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[DaveH]

Do you remember learning how to appreciate the classics or masterpiece works beyond the superficial plot or gut reaction in English Lit? While some of those classics were the popular entertainment of their era you might have disliked it until you were taught how to appreciate it.

Do you have a recent or contemporary piece of entertainment which you appreciated much more after analyzing it, having something explained to you, or learning something that made it a better work to you?

 

[Leunam]

I enjoyed the film version of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy because it was pretty to look at and what I was able to follow was pretty compelling.

I enjoyed it way, way more after reading the book.

 

[Florida Man]

All entertainment became terrible after attending college.

 

[UFO]

I found The Catcher in The Rye infinitely more interesting when I found out it was banned at one point.

 

[DaveH]

All entertainment became terrible after attending college.

Why?

 

[The Technomancer]

I already loved the LEGO Movie when I saw it, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why it felt so special until I read the Film Crit Hulk piece on it

Can't figure out how to paste links on my phone, but the short version is that it manages to keep like a half dozen thematic plates in the air, examining the usual "kids film" ones with more thoughtfulness than they usually get (specifically the ideas of the heroes journey and being "chosen" as well as the dangers in pursuing either conformity or individuality to dysfunctional extremes) plus other themes that are unusual in that context

Its probably my favorite film of the year and I couldnt conciously articulate any of that without the elucudation

 

[Pickman]

I enjoyed the film version of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy because it was pretty to look at and what I was able to follow was pretty compelling.

I enjoyed it way, way more after reading the book.

I absolutely understand where you're coming from on this one. Amazing piece of work in both mediums.

 

[ComputerMKII]

Progressive metal

 

[Switch Back 9]

All entertainment became terrible after attending GAF

Fixed that for ya

 

[Maledict]

Do you remember learning how to appreciate the classics or masterpiece works beyond the superficial plot or gut reaction in English Lit? While some of those classics were the popular entertainment of their era you might have disliked it until you were taught how to appreciate it.

Do you have a recent or contemporary piece of entertainment which you appreciated much more after analyzing it, having something explained to you, or learning something that made it a better work to you?

The Shining film by Kubrick.

Watching it had a clear emotional impact on me, but I couldn't actually put my finger on *why*. The critical analysis, and the wealth of material which shows how Kubrick put so many tiny things into the film to unsettle the viewer without them realising it made me enjoy the film even more.

 

[injurai]

Whatever is lost or ruined is just replaced with a growing number of things more deeply appreciate. I try to let myself suspend disbelief though where it would be excessive not to.

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

the all-answer is probably Shakespeare when not talking about one of the Kenneth Branagh movies.

Blade Runner.

roh my. How could I forget. That one got much better after reading the novel.

Starship Troopers also fits the bill for getting better with analysis of it, despite itself already being an analysis of the novel's themes.

 

[crimzonflame]

Blade Runner.

 

[GavinGT]

The Sopranos final scene: http://masterofsopranos.wordpress.com/the-sopranos-definitive-explanation-of-the-end/

Although it's silly that you need a film degree to fully understand what they were going for.

 

[DOWN]

Casino Royale is more fun when you have the stock concepts explained so you don't feel like an inferior viewer watching it.

 

[barik]

At first I didn't totally understand Enemy, but once I read an explanation of what was really going on it blew my mind. Amazing film.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2316411/?ref_=nv_sr_1

 

[Clov]

When I first watched Tarkovsky's film Mirror, I seriously couldn't understand it. Everything went over my head completely. After reading up on it, I think I'm able to understand it a bit better. Graham Petrie's article on it in the book "Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue" was probably the most helpful, as it lays out what happens in the movie scene by scene, giving historical context where it's needed as well as giving a nice overview of the film's production.

 

[jadedm17]

The new Planet of the Apes movies made my jaw drop and until watching them I always thought they were loved as campy scifi, I never realized they had a deeper story.

Star Trek I used to think similar too until a friend made me watch Next Generation. Now it's one of my favorite shows to go back and watch, they deal with so many issues. I also love the constant struggles with morality and how there's never a right or wrong answer, only a better one.

 

[Empty]

i recently re-watched every wes anderson film while reading the wes anderson collection by matt zoller seitz. which is a coffee table book of in depth interviews with anderson about every film he's made (till grand budapest, which it was released before) along with mini-essays about the themes, which weave into the questions asked. i was already a fan but it really helped me appreciate his work more, by bringing into clarity the way his themes and style have evolved, moved sideways and stayed the same over the years, and by understanding more of the process that goes into each element i got more pleasure from all the details in the films.

 

[WorriedCitizen]

It took a while to get into old films. I just had to educate my silly teenage self that so many of them are not corny or boring.

 

[freeofgreed]

This happened to me a lot with rap songs, then I discovered rap genius and a lot of nuances and metaphors that went completely over my head were revealed to me. Made me really appreciate the genre even more.

Film wise this happens to me a lot with David Lynch films (especially Mulholland Drive, and TP: FWWM). I already loved MD after watching it but my appreciation for the movie skyrocketed after I realized what was actually going on. I initially thought Fire Walk with me was a pretty shit movie, then I read some theories and analysis' on what was actually going on in the film and my mind was fucking blown.

 

[DaveH]

Shout out to this Jackie Chan thread and video:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=944200

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1PCtIaM_GQ

 

[Valhelm]

Pretty much every album becomes better after around five listens.

You absolutely cannot appreciate or understand an album that you've only heard once.

 

[The Awesomest]

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness was a pretty awful read in high school, but in college I read a book called King Leopold's Ghost which was a nonfiction account of the Belgian occupation of the Congo, including some bits about what Conrad saw. So now I retroactively like Heart of Darkness.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Analysis of The Count of Monte Cristo made me appreciate what i had half-read more than any other book I think. I need to go back and read it again.