Ryan McNeil
Yesterday, Joel wrote a review of INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE. He didn’t seem to care for it too much, giving it a score of 2 out of 4.
My first reaction when I read this was to call foul and/or scream “Blasphemy!”. I say this because growing up this was one of my favorite movies, based on one of my favorite books. Thus, it has a special place in my heart.
However, since I haven’t seen it in a long time, I got to wondering: Is my opinion of this movie blinded by the sixteen year old version of me that loved it to death so long ago?
It’s been proven that the reason we all gravitate to the music of our youth, is because of how our brain stores memories. The part of our brain that stocks memories is most active between the ages of ten and twenty five. Thus, we will always default back to this era when honing our taste and relating to our favorite music. I have to believe that this is true of movies too.
Is it likely that we build up movies that aren’t really all that great, because when we first see them we’re more open to loving them? We take movies that are structurally flawed, and label them classics…even though somebody watching them for the first time today would tear it to pieces with how bad it actually is. As if to prove my point, Tim Burton’s BATMAN was on last night.
The ending is a drawn-out climb up a tower, Kim Basinger is actually pretty flaky, and Burton seems more out to be an art director than a film director…but I still dig it. The eleven-year-old version of me shuts all those points down by reminding me about how vicious a killer The Joker finally was, and how dark it all seemed in comparison to the comics and hammy TV show.
Still, I have to think that if a blogger like Joel were seeing it for the first time they’d shrug and say “Meh”, since they don’t have the benefit of nostalgia to vaseline the critical lens.
Indeed over the last year or two, I have told people to go back and watch movies we grew up on. Forget you’ve ever seen them before, and soak them in with your adult eyes. You’d be surprised at how many so-called “classics” actually…kinda suck.
My mission now is to re-watch INTERVIEW as soon as I can, and to soak it in as a grown-up: one who isn’t driven by the writings of Anne Rice. Maybe I had it right all along, and the film will forever stand with the opening chords of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and early episodes of The Simpsons as untouchable artifacts of my youth. On the other hand, maybe it’s not so hot, and Joel is indeed on to something.
Drop me a comment gang, I’m curious what other people think about looking back on the awesome movies of our youth.
Time changes everything. Some movies hold up over time, some don't. I pointed out in my blog that some movies I hated when I first saw them, reemed them to death, I didn't mind so much when I caught them on TV years later. If I had to guess what it happens, I'd just have to say exposure. Since you were a kid you've probably seen 1000+ films of all variety, good and bad, you've experienced a variety of up, down, and life changing events, and through it all your perception of the world around you changes, and as such what you see in a film does as well.
Great post though, and good luck on your Interview with the Vampire revisit.
When I was 12, Congo was the best movie ever created. When I rewatched it at 22, I couldn't stop cringing, so I turned it off.
The same goes with the Inspector Gadget cartoons.
I ad the exact same feelings about Batman as I watched it a few times last year and on Blu-Ray this year. As a film, it doesn't hold up well, but as one of the movies of my youth, it's great. I often thought about doing a regular column called something like "Movie of My Memory" and re-reviewing movies I grew up on, without watching them again.
@ Univarn… What you say is true. But I'm trying to look beyond something simply not aging well. I'm talking about looking back at something that you once thought was the bee's knees, only to realize how shit it was all along! The subject came up when the last Indiana Jones movie came out. Someone tried to tell me it was an absolute abomination…I suggested they go back and re-watch TEMPLE OF DOOM.
@ Blake… Inspector Gadget cartoons? Really?? I know how you feel though. When I was 12 the greatest film in the world was TOP GUN. Perspective is awesome ain't it?
@ Big Mike… Yeah, it kinda sucks. The cinephile in me see that now, but the kid inside me will never stop digging it.
I like your idea for a series, but if I could make a suggestion – try writing what you remember about the film first, then write a second half after rewatching it.
Actually, if you don't do that, I very well might!
Maybe we should just tag team it. We're both about the same age and I'm sure we grew up on the Batmans, Top Guns and Major Leagues of the times, as it were.
My theory on the movies we've grown up on is that the good ones tend to grow with us. Maybe there's a reason you haven't seen IWTV in a while (although it's just as likely you'd still dig it. Opinions can differ, after all).
When I was sixteen, I was really into 'Independence Day'. I don't even own a copy of it now. However, there are certain films I've watched religiously since childhood, like 'Return to Oz' and 'The Princess Bride', that I still consider to be among the best films I've ever seen. Something about them endured beyond a childhood appreciation.
@blake I recently watched 'Congo' for the first time in years and thought it still held up as a fun watch. STOP EATING MY SESAME CAKE!
@ Big Mike… I like the idea! What should we choose first?
@ Joel… Interesting theory. Given how much TV I watch these days, I don't re-watch movies the same way I used to. That said, I'm amused by which ones I'll stop and watch if I see them on TV (ie FIGHT CLUB is on? Take your shoes off, we're staying in).
There are indeed unquestionable classics I was raised on (THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, THE WIZARD OF OZ)…but then there are the ones that were awesome to my young eyes, which now just don't seem so hot.
I go through this with my wife all the time. There are boatloads of 80's teen movies I never saw. She tries to get me to sit through them, but it's painful for me since 90% of them are crap to someone coming in nostelgia-free.
PS…Thanks for reminding me of the Sesame Cake goodness from CONGO 🙂
Just looking thru some of the Blu-Rays I've bought recently, titles spring to mind such as Beetlejuice, Die Hard, Ghostbusters, Top Gun amongst others. Shoot me an email and we can plan this out.
that would definitely be an interesting series Hatter. I have probably seen Batman more than any other film (up there with Alligator, which for some reason I came home from school and watched every day when I was about ten) but I think it still holds up.
I do think in a few years though people are gonna look back at Tim Burton's career and realise it really wasnt all that – that run from Beetlejuice through Batman to Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood is great, but everything after that is pretty unmemorable stuff. however, that may be a rant for another time.
I caught Interview With A Vampire again on TV just two nights ago, and while I can see why someone would pick holes in it – Joel's search for meaning in it was pretty fruitless – I still think it holds up, especially if you take it for the OTT piece of pulp it is. Brad Pitt is a bit of a drip in it (although his character doesnt help) but the Cruiser is great fun. You could argue the problem with the film lies with Cruise not being on screen for most of the second half. It does have one of the great endings though.
It really is a personal thing, but im not sure you will hate Interview this time round as much as you fear.
A few movies that are terrible that once were great: Footloose, Batman Forever
Some movies that were great and still are great: Gremlins, The Goonies
@ Big Mike… Sounds like a plan! I'll email you this weekend.
@ Ross… The Burton conversation is a whole other kettle of fish, but I like his stuff. My disappointment looking back on BATMAN isn't solely based on his direction, more that I never noticed until the last few years how the actual story and acting aren't as good as I remember.
Okay, first of all I don't think Interview With a Vampire is the 'bestest' movie or whatever, but 2/4 seems harsh. Very harsh. It was good, and I'm kind of pepped when I remember Dunst earned a Golden Globe nom for it.
In terms of revisiting childhood films we need not even go to movies. Think about the cartoon you liked, some of them would just make you vomit. I went through a misguided phase when I was almost obsessed with Bollywood films. I'll stop there.
@Ross and Andrew – As I mentioned in my review, my main problems with the film were Cruise and Pitt's performances, which could have worked as camp if the movie didn't have such a sloggy storyline. They visibly try to get blood from a stone script. Dunst offers the best perfomance in the film. I'd call it award-worthy.
I downright prefer films that mean something. If meaning isn't there, I can feel let down, especially when it's a film about a character who is quite actively searching for meaning.
@ Andrew… Yeah, I know what you mean with the cartoons. I recently re-watched a few episodes of The Smurfs and G.I. Joe – to say I remembered them being better would be putting it mildly.
I can give them a pass though, they're meant to entertain kids, right?
@ Joel… Sorry man, I didn't mean for you and your review to become a whipping boy in all of this. Still friends?
Yeah, shit gets touchy when you start messing with the movies of youth. This plays a small part in my wonderment in how people in my age range (30s) and younger can truly appreciate films that were deemed classic before they were born. If Batman and Star Wars don't hold up as well 20 and 30 years later, why do those from 50 years?
In many ways, I think Batman is timeless and remains the best comic book movie of all time. In many other ways, it is of course very dated and I see chinks in the armor more and more every time I watch it. Doesn't really take away my love for it, though.
And damnit, I want in on that Movies of my Memory shiznit. Sounds like a good film club.
Some films hold up to the test of time, and some don't.
It's funny I recently re-watched Interview with the Vampire and thought it was a much better film than when I saw it originally back in the day, it's a freaking solid film. Now, revisiting The Lost Boys on the other hand, revealed that it isn't a great film and all my happy memories of it now sit askew.
Ross, Batman Forever was never a good film!
@ Fletch… Your comment actually gave me an idea for a whole other post, stay tuned.
As for BATMAN, disenchanted as I am with it, I must give it props for its adult vision, its scale, and indeed its darkness. Without that movie's achievements, there would be no SPIDER-MAN, no SIN CITY, and indeed no DARK KNIGHT.
@ Shannon… Can you remember what specifically you liked more this time around? As for LOST BOYS, I haven't seen it in a while, but I think that one holds well with story but loses big points for style. Of course, I'd gladly take LOST BOYS over TWILIGHT 😉
@ Fandango… I'm a bit more with Ross actually. I remember going to the thetre and digging BAT-FOR. It wasn't until two or three years ago when I caught a showing of it on TV that I had the "Holy crap, this is bad!" moment.
What I liked more about this time around was mostly that overall it's a good film. I think the first time round I found it a bit drudged down and heavily stylized, but this time I saw a lot more of the different characters journeys and how they deal with immortality, morality and loneliness.
Lost Boys on the other hand… all style and no grace. Fun at the time but now, wow… kinda cheesy 🙂