Benign Neglect
Slate's John Swansburg has just posted a piece asking readers to divulge which Netflix movie they've hung onto the longest without actually watching. He's referring, of course, to DVDs people have rented for purposes of nutrition or artistic intrigue (a 1950s Samuel Fuller film, say, or or an Iranian film that Scott Foundas or Robert Koehler have done back-flips over) rather than something in the way of straight entertainment, easy emotional comfort (Howard Hawks' Only Angels Have Wings) or sleazy-cheesey exploitation.
"It happens to all Netflix subscribers eventually," writes Swansburg. "Your buddy the film buff drags you to a revival of Antonioni's L'Avventura. To your surprise, you find yourself rapt. Upon returning home, you log in to your Netflix account and move La Notte, the second film in Antonioni's ennui trilogy, to the top of your queue. It arrives a few days later, just as L'Avventura's spell is starting to wear off.
"You watch Anchorman instead. You totally still want to see La Notte ...but now you've mailed Anchorman back and here is Ghost Rider-- starring Nic Cage! La Notte can wait. And it does. For weeks. You're never quite in the mood to watch it, but you can't quite bring yourself to return it, either.
"Back in the days of the late fee, there was no shame in returning a movie unwatched. You had every intention of settling in for an evening with Jean Renoir, but then the dog ate a Lego, there was a great rerun of Frasier on, and next thing you knew the tape was due at the video store. Oh well. With Netflix, sending a disc back unviewed feels like an admission of failure. You thought you had the patience to sit through Interiors. Turns out you didn't."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 28, 2008 at 3:35 PM
comment #1
Richardson
says ...
Funny that Antonioni is your go-to example - I held on to 'The Passenger' for at least six months, finally watched it, didn't really like it that much, returned it, and, within a week, it was on cable, and available at a nearby store for $4.99 (which, while I wouldn't have paid that after I saw it, I would've paid it sight unseen, and it would've cost less than six months of Netflix).
by the end, it was a point of pride that, dammit, I was definitely going to watch it.
Right now, I've had "M. Hulot's Holiday" for more than a month, but that doesn't count -- I got it, and then drowned in pre-production (and the death of a family member), and I'm not returning it because there's nothing I want to watch more. 'Playtime' is still the best movie I ever got from Netflix.
If I don't watch it within 48 hours of getting it, it takes a while for me to finally get around to it.
Posted by Richardson
at August 28, 2008 2:46 PM
comment #2
Richardson
says ...
And I should add that the problem I have is not other Netflix discs (I only have one-at-a-time, I share with roommates to keep cost down), it's cable. Because if a movie is on cable RIGHT NOW and I want to watch it, I can always watch the DVD later. Sometimes, the most interesting movies aren't re-run frequently (I noted that 'Seconds' was on a few weeks ago, decided not to watch it but assumed it was now going to be in rotation, and now it's not and i missed it! Damn, I should Netflix it).
The other thing is, a bad movie like 'Ghost Rider' is good to throw on while I'm writing or doing other stuff. A good movie, you actually want to pay attention when you're watching it.
Posted by Richardson
at August 28, 2008 2:53 PM
comment #3
The InSneider
says ...
Wow, hell of an idea for an article. Mine would have to be either Dirty Pretty Things or Vengeance Is Mine (which I watched 40 mins. of and never put back in. Saving it for just the right time). My buddy had Bridge on the River Kwai on his coffee table for about 10 months.
Posted by The InSneider
at August 28, 2008 3:52 PM
comment #4
BlueBomm
says ...
I had Tarkovsky's Stalker on my floor for at least four months before my girlfriend venomously sent it back without telling me. A month or so later, I bumped it to the top of my queue again, and again it sat around for a couple months.
Then one Saturday I got a little loaded in the early afternoon, put it on, and sat through every astonishing second. It was totally awesome, even moreso than if I hadn't built it up / let if fester into this epic personal challenge.
Posted by BlueBomm
at August 28, 2008 4:33 PM
comment #5
bluefugue
says ...
I did this with Red Beard. Eventually sent it back half-watched, much to my shame as a Kurosawa fan.
Posted by bluefugue
at August 28, 2008 4:43 PM
comment #6
corey3rd
says ...
knowing how certain people are, this should be treated more as "what netflix DVDs have you duped and just can't bring yourself to watch."
Posted by corey3rd
at August 28, 2008 5:00 PM
comment #7
Josh Massey
says ...
Easy: The Deer Hunter. Set on the top of my TV for five months. Meanwhile, my other rentals of the time - S.W.A.T., 2 Fast 2 Furious and Win a Date With Tad Hamilton, among them - came and went in a matter of days.
Speaking of Netflix, a pox upon those who recommended Brain Donors a few weeks back. Just got it a few days ago based on the wonderful things said here, and of course popped it in within hours. And damn. Terrible film. Not funny. At all. If you're one of those recommenders, please write my name on your hand and slap yourself in the face.
Posted by Josh Massey
at August 28, 2008 7:18 PM
comment #8
berg
says ...
I don't do Netflix but I bought L'Appartement off eBay, and then waited a couple of years before I watched it
Posted by berg
at August 28, 2008 9:58 PM
comment #9
Bocephus
says ...
I always devour the good stuff right away. The only films I've held on to without watching are Lady Snowblood and 28 Days Later, and an MST3k episode that I wasn't in the mood for.
Posted by Bocephus
at August 29, 2008 10:38 AM
comment #10
janee
says ...
Si vous etes interesses par le dossier, ou desirez en savoir plus, contactez-moi par mail, et je vous mettrai en contact.
Best regards,Jane, CEO of high availability virtualization
Posted by janee
at May 18, 2011 1:24 AM