My American e-pal, Renee, asks if I can name two movies which I could watch "over and over". Of course that last phrase demands clarification; does it mean night after night for a week or, say, a couple of times a year, or even a couple of times in a lifetime? Certainly there are films I could, and indeed, have, watched over and over again, but with fairly large intervals between screenings. For example, Gigi, Shakespeare in Love, Cabaret, Much Ado About Nothing, are very old friends to me. Unfortunately, they all suffer the same drawback in that they are never quite as good on the 'telly' as they are on a big screen in the cinema.
Poor, old, live theatre comes off worse. It is true for me that I get more of an intellectual and emotional thrill from a superb piece of theatre than I do from cinema, but the cost and logistics of theatre visits makes return trips virtually impossible. An exception is Les Miserables which due to its enormously long run has allowed the 'Memsahib' and I to revisit it several times. I don't care if the opera snobs sniff in disdain, 'Les Mis' is a superb piece of theatre. Equally, and obviously, there are plays that I have seen 'over and over' in different productions by different directors and actors, mostly Shakespeare and, of course, Tom Stoppard - not forgetting Alan Ayckbourn, too, of course. Re-makes of films are rare and, in my opinion, they usually fail and I can't quite work out why. Often, I suspect, it is the director's inability to resist the allure of modern computer effects which robs the re-make of the simplicities and craft of the original.
As I have been writing I have tried to think of other films to add to my list but, alas, the mind has switched to default mode, that is, blank. What about you?
As you say, It depends on what interval is meant by 'over and over again'
but ones that get a run in the DVD player every few months depending on mood are
Monsters Inc
The Blues Brothers
True Grit
The Return of the King
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (remastered)
Gladiator
Black Hawk Down
In The Heat of the Night
Duck Soup
and so on
But if I was forced to choose watch the same film every day, I would have to pick Blazing Saddles, still the funniest movie ever made.
Posted by: Pavlov's Cat | Sunday, 04 October 2009 at 19:07
Ah, I see the inevitable age differential raising its wrinkled head on its scrawny neck. I haven't seen most of those, except "In the Heat of the Night" which I am certain is being repeated sometime this week on one or other of the channels! That is one I will make an effort to re-watch.
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 04 October 2009 at 19:20
Mostly, these (just off the top of my head):
Zulu
Jaws (but only the first one)
The Magnificent Seven
Fiddler On The Roof
Cat People (both versions)
JFK
Posted by: JuliaM | Sunday, 04 October 2009 at 19:29
Little Big Man
Debbie Does Dallas
Posted by: JK | Sunday, 04 October 2009 at 19:47
LOL.... Duff. never expected to get a post out of you on this.... Jk.. forget "Debbie does Dallas"....until you have seen my film ...LMAO.......
I did ask you to limit it to two....there are many films I love and it does depend on who I am with... for example if I am with the grandchildren...... Fern Gully has the prettiest early color graphics before computer animation.......
And..LOL... apparently if I am with Jk the choices is going to be different
But if I am just channel cruising and I come across..... Shawshank Redemption or Good Will Hunting.....I am going to watch..... I believe the acting in both movies is superb...... the story intrigues me each time I see it and brings to mind questions of what would I do in each situation......and its a great way to enjoy an afternoon....
thanks Duff
Posted by: Renee | Sunday, 04 October 2009 at 20:02
Julia, yes, I go along with your first three, never saw the others.
'JK', never seen either of them.
Renee, the name is David! And, alas, like 'JK's' films, I haven't seen either of them.
(Well, I never claimed to have a wide knowledge of films, did I?)
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 04 October 2009 at 20:23
Any Hitchcock's with Cary Grant in it, starting with North by Northwest.
Posted by: ortega | Sunday, 04 October 2009 at 20:34
I haven't seen any Hitchcocks for a long time. Whilst I enjoyed then at the time I'm not sure I would cross the road to see one over again - although I do not deny their technical excellence.
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 04 October 2009 at 20:56
Blame JK.... everyting is his fault..... he calls you Duff when talking to me..... so I think of you as Duff... but I promise to work on it DAVID!
Posted by: Renee | Sunday, 04 October 2009 at 22:01
HMMMM doesn't it say Duff and Nonsense........NOT David and nonsense.......LOL...... never mind.... when talking to JK..... I call you DUFF AND STUFF.... and for that one he always corrects me.
Posted by: Renee | Sunday, 04 October 2009 at 22:08
"What's in a name?"
My brain-fade suddenly lifted for a nano-second last night, enough for me to add "No Country for Old Men to my list.
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 05 October 2009 at 13:42
I'll put in my twopennies' worth: right off the top of my head
Brief Encounter
The Third Man
Bout de Souffle
Rififi
39 Steps (1935 version)
Belle de Jour (not only a great film but Deneuve in her prime)
Posted by: Umbongo | Monday, 05 October 2009 at 17:20
Bloody hell, 'Bongers', you must be older than me!
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 05 October 2009 at 17:25
Possibly but young at heart!!
Posted by: Umbongo | Monday, 05 October 2009 at 19:57
High Noon (Fred Zimmerman)
The Duellists (Ridley Scott)
The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah)
Dr Strangelove (Stanley Kubrick)
Richard M.
Posted by: Richard Morgan | Monday, 05 October 2009 at 22:50
Hello, Richard, hope you're well. I didn't realise you hung around grubby little sites like this!
I'd certainly like to see the first two again.
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 05 October 2009 at 23:11