it to being in the driver's seat of a car driving somewhere. Being the driver is like seeing the movie a few times and paying attention to the storyline/roads.
Once you're familiar with the movie you become the passenger and don't have to keep your eyes on the road and you start noticing other things.
Once you become so familiar with the story you are able to focus on other aspects and maybe see things you overlooked on past viewings because your attention was drawn elsewhere.
I think that once you see a movie many times you get to know it.
I compare it to being in the driver's seat of a car driving somewhere. Being the driver is like seeing the movie a few times and paying attention to the storyline/roads.
Once you're familiar with the movie you become the passenger and don't have to keep your eyes on the road and you start noticing other things.
Once you become so familiar with the story you are able to focus on other aspects and maybe see things you overlooked on past viewings because your attention was drawn elsewhere.
