I've seen this movie twice now, don't ask why. Everyone we know assumes that we will see any movie out and they are usually right. But I saw this movie alone in Chicago a few weeks ago. There was a movie theater across the street from our hotel and I couldn't resist seeing something while my husband presented his paper. Three people were in the theater. None of them laughed much and I didn't either. The movie seemed obvious, trite, jejune. I gave it a 5.Saturday night I saw it again. The theater was packed with guffawing people and suddenly it all seemed quite funny. What seemed obvious three weeks ago now seemed charming, a shared experience. The people we were with, Scottish, were quite enthralled. I enjoyed their enjoyment.
Am I driven by my peers of the moment, or is a comedy especially dependent on the audience? Have you had this experience? Have you changed your opinion of a movie based on the place, people, time you saw it? Am I a sheep, led by the masses? This time I'd give it a 7. That must mean I'm 20% influenced by those around me. Don't do the math.
4 comments:
I once saw CASABLANCA with an audience during a classic film festival. I'd seen it many times before (it's one of my favorites) but the experience was MUCH different.
Some films I think just have to be seen in a theater.
I just watched The Lookout, which I very much liked but it would have been even better in a theater where the atmosphere could really take hold.
I've never seen Casablanca at a theater, nor many other famous movies. It's rare for theaters to show old movies in my part of town.
Comedies are hard to watch by yourself. I saw Tallededa(sp?) Nights lat at night after my wife went to bed, and I didn't really like it. Some movies just need to be a communal experience.
It had some funny moments, but I didn't find if as funny as, for instance, Tribe did. Oh, Tribe, come back to us.
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