Rewatching movies controversy

[Lemonwurst]

I like rewatching movies, I always notice things that I didn’t see the first time around. I also enjoy the anticipation of seeing my favorite scenes again.

My partner (who is normally right in sync with me on everything) totally disagrees. If she’s seen a movie before, she never wants to see it again, full stop. She says, what’s the point if you already know what’s going to happen?

So, what say you all? Again and again, or never again?

[Tetrachloride]

1. I watch certain movies a few times a year.

one of them has to be 100

[Walleye]

2. If the movie is really well done I like to watch it again for the technique and editing

Also the writing and the cinematography. There are many things that make a movie besides the story

[barbtries]

3. i watch movies over and over.

my mother, never. when i was growing up she might turn on a movie and a few minutes into it she'd say, "oh I saw this," and it didn't matter if the rest of the family was sitting there watching it, the channel was changed.

I have like movies that I watch when I can't find anything else I feel like looking at. couldn't even tell you how often I have watched these movies.

[NCIndie]

4. I have a slate of about 25 movies I watch every year

I spend the summer far away from fast internet and movie theaters. Just me and my BlueRay player.

[Mr.Bill]

5. I watch a lot of movies more than once.

I'm sure I have watched American Graffiti over 50 times.

[wnylib]

22. Have you seen the sequel, with the same characters?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_American_Graffiti

[Mr.Bill]

23. Yes, I have. Many times for that one also.

You see, I lived that cruising Main Street life, only ten years after the time period of the original movie, so I feel very much at home with the setting. And since George Lucas also lived it, it's incredibly accurate. The John Milner racing scenes in the sequel were filmed at the old Fremont Drag Strip where I did a little racing mysef in the early 70s. They used a real drag racing announcer in the movie as well as the guy in charge of the starting line. They weren't actors, they were the real thing.

[wnylib]

25. I didn't watch drag races back then, but

during the 60s, I did experience cruising up and down the main street of my hometown to meet up with friends or meet new people. My hometown is on Lake Erie, so we used to go down the main street to the public dock, then around the dock and back up the main street a few blocks, back down to the dock again, etc. There were restaurants just before the dock on both sides of the street with places to park if we wanted to stop and chat. A summertime activity only.

[Xipe Totec]

6. Watch Memento. I dare you to figure it out on the first viewing.

I have two copies of the movie in my library because I forgot I already owned it.

How freaky is that?

[flor-de-jasmim]

7. I'm with you on this.

Sometimes I study an actor’s or the director’s technique, sometimes the score or use of language (and consistency of accent, or costumes and scenery, particularly in period pieces. And in the case of emotional movies, I may just pick out specific scenes. If I remember correctly, Meg Ryan’s iconic café scene with Billy Crystal comes about 20 minutes into the movie.

[2naSalit]

8. I do both...

Some movies are well worth rewatching. Some, not so much.

I think it's a tomato/tomato thing.

[First Speaker]

9. I've watched Mulholland Drive four times...

...to see if I can figure out what the fuck is going on. So far, without success. I doubt I'll try again...:-/...on the other hand, watching The Usual Suspects again is a lot of fun. Knowing the surprise ending really sharpens the film for me...

[Ferrets are Cool]

16. I only tried twice....I don't think it is meant to be understood.

[Wounded Bear]

10. I'm with you, I re-watch good movies all the time...

I love catching the continuity errors and minor errors.

With crap movies, I agree with your partner. Why put myself through that again?

[Coventina]

11. As a trauma survivor, watching my favorite movies is self-care.

I need to watch my favorites. It's healing.

[FemDemERA]

12. Over and over

I have many favorites that I can enjoy multiple times. Also Sometimes I’ll see something on the television guide that I hadn’t seen in years and watch it only to discover that I had not really appreciated it the first time around.

[Niagara]

13. I like rewatching movies as well.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that.


I'm not 100% sure if I've ever welcomed you here to DU ...so welcome to DU.

[MistakenLamb]

14. of course movies are meant to be seen over and over !

do you listen to song once or look at a painting once? Film can be interpreted by the viewer differently as they age or have different experiences or study film more.

[Ferrets are Cool]

15. I've watched countless movies more than once. In particular, LoTR, Fellowship and

The Fifth Element. I've watched those two at least 10 times each.

[Upthevibe]

17. Lemonwurst..........

Last edited Mon Nov 6, 2023, 11:17 AM - Edit history (1)

Great post!

I'm a MAJOR movie re-watcher! In fact, I have Pulp Fiction on now in the background while I'm just hangin' out online. I've seen this movie too many times to count.

Some of the movies I watch over and over and over are:
Pulp Fiction
Jackie Brown
Shawshank Redemption
The Fugitive
Forrest Gump
Argo
Legally Blonde
I remember Mama
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Primal Fear
The Hangover
Bridesmaids
Michael Clayton
The Wizard of Oz
The Big Lebowski
Arsenic and Old Lace
Groundhog Day
All the President's Men
Apollo 13

CHRISTMAS
The Family Man
It's A Wonderful Life
A Christmas Story
And others that I can't think of right now
I think I got into your post a little too much!

[yorkster]

29. Christmas in Connecticut?

Love that one. Stanwyck is charming and sassy. First saw it in the 80s with my mum.
It was on TCM and I came into the room just as the handsome naval officer comes to the door. "Who is that??", I asked my dear mum. "Dennis Morgan" she replied with a slightly pleased air, she being in the know about the film stars of that era.

I definitely agree that you may discover many things in a re-watch that you didn't notice the first time. I love hearing bits in a
filmscore that I didn't hear the first time, for example.

[Lemonwurst]

34. Pulp Fiction

I think I know the script by heart! I spent the effort, as you probably have, to figure out the chronological sequence of events in that movie - it really does exist, it’s right there, but definitely not obvious !!

[Paladin]

18. "There's another TV in the bedroom."

Standard response from my wife---who doesn't enjoy re-watching movies nearly as much as I do.

[electric_blue68]

19. Rewatching? YUP! And some TV shows, too!

My favorites, and ultra favorites which I watch even more.
Often the whole thing, other times favorite scenes.
Story, characters, cinematography, music score, costumes, props, and sets: with ultra favourites scoring the highest in multiple categories.

With TV series I might do a total rewatch the first, and second time for story, characters, cinematography, music score (and song choices), then change to favourite episodes on further repeats.
If it's science fiction then costumes, props, and sets are also a factor.

A few filmed in NYC locations (my hometown) get rewatched for that as well.

[Uncle Joe]

20. I've probably watched Groundhog Day 20 times.

Thanks for the thread Lemonwurst

[Ziggysmom]

21. My Psychologist friend actually recommends to his patients re-watching favorite TV or movies

when they are feeling anxious. He said especially seeing non-violent film or shows from your youth can take you back to simpler, more stress free times. Our brains all desire soothing and comfort, and one of the easiest places to find it on demand, is by rewatching stories we love.

And YES! I am definitely a serial rewatcher. I've seen some movies > 10 times and cannot count how many times I've seen some episodes of M*A*S*H!!!

[wnylib]

24. There's no right or wrong on this issue. It's only a matter of preference.

I rewatch favorite movies often. For me, there is more to them than how they end. There are themes to revisit, character interactions and development to observe, and there is the mood that a movie creates or expresses.

In good movies with depth of character and plot, I pick up things that I missed on previous viewings.

But, for people who are only interested in how the story ends, rewatching is probably boring.

I also reread books that I like, for the same reasons as rewatching movies.

[Jilly_in_VA]

26. I rewatch some

Moonstruck is my all-time favorite.
I think I've seen Gone with the Wind 12 or 13 times too, mostly when I was a lot younger.

[CrispyQ]

27. I've watched Hunt for Red October so many times I can practically recite the dialog beginning to end.

But if you were to ask if I wanted to watch it now & offer some snacks, I'd be there!

[milestogo]

28. Sometimes I'd rather re-watch an old movie than take a risk on a new one.

That's why I buy some movies.

I love Daniel Day Lewis. I could watch each of his movies every year. Same goes for Jeremy Irons. Some actors are just THAT GOOD.

[yorkster]

30. Great fodder for discussion, Lemonwurst.

And I'm with you on the re-watch front.

[Permanut]

31. I'm a re-watcher..

Classics many times - Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Psycho, and others

And another class of movies that are fascinating
for early special effects - Ray Harryhausen for Earth vs. The Flying Saucers; The Lydecker Brothers for early serials such as Radar Men From The Moon, and John P. Fulton for the monster movies.

These people had no computers.

[ProfessorGAC]

32. I'm Good With It

There are reasons I liked it on the first place.
Does your partner not listen to a song they like because they've heard it once? Almost certainly not.
If there are things one likes about a movie, a song, a TV episode, and so on, I don't see why revisiting it is controversial.

[XanaDUer2]

33. I'll watch some movies over and over

Zodiac/ once upon a time in hollywood/ water horse: legend of the deep/ d c league of superpets/ mannequin/ what lies beneath

There are others. I just love watching movies i like over and over

[Stuart G]

35. "It's a Wonderful Life" maybe 10 times. That movie makes me happy!!!

I saw ..."Singing In the Rain." in a movie theater on a large screen....I had seen it many times, but seeing it
as one was originally meant to be seen was incredible. Yes, I knew every line in that movie.

The dancing scenes were outstanding, as were other scenes.
If you ever get a chance to see it on a huge screen, like in a large movie theater, then do it..
..

You will not forget it, just like I have not forgotten it.
.I think that was more than 40 years ago.

[ailsagirl]

36. If it's a movie I loved in the past, I will rewatch it

But not too often. You know the adage, “Familiarity breeds contempt”?

One can go overboard in terms of favorite films. So I try not to overdo.

Fortunately, the same can’t be said for books and poetry. 😏☺️