I came across this recent blog on CHUD.com and thought it might make for an interesting discussion here. I'll post the link and you can read the whole thing for yourself if you like, but basically what it's asking is "how important is replay value in a film to you?" For me, I'd say it's pretty important, especially in determining what I'd consider one of my favorite films.


http://chud.com/articles/articles/14041/1/THE-DEVIN039S-ADVOCATE-WATCH-AND-WATCH-AGAIN/Page1.html

What do you think?

I don't own many DVDs/Videos but the ones I own, I own mainly because I want to be able to see them more than once.

I treat them the same way I treat books I own. I try to not watch them for at least a year after first seeing them, usually longer than that.

The difference for me is I own about 500 books, and almost never remember what's going to happen next, or at the end of the story, when I reread them. Movies are easier to remember because the dialogue is often formulated to be repeated, quoted, whatever.
Rereading a book is usually a better experience because of that.

um, has more to do with the quantity of the words, not the quality.

No further thoughts on this? Maybe I should have just posted the whole article.

Like I said, I'm the type of person that pretty much expects something to hold up to repeat viewings, and if I feel like it doesn't that probably would effect my overall rating of the film. But I'm sure there are lots of folks out there who are only going to see a movie once and they might have different criteria for what would make it good or enjoyable.

if I can watch a flick a dozen times and still love it, that definitely increases my "rating"...but I don't know that I'd downgrade my "rating" because I'm not up for watching a certain movie over and over.

i generally like the movies that get better each viewing

That's true in a lot of cases, but there are some movies that I wish I could watch with a fresh eye again. They were so original or new that I wish I could experience that again. One example I think of is Peter Lorre in Casablanca. I'd never heard his voice before, and I found it really interesting. Now, it's not nearly as exciting. Another example could be that knowing the payoff of The Usual Suspects makes repeat viewings not as good in my opinion, although I'm sure there are those who would disagree. There are some extreme visuals in a lot of movies that really hit you hard the first time, but of course don't have the same effect later. The first example I think of is the classic shot of De Niro in Taxi Driver killing himself with the bloody finger.
Typically, I would agree that I prefer movies that are deep or interesting enough to sustain a second viewing. Sometimes I can't bring myself to watch them again right away because they're too intense (Requiem for a Dream, A Clockwork Orange), but other movies I'd be willing to rewind and watch again right away (most recent examples:Shoot' Em Up, Once).

What do y'all think about the replay value of this one?

movies i have enjoyed watching several times over the last year or so:

the prestige
lost in translation
love actually
ghostbusters
original ninja turtles
final fantasy vii: advent children
batman begins

im open to suggestions as to what other films i should watch over and over again.

I don't know about the usual suspects. I only watched it once, and that was enough. Other twist movies I enjoy more on repeated viewings. La Jetee always gives me chills with the twist.... donnie darko is always good to make it to the end. Unbreakable I think is sweet. I don't think those movies you said were too intense are too intense to watch again. I've seen a clockwork orange many many times. Requiem for a dream I just didn't think was that great upon first viewing, the ass to ass scene at the end made me laugh. i don't think it played right. I think the greatest movies feel new constantly. I'm always impressed when i sit down and watch vertigo, citizen kane, its a wonderful life, royal tennenbaums, and the list goes on. Chinatown is always effective, and I've seen it tons of times. Network I've seen a bunch of times, and it only gets better. I perfer movies like this, thought there are some movies that are perfect for a moment, but then really die out fast.

I've seen A Clockwork Orange three times. I just meant that even though I want to rewind and watch again immediately, I can't bring myself to do it.

Rewatchability is a big part of how I rate a film. First I go by gut reaction, then I ask myself "How much would I want to watch it again?" It's really the perfect way to determine how good or bad a movie really is.

my favorite movies make me feel good about cinema on the whole. really emphasizes the power of the medium.

I rank replay value pretty highly. If I don't want to see it again or experience it again then it obviously didn't make much of an impression.

Ok, so I'm not crazy here then. I watch my favorite movies a lot. In fact sometimes I'd rather just sit down for an old favorite instead of something new unless it's something I'm really excited about.

The argument the guy was making in his blog was that back in the old days you saw a movie once at the theater, and then maybe didn't see it for years until it was on tv and that dvd's have made movies become more collectible entertainment where we expect it to hold up to tons of viewings. It's an interesting observation I guess, but I'm of the opinion that if it's really good, it'll hold up. I guess you guys are too.

not really, at least not to me.

When Terminator used "I'll be back" and everyone and their uncle was saying that line for the next 10 years - that was a clever, if unexpected phrase that became integrated into the society.

When they finally came out with a sequel to it, I forget how many years after- the movie was FILLED with new catch-phrases that they were banking on getting picked up in much the same way.
"Hasta la Vista, baby" etc etc.

And honestly, if the number of words in a book is too many for you to be able to remember - at least in part, then perhaps this says more about your own mental capabilities than anything else- I definitely remember stellar pieces of writing in good books

so says the person who "almost never remember what's going to happen next" in any of the books they actually OWN.

You can insult me all you want, but it seems like you're failing to grasp a few very simple concepts. It takes about 90-100 minutes to absorb the information presented in most movies. It takes MUCH longer to get through the average book. Additionally, movies involve two senses while books only engage one. It has nothing to with the information being "formulated" (or whatever your ridiculous point was)...and everything to do with their simply less information being presented in a medium that's more conducive to being retained.

I see movies I like in two different categories: those I can watch over and over, and those I'd rather not. I've seen some great movies I have no desire to ever see again. At the same time, there are some movies that are good, not necessarily great, that I can watch every time they're on TV. The one's that overlap are my absolute favorites.

An example of a movie that I think is very good, but not great, that I will watch any time it's one is Hunt for Red October. For some reason, I never get sick of it. But I'd not rank it among my top ten favorites of all-time or anything.

So do mine. What are you trying to say here?

Tis true. I'll watch I'll watch Finding Nemo or Ghostbusters II when that's on, but they are hardly my favorites. I can settle in and watch Fight Club until the cows come home, that's the 'overlap' film for me.