While marooned on my bed last weekend during a sick bout of laziness, I found myself watching Edward Scissorhands on cable. I can’t help it. I always stop when it’s on TV. Yes, I could watch the DVD, but, as we all know, things are just better when they’re on TV. As a result, I’ve seen the movie dozens of times in my lifetime (at least, I thought so…), and it has always surprised me that the movie hasn’t gotten old. Then I realized why: Around the half-way mark — specifically when Edward, Kim, and Jim break into Jim’s parents’ house — I changed the channel.
About five minutes after I did so, I stopped channel surfing in horror. Had I seriously just turned off the movie before arguably the best part: Kim dancing in the ice? That’s when I stopped to think about my actions, realizing slowly that I’ve probably seen the first 55 minutes of the movie three times the number of times I’d seen the entire thing. It’s a rather strange habit, I’ll admit. After some thought, I realized that it’s not the only movie I tend to cut off mid-way (basic cable regulars Mrs. Doubtfire, Good Will Hunting, and Dumb & Dumber keep Edward company on my list of movies I can’t seem to follow through with upon rewatching).
My theory is that I developed this strange habit a long time ago, probably as a result of watching too many sad movie endings that involve dead animals as a kid (I’m looking at you disapprovingly, Turner & Hooch). But while Edward Scissorhands has a somewhat tragic ending, it was never a movie that had me sobbing uncontrollably; thus, there is no risk of re-opening deep emotional wounds my parents closed years ago with candy and lies about dog heaven. There goes my childhood trauma theory.
I can’t say the movie slows down in the latter half, either, because I rather enjoy many moments toward the end (aforementioned dancing in the ice! Christmas light-adorned devil bush!). I suppose I’ll have to chalk this up to a bad habit.
But what about you, PopWatchers? Are there movies that you only like rewatching for the first half? Should we start a support group (since it’s quite likely that people have stopped watching movies with you, too)?
Every time the Parent Trap is on (with Lindsay Lohan) I always seem to watch the first half, and then turn it off.
The second half of that movie goes on FOREVER. I’d say my number one though is War of the Worlds. What a great first half of a movie, but damn, the rest is horrible.
I agree. I get really sick of seeing Tom Cruise after awhile, but when the Martians first start to attack is great. I think I probably turn it off around the time that his son leaves them.
OMG, I thought my mum and I were the only one who did that! Nice to know we aren’t the only ones!
Good call! I’ve always said that the momentum of WoW just outright stalls as soon as they end up in Tim Robbins’ basement. BIG mis-step that it never really recovers from.
haha i always stop halfway through the parent trap also. and whenever the mighty ducks movies are on i always stop after the first game in each movie haha. now when i watch these on dvd i watch it all the way through. maybe with tv i just have a habit of flipping channels lol. and i stop watching sound of music after “doe a deer…”
I only watch the first half of Full Metal Jacket, right up until they go to war. I don’t know why.
the first half is arguably the only interesting part of Full Metal Jacket
Agreed, the first is what makes the movie. The second half is just a standard cookie cutter Vietnam War movie.
I agree the 1st half is the more powerful but saying the 2nd half is cookie cutter Vietnam movie implies you didn’t really watch it. Just say it’s not to your taste because it was still brilliant.
i hate the fact that most of it looks like it was done on a sound stage – which it was…
First movie that came to mind. I don’t even dislike the second half at all – it’s just that the first half is SO brilliant and exhausting…it feels somewhat self-contained.
Great example. As soon as Private Pyle exits, that’s when I check out.
First movie I thought of. Rafterman, you are no Private Pyle. They might as well have cast Ted McGinley in that role.
This movie was my first thought, too. I only like the Boot Camp part.
Roger Ebert even said in his review of the movie at the time that all the interesting stuff is over after the Boot Camp part.
That’s exactly the movie I was going to write down.
This is usually the case with Superbad…
There are also a lot of movies that I’ve seen the middle and/or ends multiple times but the beginning always seems to allude me.
elude?*
you shouldn’t be watching superbad anyways, the title says it all. it’s a ridiculously stupid movie
I think it’s really funny actually. To each their own I guess…
I think it’s really funny. To each their own I suppose…
I agree about Superbad, once they get the liquor store I kind of lose interest. I don’t even think that’s the halfway point, I think its way before it. I love all the parts where they are still in school.
That’s exactly when I stopped watching. I didn’t get why everyone LOVED this movie.
Completely agree. I don’t remember another movie that goes from good to awful so quickly at the halfway mark.
For a split second there I thought you were going to pick my choice, Superman Returns. After the plane, there’s really not much need to watch it any further.
So true.
Rocky Horror Picture Show-LOVE the first part and hadn’t seen the whole thing and then I watched it all one Halloween-REALLY?! Aliens?! The last part is SO bad and the first part so good-I’ll never watch the whole thing again.
I feel the exact same way. Once Eddie’s Teddy is over, I turn it off.
Same here! Even when I used to attend midnight showings in college, I would duck out right around “Meatloaf is served”. Classic first part of the film, but it all goes downhill so fast. I hate the last part!
I was wondering if I’d find this one here… The 1st part is soooo good and campy, then the last half is just boring. Back in my dress-up, audience-participation days, that’s what we’d go take a cig break then return for the floor show. LOL!
My choice too, rlrose, and I was also wondering if it qualified: everything slows down after “Eddie” (both the movie and the audience participation) but you shouldn’t leave then and miss the Floor Show (but you won’t miss much if you leave after that).
And question to other fanatics like myself: how many remember the days when you didn’t have to leave the theatre for a smoke break (especially since that smoke probably didn’t contain tobacco)?
Same. I usually got off after Sweet Transvestite, though. Once you do the Time Warp and see Tim Curry strut his stuff, it all goes downhill.
Really, Sarah El? I can’t convince you to stick around for Meat Loaf’s entrance on the motorcycle to do “Hot Patootie” (in my opinion, the movie’s best song)? You might not be as ecstatic as Columbia is, but think you’ll enjoy it!
The same thing happened to me! I fell asleep the first time I watched (not necessarily a bad thing, I was just tired) and when I saw it again a couple years later my mind was boggled.
Rocky Horror Picture Show is my number 1 choice. It was on TV recently, and I forced myself to watch it beginning to end, because I’ve never done so before. I won’t make that mistake again! The ending was horrible–I think the director and writers were just making it up as they went along. The first half, though, is great!
Moulin Rouge. It’s arguably depressing the whole way through, but after Satine catches the attention of the evil Duke, I’m outta there. It’s all consumption and heartbreak and death from there on out, so I choose to bow out around the three-quarter mark! It’s a much happier movie that way!
I usually turn it off right after their joyous reconcilliation at the end. The last five minutes just kills the movie.
Exactly. I’m like Phoebe with Old Yeller.
Completely agree about Moulin Rouge. After the wonderful emotional high of the “Come What May” reprise, it’s time to shut it off before it’s all ruined!
Also, I’m a big fan of the Narnia books, but I always get bored with the movie version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe about halfway through. I haven’t seen the ending the last several times I tried to watch it.
I think the songs in the first half Moulin Rouge are so much better than the second.
I cut it off after “El Tango de Roxanne”. No need to keep going after that.
I totally agree. The medley of “love songs” is my favorite part of the movie!
This is the perfect example of a movie that you watch only the first half!!!
I haven’t ever watched past the drawing of the red curtain except the one time. In my mind: it ends there. I have the soundtracks, so I enjoy the fabulous end credits (“Bolero”) that way.
I think that I turn off Moulin Rouge about 3/4 of the way through the movie. As soon as the curtain closes on them and they’re happily in each others arms again and the Duke is gone, click. TV goes off. Why should I subject myself to tears when I can imagine Christian and Satine living happily ever after?
I agree the first half is the best and if I do watch the whole movie I turn it off after the show ends, but mostly when I watch this movie I tend to skip around to my favorite songs and scenes. I don’t think I’ve watched the whole movie since I first watched it!
Man, are you guys ever wrong. It’s one thing to turn off a movie because the end sucks, but when you ditch the tragic part of a freakin’ TRAGEDY just because you want to pretend it has a happy ending, you might as well skip the whole thing.
I love Steel Magnolias but I’ve discovered that unless I want to cry hysterically, I have to change the channel (I think usually right after the Halloween/bridal shower scene).
I have seen the Steel Magnolias wedding 900 times, but I have seen the ending of the movie…once.
Yes, me too – love the wedding, the rest of the movie, not so much.
Steel Magnolias is usually one I watch all the way through. I do find I check out after the 1st half of Rocky Horror, and Edward Scissorhands, and if it is on tv, I’ll skip around some during the original Highlander, even though I do love that movie.
Perfect example!
I agree. I enjoy watching until she has told her family she’s pregnant. After she has the kid, it’s all sadness and depression, so I lose interest.
I have often watched the Matrix Reloaded just up until the end of the freeway scene (love Trinity riding the wrong way while on the Ducati). After that, things get a little overdone…
That’s where I stop too.
Great example.
Yes.
I actually ONLY watch the freeway scene.
I watch Titanic until the ship hits the iceburg….
See, I’m the opposite. I can only stomach it during the sinking scenes.
I thought I was the only one.
That’s usually when I really start paying attention. I could watch the ship sink a million times but everything before the ice berg is just fluff.
I agree, Dave. It’s a pretty incompetent “historical drama.” But once it turns into a standard James Cameron action film, it’s somewhat more tolerable.
Ha! That’s a movie where I like the second half better than a first.
Same here!!!
That’s when I turn off Titantic, too. I like to come back after she gets rescued.
That was exactly my thought with this article. Titanic is wonderful, but it’s so long anyway that you might as well just watch the happy parts.
Me too!
Same here.
I can only watch wedding crashers until they leave the island..after that, the movie just loses steam..
The painting was a gift, Todd. I’m taking it with me.
That just made my morning.
Yes. Nothing else in that movie measured up to that line.
Ma! The Meatloaf!
I’ll second Full Metal Jacket. Lee Ermey’s performance is mesmerizing in the first half of that movie.
Romeo & Juliet, yes the one with Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes. I actually don’t know if I’ve ever watched the ending because I know how it goes.
the ending is the one part that is slightly different from the play!
The ending of the Leo version is much more tragic in my opinion.
Yeah I do the same thing with Romeo + Juliet. After act three is over and Tybalt and Mercutio are dead I’m gone.
It may have something to do with the fact that if I watch it any longer I can’t stop talking like them…Or that my favorite characters are dead…Or both…
The Royal Tenenbaums. I own two separate versions (VHS and iTunes) of this film and yet any time I see it on TV I have to watch the entire back story. I tend to stop watching soon after the whole family is back under the same roof.
Yes to Royal Tenenbaums. Also Steve Zissou. And Moulin Rouge.
…and “while you were sleeping” :\
The Village. I know a lot of people hate on that movie, but when I’m in the mood for a romantic movie, most of the time I’ll watch the first half of the Village and then turn it off before any of the sadness hits.
I do exactly the same thing. I love the first half of the movie. I watch until the end of the scene with Lucius and Ivy agreeing to dance on their wedding night.
Same here! Once Bryce Dallas Howard goes traipsing out to the woods, I’m out.
Speaking of the Village…this is one of the absolute classic bait and switch movies. It was hyped as a scary flick, and it ended up being a love story instead. My favorite Shyamalan movie.
This is not a thing. Stop trying to make this anything other than a bad habit you have. Get a better idea for a blog post.
Stop having hissy fits on entertainment blogs. Yeeesh.
This is an entertainment blog – if you want something more hard-hitting, why don’t you go elsewhere. Or maybe chill out and try some deep breathing.
Four pages of comments would probably prove otheriwse.
It’s called a blog, Chris. For better or worse, this is what blogs do, particularly ones that are about entertainment. And these people have to do multiple blog entries a day. Give ‘em a break, fer!@#$sakes. Otherwise, post *your* blog and let us have at it.
I agree with you completely.
Forest Gump. I generally watch until Lt. Dan makes his peace on the shrimp boat, then switch it to something else.
I usually stop watching Forrest Gump after Jenny leaves him and he starts running. BORING!
I, too, turn the channel after he starts running … but then try to rejoin before the scene when he finds Jenny again and meets little Forrest. Then I’m there for the remainder!
Me too! As much as I love the movie, I can’t stand Jenny. I stop watching after Jenny leaves Forrest.