Viewing Thread:
"Movies better the second viewing?"

A lot of you have mentioned films that lose ground by being seen again, probably because their impact was mainly based on a first impression - or because they depended by and large on suspense and plot.

Have you experienced any movies that you didn't care for the first time, but began to like, or actually loved the second time you saw them?
It may be some movies that gain by our knowledge of what happens later, or our sharpened attention to details we don't grasp the first time around. Whatever the reason - can anyone think of any?

I think that a good example of this would be "Gladiator" because I did not understand it that well the first time I watched it but I concentrated on it but I still dont think it was as good as Titanic.

Are there any of you with a similar experience?

Bladerunner for me definitely got better years after the first time. Other films never would though, I'm sure I'll never laugh so much at Dumb and Dumber as I did the first time.

P.S. Nice one fogmaster - I thought I'd got all there was to get on my repeated viewings of the Matrix. I'll put it on again and wait for the sore teeth.

If I know that a film is supposed to be extremely scary or include controversial material then I spend the whole time concentrating on that and ignoring a lot of other details. Films such as The Exorcist, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Clockwork Orange have all been banned or unavailable at one point or another, so I was unable to concentrate on anything other than the violence and gore! I had to watch all of these films more than once before I could get past the notoriety and appreciate the acting and directing that make these films classics.

American Pie seemed so much more funnier in the cinema.. :/

the only movies i am able to watch more than once are the ones that take me more than once to fully understand, e.g. snatch (but that may have been cos i was drunk the first time i saw it and wasnt payin much attention to the telly at the time, but more at the cat goin to the toilet)

Call me stupid but it took me about five times to get all the hidden plots in' the Matrix' anyone remeber when Keanu went to the woman who could tell the future? well when keanu dies near the end and gets woken by a kiss, thats the 'other' life he's been waiting for and he turns into 'the one' very clever and felt like a kick in the teeth when it finaly clicked.

Fight Club was wierd the first time because itmoved so fast but it is much easier the second time

I think subtitles help alot understanding a film

Any film can be taken in properly the first time if you give it full attention and have a decent enough memory - sixth sense for instance. Interesting to watch twice but not necessary if you remember it the first time.

That "OHHHHHH so thats what it was about" stuff.

I'm not against watching films more than once, just against it if it's because you don't like/understand it the first time.

That would be like seeing the Phantom Menace twice in a day! (Oh dear, I did that)

Luc Besson films! I love them, second viewing, third viewing, I have watched LEON/DEEP BLUE/NIKKITA about 50 times each! all his films are crazy, so action packed they make you watch them again because they're so innocent yet so violent, excellent direction, the script isn't gobsmackinly brilliant it makes you jump for the ceiling but thats because the main actors are always French, not a bad thing, and it does help that they speak a semi dictionary full of English words, it's upto the individual in the end.

I had to watch The Matrix a few times before understanding it properly - Talking of which Im watching right now!!

Any Scorsese film, when you absolutely positivly have to appreiciate one of his films, you got to watch them in pallandrone numerations.

'(.)'