MovieChat Forums > Casablanca (1943) Discussion > Boring on first viewing, HOLY SH-T AMAZI...

Boring on first viewing, HOLY SH-T AMAZING on second

posted 9 years ago by edlitz36
6 replies | jump to latest

I was around 21 when I first watched Casablanca. First go was rough. I was mostly disinterested the first hour or so, that is until the final 35 minutes, when the plot really kicks into high gear and my eyes were glued to the screen. The amazing third act is what saved the film for me-- original rating was 8/10. Then I rewatched 4 years later, and it's one of my favorite films ever-- perfect 10. Exact same experience with John Carpenter's The Thing-- first half was slower paced, until around the last 40 minutes and it becomes totally engrossing.

Sometimes that just happens. Ya may not be at the right maturity level to fully appreciate classic of cinema-- first impressions are often misleading so don't trust them. What films did anyone else have a similar experience with?

Religion should be made fun of. If I believed that stuff, I'd keep it to myself. -Larry David

[–] WeAintFoundShin 9 years ago

I had the exact same experience, and with about the same ages.

Well said.

[–] information_police 9 years ago

It is one off my 5 favorite movies, but the first time I watched it I fell asleep. I was pretty drunk at the time...

[–] MichaelM24 8 years ago

Just watched this for the first time (at age 37) and my experience sounds similar to your first viewing. I liked it early on but the middle section felt very slow and boring (plus some parts were difficult to figure out, like why were the Nazis letting Laszlo just wonder around freely if they were after him and why were they after him?), then the final act picked up and it got really good again.

I suspect maybe in another few years I'll revisit it for a second viewing and see how it goes over then.

[–] Blueghost 8 years ago

Oh yeah?

Well, I've seen it dozens of times, and keeps getting dumber with each subsequent viewing.

[–] shadaif 8 years ago

I had the same reaction to Casablanca. The first time I watched I was more fascinated by how many quotes from the movie I recognized from this movie that had been used in other movies and TV shows. The second and third viewings made me see that this film is a masterpiece.
Another film that gets better after repeated viewings was Gosford Park.

"The end of the shoelace is called the...IT DOESN'T MATTER!"

[–] Sewaat 8 years ago

I had a nearly identical experience with it as you did. I found it boring and overrated on the first viewing. But then I visited it again years later and now I think I finally understand why everyone calls it a classic. Great stuff!