Viewing Thread:
"Are You Sitting Comfortably?"

This happened just last night… as it goes…

One of my housemates and I popped down to the offy, grabbed a few bottles of Ernst, popped into Blockbusters for a vid, and had a pizza delivered…

(Speaking of which, I’ve really tried to dislike Blockbuster, they are a fairly nasty large international company, they only really stock recent stuff, and then they fill the shelves with same movie… The problem is that local video shops are by and large so crap that I cant help thinking Blockbuster are the better alternative?) … Anyway…

So the pizzas came, we exchanged slices, uncorked the wine, stuck the video in and started it playing…

About half way through the previews, my other housemate came back from a couple of after work drinks… (Fortunately she had been wise enough to arrive home bearing home her own bottle of wine)…

So were having a bit of a chat through the rest of the previews, up until the point where British Board of Film Classification title comes up and the film begins…

Wherein I promptly stop talking, half way through a sentence, and start watching the movie…

Somewhat perturbed, but in no way put off, my two housemates continue to chat (although shifting into the beginning of the end of conversation chatter)…

Wherein, I remind them that the film is starting, and that talking isn’t always the best aid when attempting to follow the movies plot…

To which, one of my housemates responds that I doing that thing that all guys do when watching a movie… Requiring that the lights be turned low or off, having to watch the movie right from the beginning to end with no chatting, etc.. Attempting to attain the maximum environment for movie watching, and then, even at the very start of the movie, giving the film my complete attention.

Thing is, up until now I thought it was just me … although Id watched vids with male friends before, because they followed the same pattern of actions, I’d never noticed…

I do, always prepare for watching a movie… Now, If I’ve popped round to someone’s house, and a movies started half an hour before, I’ll still happily sit down and watch the rest of the flick from where I cam in… But if I’m at home, and I’ve hired a couple of vids, then I like to get into film watching mode…

Now, my point here isn’t to ask why women seem to prefer to talk and watch, whereas men apply all their attention to the movie. That would be pure folly; there a 6 billion people doing their thing at the moment, and a gross sweeping generalisation like that would be pointless…

What I was curious about was why people like stories so much.

Whether they be in films, or books, or theatre, or computer games, of wherever, stories, even those that have been floating around for a few thousand years, are BIG business…

Despite the technological leaps forward we make, we still spend much of our hard earned, on modern versions of the same stuff that interested our ancient ancestors used to enjoy all that time ago…

It would probably be a good idea to point out that I’m not attempting to deride stories or story telling. Enjoying as I do a wide range of entertainment formats, and intending as I do, to do so for a very long time to come… It’s just, what keeps us fascinated in stories, adventure, epics that directly hold very little t our own lives?

I find the most common explanation to be that of escapism. And, for may aspects that area can easily be seen… But surly that wouldn’t be enough to keep us coming back again and again, spending so much of our money, to suspend out disbelief on ideas and concepts often uncomfortable to us?

Why Do We Like Stories?

Goatboy wrote:
> Why do we like stories?

Because they exercise our imagination,
> they allow us put ourselves in situations and worlds that we might
> never visit.

Why should we care?

And why do we want to give they story our undivided attention?

Surly we can do the same thing by picking up the gist, and filling in the gaps by ourselves?

But not as much
> as Titanic.
Almost though.

Dont even mention Titanic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:)

Bean-bags are cool. But I find my new sofas very comfortable for sitting on whilst watching a movie.

Setting the mood for watching a movie is often easier said than done for me though, given that my ideal time to start watching a movie is around 9pm, and alot of movies on TV start at this time. I like to get the kids settled down, so they don't get up and interupt the movie. I like to have all of the toys put away. I like to have some munchies ready (either salted popcorn or ice-cream - depending on the movie).

I don't know, it has to be right! It's a bit like going to the cinema during the day, yes it's slightly cheaper, but when you get out, and it's still light outside... well that's just ot right.

Or is that just me?

Defintely :) It's so comfortable, sometimes I'll wake up in the morning and stick a film on, nothing that requires too much brain-power though heh.:)

./Steve

So you watch movies with my girlfriend as well eh?

"Does that bloke get his revenge then?"
"Why did he go there?"

Goatboy chews his lip to a bloody mess, "Darling. Light of my life. Apple of my eye, let me explain what a PLOT is. You start at the start, the plot unfolds and ALL YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED GODDAMNIT WOMAN..oh bringer of light to my life"

It's not just me then.

Good

Bean-bag! Yes! That is the best place to sit when watching film.

Especially if watching it with your girl friend......

I only usually prepare for a film if I'm watching with the family or my girlfriend, otherwise, like yesterday, bought Iron Monkey on DVD (which is absolutely superb), got in from the store, plonked meself down on my bean-bag and put the film on.

./Steve

I hate watching a film I've seen with someone that hasn't seen it.

What's the point of asking a load of questions that will give away the story?

You want to know why that guy did what he did? Watch it and find out you cretin!

I agree, I had an enjoyable evening in with my family over the weekend, and we got out Meet The Parents (an enjoyable enough film it has to hbe said). Twice my dad got up to go and get a drink, he told us to not bother to pause it. Why!?! He's going to miss stuff. Whats the point in not minding if you miss stuff?

Also, I hate it when people talk through a film. I have to sit in silence and watch, otherwise you miss bits and you get to near the end and have to say "Who's that bloke again!?"

I agree that the best things that accompany a film is a ppizza and a few beers. Not wine like some ponce said he drank!

:-)

Hoorah!

My work is done here.....

Why do we like stories?

Because they exercise our imagination, they allow us put ourselves in situations and worlds that we might never visit.

Actually, this is starting to sound like an attempt at Filmaday, and I won't do that.

So..in my usual style of writing:

I'm the same mate, DVD or video, I get my munchies, drink, smokes etc ready, settle down and close the curtains, start the movie and enjoy.
Annoys me when someone gets up and goes to make a drink, I pause it and they say "No, it's ok, let it carry on"

SO WHY WATCH THE DAMN THING?

That is my thoughts on the subject.
And Unbreakable sucked.

But not as much as Titanic.
Almost though.