Top 5: Films I only liked the second time round

After waking up this morning and finding out that I had been given the day off from work my thoughts immediately turned to which film I would watch later in the afternoon. Although I have about 30 or so unwatched DVD's currently sitting in my collection I chose a film which had been buzzing around in my mind since I watched it for the first time just a fortnight ago. That film was An American Werewolf in London, the 1981 John Landis directed horror/comedy which is so often cited as one of, in not the greatest werewolf movie ever made. "Fair enough" you're probably thinking, "you enjoyed the film so you want to watch it again, big deal". The curious thing is however that I didn't really enjoy the film at all. Something about it just didn't gel well with me and dare I say at one point half way in I even fell asleep.

However, since that viewing the film has remained in the back of my mind and for some reason my brain had started to tell me that I did in fact really like the film. Now in may just be because I can't for the life of me stop listening to Blue Moon by Bobby Vinton, but I think the real reason is because the film was just different from the image I had conjured of the film in my head from reading countless articles about it. This has previously been the case for me on numerous occasions when watching highly regarded films for the first time, so here are my Top 5 Films I Only Liked The Second Time Round.

5) Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006, Dir.Larry Charles)

I usually "get" comedy films the first time round, but the first time I saw this on DVD having heard everyone I know rave about the film since its cinema release I was stunned by just how unfunny it was. I laughed once throughout the whole film and completely did not understand why everyone else was in stitches at so many of the purile gags. I immediately deemed the film as being simplistic trash, but the fact that so many film critics were so enamoured with the film at the time gave me reason enough to doubt myself and rewatch the film not long after only to find myself appreciating Sacha Baron Cohen's subtle character nuances which I hadn't noticed the first time round and enjoyed the film far more. It may not be regarded as highly as the other films on this list, but I've seen Borat well over 10 times now since 2006 and find myself laughing louder and harder each time, now to the point of tears streaming down my face.

4) Raging Bull (1980, Dir.Martin Scorsese)

The first time I watched this was at the height of my Rocky obsession and this bleak slow burning film just didn't pull me in. I fell asleep half way through (I work a lot okey!) and then never went back to finish it off. That was until about a year ago when I decided to give it another shot having enjoyed The Fighter and yearning for more boxing on film. By the time I was halfway in I was fully convinced of the films masterpiece status and never looked back again.






3) American Psycho (2000, Dir.Mary Harron)

In all honesty, saying I didn't like this film the first time would be a lie. I enjoyed it a lot, but it was purely down to Christian Bale's phenomenal performance. As with every teenage male who watches this film its pretty hard not to be captivated by the uber-suave, sophisticated but unhinged character of Patrick Bateman, but the story just kind of got lost on me and the ending in particular left a sour taste in my mouth. Second time through though I started to delve beyond the superficial elements of the film and the ending now makes sense to me as the best way to tie up the characters story. Admittedly I do tend to still just watch the film for that tour-de-force performance, but at least now I can talk about the films socio-analytical satire I feel less guilty about it.

2) Blade Runner (1982, Dir.Ridley Scott)

Okey, the last 2 films on this list are biggies. Real biggies. The first time I watched Blade Runner I expected for whatever reason that I was about to watch Ridley Scott's version of Star Wars. Boy was I shocked. A true case of "not what I was expecting". I thought it was a boring simplistic story tarted up with a few pretentious scenes. It was the fact that I was persistently hounded by its cult fan base at every corner I turned on the internet that finally made me give it a second chance. It upon second viewing that I fell absolutely utterly and completely in love with the gorgeous set and costume design, lighting, and futuristic deco architecture. Then finally on the third viewing the story just clicked. It's now my third favourite film ever thanks to its dense mise-en-scène and complex thematics which make each viewing a unique and always challenging experience.


1) The Exorcist (1973, Dir.William Friedkin)

Yep, that's right, the first time I watched The Exorcist, my now favourite film of all time I closed it with a resounding "meh". After years of hearing of all the uproar the film caused back in '73 and having lived under a roof where my mother wouldn't allow the film's cassette in her house in fear that it would invite Satan himself onto our doorstep, I was thoroughly prepared to become an insomniac for the next month after watching it.
"The scariest movie of all time" the DVD proudly had emblazoned upon the bottom of its sleeve.
Sitting there in the dark all alone though what I instead watched was a film that at the time I thought was an alright little horror film with a few creepy bits, but "it was no The Thing!" I proclaimed.
A fact Friedkin himself is always keen to emphasize though is that The Exorcist isn't really a horror film in the typical sense. Its a detective story driven by a cast of pitch perfectly acted, realistic and different characters all thrown together to face their own personal fears manifested through the possession of the young Regan MacNeil and the true horror courses from their and affects you on a far more personal level than horrifying make up and jump scares ever could.