Rewind and Rewatch?

On Thursday night my fellow film blogger Andrew Jones Tweeted that he’d just enjoyed his fourth viewing of Thor (or should that be ‘Thor-th’). I was actually stunned by this. What was more surprising was that Andrew hadn’t liked the film at the first time of asking. Fair enough, as he explained to me, his second viewing was as part of a Marvel all-nighter which is what won him over and the subsequent times were on Blu-Ray. So there were reasons, but this still seemed odd to me. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Thor well enough; it was enjoyably silly stuff with a likable cast and some witty ideas. But, given the option, would I see it four times in the six or seven months it’s been out? Heck no.

But then I wouldn’t even watch some of my favourite films again, given the option. I stopped rewatching films about four or five years ago. Generally speaking that is. There’s always going to be an occasion when an old favourite comes on TV and I’ll watch with friends or family, but by and large, once is enough for me. Whilst some of my favourite films include the likes of City of God,Star Wars and Twelve Monkeys, I can honestly say I have no true intention of ever watching any of them again. My reasoning being that with so many films out there that I haven’t seen (and believe me, there are dozens and dozens of glaring omissions from my ‘seen it’ list – but that’s another discussion for another time), where do I find the time to rewatch ones I have?

As any sensible twenty-first century film blogging gentleman would do, I put the question to Twitter. Perhaps unsurprisingly, as I follow a lot of lovely fellow film-friendly folks, all of those who responded were very much in favour of the rewatch. My friend and filmmaker Daniel Johnsonwas first to respond to the following questions: “Rewatching films: who does it and why? When there are so many films out there to see, who has the time to rewatch stuff? Or am I alone in this?”

Although he told me that in his opinion, ninety-nine per cent of films are irrelevant, it wasn’t about numbers for Daniel, more about finding the films that resonate with him and rewatching them to gain a greater understanding of himself. He also said that, “I don’t love movies, I just love the movies that I love.” Another Daniel and self-confessed ‘occasional blogger’ Daniel W. ventured that frame of mind is important when watching a film and can be the cause of different reactions on repeated viewings. Daniel Johnson countered that whilst that was true to a point, truly great films capture you first time around no matter what. Dan W conceded that he couldn’t think of a film that he’d radically changed his opinion about second time around.

The other contributor to the conversation was freelance journalist Michael Ewins, who did admit to a drastic change of opinion about some films he’d watched second time around. He told me he rewatched films in order to pick up on subtleties a first viewing had not revealed. He also believes that as we get older, we get pickier as we fear our own mortality, which, though ‘a bit heavy’, I agreed with.

I enjoy a good conversation, be it spoken aloud or via Twitter and this one forced me to question my viewing habits and draw some conclusions about them. It may be rather self-aggrandising, but I don’t feel like there are a great many films I don’t fully understand on a first viewing. Less pompously, I can concede that perhaps my appreciation of cinema has not yet fully developed. Finally, it’s true that I do watch a lot of trashy films and all too frequently, intentionally. There’s nothing wrong with trashy films, I love ‘em, but I believe they’re counterproductive to fostering a culture of repeat viewing for me.

Of course, one thing everyone said was that it is after all, a personal choice how often you rewatch. The great thing about film is that you watch it on your own terms. But what are your thoughts on the matter?

‘Side by Side’ – Pre Production Event Coverage

It’s not every day I find myself attending screenings for films that haven’t been made yet – let alone released – but I was delighted to attend my friend Daniel Johnson’s pre-production promo event for his upcoming debut feature Side By Side.

Held in the classy confines of Whitechapel’s Genesis Cinema, tonight was about raising awareness – and hopefully some cold hard cash – for the film. Daniel has previously helmed numerous short films, some of which were screened this evening in order to show off his considerable talent. We were treated to three shorts, Alone, Crazy Love and A Single Guy, all of which studied different aspects of relationships, often in comedic but always in interesting ways. Alone was a series of brief portraits of couples falling apart or failing to start; Crazy Love was a zany ‘meet-cute’ told from the point of view of a guy who seems always to attract life’s more eccentric women – whilst perhaps not being the most normal person in the world himself – and A Single Guy followed a hapless fellow who manages to scupper every opportunity he has to form a relationship.

What was clear from the shorts is that Daniel is itching to write his talent all over a feature-length project. Side By Side is raring to go. The plot concerns a couple, Paul and Lisa, who are on the verge of splitting when a massive obstacle is placed in their path as Lisa is diagnosed with breast cancer. The film promises to be moving and affecting, but not without a healthy dose of humour. We were also shown a short series of interviews cast of the film and Daniel, all of whom were excited to be a part of the production.

I had the chance to chat to Daniel about his film. Here’s what we discussed…

The nature of relationships – or the lack thereof – are common theme in your work. What keeps bringing you back to the subject?

For me, relationships are everything! The complexities of human interaction are the most baffling, amusing, and confusing things in the world. I could make films about things exploding and cars that smash through windows, but I find it more exciting to focus on relationships. That’s where the drama really is.

In Side by Side, a main character is diagnosed with breast cancer. Was there a reason you chose this specific terminal illness and what has researching it been like?

I think that cancer affects everyone. When you’re in a room with five people; pretty much everyone will have a personal experience with it, whether it’s their own health or a loved one. Even if someone has never been touched by it – that’s still an experience of cancer – to be the outsider who’s never been around it. And I think it’s one of those topics that hangs around like a ghost – everyone knows it, most people have experienced – yet we have a tendency to shy away from it. It’s understandable, because it’s a painful topic. But also, cancer isn’t just this one thing, it’s not just an illness. It’s a thing that changes and affects and influences the lives of all those who are touched by it. ‘Side By Side’ really gets into that – how ordinary life changes when someone gets ill.

The story could have been about any cancer. But I think, for a woman, breast cancer can be even more profound and unsettling, like testicular cancer for a man, because it’s extremely personal; a big part of how we define our identities, our gender, is by our physical form. So I think it’s potentially an even more difficult thing for a woman.

In the interviews we saw, your cast seem very motivated and excited about the project – you all seem very driven towards a common goal and there appears to be some great chemistry between the three of you. How do you cultivate that atmosphere on set?

I like working with actors. I like it when they’re able to be comfortable and really truthful on screen. And I think, because of that, actors like to work with me – because if they need rehearsal, or need help understanding a character or a piece of dialogue, I’m totally there – I get stuck into the mud with them and we explore it together. So it’s a lot of fun, always creative. And on a more simple level, Sam and Camilla are just fantastic, lovely people; great fun to be around. So it’s a blast.

How do you find the writing process – is it something you enjoy more or less than directing?

I think my strength is writing. Directing for me is mostly about protecting the material. My favourite director’s, people like Charlie Chaplin, Billy Wilder, and more recently – Cameron Crowe. They’re great writers, and their directional style is to give space for the actors to tell the story. The camera doesn’t intrude, it doesn’t jump around and fly around on big cranes – it’s subtle. I like that. It’s not that I’m more of a writer than a director, but rather – my style of directing is to support the writing. I guess Woody Allen is the best example of that.

When it’s finished and released, where do you hope this film takes you?

I just want Side By Side to find an audience. My favourite independent films are the ones that sneak into little film festivals around the world and resonate with people. They start out small but the word of mouth grows and grows. And before long, they’re being seen by much bigger audiences. I’d love that for Side By Side.

With any luck, Daniel will be able to secure the finances to head into production soon, but if you’re interested in getting involved and helping a talented young British filmmaker, then check outDaniel’s website for further details. You’ll also be able to watch some of previous short films there too.