Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Why go backward?

Maybe it's just me, maybe it's my age, but I'm finding that almost no book or movie holds up on second viewing. 

While watching "The Offer," which tells the making of "The Godfather," it became clear to me that Linda had never seen the the movie. So we sat down last night to watch it.

It's a fine movie, good. But my memory of watching it when it first came out is so big in my mind that it just didn't match my expectations. I've had the same experience with "The Wild Bunch" and "The French Connection," not to mention "Star Wars."  My favorite movie memories. 

I'm having trouble reading my favorite books. Andre Norton, Fred Saberhagen, and most of the Golden Age SF authors are unreadable to me now. 

Even a later (2001) reading of "Lord of the Rings," didn't live up to memory. 

These books had a time and place, a context that can't be recaptured for me. I don't tend to rewatch or reread things anyway, but this has just reinforced that tendency. So much to read and and watch. Why go backward?

1 comment:

Luci & Loree said...

Oh my gosh, you mentioned movies that brought back SO many memories... i remember the Wild Bunch just exploding onto the screen! We had never seen anything like that b4. the French connection was constant motion. And Star Wars, what a thrill ride. my son was 7 or 8, his enthrallment lasted a loooonnnng time! may still not be over. I was cleaning Mom's house weekly and she left money for us to go see Benji and opted for Star Wars!!!!! goodness... E.T. was the same feeling.