You've probably all noticed this in your own lives, but a lot of art just doesn't hold up over time. By "art", I mean film, TV, books, and music although mime is probably also subject to this principle.
I remember when Star Wars first came out. I was ten years old at the time, and movie theaters across the country had endless lines. It seems incredible now because there are so many multiplexes everywhere, but you simply couldn't see Star Wars if you wanted to without standing in a crazy long line. Every showing was sold out - the country was gripped by Star Wars mania. President Carter addressed the nation wearing that Jedi-like sweater he always wore to try to calm our jangled nerves. Of course, I was ten and was dying to see it in the way that only a ten-year-old can, so perhaps that's just what my mom was telling me to shut me up. But...boy do I digress - the point is: When I finally did see it, I loved it! It was the best movie ever! Everyone loved it, except of course for that bitch Pauline Kael - what was her problem, anyway?
Many years later, I saw the movie again when it was re-released in 1997. I took my wife (then girlfriend) to see it, since SHE HAD NEVER SEEN IT. You read that right. but that's a topic for another day. I probably talked it up too much and so got that funny feeling you get when you badger someone into seeing a movie after rhapsodizing about it and then worry that they won't actually like it and you monitor their reactions to every key cinematic moment, but you try to seem like you're not monitoring their every movement - and, and ... it starts to feel like some kind of life-test of your taste, intellect, and judgment that you're failing because it's not living up to the high praise that you heaped upon it repeatedly. That feeling. She fell asleep during it, but I didn't and it was actually kind of terrible. I discovered that Pauline was right: Star Wars is a terrible movie, unless you're ten years old. I'm sorry if you love that movie, but you must face facts.
A lot of films and books have this quality: when they're new and novel either to a person or a culture, they seem great - but instead of aging like a fine wine, they age like a tuna melt. I think this is especially true with children, who are experiencing so many things for the first time. Movies that are incredibly profound and exciting become sophomoric and ridiculous when viewed through the jaded lens of experience. I also think this is why, when asked to list my favorite books, movies, albums of all time, I tend to retreat to some of the first truly great ones I experienced. Has anyone else eagerly approached an old "classic" only to discover a painfully bad impostor in its place?
Hey Mark,
ReplyDeleteNice piece of prose there. Right now I'm very impressed with it, but who knows how I'll feel about it 30 years from now. :-)
Your Star Wars example is a good one. I was also 10 when it came out, and I thought it was the greatest thing ever. When I went to see it again during the re-release, I realized how truly bad it was. Terrible dialogue, terrible acting.
Of course, I had to see all the prequels in the theater because I was so invested in the originals. Those were awful, too.
To round it all out, though, my son (4) is currently obsessed with Star Wars Clone Wars (which is also terrible).
Do you remember when Eddie Murphy was the funniest guy on the planet?
Kevin E
There ARE movies that can be seen over and over. They are so well crafted that they stand the test of time. Watching these movies again reveal nuances and remind us of why we loved them the 1st time. But how do we know which movies will withstand a 2nd glance and which should be preserved in our 1st experience and never watched again?
ReplyDeleteFor myself, there are movies that are classics that I recommend (and I was not alive when they were released.) These are movies like "To Kill A Mockingbird" or "Gone with the Wind." I can listen to the dialogue of "To Kill a Mockingbird" through headphones while raking fall leaves and still feel the heat of Macon, Georgia and Scout’s fear as she is stalked on her way home. As far as "Gone With the Wind" goes, I have had the privilege of seeing this film in the theater and will never again watch it on a TV. It is a movie that demands the grandeur of a theater experience and really does not translate well to the small scre
Sadly, as I review recent movies, I don’t see many I would watch again, although “Apollo 13” comes to mind. Most of the recent movies I will watch multiple times are not ones that will ever make a list of top movies because they are chick flicks or feel good movies that just make me happy like “Love Actually” or the original “Pollyanna.”
I felt the same way when I recently re-watched The Terminator. As a kid I loved it, and had built it up in my mind as an incredible movie. I just saw it again recently after what must have been a 10-year hiatus and realized that it's a terrible movie. Bad acting, bad hair, bad music, and... cyborgs from the future? Wow.
ReplyDelete--Becky W.
Hey, guys - thanks for the comments! Yes, I remember when Eddie Murphy was king of the comedy world. I did like 48 Hours, Trading Places and Beverly Hills Cop. Not sure anything after that, but he had his moments on SNL (at least I thought so at the time!)
ReplyDeletedkd - Yes, I agree - there are many movies that hold up very well. However, I do sometimes think that the ones we think of as classics are because we saw them at a certain point in life. My favorites are almost all from the 70's and I saw them as a young teen. I feel like nothing is as good, but maybe younger people feel differently.
Becky, I saw The Terminator at a midnight movie when I was in high school. I thought it was amazing, but you're right - it doesn't hold up very well. Seems like movies that lean too much on effects are particularly susceptible as the technology advances.
As far as Star Wars goes, IMO Empire Strikes Back was the only decent episode.
Cheers!