Home movies
February 1st, 2008 at 10:52am Will Pfeifer
REPO MAN, with Tracy Walter (left) and Emilio Estevez: definitely worth seeing more than once.
Following up on this week’s post about repeat viewings of movies in theaters…
Naturally home video changed all the rules. It’s hard to remember now, with VCRs a part of our lives for a quarter-century or more, but the idea that you could watch a movie over and over whenever you wanted was fairly mind-blowing back in early ’80s, especially for a budding film fan like me, who was just beginning to realize how many movies were out there.
In high school, my friends and I watched mostly horror movies — DAWN OF THE DEAD, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, RE-ANIMATOR — with a few oddball classics like PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE and REEFER MADNESS tossed in. Once I got to college and picked up a book called CULT MOVIES (highly recommended, by the way), I tried to see every classic movie I could, and repeat viewings of CITIZEN KANE, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, SUNSET BLVD. and other black-and-white gems were common. I watched A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and BLADE RUNNER repeatedly (and still do, on DVD) and I remember the 1984 punk comedy REPO MAN getting more than a few spins in the VCR. Monty Python movies were popular, of course (we were college-aged guys, after all) and a roommate of mine watched MONTY PYTHON’S MEANING OF LIFE so many times we eventually had to hide the tape from him for the sake of our own sanity.
With the arrival of DVDs in the last 1990s, you didn’t even have to waste time rewinding a movie to watch it again. The first disc I got (before I even got a player, in fact) was GOODFELLAS, and I watched it repeatedly, studying director Martin Scorsese’s technique like a film student. FIGHT CLUB, a movie I actually saw three times during its theatrical run, was a favorite for weeks. (With four commentary tracks on the DVD, I had to watch it four times just to hear everyone have their say.) Strangely enough, though, the movie I seem to watch more than anything is VANILLA SKY, a film I disliked in the theater and disliked even more on DVD (especially after hearing director Cameron Crowe’s oh-so-precious commentary track). Still, for some reason, I end up watching it at least once a year — it infuriates me and fascinates me at the same time, but it never bores me. I’m about due to watch it again in a month or so, and I’ll let you know if I have any fascinating new obversations.
I have two questions for you: One, obviously, is which movies have you seen the most on home video, and why do you return to them again and again. And two, why is it that when I have more classic movies than ever, and easy access to virtually any movie ever made, I don’t have any time to enjoy them. Is it cruel fate, or just repeat viewings of the Disney library with my daughter?
Actually, I think I know the answer to that one. And I have to go — it’s time for another showing of CARS.
Entry Filed under: home video
4 Comments Add your own
1. ElDizzle | February 1st, 2008 at 3:22 pm
In my youth and the early days of the VCR, the movies I watched over and over were Better Off Dead, The Lost Boys, and MP Life of Brian, I loved the humor in BOD and Life of Brian and the loved the stylish way Joel Schumacher shot the vampire movie. I was also a big fan of the Soundtrack for Lost Boys at the time. Now the movies I can watch over and over are just about anything by the Coen Brothers, Fargo, O Brother Where Art Thou, and I will be adding No Country For Old Men once it’s available on DVD. I also enjoy repeated watching of the LOTC movies, especially Return of the King, there are a few scenes I like to play over and over in that one. Why these instead of a classic I haven’t seen? I guess it’s easier…like ordering a pizza instead of going to the effort of preparing a large meal. With pizza, you pretty much know what you’re going to get. When you prepare a large meal, it might not turn out the way you’d like. It’s funny, but I’ve set up an entire Netflix profile dedicated to classic movies I think I should see, but as of now, the number being sent to my house is 0.
2. Pat Cunningham | February 2nd, 2008 at 9:29 am
I used to have a three-tape set of what was called “The Godfather Epic,” which consisted of the first two Godfather movies, edited to make the story chronoligical, and 40 minutes of footage that wasn’t included in the final cuts of the first two films. The whole thing ran about six and a half hours, and it was the finest piece of cinematic art I ever saw. I watched it so many times that two of the three tapes eventually became damaged and useless. I wish they would put this Epic package out on DVD. They do have “The Godfather Trilogy” on disc, but it’s not the same thing. As for “Godfather III,” I hated it.
3. odessa steps magazine | February 2nd, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Like a good film school grad, I watch Citizen Kane once a year.
During my misspent youth, I probably watched Buckaroo Banzai and Highlander so often I probably came close to wearing out the tapes.
4. Will Pfeifer | February 4th, 2008 at 8:03 am
ElDizzle — I’m with you on the Coen Brothers. I can watch just about any of their movies over and over. My wife and I love RAISING ARIZONA, and my personal favorite is one that doesn’t get a lot of love, THE HUDSUCKER PROXY, which I could watch every day of my life and still enjoy it — especially the sequence where they develop the hula hoop.
Pat — I don’t know why that version of THE GODFATHER’s not available. I’m sure Coppola himself approved the editing, and though I’ve never seen it, I’ve heard it really works well . You’re right about GODFATHER III — it’s really bad, especially compared with the first two. Hard to believe it was nominated for best picture!
Odessa Steps — (Nice film reference, by the way) — KANE is very re-watchable. I tell people who’ve never seen it that it’s not some boring, dry slice of film history — it’s a lot of fun. And I’m a big BUCKAROO fan. Did you see the DVD that came out a few years ago? A very nice package.
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