Is a dinosaur. Who might not work this afternoon.

[desperance]

TV certainly wants me to do no work this afternoon, for they have scheduled my two favourite fantasy movies of all time, back to back.

Since you ask, that's The Princess Bride (of course!) and Ladyhawke. In the other order.

And yes, I do own them both on video (no, not on DVD - I'm a dinosaur. I have such a machine, but I never use it. Too complicated, with all the plugging and unplugging that has to go on...), so yes, I could work all day and watch them this evening if I wanted to. I could watch them any evening, any time of day, if I wanted to. But somehow I don't, simple possession is enough; and then they're broadcast, and the dinosaur in me goes "ooh, movie on TV, must watch..."

Is this some kind of spurious mass-event scenario, do I prefer to watch when I know that others are watching too? I dunno, it baffles me. But I think it highly likely that I will commit sofa-sprawl this afternoon and my computer will be lonely, up here on its own.

Comments

[costumeimp.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way about The Wizard of Oz. Yes, I own it on DVD, but let them broadcast it on TV and I will stop what I'm doing and watch it!

Enjoy your TV afternoon!

Love and Light!

[jeremy-m.livejournal.com]

When your friends come round to visit it would be rude to ignore them, even if you do have perfectly good pictures of them in storage. It's like switching off a CD during a track, just too impolite to consider.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Is true! Thank you!

[bethnoir.livejournal.com]

the Princess Bride is a wonder to behold, channel 5 have upped the quality of their films lately. You need a laptop so you can watch TV and pretend to work whilst the ads are on.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

The cats are not so easy to fool, alas...

[danjite.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...

I do love the Princess Bride( points off for underdirecting Billy Crystal) and it does have one of the bestest swordfights of all time but....

The book was so vastly superior for me that when I see the movie on, I turn it off and go read.

Of course, I am a reader.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Ah, but see, I have avoided this problem by (shock, horror!) never having read the book. Yet. I don't think I even own a copy. [Actually, I just typed 'coypu' there. I know damn' well I do not own a coypu.]

[danjite.livejournal.com]

Chaz-

One thing that I and DAMN NEAR EVERY WRITER I have ever spoken to on the subject agree on: The Princess Bride is one of the best- if not the best- fairy tales ever written.

Or is it a fantasy?

A biography?

A novel?

It. Is. A. Masterpiece.

Read it and cry at the brilliance.

I, personally, will refund you the purchase price if you don't feel it is one of the best books you have ever read.

Understood?

If I were within 500 miles of you, I would come over as soon as possible and read it aloud to you, just to have the unmitigated joy of watching another person hear it in all it's glory for the first time.

Seriously- that good.

/gush

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Noted. And thank you.

[danjite.livejournal.com]

Really.

You are quite welcome.

[martyn44.livejournal.com]

I think you would make a fine Dread Pirate Roberts.

Missed most of both due to family commitments, but all I have to do is close my eyes and I can 'see' both films. Home recordings and television transmission are all very well, but those are films that really ought to be seen in the dark cocoon of the cinema.

[beckyzoole.livejournal.com]

A few months ago I had the pleasure of watching The Princess Bride in a real movie theater, on a big silver screen. Wow. So many details I'd never noticed before! And the swordplay is just astounding.

[angelsasha.livejournal.com]

I feel exactly the same about films on TV! I can't put my finger on why, but there is something more enjoyable about watching a film when broadcast than on DVD. Of course DVDs are more convenient for being able to pause when the phone rings/you need to get a drink/fetch a jumper/etc, and also to rewind when you miss a bit of dialogue (I do that all the time :P) and I do love convenience... But still, broadcast has a little magic of some kind that I can't resist.

[samarcand.livejournal.com]

I am the exact opposite of you. I will almost never sit down and watch a film (and in certain cases a tv series - I've just finished watching Heroes on DVD rather than watching it on the Beeb) on television, especially if I already own it on DVD and especially, especially if it's on one of the commercial channels.

However, I'll agree with all those here present who have extolled the virtue of the book. It is a Fine Thing.