LogFAQs > #935316995

I always assumed I'd dislike Godfather until I actually watched it, but then when I finally did I really, really liked it. Lowered expectations probably helped me enjoy it more - if I'd gone in expecting it to be the greatest film experience of my life I'd probably have appreciated it less.

Alien feels like it's more a product of its time, and you have to be into that style of suspense/horror to really appreciate it. It's never really been my bag, but I can appreciate it for its craft.

I tend to default to the assumption that people who don't like older movies are from younger generations who grew up on nothing but "FASTER, MORE INTENSE!" blockbusters, so they equate "slower-paced" with "boring", and can't appreciate suspense. But I consider that more of a fault of the viewer than I do of the films.

Ultimately, it feels like we need to judge works more by their own time period than by modern standards. Because standards change over time. Movies like The Great Train Robbery and A Trip to the Moon were mind-blowing in their time, but someone seeing them for the first time today who doesn't understand the impact they had on film isn't likely to care.

Though that also raises the question of whether or not we should divorce politics and cultural mores from film criticism as well - both Birth of a Nation and Triumph of the Will are incredibly significant films from a cinematography perspective, but people tend to get touchy about them because racism and Nazis.
---

"Wall of Text'D!" --- oldskoolplayr76
"POwned again." --- blight family