Can You Prepare Yourself To Watch That Film Again? (1 Viewer)

[Sultanofcinema]

One of my film friends attended the opening of Truffaut's new film, The Woman Next Door ( Le Femme De Cote') at the Bergen Mall Theater in Paramus. I loved the film, own itbut have to prepare myself to watch it. I was wiped out by the film emotionally and afterwards at The Moonraker Diner ( it really was there!), he made a comment to me that one day I would not be able to watch this film. Not only has it happened with this film but also with The Way We Were, Splendor In The Grass, The Graduate, Hour Of The Gun and several others. Anyone have any films that you need to "prepare" yourself to watch?

 

[Jeffrey D]

My first thought about this is Schindler’s List. I have only seen half of the film, and I know I should watch the whole thing at some point, but what a depressing film.

 

[Keith Cobby]

It's The Road for me. Each time I watch it, I want to give it away. Outstanding film version of a wonderful but harrowing book. A film in one act, with no beginning and no end, and really not much hope.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Two films that I know are outstanding pictures in many ways, that I feel I should watch again, but can't get myself to the point to do so are Au Hasard Balthazar from Bresson and Requiem for a Dream by Aronofsky. The first because I am such a lover of animals that I can't bear to see the treatment of the donkey in the picture again. The second because Aronofsky made that picture such a depressing slog that I just don't want to see it again.

I get infuriated with the poor treatment of animals. I assaulted a guy for poorly treating his dog because I just lost control and could not stop. When a guy tries to rough up an animal, child, or woman...well...I get triggered. So, the Bresson picture kind of puts me through a wringer and I do not feel well after watching it.

The Aronofsky picture just is a draining experience. You could say that he did his job with that, but really I have watched the film once and just have never raised the will to return to it. I just don't want to feel depressed at that level after watching a film.

Now, watching pictures like these, the general thing is that you should be able to distance yourself from it as fiction so that you can watch it with an eye toward the art. I just can't get myself to that remove when I see these two pictures. They are both beautifully made, wonderful works from the standpoint of the filmmaking. They just lead me to places I don't want to be emotionally.

In the end the question is always "Why do you watch pictures or this specific picture?"

I think for most people they watch to be entertained. For enjoyment, for fun. Not to be emotionally manipulated to a degree that you feel disturbed when the picture ends. I know some people will watch a "tearjerker" because they want to have a good cry. A horror film for a good scare. An underdog story to be uplifted. Some stories though trigger the type of emotional response that I don't think you want to feel. Depression or rage are not things I want to feel and can take toolong to get past once you are feeling them.

 

[Jeffrey D]

Two films that I know are outstanding pictures in many ways, that I feel I should watch again, but can't get myself to the point to do so are Au Hasard Balthazar from Bresson and Requiem for a Dream by Aronofsky. The first because I am such a lover of animals that I can't bear to see the treatment of the donkey in the picture again. The second because Aronofsky made that picture such a depressing slog that I just don't want to see it again.

I get infuriated with the poor treatment of animals. I assaulted a guy for poorly treating his dog because I just lost control and could not stop. When a guy tries to rough up an animal, child, or woman...well...I get triggered. So, the Bresson picture kind of puts me through a wringer and I do not feel well after watching it.

The Aronofsky picture just is a draining experience. You could say that he did his job with that, but really I have watched the film once and just have never raised the will to return to it. I just don't want to feel depressed at that level after watching a film.

Now, watching pictures like these, the general thing is that you should be able to distance yourself from it as fiction so that you can watch it with an eye toward the art. I just can't get myself to that remove when I see these two pictures. They are both beautifully made, wonderful works from the standpoint of the filmmaking. They just lead me to places I don't want to be emotionally.

In the end the question is always "Why do you watch pictures or this specific picture?"

I think for most people they watch to be entertained. For enjoyment, for fun. Not to be emotionally manipulated to a degree that you feel disturbed when the picture ends. I know some people will watch a "tearjerker" because they want to have a good cry. A horror film for a good scare. An underdog story to be uplifted. Some stories though trigger the type of emotional response that I don't think you want to feel. Depression or rage are not things I want to feel and can take toolong to get past once you are feeling them.

Yes Requiem is a film I don’t need to see again- just no fun to watch. Would be the perfect film to show your teenaged son or daughter, as a cautionary tale about what drugs can do to one’s life.

 

[ChristopherG]

Two films that I know are outstanding pictures in many ways, that I feel I should watch again, but can't get myself to the point to do so are Au Hasard Balthazar from Bresson and Requiem for a Dream by Aronofsky. The first because I am such a lover of animals that I can't bear to see the treatment of the donkey in the picture again. The second because Aronofsky made that picture such a depressing slog that I just don't want to see it again.

I get infuriated with the poor treatment of animals. I assaulted a guy for poorly treating his dog because I just lost control and could not stop. When a guy tries to rough up an animal, child, or woman...well...I get triggered. So, the Bresson picture kind of puts me through a wringer and I do not feel well after watching it.

The Aronofsky picture just is a draining experience. You could say that he did his job with that, but really I have watched the film once and just have never raised the will to return to it. I just don't want to feel depressed at that level after watching a film.

Now, watching pictures like these, the general thing is that you should be able to distance yourself from it as fiction so that you can watch it with an eye toward the art. I just can't get myself to that remove when I see these two pictures. They are both beautifully made, wonderful works from the standpoint of the filmmaking. They just lead me to places I don't want to be emotionally.

In the end the question is always "Why do you watch pictures or this specific picture?"

I think for most people they watch to be entertained. For enjoyment, for fun. Not to be emotionally manipulated to a degree that you feel disturbed when the picture ends. I know some people will watch a "tearjerker" because they want to have a good cry. A horror film for a good scare. An underdog story to be uplifted. Some stories though trigger the type of emotional response that I don't think you want to feel. Depression or rage are not things I want to feel and can take toolong to get past once you are feeling them.

well stated - this is exactly the way I feel when I know something is supposed to be an amazing work of fiction but will drag me through a knot hole. Why do it?

 

[Angelo Colombus]

For me it's Last Year in Marienbad where you need no distractions and your total concentration. I have to be prepared to pay attention to the story line and the quick dialogue & subtitles. Great film and watched it many times.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

One of my film friends attended the opening of Truffaut's new film, The Woman Next Door ( Le Femme De Cote') at the Bergen Mall Theater in Paramus. I loved the film, own itbut have to prepare myself to watch it. I was wiped out by the film emotionally and afterwards at The Moonraker Diner ( it really was there!), he made a comment to me that one day I would not be able to watch this film. Not only has it happened with this film but also with The Way We Were, Splendor In The Grass, The Graduate, Hour Of The Gun and several others. Anyone have any films that you need to "prepare" yourself to watch?

I saw The Woman Next Door with you, probably a few weeks later, at the Tenafly Theatre (now closed) along with our pal Joe F. Even a trip to Callahan's for hot dogs afterwards couldn't fully snap you out of it.

There are a few movies that fit this subject for me, Kurosawa's IKIRU is the first to come to mind. Will have to think about others.

 

[Sultanofcinema]

Pete,
Glad you weren't with me for the screening of Cinema Paradiso, but you can imagine!

 

[SD_Brian]

One movie I can think of where I had to "prepare" myself to watch it again was Salo: or the 120 Days of Sodom. The first time I saw it, I came into it mostly cold, having only heard about it via a rave review from John Waters in his book "Crackpot." In hindsight, that probably should have been a red flag. I saw it via Criterion's original Laserdisc release, which had no supplements beyond what was printed on the jacket. I was too young and lacked knowledge of the movie's historical context--not to mention knowing next to nothing about Pasolini, or even the Marquis de Sade, for that matter--so I only got the movie's visceral, seriously disturbing surface level.

It took 10-15 years for me to revisit it via Criterion's more recent Blu-ray release, that had a wealth of supplements and written materials to help fill in some blanks. While it's never going to be a movie I re-watch with any frequency, I can certainly appreciate it more now than I did way back when.

 

[bujaki]

I saw Salo at the New York Film Festival. Brand new. I did know something about it beforehand: fascist Italy, the infamous Marquis, Pasolini, and the shit scene. When that scene came up, I just kept reminding me that the actors were just eating delicious chocolate. Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine goes down!

 

[Sultanofcinema]

I saw Salo at the Cinema Village on 12th Street in 1980 with a friend that wanted me to see it. They ran it for two days. This was a film that folks say "once seen, never unseen". There was a shooting of a human with no clothes on towards the end of the film and I could almost swear it was real. I don't know how he did it. I also got to see the full 6 hour version there of 1900. 1st time showing in NYC, which was a little easier to digest.

 

[Walter Kittel]

I would agree with the majority of the films mentioned in this thread so far and add two that are very difficult for me to watch...

Grave of the Fireflies - It is a beautiful film, and I love the animation, but it certainly takes its toll on me.

The Killing Fields - Another really well crafted film with some splendid performances; the film's setting and the enormity of what it depicts is pretty devastating.

- Walter.

 

[bujaki]

I saw Salo at the Cinema Village on 12th Street in 1980 with a friend that wanted me to see it. They ran it for two days. This was a film that folks say "once seen, never unseen". There was a shooting of a human with no clothes on towards the end of the film and I could almost swear it was real. I don't know how he did it. I also got to see the full 6 hour version there of 1900. 1st time showing in NYC, which was a little easier to digest.

I saw 1900 at the NYFF with Bertolucci in attendance. I don't remember how long it ran (and it was very long), but I do know that it was cut for subsequent general release.

 

[Sultanofcinema]

Monte Walsh with Lee Marvin, The Great Gatsby (Redford/Farrow version) and Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (David Bowie/ Ryuchi Sakamoto) are also wonderful, but painful to take in.

 

[ScottHM]

Anyone have any films that you need to "prepare" yourself to watch?

No. Life is too short to burden myself with such things.
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[Radioman970]

A Serbian Film. I don't think I could ever again.

Martyrs, Angst...just so many horror movies to list....

The Begotten. I need to be ready for that one! lol But once it gets going I just sit back and let it go by. What an experience that is. Highly recommend it to everybody once at least.

I bought and watched Plague Dogs years ago and just could not do that twice. How dare they make that movie! I'm still damaged from that experience to the level of group hug needed. lol

 

[uncledougie]

Pete,
Glad you weren't with me for the screening of Cinema Paradiso, but you can imagine!

Things came together tonight whereupon we screened Cinema Paradiso (long version of course) for the eldest nephew. It had been possibly 12-15 years since I’d watched and it still moved and resonated on so many levels, about many kinds of love, loyalties, ambitions, opportunities lost and found (whether by fate or an undetected push), roads not taken because that’s is what life consists of…such a deeply felt and affecting film that always leaves me profoundly moved. It found a new fan tonight as “one of the best films you’ve shown me,” and we were gratified but not surprised by that reaction. A truly great film not in any sense of overhype, poignant and embedded in memory forever once seen.

 

[Tino]

Grave of the Fireflies - It is a beautiful film, and I love the animation, but it certainly takes its toll on me.

Agreed. My favorite Anime film ever.